War on Terrorism increases fears in prison

Dear Friends, I have been receiving your MIM Notes and it was good to read something that I was saying all along. The U.S. has to accept some kind of blame for what happened on Sept. 11. I can't write too much because this facility likes to read mail. And a lot of inmates are being placed in SHU for just talking about Sept. 11. No matter what it is about. Thank you for the Notes and please keep me on your mailing list. Yours Truly, A New York prisoner

Censorship victory in New York

Revolutionary Greetings, After a month and 5 days of my current MIM Notes (Nov 1st & Nov 15th) being with-held from me in [this facilities] Media Review, I finally get my 2 issues. After a month of writing continuous letters to the chair person of this jail's media review and about 4 grievances I finally got a response. Once something goes to media review they(pigs) have to send you a "referral notice" letting the prisoner know his property is being with-held. As soon as I got this notice I wrote back to media review's chairperson telling him I wanted my MIM Notes as soon as he finished looking over it- since my last issues (Oct 1st & Oct 15th) were not censored. Both, notice to me and letter sent out was on the same date of Dec. 4th 2001. Not until yesterday [Jan 9 2002] did I receive November's issues. The chairperson to media review declared I never sent him a letter in regards of the notice. The notice states that if a prisoner does not submit a written report to support the admission of the publication within 10 business days, my issues will be destroyed. If I did in fact not answer back within 10 days then my MIM Notes should have been destroyed by now, but it is not. After writing and grieving I finally got a response telling me I either give permission to media review to censor the MIM Notes for "Anti- jail/Anti-government" articles or be sent back to the sender or they be destroyed if a response is not given. I wrote back quickly and argued the censoring, but gave them permission to cut out at most 2 articles- if more than 2 was to be cut out I would then send it to my house on the outside. The pigs sent me my 2 issues with only 2 articles cut out in which I hope to be let known of what they pertained to because the 2 issues were such attention grabbing that I read both issues without stopping until both were done... On the Nov. 15th issue #246 in page #10 topic: Censorship in Amerikkka, the pigs ripped out the "MIM Adds:" report on the article. The pigs censored the article on censoring. Obviously, they want to with-hold information that could be a tool for comrades building their political education... One struggle, One war against imperialism, A New York prisoner

MIM adds: This is a show of the pigs weakness on the issue of censorship. MIM's comments that were cut from this comrades MIM Notes addressed the lack of legal basis for censoring MIM and pointed out that our work helps unify prisoners rather than promote violence or rebellion as the pigs claim. This comrade demonstrated that these arguments are effective, despite the long delayed response, in his letter (not printed here) arguing against the censorship of his MIM Notes. The Media Review evidently knew that these were solid grounds for opposing their censoring since they made the effort to prevent prisoners from reading the arguments. We commend this comrade for making these points in his protest letter without having the benefit of MIM's advice, and for continuing to fight this battle.

Staff shortage and crackdown in Texas

Revolutionary Greetings, In this Texas Department of Criminal Justice system the pigs are now being faced with a dilemna - no one wants to be a pig. On this plantation alone they are over 30 pigs short; throughout the system the number is over 2,000. I recently read in a newspaper that they've begun a recruitment campaign in Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico. In these states the pigs don't make near as much as the pigs here do, yet they do not have the shortage problem. The majority of this new pig strata is either very young (18-23) or over retirement age. Here they have totally dropped physical and mental requirements. As the slave plantation we receive much of the backlash. We get outside "recreation" once a week if we're lucky. we get to go to the gym in the morning usually about four days a week - that is if we don't have work or school; if you do you're stuck. We "rack up" (have to go to our cells) three times a day for count (the other two counts during the day are done wherever we are). thus we rarely get dayroom. many times it takes so long to clear count that as soon as they clear it, it is time to count again. During count time there is "no movement" meaning you stay where you are until count clears. Every day more pigs quit. We go on "lockdown" frequently due to the shortage of staff. It is quite a spectacle to see this ridiculously decadent system decay more and more to the point that it can't even efficiently maintain itself internally. Power to the People! A Texas Prisoner.

Oppression maintains capitalism

Let me say MIM Notes 245 (1 Nov. 2001) on Texas labor exposes oppression was a rush and I must say thank you to your staff for pure love in their efforts to help us. I like to share with you the true statistics of racism being exposes in the criminal justice system. While the major political and capitalist media downplays racism in today's United Snakes, the below facts speak and show a different talk. According to the Sentencing Project, 12% of the population is Black, and 13% of illegal drug users are Black. Yet, we Blacks account for 35% of all arrests, 55% of all convictions, and 74% of all prison sentences for drug possession. Whites are currently imprisoned at a rate of 306 per 100,000 population .For Blacks the rate is 1,947, and 3,822 for Black males. Now according to the National Coalition to Abolish the Penalty, 90% of those that Federal prosecutors seek to execute are Blacks. Legal racism in America has been said to be abolished, but de facto racism persists in the criminal justice system. By persecuting poor Black working class individuals the illusion is created that white working-class persons are a privileged class. In this way a division is created in the working class which acts to the advantage of the owning class. Crime is rampant among lower working-class Americans because of the overabundance of pooly paid dead-end jobs, most of which offer no medical or other benefits. It's no wonder that so many turn to criminal activities in order to attempt to realize the good life. As the owning elite legally robs the workers of their product, what is to deter the oppressed workers from resorting to crime in order to get what they want? If workers owned the product of their labor and were thus materially better off then they are now, the number of criminal acts would decline accordingly. An alternative society, such as that proposed by MIM, would eliminate the rationale for most crime, along with the need for it. Respectfully, A Texas Prisoner

MIM responds: Thank you for writing, and for your support for the Texas prison labor campaign. You are right that the imperialists like to have the people below them divided against each other. What ruler wouldn't? But we don't agree that this is one working class being divided. First, most employed people in this country aren't working class at all, but rather petit- bougeois labor aristocrats. That includes almost all whites and many members of the Black nation too. That said, the Black nation suffers national oppression, as you mention in the prison statistics. But we don't know why you say the persecution of Blacks creates the "illiusion" that whites are privileged. If they aren't the ones being persecuted, then they are privileged, aren't they? That is not even to mention the economic privileges of whites (which we describe much more in MIM Theory 1 and MIM Theory 10). Finally, we would comment that we don't think most people in prison are the main criminals in society. So while we agree that overthrowing imperialism would reduce crime, it would help most by stopping the crimes of the imperialists themselves. As you note, many people in prison are there for drug possession and related problems - which should be considered a disease more than a crime.

Fight Censorship to Build the Movement

Greetings Maoist Comrades, I feel the need to take a position which questions legal authority to conduct themselves in such a way [censoring MIM Notes]. Although it'll take up some time to properly research and address these issues related with censorship, we must work together on both the inside and out in order to bring some clarity on what positive motives exist within our organization and movements that'll convince this prison system as well as society as a whole, that we seek to build, become and remain a needed "mind" in a world free of oppression with an ending goal to serve the people by establishing socialism/communism, and not as our negative adversaries allege (by advocating anarchy and rebellion against government authority). My unselfishness and concept is to "fight self" first and to "serve the people." This is the only way I can perceive to best benefit the collective and gain the unity needed to elevate the struggle in order to make a difference. This will not be a long process once world unity supports our goals and struggle. Because I'm presently in solitary confinement at X Correctional Facility, it's a great possibility my attempts to build with the movement will be blocked and since the recent publication sent to me by MIM have been confiscated by X C.F. Media Review Board because they claim its contents identified as MIM Notes #246 and 245 December 2001, is over 8 pages and advocates anarchy and rebellion against government authority, I lack awareness of many progresses related to our struggle. In the Struggle, A New York Prisoner December 2001

MIM responds: Certainly the legality of the censorship of MIM Notes should be questioned by everyone as it violates the supposed right to free speech in the United $tates. We encourage this comrade and other supporters to investigate ways to combat this problem and to watch these pages of ULK to learn what is already being done. We see fighting censorship as a winnable battle since it does violate the laws the government claims to uphold. However, we do not hope to convince the prison system to support our goals of communism as this comrade does. It is our task to convince the most people that we can to work for a communist society, but the current system as a whole will try to hold on to power. That is why revolutionary struggle is necessary to overthrow the old system and replace it. And as we have learned from the struggles following past revolutions, the process is in fact very long. But that is not to discourage, but to reinforce the necessity of building a strong movement that can last in the long haul and continue down the correct path towards communism.

Guards disrespect us; we retain our dignity through struggle

Dear MIM, Here in the Trenton Reception Facility this place is all messed up. They don't feed us well and they talk very bad to us in many disrespectful ways and they expect us not to disrespect them or say anything back. And when we do stand up and come as one to get what we should, they use their power to overrule us and separate us and label us as a gang or something. And when we go outside in the winter time they don't give us our coats so we could get sick and cold. When we beg them to let us in then they leave us out there longer. We are on lock down 23 hours a day with a light tray. I ask a CO a question and they walk away. They use their power to back us away, strip search us to get off in their own ways, and try to break us down in many ways. And I hear screams but it's only two reasons why, but it don't matter what they do, my brain won't die. All I can do is try to die for a cause, for what's in my heart. - A prisoner in New Jersey, January, 2002

Protest Censorship in Pennsylvania

A prisoner in Minnesota wrote the following protest letter after seeing a call for help with this censorship battle in MIM Notes.

Conner Blaine Jr. Superintendent, SCI-Green 169
Progress Drive Waynesburg, PA 15370

Dear Superintendent Conner Blain Jr., It's come to my attention that your facility has been denying prisoners "MIM Notes." If you've corrected this, then great, but if not, please understand that you're restricting reading material that's non- threatening to your prison. In Procunier v. Martinez the court announced that mail cannot be censored "simply to eliminate unflattering or unwelcome opinions or factually inaccurate statements." Censorship rules must not be "unnecessarily broad." Censorship rules must be tailored to serve defined state interests and must be no more expansive than necessary to accomplish that purpose. Courts also disapprove of censorship under rules which are unduly vague and vest prison officials with unguided discretion. See Chaimpagne v. Commissioner of Correction, 480 NE2d 609 (Mass 1985) regulation that permits censorship of letters that contain "information and material which would create a significant threat to the security or order of the institution or to the physical safety of an individual" is unconstitutionally vague and overbroad. I've read your DC-ADM 803 VI.F.4a(3) and find it broad and undefined. Do you notify the offenders of specific threats you perceive in MIM Notes? You're pretty much alone in the American correctional system that denies offenders MIM Notes. Please change.

MIM adds: Unfortunately this prison in Pennsylvania is not alone in censoring MIM Notes. We have problems in Wisconsin, Illinois, Oregon, Connecticut and regularly in many other states as well. But we continue to fight everywhere the department of corruptions attempts to censor MIM Notes and we are able to win many battles with the help of our comrades behind bars and the people on the streets.

Class Action lawsuit in Wisconsin: prisoners demand more from state

The State of Wisconsin is attempting to settle a class action lawsuit over conditions at Supermax Correctional Institution (SMCI) in Boscobel. The state has conceded to many of the prisoners demands including no longer calling the prison a "supermax" for "the worst of the worst." Other concessions include: keeping the exercise room at room temperature, allowing outdoor exercise, allowing face-to-face visits on levels 4&5, not using food as punishment, allowing religious articles in cells, keeping lights at no greater than 5 watts at night, and regulation of cell temperature and extra blankets and sweaters in the winter. Many inmates, however, are not happy with these "concessions" which really just represent SMCI being forced to abide by the laws regarding prison conditions. There are many illegal and repressive conditions at SMCI that are still not addressed with this agreement and some prisoners have drawn up the following additional demands.

1. Inmates not denied food because lights not on, pants not on, or clothing on head. 2. Inmates be allowed all property magazines, newspapers, photos, photo albums on levels 2-5. 3. Inmates be allowed access to regular television stations (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, etc.). 4. Inmates be allowed to legal route and mail photocopied material. 5. Inmates not be forced to participate in "Level System" to leave Supermax.. 6. Inmates be released to regular max Prison Population after 2 years with no major incidents. 7. Inmates be allowed sweaters and long underwear. 8. Handcuffs to be removed during use of law library. 9. Abolish warning behavior log system in which inmates are demoted and not promoted based on non-appealable warnings. 10. Inmates be allowed to order case law from Main Law Library for a fee. 11. Inmates be allowed all personal electronics. 12. Inmates be allowed canteen consistent with all WI prisons, on levels 2-5. 13. Inmates on Administrative Confinement not be forced to earn privileges because per DOC policy and procedures Administrative confinement is non-punitive. 14. Ability to turn off light completely. 15. Abolish kneel down policy to be shackled. 16. Contact visits since this would not longer be for "Worst of the Worst." 17. More law library time instead of current 1 hour 40 minutes a week. 18. Not forced to choose between law library and recreation. 19. Privacy when dealing with Health Care Officials. 20. Be allowed to seal letters consistent with all WI prisons. 21. Be allowed regular toothbrushes. 22. Be allowed to take correspondence courses if able to pay. 23. Reclassification of SMCI, not just name change. 24. Be paid school pay for participating in HSEP program like every other WI prison. 25. Cameras removed from all cells except observation/control rooms. 26. Inmates be allowed at least two 15 minute phone calls a week.

To these demands MIM would add a demand that SMCI stop politically-motivated censorship of newspapers and other literature. We can not get MIM Notes in to prisoners there because the prison claims the "Publication teaches or advocates violence and presents a clear and present danger to institutional security." As one prisoner wrote for a MIM Notes article a year ago, censorship is a part of the prison's attempt to oppress and silence the prisoners and filing grievances is only one piece of the anti-censorship battle: "I have placed an inmate grievance to the Warden and complaint examiner which, as of yet, has not been addressed, but due to the continued denial, I don't have much faith that my filings will be successful. So, I ask of you, are you willing to stand with me and help me fight the abusers of governmental power? Please be informed that this Supermax is now under a microscope already because of Unconstitutional Acts (including U.S.P.S. mail tampering) that are occurring daily, 24-7, to hundreds of deprived men. We are in a legitimate, just, struggle to gain back our humanity and dignity." To protest the censorship of MIM Notes and support the inmates just demands write to:

Warden Gerald Berge Supermax Correctional Institution PO Box 1000 Boscobel, WI 53805-1000

Prison commissary charges monopoly prices

Dear MIM,

Here is the text of a petition we have begun circulating in Indiana to protest the inflated prices for consumer goods in prison.

To: James M. Griffin, Chief US Department of Justice c/o Anti-Trust Division 600 The Rookery Building 209 S La Salle Street

Chicago, IL 60604 The undersigned are seeking an investigation pursuant to the Sherman Anti- Trust Act 15 U.S.C. §1b the Robinson-Patman Act 15 U.S.C.§13, against Keefe Commissary Network Sales Company and Indiana State Prison officials for engaging in illegal monopoly that forces Indiana prisoners to pay exorbitant prices for the same name of unnamed brand food, hygiene, clothing, etc; commodities sold by Keefe Company to non- incarcerated persons at a much cheaper and affordable price.

Example of Price Discrepancies: Prisoner Commissary Prices - 2001 13" Color TV - $200.00 Zest Soap, 3.2 oz - $0.95 6-Pack, 12 oz can Sprite - $2.94 Ramen noodle soup - $0.25/each KEEFE Peanut Butter 18.02 oz jar - $2.15 Starkist Tuna 6 oz - $1.20

Compared to Society's Price - 2001 13" Color TV $84.00 Zest Soap, 3.2 oz $0.43 6-Pack, 12 oz can Pepsi - $1.29 Ramen noodle soup - 10 for $1.00 KEEFE Peanut Butter 18.02 oz jar $1.56 Starkist

Tuna 6 oz - $0.69 These excessive and discriminatory prices imposed upon Indiana prisoners are the result of exclusive commissary contract agreement entered into by State Prison officials and the KEEFE Company. KEEFE pays the state prison officials substantial kickbacks skimmed from these exorbitant prices that they charge prisoner consumers. We urge your immediate intervention in this most serious matter! --A prisoner in Indiana.