Runaway Slaves Coalition Joins UFPP, But We Can't Certify Them
The Runaway Slave Coalition is an umbrella where lumpen sets of the various street organizations operate under MIM(Prisons)’s United Front for Peace in Prisons - Statement of Principles.
I have already taken measures to develop peace and unity between factions here at the Bay Correctional Facility in Panama City, Florida. As a basis here we are opposing oppression of prisoners and oppressed people in general. Work has begun, and we will campaign around the September 9th Day of Peace and Solidarity.
The objective this month is getting every organization on the compound to make sure every member of their various organizations send a short, one paragraph letter to the USW Council pledging allegiance to the Runaway Slave Movement and making sure every member of the various respective organizations are on MIM(Prisons) newsletter subscription list.
MIM(Prisons) adds: Greetings to the Runaway Slave Coalition and all associates in Florida that are working towards a united front of the oppressed. This comrade wrote asking for certification and official sanction for eir group. We do not certify anyone who is not a member of MIM(Prisons). And no one locked in prison can be a member of MIM(Prisons). United Struggle for Within (USW) is an independent org working under our leadership. This means they should not be promoting things that disagree with our 6 main points (see page 2 of ULK) - if so, they are no longer USW as they have broken their charter. Even if they are acting under the broad definition of USW as an anti-imperialist prisoner organization, that does not mean we agree with everything they say or do, and we do not have any say in their day-to-day operations. In the case where someone reports a USW member breaking USW policy, even then it is hard for us to investigate or intervene.
Similarly many organizations have signed onto the UFPP, but that doesn’t mean we agree with everything they say or do. We have only pledged to agree to the 5 principles of the UFPP. This is how united fronts work, everyone maintains organizational independence, while uniting around common goals or principles (see MIM Theory 14: United Front for more info).
Anyone can write to us to get Under Lock & Key in U.$. prisons. Just because someone is distributing ULK or claiming they have articles published in ULK does not mean that we endorse them. Everyone should be judged by their actions. USW comrades must be accountable to the masses. Ultimately it is the masses at your locality that must judge the correctness of a USW leader or chapter, not MIM(Prisons). We do our best to support comrades from a distance in these endeavors.
