MIM(Prisons) is a cell of revolutionaries serving the oppressed masses inside U.$. prisons, guided by the communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.
Stop Censorship by North Carolina Department of Public Safety
initiated in January 2012 updated on September 11, 2017
In early 2012, as our subscribership in North Carolina had begun to grow
quickly, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) began a
systematic censorship of
Under Lock & Key
and other mail coming from MIM Distributors. Things like the Jailhouse
Lawyers Manual and form letters listing the mail that we had sent
someone were censored. The NCPDS went on to ban every issue of Under
Lock & Key for 3 years straight. To this day, most issues are
still censored.
Since 2012, volunteer legal assistants have worked to appeal every
instance of censorship. (see our
database
for back-and-forth correspondence with the NCDPS) It soon became
clear that the review process was a rubber stamp of the Publication
Review Committee’s original decision. So we focused on investigating the
review process and pushing NCDPS to provide justifications and citations
of the exact content being censored.
In 2016, a
lawsuit
made it to court by a former prisoner subscriber of ULK [UPDATE:
winter 2017– we have not seen any followup on this case]. We have also
seen a
hunger
strike in one NC prison lead to more mail being let in. Now is the
time to step up the pressure on NCDPS mail policies. With the momentum
that has been building over the last five years, pushing for a legal
victory has the potential to change the practice across the state as
we’ve seen happen elsewhere.
MIM Distributors appeals decision to censor
Show Text
Director of Rehabilitative Programs and Services
North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Prisons
MSC 4221
Raleigh, NC 27699-4221
10 September 2017
RE: censorship of Maoism and the Black Panther Party
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is in response to a Letter to Publisher from Doug Pardue, notifying MIM Distributors of the disapproval of a pamphlet titled Maoism and the Black Panther Party. The reason given for the censorship was that "Could like[sic] precipitate violence among races of people" on pages 2,4.
I am requesting a review of this decision to censor this mail on the basis that there is no mention of violence against people of certain races. In fact, page 4 reads, “We do not fight racism with racism, We fight racism with solidarity.” In other words, the literature in question has the opposite message of what is being claimed by Mr. Pardue.
I hope that upon review you will see to it that this literature is delivered to Mr. XXXXXX,
Director of Rehabilitative Programs and Services
North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Prisons
MSC 4221
Raleigh, NC 27699-4221
1 May 2017
RE: censorship of Under Lock & Key No. 55
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is in response to a Letter to Publisher from Doug Pardue, notifying MIM Distributors of the disapproval of Under Lock & Key No. 55, March/April 2017. The reason given for the censorship was that “”Regarding Daily Body Searches” promotes insurrection” on page 13.
The next time Mr. Pardue is downtown, perhaps he can visit the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial garden and read the inscription on the statue there. It seems contradictory that the same state that praises “massive disobedience” as serving the interests of “liberty and justice for all”, finds protest in the form of prisoners remaining in their cells to somehow be a threat to institutional security (the criteria legally required for censorship of mail sent to prisoners).
I hope that upon review of this decision that you will agree that this decision contradicts the values (and laws) of this country and that the newsletter in question will be delivered to the subscribers held by NCDPS.
Thank you for your time and attention in this matter,
Director of Rehabilitative Programs and Services
North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Prisons
MSC 4221
Raleigh, NC 27699-4221
12 March 2017
RE: censorship of Under Lock & Key No. 54
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is in response to a Letter to Publisher from Doug Pardue, notifying MIM Distributors of the disapproval of Under Lock & Key No. 54, Jan/Feb 2017. While the original letter is dated 23 February, it was not mailed until 3 March and just arrived here this week. The reason given for the censorship was that the “Last paragraph [on p. 14] advocates for prison violence if necessary.”
The article overall promotes the avoidance of violence. The recognition that pacifism is not appropriate in all situations is certainly something the NCPDS agrees with. NCPDS staff regularly resort to violence “when necessary.” Therefore the mere mention that violence is necessary sometimes should not be a reason to censor the printed words in Under Lock & Key. I am requesting a review of this decision and that you please deliver the newsletter in question to the subscribers held by NCDPS.
Thank you for your time and attention in this matter,
NCPDS notifies MIM Distributors of censorship
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Code D
Page Number(s): 24
Reason for Disapproval: Survey promotes possible disorder against prison security
01/14/2017
MIM Distributors appeals
Show Text
Director of Rehabilitative Programs and Services
North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Prisons
MSC 4221
Raleigh, NC 27699-4221
14 January 2017
RE: censorship of Under Lock & Key No. 53
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is in response to a Letter to Publisher from Doug Pardue, notifying MIM Distributors of the disapproval of Under Lock & Key No. 53, Nov/Dec 2016. The reason given was that the “Survey [on p.24] promotes possible disorder against prison security.”
The survey in question is merely asking prisoners to report facts about their facility regarding the use of solitary confinement. How this could be a legally justifiable reason to censor MIM Distributors' mail is beyond me. I am requesting a review of this decision and that you please deliver the newsletter in question to the subscribers held by NCDPS.
Thank you for your time and attention in this matter,
Faye Daniels, Superintendent III
Pamlico Correctional Institution
601 North Third St.
Bayboro, NC 28515
24 December 2016
RE: censorship of mail
Dear Sir/Madam,
I have just received your “Notice to Inmate, Addressee/Sender of Mail Censorship & Appeal/Waiver Form” dated 12 December 2016. The censored contents are described as “One (1) newsletter – Contraband” and the reason given is that “newsletter promoting prisoner work stopages and additional anti-authority activities is not authorized as personal property.” While the item censored is not specified, I'm assuming it was issue 53 of Under Lock & Key, mailed to Mr. XXXXXX on 5 December 2016. I am requesting a review of your decision to censor the mail in question.
The law only allows a restriction on the First Amendment right to free speech of a publisher if it poses a direct threat to legitimate penological interests within the prison (see Turner v. Safley, 482 U.S. 78, 89-90 (1987)). While you do not specify what content you found objectionable, every issue of Under Lock & Key is very clear in that it does not promote breaking any laws or causing of violence. The state of North Carolina cannot legally censor material because it expresses ideas that criticize political or economic institutions or that are “anti-authority.”
In light of this, I hope you will see it as appropriate to repeal this decision to censor ULK, and deliver the mail to Mr. XXXXXX.
01/20/2017
Censorship upheld because calling Control Units torture could lead to insurrection Download Documentation
Director of Rehabilitative Programs and Services
North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Prisons
MSC 4221
Raleigh, NC 27699-4221
23 September 2016
RE: censorship of Under Lock & Key No. 51
Dear Sir/Madam,
This letter is in response to the Letter to Publisher, dated 2 September 2016, and received on 9 September 2016, from Publication Review Committee Chair, Doug Pardue. Once again, Mr. Pardue claims that Under Lock Key "encourages insurrection and disorder." For the latest issue he cites the article "Sept. 9 Day of Peace and Solidarity 2016" on page 1 of issue 51.
The Day of Peace and Solidarity is the opposite of violence and disorder.
As I reiterate with your office every two months, Under Lock & Key explicitly opposes prisoners taking up violence or insurrection in every issue. The continued claims that ULK promotes insurrection and disorder in every issue do not seem connected to the objectives of your department.
I am requesting that upon review of this incident that you will keep ULK 51 off of the list of banned publications, and deliver the copies that we have mailed to each subscriber held in your institutions. Recent decisions by your office to overturn censorship by the Publication Review Committee seem to have no practical application when subscribers still do not receive their issues of Under Lock & Key.
10/20/2016
Director Sullivan upholds censorship because article mentions work stoppages and fasts in the past Download Documentation
