I recently completed an assignment as a prospective USW leader. The
topic of dissertation was of revolutionary
Fearlessness,
Scientific Strategy, and Security. The study offers a primary
discourse on issues such as applying the scientific method in strategy,
rather than being passionately or emotionally driven. The “fear factor”
is addressed, and how it can be effective or reckless in issues like
security.
I got a lot from the study personally. I understand as materialists we
aren’t supposed to be influenced by ideas of “the divine,” metaphysical,
or spiritual intervention in human affairs, or in any context for that
matter. Maybe it’s the strong indigenous traditions passed on for
generations in my family and culture that lead to such first impressions
and perceptions. Whatever the cause may be, within the time frame of me
receiving and responding to the above referenced assignment, things were
happening on the ground level directly associated with the lessons in
our assignment. Maybe a Christian or Muslim would believe it was God
allowing their faith to be tried and tested by satan or his legions. Or
a pagan may have believed it was a fusion of Mexican and Roman war gods,
Vaitzilopochtli and Mars somehow interfering with material conditions on
Earth in order to sharpen and refine his skills, strategy, tactics, and
security in struggle. But such convictions, regardless of how firmly
believed, have no scientific basis and cannot be interpreted as truth.
Yet the life lesson and the message has been conveyed.
Back in the 80s in the Texas prison colonies known as “ranchos” there
was a spontaneous combustion within the social relations of Chicano
prisoners. It spread like wildfire, like a virus. A true example of
dialectic materialism in a controlled environment. Like Phoenix rising
out of the flames, ashes, and blood, rose a democratic prison society
claiming to stand together against negative activities in prison. By the
late 90s, entering the new millennium there was a loose confederation of
Latino tribes, regional and autonomous in nature, in virtually every one
of the over 100 Texas ranchos. These regional autonomous tribes are now
a dominate factor in almost every correctional institution in Texas. No
longer are they confined to the Ranchos either, but have spread into the
hoods and barrios, infecting our youth. There is ample evidence that the
state has played an effective instigating role in a long and bloody war
of attrition that has been going on for over two decades uninterrupted,
in a now hidden, now open fight, a fight kept from the public eye. A war
between the tribes and organized Texas families. This evidence could be
used to substantiate a claim that the government has encouraged, even
created the conditions for this anarchistic tribal take over of the
social structure amongst Texas prisoners. Similar to how the U.S. has
continuously done in the Third World, funding and provoking civil wars
in the Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East in order to divide,
conquer, and maintain hegemonic control of economic interests and
security.
Within the tribes there is no constitution, rank, or central command
structure. They’re divided into regional districts, and are purely
democratic and autonomous in nature. What’s so important and phenomenal
here is the material dialectics in action. How the tribes are a natural
development, the structure, principle, and form naturally developed over
time under conditions of extreme oppression by more than one force.
Notice how at the beginning it was a Chicano based movement, but has
since embraced the Latino concept.
It should be very well noted that by no means is the tribal structure
revolutionary, nor is it structured as a family. It’s distinct in
nature, a security measure so to say. But it’s phenomenal to me. Almost
any criminal, political, religious, or economic ideas can be retained by
the individual, yet they cannot be instituted as a form from top down.
This is anarchistic and ineffective at times, and leads to much
conflicting interest, but these are the material conditions.
I happen to be a progressive individual. I believe in developing my
mind, body and soul. I’m constantly studying, reading, working out,
collecting my thoughts and energies, and focusing them in a productive
and creative form. This is what I do, it’s how I’ve learned to adapt to
my environment and pull through these wasteful conditions. Yet I’m
surrounded by negativity and destructive individuals. Other tribesmen
are stuck in a state of mental and physical decadence and decay. They’re
manipulative, oppressive and dictatorial, straight criminal by nature. I
understand these too are only character manifestations of these wasteful
conditions. And something I strive against. These two separate and
distinct classifications are both allowed within the context of the
tribe. Of course they oppose each other and conflict at times.
Recently conflict arose between the tribes and ALKQN. What resulted from
the conflict wasn’t good for any of us, nothing positive or progressive
was attained. In fact what resulted was the loss of solid braves,
continuous lockdowns, strategic hits, and “mediation” by the rancheros
to keep the steers in line. As a deterrence, the administration began
rounding up tribesmen. The tribes have the larger numbers and are often
perceived as the aggressors regardless of the circumstances. Anywhere
from 16 to 20 tribesmen were rounded up at different times during the
conflict, seed as collateral, systematically subjected to punishing
intimidation, subjugation, and humiliation, all in order to
psychologically inhibit the young braves, and break their will and
resistance. Of course it was effective on the youngsters who average out
to about 20 years old. Left for weeks without anything, in a bare cell
with only enough soap to wash our ass. No writing, legal, or
correspondence materials. No books or literatures with which to
stimulate our minds. After 3 weeks they gave us our bibles, which we all
know to be pacifist literature telling us to turn the other cheek and
obey our masters. We were systematically served disciplinary cases for
nonsense. Sadly it wasn’t my first, and won’t be the last time I go
through such conditioning. I was a part of the final round up, all my
property was confiscated before I was herded into the holding pen
“corral.” 16 volumes of legal transcripts, including legal notes and
work product was seized and inspected for weeks. The round up lasted
from Dec 6 2011 through January 12, 2012.
The very next day after being released onto the pasture, not any time
during the “investigative” lockdown, but after my release, the Rancheros
called a coup of tribal representatives, to show them a letter that was
found in my property. This letter was correspondence to one of my kin on
the Rancho. A written analysis of our social relations and conditional
circumstances as Chicanos under this neocolonial order. It included
strategy and tactics regarding pending and future litigation addressing
family and communal lands stolen from our direct ancestors after the
Texas revolution. The royalty and mineral rights to raw crude being
pumped and refined on a particular island off the Southern coast of
Texas. The letter was detailed and passionate. It was revealing and
exposing. Nothing that should have fallen into agency files. Truthfully,
I don’t even know the full context of the letter.
Somehow the Rancheros convinced or influenced these two representatives
that I had intentions of waging and leading a guerilla assault against
other tribal bands. This has no logical or reasonable basis. The context
and substance of the letter was written in a language of resistance.
These leaders are steeped in the criminal programming and traditions,
which is only a natural response, I understand. I evolved from these
perceptions myself. Somehow they agreed with the Rancheros that the
content of the letter was a threat to the structure and security of the
tribal alliance. Council was held, both sides brought their points to
the fire. The determining factor was how these so-called gangsters and
criminals were allowing themselves to be used by the rancheros, and
using the word and influence of the Rancheros to substantiate a claim
against a tribesman. Many other subjective and objective factors played
a role in the democratic process. But the objective truth is that I’m
still here. I’m almost 100% sure that had this issue been brought up on
a weak-minded, unrefined, undisciplined and fearful mind, the situation
would have played out differently, and that individual may not be here
to share the experience like this.
What’s amazing to me is that this whole experience happened to coincide
with an assignment on “Fearlessness, Scientific Strategy, and Security,”
that I received from MIM(prisons) while these very events were
unfolding. The experience was very humbling. I learned a very valuable
lesson: “gots ta be mo’ careful.”
To all you would be progressive individuals with a revolutionary vision,
who happen to be involved with LOs who do not follow a well formulated
line, or uphold the principles they claim to represent, be careful.
Limit yourself and your activities, don’t be so careless in expressing
your views and concerns around ignorant unlearned individuals. People
fear what they don’t know. Above all, if your views and beliefs can be
based on science and conditional/material facts, if you feel these
scientific views to be pure and true, be loyal and stay true to them to
da fullest. Stay committed and stare down adversity with a fearless
spirit. Understand your material and social conditions. Please don’t let
no law enforcement elements interfere with your relations and influence
your views to the point they become reactionary against your own. Their
intentions may be all in good faith to maintain peace and security on
the unit level. But their interests and security does not comport with
yours in the objective long term. Proceed with caution.