MIM(Prisons) is a cell of revolutionaries serving the oppressed masses inside U.$. prisons, guided by the communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.
www.prisoncensorship.info is a media institution run by the Maoist Internationalist Ministry of Prisons. Here we collect and publicize reports of conditions behind the bars in U.$. prisons. Information about these incidents rarely makes it out of the prison, and when it does it is extremely rare that the reports are taken seriously and published. This historical record is important for documenting patterns of abuse, and also for informing people on the streets about what goes on behind the bars.
Abolitionists From Within (AFW) is back on the move here at SVSP quad
this Bloody September. This September 9, 2018 we remember the
anniversary of Attica of Sept 9, 1971 and them faceless freedom
revolutionary fighters who fought and died in these prisons uprising
throughout history of our struggle as we continue to fight the
oppression, exploitation, abuse and inhumane treatment of prisoners. A
lot of rights and privileges comrades have today is because of these
soldiers at war with this corrupt system.
Throughout this country, we as New Afrikans must reconstruct our
thoughts and come up with ways and ideas to get control over our minds
behind enemy lines, and work to educate the lumpen. I know our young
comrades think they know everything. Being upright, independent and
fearless against all odds and not fearing the outcome of whatever is
what the young comrades are looking for true leadership.
This Sept 9 day I refrained from all negative conversation. AFW
continues to push to end prisoner-on-prisoner hostilities throughout
this country. I had the chance to meet and become a student of the main
4 reps to end all hostilities between our racial groups, and also a
brother from the representatives body. I spoke with brother X about our
beloved brother W.L. Nolan and GJ and our conditions today as “new man,”
and how GJ struggled to transform the Black criminal mentality into a
Black revolutionary mentality. And solidarity with all you comrades
around the country this Sept 9 day.
by a Pennsylvania prisoner September 2018 permalink
I am writing this letter to obtain legal advice or help with current
matters which are currently taking place in the state of Pennsylvania
Prison System. Beginning on August 29, 2018, Pennsylvania declared a
statewide state prison lockdown, in which we were not allowed to send or
receive mail of any kind. We were just allowed, as of September 6, 2018,
to send mail out but will no longer receive mail and the mail they do
have will now be sent to some third party in the state of Florida.
On the day of the lockdown, the guards wore gloves and face masks for
their protection when passing food to the prisoners. No protection
whatsoever was provided for us, the inmates, even though the
correctional officers are the only people who reportedly fell ill from
alleged contact with drugs. I have been watching “WJAC 6 News” in
Clearfield County to stay updated with the current progress of events.
Around September 1st, 2018, the D.O.C. let us out to take one shower and
when everyone showered, let us out to use the phone. From my knowledge
of watching the local news, no prisoners have fell ill from alleged
drugs, only D.O.C. staff, which could possibly be a ploy of some kind on
individuals behalf. Around September 3rd or 4th, 2018, the D.O.C.
started letting us out one tier at a time for blockout, which is an hour
each tier, which holds about 60 inmates on each tier. We, as prisoners,
have been mostly kept in the dark about what and why or when. I’m
writing asking can you please assist in these matters, but if you write
back the jail will not give me any mail.
We have been trying to set up an effective Release on Life program here
at MIM(Prisons) for many years. We have expanded the pre-release support
we offer to our active comrades behind bars. And we’ve set up some
structures for better contact and support on the streets. But what we
can offer is still so little in the face of the very harsh reality of
life on the streets after a prison stint. We’re working on expanding
what we can offer. That takes money. But it also requires ideas and
people on the streets to work on this. We know what we’re doing now is
inadequate. But we’re trying to build.
For a few years we published a Re-lease on Life newsletter (ROL) which
was mailed out to our comrades on the streets and those with release
dates in the near future. But we didn’t get much interest around this
newsletter. We know people are inspired by ULK because we get
lots of letters about it and article submissions for it. ROL didn’t
inspire many responses or articles. So we’re discontinuing that effort.
Instead we will focus on practical logistical support for our releasees.
And we will continue to print release articles in ULK.
Get in touch if you have a date or expect to be released in the next few
years. Start working with us now so we can help set you up for success
on the streets.
Below is an interview with one of our comrades who was recently
released, underscoring the challenges with life on the streets and the
importance of preparation and education while you’re still locked up.
Revolutionary Greetings!!! I was released from the penitentiary on July
9th 2018. I’ve been out for over a month. The state and federal
government ain’t helping us with shit. It’s on us to hustle to provide
for ourselves. Learn all u can in prison cuz once u hit these streets
it’s non stop action. For all y’all without a date, mad love n respect.
Each one teach one.
Question: Have you found any support for finding housing? If not,
what have you tried and what do you recommend others do if they don’t
have people to live with already set up?
No I have received housing. I haven’t received shit from the state or
federal government. If u ain’t got friends or family to provide u with a
roof over ur head then u gonna struggle out here for real. I got family
and friends that blessed my game.
Question: Have you been able to sign up for any government support
programs (food stamps, SSI, welfare, etc)?
Yes I did sign up for benefits and shit like that but the state and
federal government both denied me.
Question: What did you do to find work after release?
I applied at staffing agencies and shit like that but after they ran my
name I never got called. I still don’t have a job. Been out 2 months
already. Self-employed I guess.
Question: You say people should learn all they can in prison. What
kinds of programs and studies do you recommend people focus on in prison
to prepare for the streets?
I say people should learn all they can in prison like read books. I did
my time in solitary confinement Ad-Seg cuz I’m a active STG member. I
educated myself. That’s what I mean. Use ur time wisely cuz once u hit
these streets its a whole nother world.
I am at Santa Rosa, C.I. Today, I write you about a potential civil
lawsuit on the basis of an eighth amendment violation of my
constitutional rights. In short, I was brutally beaten, sprayed in my
face with chemical agents, and sexually abused at Union C.I. on March
26th, 2018 by eight prison guards while I remained in handcuffs and leg
irons.
The eight (8) prison guards at Union C.I. retaliated on my for filing
grievances and discriminating against me. They beat me, gassed me in my
nose, face, mouth, eyes, etc., and forced the handcuff leg iron shackle
up my RECTUM into my buttock. I was screaming “PREA” while the cell
extraction team held me down. In the shower, they covered my mouth,
beating me with their fists and the handcuffs. Cruel punishment!
At this time, they lift me to my feet, bleeding from my rectum, and
bleeding from my head, face, mouth, etc., pain in my neck, back, eyes
burning, etc. They placed me in a cold cell, butt naked, a/c blowing, no
mattress, no clothes, no toothbrush, no toothpaste, no toilet paper, no
clothes, no drinking cups, no nothing. Nothing to keep warm and bean
bags blocking my cell door to prevent me from receiving any of the above
items. At present, great efforts are undertaken by medical personnel to
cover up my abuse by falsifying medical records stating “no injuries
identified”. Trying to cover up for security, I then remained in my cell
untreated, which is cruel and unusual punishment.
I am in chronic pain throughout the day and night. It is extremely
difficult for me to get any sleep at night due to the excruciating pains
in my rectum, my neck, back and body. I hear voices waking up in cold
sweat like I’m being gassed and attacked all over again.
May it be noted that handcuffs and leg irons were on me during the
entire merciless beating and sexual abuse.
I have begun the institutional grievance process by laying forth the
foundation and facts of my case regarding this potential suit. At this
point, I have done a lot of research on my own and try to contact people
more familiar with the law and trying to get help to no avail. I am
still being retaliated against and threatened that if I don’t stop
writing grievances and filing on this, I’m going to get fucked up. These
ofc. are playing games with my mail, food, and threatening to strip me
and gas me or set me up or have other ways to harm me.
I still can’t find any help I need. I am not going to stop filing
grievances. They violated my right and my body. I need legal help. This
is not getting covered up.
I’m a politikal prisoner warehoused at the State of Missouri’s most
repressive slave plantations (Crossroads Correctional Center). It’s name
(Crossroads) alone sounds like a cemetery and it does literally feel
like one.
The institution is still on lock-down from a riot that took place 5, 6
months ago where no one was injured but millions of dollars in property
damage occurred.
The conditions that led up to the rioting still exist today and are even
worse today. Basically, we are locked down in our cells all day and none
of our daily needs are met. For example, they transferred me here last
week as a punishment from another camp and placed me in ad seg despite
me not having any conduct violations (write-up). They refused to bring
me my ad seg allowable soap, toothbrush, and toothpaste for six (6)
days, but gave the other transfers theirs the same day.
So, I sent my case worker numerous kites requesting grievance forms,
which she denied me. I’m on high blood pressure medication, which I
should have received the first day I arrived, yet medical staff
continues to ignore my request. When I arrived here, they gave me
another prisoner’s used and dirty underclothes and bedding when everyone
knows that you’re supposed to be issued new underclothes and can be
issued used outer garments. Again, I sent my caseworker a kite for a
grievance complaint and a legal request form to order prison policies
and legal case law to challenge these conditions and was again denied.
I’m on a certified religious diet meal plan, yet they refuse to
recognize it at this camp despite having documentation proving that I’m
on the diet plan. (Please note: A white prisoner next door to me
receives his CRD-meal 3 times a day).
We are dealing with gangsters here. Gangsters who have been allowed to
do whatever they feel like doing and outside of what prison regulations
mandate without being challenged or corrected. And if you bring
attention to this abuse of authority, they calculatingly and
systematically isolate you and target you with more abuse.
Please send me something to read, i.e. newsletter, prisoner resource
guide, anything that will keep my spirit and mind up.
Some of our fellow comrades remain skeptical or indifferent about our
engagement in the political process. Don’t be foolish! We have to act
while we can to fortify our freedoms and ensure that government does not
try to quarantine our communist ideology. Too long have we been
unrepresented at the polls for elections.
The fact that we have been unrepresented only condones and promotes the
inundated lies that sound convincing and are spread through education,
through the media and through entertainment. “In January 2010, a
conservative minority on the Supreme Court radically rewrote Ameri[k]a’s
campaign-finance laws to allow mega-donors and corporations to
contribute unlimited sums, often in secret, to political action
committees. The Citizens United v. FEC decision gave wealthy donors
unprecedented influence to buy elections, which Republicans quickly used
to their political advantage” (Rolling Stone, Ari Berman, February 8-22,
2018, p.30). I do not believe there is any difference from today’s
political culture and the one of the late 1780s “Three-Fifths
Compromise” which treated each slave as three-fifths of a person for tax
and representation purposes. It has always been about which political
party is going to get the vote.
These mid-term elections elect a body of electors who elect the
president and vice president. Under the Trump administration we have
watched numerous offices filled and seats to our judicial branch, two of
which after the next Supreme Court justice seat, will be for the life of
that persyn. How does that weigh on us? I do not know, so the
advancement of “why the need to vote?” is a relevant topic for
discussion amongst us comrades.
MIM(Prisons) responds: This comrade is right that we should be
talking about elections in ULK because so many people are focused
on this topic in the United $tates right now. On the “left” we regularly
hear about the critical need to get Democrats elected in mid-terms to
limit President Trump’s power. But we come at this topic from a
different perspective.
To determine what is the most effective actions we can take today we
need to first identify our principal enemy. For revolutionaries this
enemy is imperialism, the global system which keeps many nations poor
and oppressed in order to provide wealth for a few nations. We happen to
live within one of the imperialist powers: the United $tates. Here still
imperialism is our principal enemy. And the President is certainly the
leader of this imperialist country. But congress is just as much a part
of that leadership structure. And whether members of congress are
Democrats or Republicans matters not one little bit to which side they
are on; being in the Amerikan government requires supporting
imperialism.
So when this writer points out that revolutionaries are dramatically
underrepresented in the government, we think that’s to be expected. The
system is not set up to allow for a peaceful revolution through
elections. And in fact, when we look closely at the interests of the
vast majority of people who could legally vote in elections, we see that
their material interests are aligned with imperialism. So of course they
are electing these imperialists! The capitalist system has advanced to
the point where people living within imperialist countries can be bought
off with the vast wealth plundered from the Third World. And buying
people off includes buying their voting allegiance since they want to
help perpetuate this system that is giving them a comfortable life.
Within imperialist countries we can’t expect to have a majority on the
side of the oppressed, fighting for revolution, until conditions change
dramatically. At this point we’re not even close. Trump’s reactionary
policies and rhetoric may be angering some self-described leftists, but
only to the extent that they want to get a more soft-spoken imperialist
into the White House. Neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama are
friends of the oppressed. They just peddle a different flavor of
imperialism.
It’s a mistake for revolutionaries to focus on getting Trump out of
office. And when we tell people to vote in mid-term elections we are
telling them to vote for the imperialists. There are no revolutionary
candidates for high office. And with the implication that we oppose
Trump, we’re telling people that we support the Democrats. This is not
only misleading but also will soon be demoralizing. What happens if the
Democrats win big? And at the next presidential election a Democrat
comes into office. When we still have imperialism, and the Democratic
President is funding more prisons, more police, and more invasions of
other countries, what are people going to think of the revolutionaries
who campaigned for the Democrats?
This writer raises the question of the Supreme Court. Presidents have
the power to fill seats in the court with someone who will serve for
life. And these individuals have a big impact on laws in the United
$tates. The right to legal abortions, for instance, is a decision many
fear could be overturned with a more conservative court. This is an
example of a law that has a real impact on people’s lives, especially
hurting those without the resources to buy access to safe abortions.
Just as we fight for legal victories to gain more organizing space and
less abuse within prisons, we would oppose outlawing abortion. But these
laws and legal precedents are no different than variances in how a city
deploys its police force: more trigger happy cops in the projects means
more dead oppressed nation youth. There are so many laws and policies
within imperialism that are harmful to the oppressed.
Focusing on the Supreme Court again keeps us from seeing the big
picture: it’s all still a part of imperialism. We will have variations
in legal rights and in modes of repression, but imperialism is still the
same system of exploitation and oppression. And many of the Supreme
Court decisions that Amerikans worry about are only possible due to the
luxury of living in this wealthy country. Of course we support
affirmative action, LGBTQ rights, and abortion access. But these are
things aren’t even considered in many Third World countries where the
masses are barely surviving in the wake of imperialist wars, direct and
by proxy, to secure cheap resources and labor, with puppet dictators in
power. The United $tates has not become less imperialist by implementing
more rights for more people within U.$. borders.
There are battles that can be fought in these non-revolutionary times
that do contribute to weakening imperialism, such as ending torture and
political repression within the injustice system. And so we say: keep
your eyes on the principal enemy. That enemy is imperialism. Fight that
enemy for rights for those living within U.$. borders, but never
sacrifice or lose sight of the bigger picture. An imperialist who
supports legal abortion for Amerikan wimmin is still an imperialist.
Durante el tiempo que crecí en Newark, New Jersey, siempre escuchaba las
historias sobre disturbios, los movimientos de base, y los resultados de
la vida en las décadas de 1960 y 70. Sin embargo, yo era un joven que
sólo se preocupaba por drogarse, estar en pandillas y querer ser
reconocido como alguien grande y malo. Y sí, fui reconocido, pero por
malas razones. En el año 1999, a la edad de 20 años, fui acusado de
asesinato y condenado a 40 años de prisión.
Los primeros años en la prisión todavía me portaba mal, y todavía
trataba que me reconocieran como alguien grande y malo. Pero no fue
hasta el 2005 que la chispa revolucionaria se encendió por primera vez
en mi mente. Todo comenzó cuando fui a reclusión solitaria por una pelea
en la que estuve involucrado. Durante el tiempo en reclusión solitaria
no tenía nada para leer o cualquier cosa para mantener mi mente ocupada.
Así que pasé las horas parado en la puerta gritando y echando
maldiciones a los marranos cuando pasaban para la cuenta. Y bueno, creo
que mi vecino del costado ya estaba cansado de escuchar mis gritos, así
que tocó a mí pared y me preguntó si necesitaba un libro para leer.
Entonces le dije, “Sí, porque no.” Me pasó un libro llamado Assata por
Assata Shakur. Antes de esto yo nunca había escuchado sobre ella ni
leído el libro, pero como no tenía nada mejor que hacer en la reclusión,
lo leí.
Mientras leía el libro, pasando hoja tras hoja, la historia de Assata me
habló. Sentí y reconocí su lucha. En dos días terminé de leer el libro y
ahora fui yo quien tocó la pared de mi vecino, queriendo más para leer.
Mi vecino era un hermano mayor y durante el año que pasé en reclusión él
siguió dándome libros como, Blood in My Eye (Sangre en mi Ojo), Soul on
Ice (Alma sobre Hielo) y otros grandes libros. Mi vecino era un firme
partidario de la ideología de la Armada de Liberación Negra y las
Panteras Negras. Yo que soy Latino, él también me enseño de gente y
grupos como Che Guevara y el partido de Señores Jóvenes. Ahora, en lugar
de pasarme horas gritando en la puerta, mi vecino y yo pasábamos horas
hablando, construyendo y ayudándome a ser más consciente de mí mismo. Él
me ayudó a darme cuenta que mi deseo de querer ser conocido como grande
y malo, era sólo esa fuerza egoísta por reconocimiento que a un día me
llevaría a darme contra una pared de ladrillo.
Después de que concluyó mi castigo en reclusión solitaria, continué con
mis estudios durante la línea principal. Me puse a leer sobre gente como
Mahatma Gandhi, Mao Tse-tung, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Marx y
muchos más. El andar con pandillas ni siquiera estaba en mi radar. Esa
sola chispa se convirtió en una llama, cambiando mi manera de pensar, mi
manera de hablar y la manera cómo me comportaba. A lo largo de los años
desde ese tiempo, esa llama es ahora un fuego hambriento dentro de mí,
como el calor de la tierra encendida. Mi única misión es ayudar a educar
a los oprimidos sobre las condiciones políticas y sociales ¡bajo las que
nosotros vivimos! Porque cómo mi vecino me enseñó hace mucho tiempo,
¡“Cada uno le enseña a uno!” ¡Poder a la gente!
by a New York prisoner September 2018 permalink
Click here to download a PDF of the New York grievance petition
Mail the petition to your loved ones and comrades inside who are
experiencing issues with their grievance procedure. Send them extra
copies to share! For more info on this campaign,
click
here.
Prisoners should send a copy of the signed petition to each of the
addresses listed on the petition, and below. Supporters should send
letters on behalf of prisoners.
Acting Commissioner, Anthony J. Annucci<br>
The Harriman State Campus <br>
1220 Washington Ave<br>
Albany, NY 12226-2050<br><br>
New York State Commission of Corrections<br>
80 Wolf Rd, 4th Floor<br>
Albany, NY 12205<br><br>
United States Department of Justice - Civil Rights Division<br>
Special Litigation Section<br>
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, PHB<br>
Washington, D.C. 20530<br><br>
Office of Inspector General<br>
HOTLINE<br>
P.O. Box 9778<br>
Arlington, Virginia 22219<br><br></blockquote>
And send MIM(Prisons) copies of any responses you receive!
MIM(Prisons), USW PO Box 40799 San Francisco, CA 94140
As I write you this letter, I’m sitting in G5 closed custody after
standing up to an officer denying me medical and medication. The
substitute counsel never helped me nor came back to speak with me. The
captain lied and said I refused to attend my hearing. So they ran major
court without me. We have cameras here and I can prove they are lying.
But who do I contact? I’ve written the warden, but they ignore my
letters and I-60. I never receive a grievance back. The law library is
refusing to answer any of my I-60s. The officers have come into my cell
and packed my property only to take some of my legal transcripts,
returned I-60s, and medications, lay-ins and other personals. They went
into my legal manila envelopes and took documents. They threw away my
legal envelopes, combined several containers of legals into other
folders mixing things up and getting them out of order.
What do I do? Who do I contact? No one on this unit will answer an I-60
concerning the issue. I need your help to start me in the right
direction to help myself and my fellow brothers beside me. I don’t have
any outside sources or family to help.