Federal Prisons

A little on a problem I am having. Recently one of the ranking officers on my unit got in my face and told me “shut the fuck up bitch,” now, I am very respectful to these officers and I didn’t even snap back at the officer who did this. I would really like to know what I can do against this officer legally in response to this incident. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

It has become very common here at Fort Madison [Iowa State Penitentiary] for any harassment by staff to either go un-addressed and/or covered up. Moreover, it has been made very clear any attempt by prisoners to report any harassment or any other misconduct by staff will result in retaliation by staff either physically, sent to lockup for some unexplained reason or in most cases prisoners are shipped out to a federal prison and continually moved around to prevent the inmate from filing any additional complaints. This treatment has worked on 99.9% of the prison population in Fort Madison for years and prevented them from reporting any harassment, abuse or any other mistreatment.

On the other hand, some capitves that are continually provoked are forced to physically retaliate against staff that abuse their power. I personally feel any harassment or physical altercation between staff and offenders is never the answer. Thus I’ve been trying my damnedest not to do so. Instead I felt it’s very important for me to report my situation to the outside world. By doing so I’m hoping the necessary authority outside these walls will get word and answer our pleas for assistance to bring an end to staff’s mistreatment, thus hopefully preventing further altercations between staff and offenders.

For the past six months I have been repeatedly verbally and physically harassed by certain staff. I’ve repeatedly properly reported each incident to all necessary staff and the Ombudsman’s office. However reporting such misconduct by staff has only resulted in retaliation by staff including sexual harassment, and may result in me going to lock up in the future. Nevertheless, this will not stop me from reporting these very serious issues that need to be addressed.

[Reprinted from Proletarian Internationalist Notes https://pinotes.github.io]

Yesterday was Palestinian Prisoners’ Day. Yesterday was also two days after the fifteenth anniversary of intifada hero Marwan Barghouti’s illegal abduction from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

It is on this day that American-backed Israelis, in action opposing the two-state solution, chose to put Palestinian reconciliation and national unity symbol Marwan Barghouti in solitary confinement.(1)

Solitary confinement is a practice widely implemented as a form of discipline and political repression in the #1 prison state in the world, the United States. Used to repress protests of inhumane conditions, solitary confinement is itself widely considered inhumane particularly when done for long periods of time. Some Palestinians have been in solitary for years. Other kinds of worse treatment often accompany solitary confinement. It seems likely that Marwan Barghouti will be in solitary for several days at least.

A long-time prisoner himself with an immediate interest in the outcome of the protest like any of the other “security prisoners” in Israeli prisons, Barghouti was reportedly leading a large prisoner hunger strike against inhumane and illegal treatment of thousands of Palestinians in Israeli prisons. One of the things the prisoners are demanding is an end to solitary confinement, which it seems Barghouti could be in until the hunger strike ends. A mass hunger strike in 2014 lasted two months.(2)

Reactionaries are trying to get the public to associate the open hunger strike with the murder allegations against Barghouti. They are suggesting Barghouti is the only reason for the strike. The hunger-striking prisoners’ demands include an end to health negligence and an end to detention without trial. I$rael is holding hundreds of Palestinians without Israeli citizenship in administrative detention. Because of multiple anniversaries in 2017 related to the colonization and occupation of Palestine, massive protests would have happened whether Barghouti was alive or not.

Many in various countries do consider Marwan Barghouti – one of several imprisoned members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, belonging to different parties – to be Palestine’s “Mandela,” a potential future Palestinian president. Barghouti was taken by the imperialist settler formation and Amerikan outpost named “Israel” fifteen years ago and subjected to a show trial in a kangaroo court. An intifada figure and strong supporter of Palestinian nationalism and independence before and after being abducted, Barghouti is reportedly able to unite various groups of Palestinians in a way that few are. Many people in various countries already support Barghouti’s release.

Barghouti supported the Oslo Accords in the past. Azanian Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu nominated Barghouti for the Nobel Peace Prize in June last year. At his show trial, Barghouti noted in Hebrew that he was a figure for peace for two peoples.

Barghouti has supported trying different approaches, permitted under international law, to ending an occupation that is illegal. Months and years after major waves of protest and resistance, there are still thousands of Palestinians in I$raeli prisons for resisting the illegal occupation and settlement. One of them happens to be Barghouti.

Since the I$raeli goon squad kidnapped Barghouti in 2002, the highly influential and extremely wealthy United $tates has had many years of chances under various presidents to secure Barghouti’s release. It hasn’t happened. Two-term Democratic president Barack Obama didn’t do it. Instead, Obama deceived Palestinians and gave Israel a record-breaking aid package. Obama sought to protect the image of Democrat warmongers and do-nothings, and the United States’ image, after now-President Trump won the U.S. election and it became obvious that the United States was going to lose its undeserved standing as a peacemaker.

The West Bank and East al-Quds (“Jerusalem”) already had tens of thousands of illegal settlers at the time of Ariel Sharon’s al-Aqsa provocation against the two-state solution in 2000. For years the United States has verbally supported the two-state solution and verbally opposed settlement construction, in land universally understood to be occupied territory, while hampering the two-state solution and supporting settlement construction in actuality. Whether Barghouti would ever be president or not, Barghouti’s continued detention is hampering processes Palestinians need to go through to arrive at important decisions with a higher level of unity.

The two-state solution isn’t total liberation of Palestine. Many Palestinian leaders and figures mediating Palestine’s international struggle support it. Some Palestinians consider the two-state solution a temporary step. According to survey reports, many support some approaches to it more than they support others. Though not always agreeing with or emphasizing some approaches to the two-state solution, Marwan Barghouti has supported it.

Despite internal disagreement about specific issues and non-Palestinians’ demoralizing statements about the ability to end and reverse settlement activity, the Palestinian nation as a whole is still struggling for the two-state solution in the midst of U.S. hindrance and the intransigence of some Zionist and non-Zionist elements in Israel. Palestinians and various Arabs and Muslims do not support the two-state solution any less than the Amerikans, who take advantage of conflict and violence in the Middle East, do. As discussed on this website [see notes], even Hamas and Iran support the two-state solution more than the United States does in reality.

Israelis have a chance to oppose West Bank annexation, oppose West Bank settlement activity, and support Palestinian independence. They have a chance to live in relative peace by ending their idolatrous attitude toward the United States and ending their dependence on that hegemonic, rogue aggressor for support in the midst of worsening conditions. However, the I$raeli entity stupidly chose to put Barghouti in solitary yesterday. In a month and a half is the fiftieth anniversary of the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and the Syrian Golan. It is possible the Hunger Strike for Freedom and Dignity will still be going on then.

Regardless of intent or how anyone feels about the two-state solution, the broad Palestinian unity around the prisoners’ hunger strike may be helping to promote Palestinian reconciliation and unity in other areas, and advance the two-state solution. That is true even though some of what the hunger strikers and prisoners are asking for could be won without freeing prisoners or winning a sovereign independent Palestinian state.

In the United States, there are also hunger strikes including strikes over solitary confinement.(3) So-called intersectionality in the Palestine-United States context is sometimes discussed in terms of pursuing equality with oppressors within a single state. Unity of Palestinians with various perspectives inside and outside prison, though, has the potential to contribute to Palestinian nationalism. Within U.S. prisons, unity of various whites and people in different non-white nations (including the Chican@ nation, the New Afrikan nation, and First Nations) often targets repression affecting many different prisoner demographics. This benefits the oppressed and activists inside prison, and can benefit fights for the self-determination of oppressed nations. Often this has nothing do with uniting Amerikans in general, or with advancing integrationism, which is a dead-end. Incarceration in the United States, and incarceration of so-called security prisoners and other Palestinians in I$raeli prisons, show oppressed nations’ need for self-determination.

In response to the Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike, some are downplaying Palestinian unity or trying to take advantage of differences and discourage supporters by saying the strike is just about Barghouti. Yet, many different movements in Palestine have members in Israeli prison and are supporting the strike.

In a statement on the hunger strike, Barghouti refers to “mass” arbitrary detention and mistreatment and opposes occupation.(4) Barghouti refers to “the nation” to which prisoners belong, and “every national liberation movement in history.” Barghouti identifies Israel as an occupying power. The prisoners’ suffering is related to the suffering of the Palestinian nation.

“The eldest of my four children is now a man of 31. Yet here I still am, pursuing this struggle for freedom along with thousands of prisoners, millions of Palestinians and the support of so many around the world. What is it with the arrogance of the occupier and the oppressor and their backers that makes them deaf to this simple truth: Our chains will be broken before we are, because it is human nature to heed the call for freedom regardless of the cost.”

Among other things, Barghouti addresses collective punishments. “Palestinian prisoners and their families also remain a primary target of Israel’s policy of imposing collective punishments.”

“Among the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians whom Israel has taken captive are children, women, parliamentarians, activists, journalists, human rights defenders, academics, political figures, militants, bystanders, family members of prisoners. And all with one aim: to bury the legitimate aspirations of an entire nation.”

Some are using the failures of Amerika’s phony leadership as an excuse to oppose the two-state solution, Palestinian nationalism in general, and peace efforts in general. This is unfortunate. The United States must be opposed. In the international sphere, there needs to be new leadership in coordination with Palestine. Other countries need to influence Israel. Palestinian officials must give up any remaining illusions they might have about the Amerikans. The United States has proved uninterested in taking serious steps to resolve the conflict. In fact, it promotes and benefits from it. The United States, itself an illegitimate settler entity, is hegemonic, just gets in the way of real peace efforts, and is losing whatever credibility it had in the context of Mideast peace. The AmeriKKKan population has repeatedly proved willing to support or go along with U.S. aggression in the Middle East and, as a whole, is interested in the so-called Israeli-Palestinian conflict only enough to make things worse. The Amerikan population doesn’t really care about Jews and Muslims overseas. When it seems to care about their conditions, it exploits them for chauvinistic, jingoistic and warmongering purposes and to justify Amerikan corruption in the Middle East.

This writer understands why Israeli activists would want to focus on opposing their own country or its policies. However, globally there needs to be more opposition to the United States in order to advance Palestinian liberation. Various elements inside and outside Israel are accepting U.S. hegemony and failing to support Marwan Barghouti’s and other political prisoners’ release while opposing Palestinian nationalism and supporting amalgamation with settlers. That is unwise.

Israelis and the world must act to immediately end the folly of refusing to negotiate with Palestinian prisoners, and end the abuse of hunger strike leaders and participants. Marwan Barghouti and other leaders or political prisoners must be freed from solitary confinement and must be freed from prison. The practice of taking Palestinians to be imprisoned in Israel must stop. The world’s countries must support Palestinian independence and sovereignty regardless of the United States’ priorities and exert pressure and influence so that demands of the hunger-striking prisoners are met as long as Palestinians are in I$raeli prisons.

It’s crazy that I read about abuses in other prisons across Amerikkka. Then it happens to me. On April 15, 2017 at 8:56 at Rockview State Prison in Bellefonte PA I was assaulted maliciously by two racist pigs, using the mental health policy to cover up their mess. On Saturday morning on BB unit at Rockview, which is a RTU block, mostly for mental health patients, I asked an inmate can I use a broom and dust pan. He screams I can’t I’ll get in trouble, so the CO whose name is Taylor yelled at me “get the fukk in your cell,” and I said “why are you talking to me like that.” Then he said get the fukkk in ya cell. So I went, then he locked my door with a key.

So I figured I was burnt all day of activities and lunch so I chilled and put a sheet over my door so I could use the bathroom in peace. While I was on the toilet, I saw someone at my door. The two guards came in, Taylor and Stove and closed my door and told me to get up. Didn’t even let me wipe my ass. Next thing I know Taylor hit me and struck me on the jaw and followed with a hook to my right eye. I fell to the floor and Stove hit me in the back of my head (lower occipital lobe) and caused a puncture which caused a tennis ball size hematoma to rise in the back of my head. The object he hit me with was a puncher which they make rounds with. CO Taylor whispered in my ear “Told you nigger we was going to get you.”

I feared for my life cause they could have killed me and justify it as a suicide attempt. I filed a grievance and I was placed in the A-seg unit. Now I am getting “burnt” for showers, yard, and sometimes food, depending what guards are on. But my argument is not what happeened cause it happens all the time and gets covered up. But I target mental health policies and the lack of independent supervisors to make sure those with mental health problems don’t have to be subjected to abuse. Most of the people on my block are so heavily medicated that there’s no challenge to abuse by staff. Staff will single out people like me and use me as a target so others will not follow or attempt to challenge them with the pen.

I haven’t even been seen by security to report the abuse. Seems like they are hiding, I’ve made numerous attempts to have a dialogue with the head of security but no attempts have been made by him to contact me. So now I see they are trying to hide something.

Rockview state prison has took up the challenge to become the treatment center of PA prisons. It wants to be the model of excellence on mental health treatment for other prisons to follow. But they know how to manipulate policy to better themselves. one strategy or solution to abuse can be body cameras on guards who have contact with the population of inmates. In this way it could decrease the number of assaults at the hands of guards. And create checks and balances, so we as comrades in prison don’t have to be targeted and assaulted by racist guards. And not every assault is a racist attack but of ignorance. But when you’re in areas that have been labeled as racist areas in books and films, it places that thought or perception that those working in this prison are just putting on faces for eight hours to leave and go back to their hateful ways. I challenge comrades to think of solutions for prison abuse at the hands of guards, cause grievances is just smoke and mirrors.

They have ways to tear up or misplace grievances but we need to challenge the courts and officials to protect prisoners from abuse. Especially those with mental problems.

On Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at or around 7:50 a.m. COII Cara Brashers said, “You can only wear one pair of boxers to the showers”. I became agitated telling her that I have been going to the shower with 2 pairs of boxers and a towel underneath tied around my waist since my arrival in housing unit #1 a year prior, as a way to protect my modesty from the gawking eyes of sick, twisted and demented voyeurs (staff as well as residents) who stand in their doors body lusting. I stepped back into my cell getting nowhere and complied. I began to walk quickly to the shower cell and they began to yank the tether (i.e. leash) attached to the handcuffs, “You need to slow down”. I explained that it was no reason to stop in the middle of the wing and could we process to the shower. “You can go back to your cell, mister”, and attempted to man handle me and force me to the ground. I wasn’t going to allow them to slam me on my face, so I politely walked them back up the stairs and asked, “So you’re going to treat me like this? You want to play games? We can play them.” They attempted to manhandle me again but weren’t successful.

I walked into my cell and placed my hands through the feeding port and one of the guards began to twist my hands and wrists violently. I snatched back and with my uncuffed hand held the tether and asked, “So ignorance is the only way to get some attention?”, and demanded to see the shift commander. While this was occurring the handcuff key was broken and lost, so they were in disarray. CO Postelwait attempted to swindle me into coming out of my cell. I agreed to give him the cuffs back. I took a 15 minute wash up in my sink. Afterwards I made Taubah, and prayer. The Functional Unit Manager, Troy Wade, began to bang on my door which has written on it, “In Prayer” and ruffed up without incident. All of my belongings were taken from me. To make matters worse, everything had mace on it.

I was made to stand naked in the strip cage while they contacted medical about me having my athletic supporter for my swollen groin and to be assessed. A contracted nurse came by the name of Jessica Williams who works for Corizon. I began to tell her that I was having an adverse effect to the gas and show the peeling skin and blisters on my hands and arms. I was refused medical treatment, boy oh boy, I had to smile to quell the anger because I was in no position to strike.

I was placed back in cell without it being cleaned. Gas and more was everywhere. Sink, toilet, walls, floor and my only place of salvation; the bunk.

Thirty minutes later I had an attorney visit. I was escorted up to the visiting room, smelling of mace and wheezing. My hand and arm felt weak for some reason too. I told my public defender, Brandon Swartz, whom I have already reported to the Office of the Chief of Disciplinary Council for providing ineffective assistance of counsel just sneering he said, “Yeah, I hear you just had a use of force.” I began to explain what occurred was unjustified, I was ignored.

So here I sit. I have a pad and pen courtesy of my young Kiwe comrade, and with the assistance of a person affiliated with the blood street tribe giving me toothpaste and toothbrush. Also a European brother, who’s the complete opposite of me gave brand new socks. All of this and more after countless hours of moving 3 twelve foot sandbags and a mattress from in front of my door, coupled with eluding the pigs.

As I sat, I looked past skin color, lightening bolts, tattoo blue and read flags, I seen something: UNITY. Despite of our differences, we had one thing in common. We were resistant to oppression in one way, shape or fashion. This was enough.

I don’t know if I’ll make it out of the hole, let along prison. One thing I do know is, I will not be treated like a slave and not resist. I will not be happily paraded around in nearly transparent underwear. I will not cower nor accept defeat. I will not, I will NOT!

I’m still alive and pushing. Kicking cuz I can’t stop, won’t stop. Even if I could, I wouldn’t. They’re attempting to break me. I may bend in the wind but I will never fold. Mojo of a simba. I am for the struggle, our struggle. Pumaja sisi Shinta! I shall not refuse my hand nor break my stride, this oath shall kill me. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Chulewa!

I am a Mexican National Citizen raised in the old ways of making business. Our word was always good to our dying last breath. In prison politics and Mexican politics, the word is meaningless. (Tell that to good Tio Colosio, who paid with his life for believing someone else’s word.)

Well, after 20 years in a main line or so-called active yards, I made the transition to the SNY yard. Here, I found lots of brothers (i.e. comrades), that made the transition years and even decades ago. Fortunately, I escaped the usual brainwashing that my Chicano counterparts are exposed to in the schools and ghettos. So, I called quits, and came over to the bizarre world. I found that most of my new comrades lacked any type of political consciousness. Time after time they declined my attempt to read some of my literature. It did not escape my mind that I once was like that too. It took me years to awaken to the cruel reality of my imprisonment.

Anyway, my first celly was a white male. And I discovered what I have always known in theory: We are all ignorant, poor, and damned (regardless of skin color, creed, or gang affiliation). For reasons that are not pertinent to this essay my new celly only last me less than 24 hours. Nevertheless, he left a deep impression in my consciousness. He told me that on the line his shot caller actually put a hit on him, over a $50.00 pruno debt. So he had to assume the position and allowed his beloved celly, who was a few months short to go home. And he was stabbed about three times. That is how out of control the prison gangs are.

So that the readers know: The average Mexican National prisoner doesn’t belong to cartels, or street and prison gangs. Most Mexicanos are unaware of the avalanche of prison politics coming their way. Without no shame I can say that had my counselor told me about my expected role to serve at the active yard I should have checked out right there and then. It wasn’t meant to be, so I was set up, by a failed rehabilitation system. I was immediately classified as a “PAISA” or “BORDER BROTHER.” This STG (Security Threat Group) is under the direct order of the Sureños Prison Gang (like to be ordered to do hits and follow gang’s rules).

Unbeknownst to the Mexican, all of these violent incidents will be used by the Board of Parole Hearings (“BPH”). God forbid one has a stabbing ten years ago. They literally act the part to be surprised that these kind of thing happen in prison. Even a disciplinary citation over a stolen apple will be used to say that one is a danger to the free community. These pundits actually believe that these gulags are CENTERS of top notch rehabilitation. And that one insists in misbehaving!

My new celly is an elderly Mexican. He is respectful and knows how to do time. He too called it quits when he discovered the winds of change in the air. And before things took a turn for the worst, he made the best decision in his life. He became another “SNY.” The environment here is more loose. The gang trip is over. I have not seen any acts of predatory behavior towards those that are too weak to defend themselves. Then, there are those that act out as straight protective custody; they believe that the c/o is their daddy or big carnal. They are loud and wear their pants half way down their butt. Still the talking with staff can also be seen at facility “C”, an active yard. They came in to the program office and spend time with them (getting cozy with the enemy i.e. the oppressor).

I found out that if I kept to myself and mind my own business I can fly undetected. This wasn’t possible in an active yard, because one is expected to put in work for the prison gang. The new prison gangs at this side, they pretty much keep to themselves. And do their fighting without asking for help. Those who do not want to engage in the new gangs warfare are left alone out of the drama. I have spoken to former Sureños and Norteños (youth and elderly), and many described themselves as “Mexicanos” born on this side. Many have realized that the Mexican National is not their puppet to be used and discarded. They all agreed that becoming “SNY” is the best decision that they ever took. Their new leaders are their families, patria, and raza.

Here, former shotcallers and gang leaders are nothing. They are one more slave among the thousands. Long are gone the days of blood money, glory, cell phones, and God ego trips over life and death. As for my own transition from an enslaved active prisoner to an “SNY” it was easy. I packed my belongings without raising too much suspicion. And at school I told the officer “that I wanted out of the yard.” They pressured me to tell what I knew about the big fat sapos and those that are kissing their ass. I had nothing to tell them.

Even if I knew anything I would never tell them nothing. I am too old to become a state snitch. So, not all SNY prisoners become snitches. I have been told that sometimes the officers threaten prisoners by telling them they will be sent back to the main line. But, this wasn’t my case. (For your information, the officers will never do that.)

For those that I left behind, stop and think about it, for a long time. Is it really worth it to give up one’s life by running a fool’s errand? What they are sending you to do to someone else’s son they will do to you. The masters of manipulation’s lost cause is not worth it to die or kill for. Screw their orders, they are not our parents, tios, or big brothers. They are playing God with your lives and freedom.

They are bloodthirsty sociopaths with our brothers’ and sisters’ blood on their hands. They are the oppressor’s little brother; they help the oppressor to keep us in check. Go ahead and tell them to do the killings themselves. They can’t really hold you up accountable for your word; that you gave up as a little kid. You did not know anything about life when they enticed you to join the gang. They never told you that by 15 you would be dead or doing life in the gulags.

They never took you to a funeral and told you: that is you in a few years. They never took you to the gulags to visit those who are buried alive. Have they told you that an early death or lifetime in prison was your future? Odds are that you would have run away ASAP. Thus, at the age of 20, 30, or even 60 years old, one must truly awaken to the reality of our predicament and analyze the contradictions of one’s slavery. So that we can shake off the old chains that bind us to a lost cause. One must evolve and think outside the box. It is the 21st Century, our families need us out there.

MIM(Prisons) responds: Lumpen organizations (LOs) in the united $tates are usually organizations of the most economically marginalized of the oppressed in this country. Elsewhere comrades have spoke about the difference between the Neo-Colonial Lumpen Organization (NLO) and the LO. The experience of the above comrade reflects the practice of the NLO. But the LOs in general have both capitalistic and collective/nationalist aspects to them. And those that embrace the collective aspect (usually in a revolutionary nationalist way), can evolve to become Political Mass Organizations (PMOs).(1) So while we struggle with comrades in LOs to move in the direction of becoming a PMO, the above story is a common one in California as SNY has come to represent one third of prisoners in recent years.(2)

This comrade also touches on the national question and national identity in Aztlán. The fact that those of Mexican descent born within U.$. borders are so likely to identify as Mexicanos speaks to the national contradiction between the Amerikan settler and the colonized territory of Aztlán. As this comrade also recognizes we refer to those born north of the U.$.-Mexico border as Chican@s. The recognition of a Chican@ nation deeply connected to, but separate from Mexico, was the outcome of the struggles of revolutionary nationalists and communists in the 1960s organizing Raza in the southwest. For those interested in this topic you should check out Chican@ Power and the Struggle for Aztlán by a MIM(Prisons) study group. This book is available to prisoners for $10, or work trade.

First off I want to say that we are sentenced to prison for punishment but each day is a struggle inside these walls. The officers treat us like we’re the scum of the earth and find ways to punish us every single day. I have been in prison for 15 years and am serving life without parole for a murder that I didn’t commit but the justice system doesn’t go by facts only falsehood by the good ole boys. I can’t even go an hour without the pigs trying to set me up for whatever.

I have been a gangbanger since I was 10 and dropped out in 2009, so by doing that the pigs think I’m gonna just roll over and do whatever. I have a few staff assaults and they always win since they work together to make our days bad.

There has been almost 20 deaths at this prison since 2015 and the medical here won’t help until we file lawsuits. Their prescription for everything is ibuprofen and gargle salt water so there’s a lot of viruses and diseases going around this prison.

Californian Correctional Officers’ beginning career wages are the highest in the U.S. at a whooping $48,000, with the prospect of earning nearly $80,000 annually when reaching the top pay grade.(1) They receive 640 hours of training, and an 8-month probationary period for each and every new recruit. I don’t believe the average citizen who pays taxes would approve of how they don’t run the daily prison program on a regular basis. In essence getting paid well for clocking into work just to sit in office areas and do nothing until it’s time to clock out.

I’m writing this specifically in relation to practices at California Correctional Institution (CCI). Today is 18 April 2017 and a part of our program has been taken for no given reason 71 times just this year since January, not including a 9-day facility lockdown for the misplacement of one set of tweezers. The tweezers were lost in PIA [job site], which disrupted college courses and furthered this lockdown culture. I’ve spent 7 years on Level 4s where violence was a regular occurrence and those yards received less lockdown and program cancellations than this peaceful low-to-no violence yard. With a month plus of complete lockdown if one calculates partial lockdown, plus 9 building lockdowns where the rest of the yard is programming yet Building #1 Correctional Officers have decided not to run program without a given explanation. I feel tax payers would like to know how their money is being spent, many of them making far less than these Correctional Officers to do much more.

One has only to think about the mental and physical effects that are rooted in being locked in a 6 by 8 by 9 feet cell with another human for over 16 hours a day for months, even years, at a time under the pretense that the Department of Corrections is using the rehabilitation model, which was initiated in the 1930s and states that it is a model of corrections that emphasizes the need to restore a convicted offender to a constructive place in society through some form of vocational or educational training or therapy. (Cole, Smith & De Jong, “Criminal Justice in America 8th Edition.” 2015, pp 328, 362) This is one of my college courses this semester and all previous citing is from the textbook.

Isolationistic practices are shown to have double negative effects on captives in regard to their social skills and behavior. This is due to the unnaturalness of long periods in isolation, captives become more agitated when expecting program i.e. readying themselves to go out of cell for yard, dayroom, school, and self help then without notice they cancel program without saying nothing. This is unique to CCI because at all other prisons the building COs let population know there will be no program. I write this even after talking to Sara L. Smith, Ombudsman, in person and 2nd Watch Sgt. Bart about this ongoing issue. Both responded it would be dealt with, yet two days in a row partial program has been cut with three in-house COs i.e. 2 on the floor plus one in control booth.

MIM(Prisons) responds: Under capitalism, the criminal injustice system is primarily concerned with enforcing the conditions that allow for profit. For colonized nations, this means repression and imprisonment to maintain the colonial relationship. Therefore, reforming people is rarely the focus. And how could it be, when there are no efforts made to address the causes of anti-social behavior in the first place, which include the dog-eat-dog culture of capitalism?

Unfortunately, the settler nations (like Amerika) are so bought into this system of oppression that they have little concern for the $80k a year their tax money might be paying some CO to sit around. That is a mere drop in the bucket compared to the bombs being dropped on Syrians right now. One Tomahawk missile, made by Raytheon Co., costs $1.59 million.(2) In the U.$. attack on a Syrian air field a couple weeks ago (6 April 2017), they used 59 Tomahawk missiles. Yet, according to multiple polls, a majority of Amerikans supported that attack.(3) And they have a long history of supporting huge military spending to kill people around the world. We find it unlikely that they will be moved by the money being spent to keep a large, idle lumpen population in prisons. It is up to those affected by the criminal injustice system to do something to stop this madness creating more madness.

Having literally been raised in the fedz (age 23-40), I developed a very unique perspective/world view on the “struggle” and the varying dynamics associated with it. One of the things I saw in the fedz from the beginning was the abundance of “official” OGs on the yards. Revolutionaries and street entity! They put efforts into educating males that, at minimum, one only had to carry oneself with a certain level of convict decorum if you will, to stay on level 5 lines. The various nations policed themselves. Which in turn negated much of the reactionary interracial violence which’d typically occur.

My journey began in a United States Penitentiary (USP) where I lasted 6 months before an encounter in center hallway with an aggressive pig! Before my 1st full year was done, I’d added 24 more months to the 15 years I’d been given! That set the tone for my bid and life. In that the hatred I felt for authority manifested quite regularly over the next 2 years. Accumulating a slew of violence shots (writeups), FBI referrals for prosecution and ultimately my first SHU placement.

What I recall most of my first ADX stay (mid-late 90s) was the standard of the majority of men I met, be they euro-nationalist, Muslim, revolutionary nationalist, Chicano, tribal structures, New Afrikan, tribal cats, etc. All stood firmly against the pigs. Anti-rodent philosophies included. Granted, we had the typical frictions associated with being in unnatural environments, forced to occupy very tight spaces. Many cats got hurt, racial reactionary issues and intra-racial fratricide due to geographical biases typically. However, I recall many instances where those of us who had any “credibility” and/or “entity status” would regularly parley (i.e. politic) to maintain respect between us and thereby negate potential violence.

At this time, I personally put down my own “tribal identity” and embraced a progressive ideological precept, albeit infantile. Three specific men entered my life and changed it forever: a European communist, a founding member of the dominant Chicano structure, and last but not least, a bay area militant turned Muslim! While in “stepdown units” of ADX, each took time to work with me, share progressive literature with us, build via dialogue. Many of my/our (i.e. tribal cats) previously held biases and notions on particular ethnic groups, etc. These were proven false once we were put within the close confines of ADX and actually talked.

I learned of various German philosophers (Nieche, Clausowitch) from euro-nationalists; about Aztecs, Toltecs, etc. from Chicanos under structure; about Mao, Lenin, Marx from communists; about Chaka, Diop, Huey P., George, Fred, so many more fallen heroes (and sheroes) from Afrikan nationalists! All of which giving insight into how these men thought, crucial to forging any qualitative bonds across both tribal and/or national lines in prison! I left ADX for Lompoc, where I remained 4 years, got to finally visit my family, and where I was embraced to the revolutionary nationalist ideology via affirmation and deeds!

There I again encountered some truly conscious men who embraced one and aided in my growth from tribal reactionary towards revolutionary activist. [Many comrades freely gave of themselves on a daily to uplift all of us! What I learned from them was “struggle”! To educated ourselves and others to learn the needs of the people, stand beside all who share same struggle (i.e. quest for revolutionary political and economic change in U$). Skin color being a non-factor in assessment of one’s revolutionary authenticity. This is a reality I took with me over the following 5 years, including a (3 year) ADX return. Each line I hit, my objectives stayed fairly fixed, but open to change depending on conditions and personnel. This led to many fruitful alliances with a cross section of the populace on one hand, and quite a few situations where we organized and in turn undermined the progression of our common oppressor.

The biggest hurdle that I see to Euro-nationalists truly embracing a genuinely revolutionary ideology is their own fears and inherent biases. The fear of being ostracized by other Europeans keeps majority from standing beside folks of color. Their shared sociocultural backgrounds with the pigs (in majority of states) oftentimes see the euro-captive identify with the euro-captor out of some misguided sense of cultural identity vs. those held beside them, who are of New Afrikan or Latino ancestry. Ray Luc and Richard W. (rip) showed exactly how one of European ancestry can be revolutionaries. Neither of them were cowards about reactionary BS! They walked as men, and as such, all respected them. And both had full military support of party, tribal sets, etc. should any of the racists attempt to move on them. Those who are really striving to be about the struggle stand on “people’s power” not skin affiliations or entities which espouse supremacist rhetoric.

The article by Bro Rashid (ULK 55, p. 14) I related to as I am presently housed in the cesspool (twilight zone) of Oregon DOC. What he described from 2014 could’ve easily been today. Thus far I have lasted 1 month at East Oregon Correctional Institution (EOCI) and 3 months on this mainline. In both instances I was kited off yard, likely by other folks of color. My party jacket, coupled with the past tribal ties (i.e. gang) has apparently moved my captors to indeterminately SHU me. Oh, and my conversion to Islam a couple years ago likely didn’t help my cause, considering all of the extremist activities going on globally, that is. It appears I shall be sent out of state at some point. Objective being to get the militants up out of ODOC so as to keep these cats asleep and complacent! Lifers content to own multiple pairs of shoes; mp3 players, etc. I am constantly amazed, daily, at how warped these Oregonians ideals are, as they relate to acceptable conduct for ethical men in prison! Kickin it with pigs is not only accepted by the so called “good dudes” (Oregon speak for a Euro-captive that is not a sex offender). Cell soldiering back and forth is a daily occurrence. I hear an abundance of anti-sex-offender rhetoric, but next to nothing about the “system” which creates misogynist cats who in turn abuse women?!

MIM(Prisons) responds: This writer brings up some good examples from eir history that demonstrate the potential for people to learn and grow, for unity across groups in prison, and for people of all nations to take up revolutionary struggle. While there are material reasons why oppressed nations have a stronger interest in revolutionary struggle, people from the oppressor nation in prison are in a unique situation that can inspire them to take up the struggle.

We also want to comment on the last paragraph in which this writer talks about ethical behavior in prison, as this is an important point. The ideals that make it correct to talk trash about sex-offenders but not fight misogyny is something we need to address head on. It is the patriarchy that makes males feel good to attack those convicted of sex offenses without thinking about their own patriarchal behavior. Further the idea that attacking sex offenders is correct but murderers are ok makes no sense. We need to create a culture where all crimes against the people are condemned. And then we need to struggle with those who commit these crimes to see the mistakes they have made and reform their lives.

MIM(Prisons) responds: Thanks for this criticism. We print it now since it slipped past our editors last issue. Terms like “baby boy” and boy are often used as terms of affection, especially by older comrades. But the word has a different meaning when written by a white persyn describing an oppressed national, especially by a member of the Aryan Nation. Specifically, boy was commonly used by white Amerikans when bossing around, threatening and just generally oppressing New Afrikans during slavery and after. It was a mistake for us to let such a use of the term slip into ULK without criticism.