Federal Prisons

I would like to inform the supporters, comrades and my fellow brothers throughout the world, plus also in the “Amerikan Prison System,” that we must be watchful of our message that we are attempting to give and spread to those who very well needs it. The ULK article that was titled “Konfused Gangster Mentality” was deemed to be a threat to the Morgan County Correctional Facility. So it was rejected by the mailroom staff. This decision was upheld by the “Security Threat Group” coordinator, and by the final decision of the head warden.

The article was said to be written by a supposed gang member who has ties to the Bloods street gang. It was said by the prison officials that the way the word “confused” is spelled as “Konfused.” But also that the word “Damu” that’s a part of our Afrikan native people spoken language, that many of our slave ancestors spoke called Swahili. This was brought to the land of Amerika by the Afrikan slaves, who spoke Swahili and also many other Afrikan language dialects.

Even today across the great land of Amerika, you can hear Swahili spoken throughout many major cities as common language by “Afrikan Amerikans.” Many may greet one another in such of a way for all to hear. “I love you Damu of my Damu!” Let me translate “I love you Blood of my Blood!” Because for we as Afrikan Amerikans we share something in common. That our people was stolen, kidnapped and then shipped across the Atlantic, during which millions of people died while being transported.

Now when we are attempting to speak to brothers, sisters, supporters, plus comrades through the ULK, we must choose and use our words wisely in our articles, so the law enforcers won’t be offended. Because here at Morgan County CF they have a long history of being taught to be racist, prejudiced, biased and abusive by assaulting prisoners while being in restraints. Yeah they’re country boyz here at this facility. They don’t want prisoners awoken and told what they should be doing against their oppressors. Because that would mean that these coward “Correctional Officers” would be getting their ass kicked left and right when they do things to us in a wrongful act.

And last, but not least, it was said by the STG coordinator here that he didn’t like that the article titled “Konfused Gangster Mentality” used the word pig to describe law enforcers. I myself thought it was funny, because this same STG coordinator at MCCF, he has witnessed his co-workers partake and possibly himself also in one or two of the foul acts I mention above.

Now we know that this is an ongoing problem that’s not confined to the prison system; it also is happening in our streets of Amerika. The law enforcers are killing unarmed black males at an alarming rate as they did in 1950s thru the 1960s when our true brothers and sisters known as the Black Panthers became aware of the problems and began to form a movement to deal with them.

If you are affiliated with a gang my brother, keep your gang slang, your dissing ways toward another gang out of the ULK. Because these swine are always looking for ways to stop such articles and paper from entering into the prison systems. And that goes for being straight forward when it comes to speaking on dealing with the law enforcers. And being behind enemy lines without the system knowing that it has been infiltrated by us in all forms. Then more damage can be done against who we are fighting. This simple, but effective technique has been used by the oppressed through the world.

MIM(Prisons) responds: This writer raises a difficult question for those of us working to expose the criminal injustice system. We want our publication to get in to our readers behind bars. We also want to print the truth. And we want to use language that inspires and empowers our readers. This truth and this language sometimes leads to censorship. We try to walk the line, always printing the truth, but choosing our language carefully when there is an alternate word that means the same thing and can prevent censorship. We can be thoughtful about what words we put out front.

We also need to take on these censorship battles and use them to expose the prison system, and the lack of free speech under imperialism. Like this writer, we need to appeal censorship when it happens. And when you appeal, if you inform MIM(Prisons) of the censorship we will also write an appeal as distributor of the publication. Even if we don’t win these appeals, we put the prison on notice that we’re paying attention to their rule breaking. Often the words and articles they cite as reason for censorship wouldn’t pass a review by the courts. We need to remind them of these laws. If you don’t have a copy of our guide to fighting censorship, write in to request one.

On 7/5/19, I received notice for a 4/28/19 accident in the recreation yard: an accidental trip and fall while jogging across a sidewalk with washed-out edges. The accident report was changed from jogging to playing to running to fit a non-accident and is cover for the hazardous edges next to the sidewalk. I was found guilty of committing an unsafe act instead of engaging in an allowed recreational activity: jogging. 30 days loss of contact visits.

I wrote a grievance letter describing the inaccurate offense report. The grievance returned the same day, stating the matter to be not grievable.

I have learned a lot about the systems, be it criminal Justice or Parole and Under Lock & Key is overflowing with information and resources. I loan out my issues, but I make sure to study them myself.

Several high-ranking officials have jumped ship because of the federal investigations into the shooting death of prisoner Del Trey [spelling uncertain] in 2017. Also, concerning the lawsuit by the Advocacy Center many have taken non-security jobs around the prison, i.e. maintenance, classification, etc.

Most importantly, on 1 July 2019 the infamous, dirty, low down, corrupt, scumbag pig Colonel Nail was escorted from prison grounds and evicted from his house on state property and is facing criminal charges for tampering with an investigation, malfeasance in office, etc.

It is possible that all of this has something to do with the mail because all prisoners writing orgs,etc. especially the ACLU And Advocacy Center as well as those engaged in litigation against DOC and this prison have been experiencing problems. Also the high turnover of new guards passing mail to the wrong cells is a problem.

Guards are sadistic & disrespectful to you. They beat you up & write bogus cases on you like threatening staff & staff assault. They do not file paperwork & investigations accurately & truthfully. Food is cold & they serve you half scoops of main/sides & lots of times it’s watery. No seasoning or salt/pepper. We are not given clean towels, boxers, socks everyday when we shower. Most cells do no have lights installed! Guards do not like to do their job & don’t pass out enough cold water & there is excessive heat. We are not given cleaning supplies for our cells or indigent hygiene items.

Myself and many others here at Lancaster State Prison have suffered from the filing of fraudulent disciplinary reports in retaliation for filing 602 [grievance forms] for excessive force and denial of yard, which happens every other day when they choose. This supposed to be a medical facility but they show deliberate indifference to our medical need. They refuse to obey newly enacted laws, SB1437, SB620, Proposition 57. They make sure when [parole] board time comes all the fraudulent disciplinary write-ups gives the board opportunity to deny 7 years for write-ups.

This letter is to inform you of an urgent abusive matter happening to me here on Lane Murray Unit (a Texas Woman’s Prison). I am being targeted and harassed by rank and C.O.s (mainly Sargent Transue) for exercising my vested right of using the Grievance System. The latest thing they are fraudulently charging me with is the allegation that I had in my possession “gambling paraphernalia”, which was actually a stationary that my family & friends wrote me mail on. It is a “Loteria” stationary–and automatically it was assumed to be Mexican gambling paraphernalia. I asked Sargent Transue to take pictures of the writing of the letters/stationary and she refused, she only took pictures of what she claimed to be the “gambling paraphernalia”–very corrupt behavior on her part. There were two witnesses to this event, also C.O.s.

19 of my Prisoner Legal News and Criminal News were also taken from me in all that abusive search done against me.

The McConnell Unit on which I am located are treating their prisoners like animals. There are major injustices that are being perpetrated against us no a daily basis.

The water is not clean or clear, and no air circulation in these cells. Holes in the ceiling, walls, and floors. Prisoners are afraid to fight for what’s right. They don’t understand.

I am writing to request the Texas Pack. Thankyou for all you do for those of us behind the wire in Texas. At this unit, they took the grievance manual out of the law libraries, so every little bit helps. May God bless you for all you do.

Scott Daniel Warren faces 20 years in prison for his volunteer work distributing food and water to migrants in Arizona. Warren works with the group No More Deaths to aid migrants crossing the border in the Arizona desert. For this work, and for providing a place for two men to sleep, Warren was charged with two counts of felony harboring and one count of felony conspiracy. Eir trial ended on June 11 with a hung jury.

Warren was arrested in January 2018 along with other No More Deaths volunteers. The arrests came just hours after the group released video of border patrol agents destroying jugs of water left in the desert for migrants. This case isn’t closed yet; federal prosecutors may choose to retry Warren.

The Arizona desert is one of the deadliest places for migrants to cross the border due to the extreme heat. But people are forced to this area by the 1994 Clinton era “Prevention Through Deterrence” policy aimed at making border crossings more deadly. The idea was to force crossings over more hostile terrain, putting more lives in danger, to discourage migrants from attempting the journey. Metrics of the plan’s success included “deaths of aliens.” By that measure, the plan has been a success. The total number of people attempting the crossing has dropped but the odds of dying have gone way up.(1)

Hundreds of migrants are found dead every year. Trump’s border policies are just a continuation of the anti-immigrant policies of all Amerikan imperialist administrations, including Obama. Closed borders maintain a cheap source of labor and natural resources for the imperialists. This preserves wealth for those within at the expense of poverty for those on the outside. Migrant deaths are just one result of these borders. Fighting the Trump border wall is a distraction from the real problem. Fight borders not walls. Open the borders; return the stolen wealth to occupied nations at home and around the world.

Hello Sir! Do hope all is at its best for you in every way possible and gets even better for you.

I am a Texas prisoner who has had a handful of B.S. Being repeated[ly] sent to different units since my last permanent Hughes Unit in Gatesville. Now I am at the Michaels Unit in Tennessee Colony and got all or near all my property. Property officer took some property but also took family photos.

I was on your mailing list and do wish to be again. Please!! Also I’ve enclosed 10 forever stamps for the PD package [of rules for TDCJ staff].

Thank you and your staff for being there to help “us” out. Myself and others look forward to your help as well as your newsletters. Now hope to hear from you soon!!!