Tracking Prison Censorship in the United States

To: Y. Chambers

If you haven't forwarded MIM ULK 81 to I.I. then please forward it on to me. You received it several days ago. I'm sure you're going to confiscate citing "STG." Or should I say you've already retaliated and forwarded onto I.I.

Please respond.
Thank you

Action: First, no retaliation. Second I have not confiscated anything as of 8:00AM 5/15/23. Nor has anything been sent to OII. Thank You.

By: [signed] Chambers 5-15-26 [sic]

On 5-16-23, I received a notice and report of action on Correspondence State Form 11984. This was a notice by Mailroom Chambers that material from MIM Distributors ULK 81, Spring 2023 had been confiscated and denied OII "STG" front page New Afrika. On 5-14-23 I sent Chambers a request asking her if she had already confiscated MIM's No. 81 and forwarded to Internal Investigations citing "STG." Chambers responded on 5-15-26 as of 8:00 am 5-15-23, I have not confiscated anything, nor has anything been sent to OII. Chambers comments are very subject and cannot be believable as the MIM No. 81 arrived at Pendleton prior to 5-15-23. Say it did arrive after 8:00 on 5-15-23, Chambers doesn't have time to stop what she is doing, get the MIM material to I.I., and I.I. doesn't have time to go through the entire material which would stop what they are doing. Then Chambers would have to stop what she is doing to communicate with I.I., then type up a notice and report of action, then put it in the mail so I can receive it on 5-16-23. I'm sorry folks. This just isn't possible for all of this to transpire in a single day. This is pure censorship and retaliation by mailroom Chambers and Internal Investigations.

Chambers + I.I. continue time after time to censor MIM's material by allegedly citing "STG." This just isn't the case. They continue to block MIM's material from coming in. MIM's material/books that keep getting censored is knowledgeable material and will allow me to grow as a person but how can I when Chambers and I.I. continue to censor it.

Chambers + I.I. Houchins continue to cause me great pain + stress.

State the relief you are seeking:

1. I want MIM's No.81 to be released to me.
2. I want Chambers + I.I. Houchins to stop censoring and confiscating MIM's material citing "STG."
3. I want Chambers + I.I. Houchins to stop retaliating against me for writing this grievance and past grievances against them.
4. For an and all just proper relief.

MIM Distributors
PO Box 40799
San Francisco, CA 94140

CENTRAL OFFICE LEGAL SERVICES
302 W Washington St W 341
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204

26 May 2023

RE: 16 May Notice of Action Taken on Correspondence

To Whom It May Concern,

We are in receipt of five notices dated and postmarked 5/16/2023 from Pendleton Correctional Facility’s mail room. This letter is responding to those notices because we do not agree with the decision to censor our mail.

All five notices give the reason: “DENIED OII STG FRONT PAGE NEW AFRIKA"

As I’ve notified you of in my previous letters, there is a pattern of Pendleton labeling MIM Distributors’ literature “STG” for spurious reasons. In this case the reason cited is “FRONT PAGE NEW AFRIKA”. New Afrika is a name for people of African descent who were brought to the new world of North America to be slaves and continue to live in this country. New Afrika is not a Security Threat Group, it is a nationality made up of diverse people.

I never received a response to my previous appeals, but I do know that the prisoners did not receive the literature, so I am assuming that you upheld the previous decisions that our mail was “STG” material. Therefore I am requesting the IDOC’s rules that defines how material can be deemed to be “STG” so that we can be better equipped to avoid these problems in the future.

Once again, I am requesting that you deliver the mail in question (which I believe to be Under Lock & Key Issue 81) to their intended recipients as soon as you are able to.

MIM Distributors
PO Box 40799
San Francisco, CA 94140

CENTRAL OFFICE LEGAL SERVICES
302 W Washington St W 341
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204

26 May 2023

RE: 16 May Notice of Action Taken on Correspondence

To Whom It May Concern,

We are in receipt of five notices dated and postmarked 5/16/2023 from Pendleton Correctional Facility’s mail room. This letter is responding to those notices because we do not agree with the decision to censor our mail.

All five notices give the reason: “DENIED OII STG FRONT PAGE NEW AFRIKA"

As I’ve notified you of in my previous letters, there is a pattern of Pendleton labeling MIM Distributors’ literature “STG” for spurious reasons. In this case the reason cited is “FRONT PAGE NEW AFRIKA”. New Afrika is a name for people of African descent who were brought to the new world of North America to be slaves and continue to live in this country. New Afrika is not a Security Threat Group, it is a nationality made up of diverse people.

I never received a response to my previous appeals, but I do know that the prisoners did not receive the literature, so I am assuming that you upheld the previous decisions that our mail was “STG” material. Therefore I am requesting the IDOC’s rules that defines how material can be deemed to be “STG” so that we can be better equipped to avoid these problems in the future.

Once again, I am requesting that you deliver the mail in question (which I believe to be Under Lock & Key Issue 81) to their intended recipients as soon as you are able to.

Sincerely,

MIM Distributors
PO Box 40799
San Francisco, CA 94140

CENTRAL OFFICE LEGAL SERVICES
302 W Washington St W 341
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204

26 May 2023

RE: 16 May Notice of Action Taken on Correspondence

To Whom It May Concern,

We are in receipt of five notices dated and postmarked 5/16/2023 from Pendleton Correctional Facility’s mail room. This letter is responding to those notices because we do not agree with the decision to censor our mail.

All five notices give the reason: “DENIED OII STG FRONT PAGE NEW AFRIKA"

As I’ve notified you of in my previous letters, there is a pattern of Pendleton labeling MIM Distributors’ literature “STG” for spurious reasons. In this case the reason cited is “FRONT PAGE NEW AFRIKA”. New Afrika is a name for people of African descent who were brought to the new world of North America to be slaves and continue to live in this country. New Afrika is not a Security Threat Group, it is a nationality made up of diverse people.

I never received a response to my previous appeals, but I do know that the prisoners did not receive the literature, so I am assuming that you upheld the previous decisions that our mail was “STG” material. Therefore I am requesting the IDOC’s rules that defines how material can be deemed to be “STG” so that we can be better equipped to avoid these problems in the future.

Once again, I am requesting that you deliver the mail in question (which I believe to be Under Lock & Key Issue 81) to their intended recipients as soon as you are able to.

Sincerely,

MIM Distributors
PO Box 40799
San Francisco, CA 94140

CENTRAL OFFICE LEGAL SERVICES
302 W Washington St W 341
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204

26 May 2023

RE: 16 May Notice of Action Taken on Correspondence

To Whom It May Concern,

We are in receipt of five notices dated and postmarked 5/16/2023 from Pendleton Correctional Facility’s mail room. This letter is responding to those notices because we do not agree with the decision to censor our mail.

All five notices give the reason: “DENIED OII STG FRONT PAGE NEW AFRIKA"

As I’ve notified you of in my previous letters, there is a pattern of Pendleton labeling MIM Distributors’ literature “STG” for spurious reasons. In this case the reason cited is “FRONT PAGE NEW AFRIKA”. New Afrika is a name for people of African descent who were brought to the new world of North America to be slaves and continue to live in this country. New Afrika is not a Security Threat Group, it is a nationality made up of diverse people.

I never received a response to my previous appeals, but I do know that the prisoners did not receive the literature, so I am assuming that you upheld the previous decisions that our mail was “STG” material. Therefore I am requesting the IDOC’s rules that defines how material can be deemed to be “STG” so that we can be better equipped to avoid these problems in the future.

Once again, I am requesting that you deliver the mail in question (which I believe to be Under Lock & Key Issue 81) to their intended recipients as soon as you are able to.

Sincerely,

Mr. Dean Patterson is in charge of the Literature Review Committee
FDOC
501 South Calhoun St
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2500


Other relevant contacts:

email: Charles.Huber@fdc.myflorida.com, Melvin.Herring@fdc.myflorida.com

MIM Distributors
PO Box 40799
San Francisco, CA 94140

Department of Corrections,
ATTN: Library Services Administrator
501 South Calhoun Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2500

26 May 2023

RE: 9 May Notice of Rejection or Impoundment of Publications

To Whom It May Concern,

On 10 April 2023 MIM Distributors mailed the enclosed publication, Fundamental Political Line of the Maoist Internationalist Ministry of Prisons, to Mr. XXXXXX XXXXXX #779458. On 15 May 2023 the mailroom at Columbia Correctional Institution mailed a notice to us that this publication was rejected on 9 May 2023. This letter is to appeal that decision.

The reason given for the impounding of this publication is: “PGS: COVER, 4-6, 12 & 14; DRAWINGS CAN BE USED AS TATTOO PATTERNS”

By this logic, any publication with artwork or drawings in them would be forbidden by the FDOC. Yet, I know that is not the case.

There is nothing in the publication about how to make tattoos, promoting tattooing or mentioning tattoos at all. Therefore, it seems this rule is being applied inappropriately and arbitrarily in regards to the publication in question.

I am requesting that you deliver Fundamental Political Line of the Maoist Internationalist Ministry of Prisons to Mr. XXXXXX XXXXXX.

Sincerely,

as of 1 May 2023 has not received response

CENTRAL OFFICE LEGAL SERVICES
302 W Washington St W 341
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204

5 April 2023

RE: Censorship for “Books Saturated”

To Whom It May Concern,

We are in receipt of a notice dated and postmarked 3/22/2023 from staffmember Chambers of Pendleton Correctional Facility’s mail room. This letter is to request an appeal to that decision. The reason given for the censorship was “BOOKS SATURATED.”

Did the package get wet during the shipping process? We are certain that no wet books were mailed to XXXXXX XXXXXX (XXXXXX) from MIM Distributors. So if the merchandise was damaged during transit can you please return it so we can replace it. If the book is not damaged beyond use, then we would request an appeal so that Mr. XXXXXX can receive the book.

Either way can you please clarify the condition of the book. Staffmember Chambers has regularly rejected literature mailed by MIM Distributors for frivolous reasons in the past and we are concerned that this is the case again with the book Represent Yourself in Court, which was mailed to Mr. XXXXXX on 8 March 2023.

Sincerely,

Elise Gallaghar, Appeal Review Officer, wrote back to say "These materials were appropriately confiscated per policy"