Last month in October a brother was written a misconduct report for
having Soledad Brother and From Niggas to Gods. They
reasoned that George Jackson is a “known Panther” as if that is a valid
reason to write him up. They said From Niggas to Gods was
banned in Green Bay Correctional Institution. I guess ’cause they don’t
want us to go from calling ourselves niggas, behaving like niggas, to
calling ourselves children of God or behaving as such. They want us to
still be their niggas and we best not be caught trying to learn or read
any books of substance. But we can read an “urban” novel that promotes
all type of Black-on-Black murder and violence. He was given 210 days in
the hole.
On November 2 2010 my comrade’s bunk was searched and the racist pig Van
Laden took several books from him, i.e. Soledad Brother, Noam
Chomsky, Niami Akbar, Cornel West’s Reader and a couple more.
They also took some 4struggle newspapers because they mentioned
the
Black
Panther Party. For several days they didn’t give him the conduct
report. They usually come within 2 days. He was called out to talk to
the pig Van Laden and Van Laden told him that he will see him in court,
meaning at the conduct report hearing.
On November 8 2010 he was given the conduct report. It is a witch hunt.
The pig Van Laden says Soledad Brother mentions the Black
Panthers, that 4struggle mentions the Panthers’ 10 point
platform, and phrases like “clenched fist,” “power to the people,” “red
black and green.” This pig said the material and books are “black
supremacy” literature! I’m still trying to understand what is Black
supremacy and what does that mean. The use of the word supremacy means
one group is saying that they are superior to another. Nothing in any of
the material points to that because if it did he would have written
“page so-and-so of this book says they are superior and whites are
inferior.” But he can’t because that is not what any of the material
advocates. He claims to be a Security Threat Expert and states in the
report that the Panthers are on the list as a security threat group.
Thus any material that mentions it is banned and anyone caught with it
is in violation for having this reading material. Same as slavery.
But dig this, comrade has receipts for every book they say is a threat
to their security. They let them in, then say you can’t have them. They
have a list of banned books and none of his books are on the banned book
list. Not even Soledad Brother, because nothing in it is a
security threat. George ain’t advocating nothing of so-called violence
or Black supremacy. Like I said before this is just a witch hunt to
break us up. The two brothers I mentioned are in the dorm with me, we
are in a social environment, not fighting each other, and teaching these
younger brothers. That is the security threat to them. They don’t want
us to learn about our history and gain a sense of self. They want us
ignorant running around here being good n’s. Reading is forbidden unless
it’s fiction. He was charged with Group Resistance and Petition and
awaits to go on his hearing.
On November 5 2010 I was called up to the CO desk and asked how another
prisoner got my book. She said if I didn’t give it to him she would
write him up for theft. I said the regular CO Zellner that works here
said he can read it as long as I get it back by the end of the night.
She said “well I’m giving you a ticket for unauthorized transfer of
property.” She called another brother to the desk and gave him his book
back without writing a ticket for him. The title of my book was Huey
P. Newton and the Black Panther Party. That is why she wrote me up
but gave the other brother his book back.
I got the conduct report on November 8 2010 and Group Resistance and
Petition was on it too. This charge is one that they use to lay someone
down in the hole or send to Wisconsin’s supermax in Boscobel where I
have been for over 4 years already. The report says I gave my book to
someone else to read which is a violation 9.e. unauthorized transfer of
property. Even if a CO gave you permission it is still unauthorized
transfer of property under their 1984 newspeak semantics. It also says
that the Black Panthers are an “unsanctioned” group, and the book is
confiscated. But I worked in the library here before and I’ve seen this
same book come in on inter-library loan on several occasions;
Soledad Brother and From Niggas to Gods too.
The fix is in. My comrade and I still await our hearings. We talked to
white shirt and the security director about this fix. This way they have
knowledge of it and can be added to the lawsuit. Because none of this is
a threat. I had this book for almost six and a half years! We’re trying
to get the word out about this. They have a list of banned books but
none of these books we are written up for are banned.
Also I wrote a book about change and let a young brother read it. His
bunk was searched and a new pig brought it up to the Sergeant and he
called me up to the desk and asked if it was my book. I said yes. He
asked, “who gave you permission to write this?” I said, “my mind! What
you mean who gave me permission?” He said he was calling up to security
to see if I could do that. About an hour went by and he called me to the
desk and gave me the book back. But the thing is “who gave you
permission?” As if I need someone’s permission to write down my own
thoughts. This same pig has a confederate flag tattoo on his left arm.
Saying we can’t read or gain a sense of self by learning our history or
that we need “their” permission slip to write our thoughts is the same
as the slavery that our ancestors went through. But most can’t see it.
They just see these racist pigs as having a job. This is not a job, this
is a form of oppression. Capitalism is a form of oppression. We are a
means for them to be employed through our oppression. And I try to get
these young and older brothers to see this. Slavery was capitalism.
Prisons are capitalism. Whites were the ones that ran the plantations.
Whites are the ones that run the prisons. It’s all the same just a new
way.
