MIM(Prisons) is a cell of revolutionaries serving the oppressed masses inside U.$. prisons, guided by the communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.
Under Lock & Key is a news service written by and for prisoners with a focus on what is going on behind bars throughout the United States. Under Lock & Key is available to U.S. prisoners for free through MIM(Prisons)'s Free Political Literature to Prisoners Program, by writing:
MIM(Prisons) PO Box 40799 San Francisco, CA 94140.
I’ma start this letter out by sending all my respects to all involved in
educating and enlightening those who is fighting such as myself. These
past couple of weeks have been very hectic. Here at Kentucky State
Reformatory, we have difficulties with the administration denying legal
help from legal aids on cases and with research and filing.
In Kentucky, prisoners in administration and punitive segregation are
being denied legal representation by legal aides on filing motions,
briefs, etc. and on research. Most of us have active cases and are
filing new cases, but the administration have told us “prisoners” that
the legal aides can’t assist us on any cases and they have notified the
legal aides not to assist us on our cases. The legal aides have been
told that they can only assist us and represent us at adjustment
committee hearings.
Everyone knows that you have to and need to do research before an active
case can even begin and finish, so this bureaucratic red tape is just
another arbitrary denial of access to courts, and a violation of the
Kentucky Constitution and the U.$. Constitution. Right now I am seeking
out accurate factual materials to write out a petition to send to the
warden, and accurate factual civil and human rights and constitutional
Kentucky and federal laws to fight this injustice.
An injustice to one is an injustice to all.
MIM(Prisons) responds: This is not an issue unique to Kentucky.
Prisoners
in Texas are also being denied access to courts because of a “cite
only” rule. And
in
Georgia our comrades are denied access to the courts because they
are on Tier II restrictive housing. In North Carolina there are no law
libraries, and the agency that is designated to satisfy the requirement
of access to courts is almost entirely useless.
For all our comrades who advocate working through the courts for
remedies, we have as many comrades who write in saying it is impossible
for them to access legal material or assistance. This is one of many
reasons why we don’t believe the oppressors will ever set up a system
that grants real power or dignity to oppressed people, including U.$.
prisoners. We work within the system when we can, but we also need to
build our own independent institutions, outside the current criminal
injustice system, in order to meet and maintain our goals.
I write with news of what I believe to be progress by a few comrades and
I here at Clinton Correctional Facility on 27 February 2017. Me and 7
other comrades staged a peaceful protest in response to gaolers playing
around with me and my neighbors’ food.
Each comrade refused to return their empty food trays until my neighbor
and I received new food trays that wasn’t tampered with (my neighbor was
a diabetic and needed to eat). Lieutenant Durkin came around to see what
was going on and he seen the seriousness of our solidarity and brought
us new trays. (Protest over right? But you know these pigs.)
After me and my neighbors’ trays were collected these gaolers decided
that they were not going to pick up the trays from the comrades who
initiated the protest, in order to use this as their own excuse to deny
them showers for the night, and to use these trays to extract them from
their cells to inflict abuse.
These pigs tried to offer my neighbor and I showers but we refused
unless everyone had their right to a shower, and we continued to press
to speak to higher authority.
That only led to higher authority getting tired of our solidarity and
want to teach us a lesson by summoning the “Extraction Team.” These pigs
pumped gas into my cell and the cells of three others, and invaded our
cells in units while we were incapacitated by the gas, and beat us one
by one. We are in the SHU and on complete lockdown and posed no threat
to those cowards.
I was taken to an outside hospital in Malone, New York after the assault
only because these pigs thought they broke my ribs. But I won’t break,
not even bones comrades, not even bones.
These cowards put us on deprivation orders and took all of our in-cell
property and left us with just a bare mattress and pillow for the next 5
days (February 27 - March 4). They also took our sweaters and socks and
cut the heat off at night in below-freezing weather.
I organized a mass letter to the Superintendent and that’s when we
started to get our property and water back. The cells were never cleaned
after the gas was pumped in and I burned my eyes a few times some nights
laying on the plastic bed and pillow.
We all received false tickets to cover up the racially-motivated mass
assault, so we all (7) decided to file grievances on what happened.
We’re just waiting now. They haven’t separated us yet because I know
they are just listening to our conversations. Most of us don’t have the
discipline to speak in silence. Anyway comrades I need advice,
stratagems, literature or whatever you think we may need to continue our
struggle on the inside in a winning fashion.
MIM(Prisons) responds: We encourage anyone with advice for these
comrades to get in touch with us and we’ll pass along your suggestions.
These sorts of retaliations for peaceful protests are all too common in
prison. One suggestion we can make to these comrades is to continue to
build unity and knowledge among the group, and work to expand the
solidarity to others if possible. Our power comes from unity and this is
built in part through studying and struggling together. And because we
know admin may transfer anyone at any time, especially if someone is
seen as a threat because of eir ability to unite people, we encourage
everyone to get set up in our MIM(Prisons) correspondence study course.
This will allow people to study together and continue studies even if
some folks get moved around.
On 18 April 2017 the prisoners here rioted against the staff. Mainly it
was just the South Hall. Those youngsters are tired of being treated
like animals. So they rebel the only way they knew how. By busting out
all the windows on the South Hall of East Arkansas Regional Unit, which
was one through eight barracks. This transpired that day from 5:30pm
until 5:30am. By then Emergency Response Team (ERT) and officers from
all the other units responded. They shot 30mm rubber bullets and flash
bangs into those barracks. They hog tied prisoners, and dragged them
down the hall to the visitation yard which was turned into a makeshift
infirmary. There prisoners were beat, kicked or stomped while still
cuffed and awaiting medical treatment. The pigs stayed for 3 days in
extremely large numbers. 100 officers for day and night shifts the first
day, then 50 extra officers on the 2nd and 3rd day. They even returned
on the nights of Arkansas’ executions.
The prisoners could have rebelled better, but it is what it is. I’m
glad, it just goes to show only so much repression will be tolerated by
the masses until change is demanded. It’s just that their energy could
have been utilized in a more revolutionary way than in just a release of
emotional outcry. Educating prisoners, all day. Each and every day we
must teach the Marxist-Leninst-Maoist way.
by a California prisoner May 2017 permalink Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Revolutionary Greetings!
Basillo Ramos created the “Plan de San Diego” in 1915 in the State of
Texas. This was a call to arms and involved a coalition of Mexicans,
Blacks, First Nations and Asians to take up arms against white
supremacy. These are some of our freedom fighters who came before us.
They fought, sadly, the same struggle we are faced with today.
The Aztlán that so many fought and died for, and many of us have been
imprisoned for, continues to glimmer on the horizon. It is the People’s
will to regain a foothold in our Sacred Land and break the chains that
colonize our minds. It is time to rebuild the Revolutionary
institutions. Raza Stand Up! Ya Basta! For we are on the quest of
Aztlán!!!
Yes, let us not forget freedom fighters like Joaquin Murrieta, who
sought supreme justice in California during the Gold Rush and fought the
abuse of La Raza. Or David Sanchez and Carlos Montez who founded the
Brown Berets in 1967. Or Corky Gonzalez and The Crusade for Justice.
It is right to study and learn from the lessons of the past, and use
these lessons to continue to work united towards a common goal. In fact,
we always made sure that a portion of time was set aside during all AV
Brown Beret meetings for just this: to educate our membership. This was
such an important factor that we had as #4 in our 10 Point Program,
EDUCATION.
We must rebuild the Movimiento! And it’s just as important to build
unity across revolutionary organizations.
Viva La Causa
MIM(Prisons) adds: In August and September of 1915, the military
operations carried out in southern Texas by units of 25 to 100 men
reached their high point. Comrades in United Struggle from Within have
been holding discussion over recent months to build its first
commemoration of the spirit of the Plan for August 2017.
Comrades on the outside are encouraged to organize book events around
Chican@ Power and the Struggle for Aztlán for August, and/or
study groups to read the book leading up to August. Prisoners can write
in to get copies of the Plan de San Diego flier to distribute locally,
which includes a list of proposed actions from United Struggle from
Within organizers.
“Our task now is to continue to extend and make still better use of this
method throughout the ranks of the people…” - Mao Tse-Tung, “On the
Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People”
What was comrade Mao speaking about when he made these comments? His
topic was the democratic method. In 1942, it was explained this way: 1)
beginning from a desire for/to achieve unity, 2) resolving
contradictions (real differences in opinions, perspectives, positions on
questions or issues) through criticism/struggle (not necessarily
physical); 3) arriving at a new unity on new basis. In simpler terms:
unity, criticism, unity! This was the philosophy and practice which led
China to overthrow the exploitative forces draining their entire
country. Before this method, the imperialists, capitalists and their
allies exploited contradictions between and among the masses and
political cadres; in order to maintain their strangle hold on
controlling not only the means of production and the productive forces,
but also the very existence of the people in all aspects of their lives.
This was the oppressive reality in China and is currently the reality
(although in varying degrees) in Amerikkka’s prisons.
In U.$. prisons, habitually, the method of solving problems is through
hyper-masculinity, or hyper-violence. In a prison, the smallest trifle,
disagreement, or unintentional act is met in overly-aggressive manners.
Soon a test of wills develops, “my way or no way.” But this
hyper-violence does nothing to encourage unity, class awareness, or
political consciousness, and it cripples the movement. Here is the true
reason why prison officials or those connected to prisons and the
injustice system do nothing to avoid it, and in many cases, they
actually promote hyper-violent methods. This method is detrimental to
you but beneficial for accomplishing penological interests. To break
this oppression, the democratic method must be foremost in our minds and
practice.
Gangs, “clikas,” alliances and groups are analogous with political
parties, factions and groups of like-minded individuals, in prison and
society. In prison there are numerous racial tensions. There are
contradictions and various other factors, not least among them, the
constant oppressive atmosphere. The only ingredient not present:
political consciousness. Here, Mao’s lessons can be put to good use.
The procedures of yesterday may not be the exact remedy needed for
today’s problems. In prison, as in capitalist society, contradictions
are normally expressed in acute antagonisms and conflicts. Many times
this equates to prisoner against prisoner (rival gang members or
conflicting races), or to a lesser extent, prisoner against guards. What
do such conflicts achieve? Only further detriment for us. “Failure to
understand…” in prison as in society, perpetuates the very causes of
hyper-violence, which that same violence seeks to eliminate. Should we
search for a different method, other than what the capitalist system has
provided us for contradiction resolution? Can contradictions be resolved
at all? Comrade Mao, in speaking of progress and difficulties says, “…
not only should contradictions be resolved, but definitely can be.”
“The only method to be used in this struggle is that of painstaking
reasoning and not crude coercion…” Crude coercion being the
hyper-violence/violent methodology. By opening dialogue for mutual
education of every class of people, with a focus on promoting a united
front. By critically analyzing, debating and correcting mistaken or
inappropriate political views, as well as sowing the seeds that will
produce political consciousness. After a time, this process yields
fruits and progress. Two prisoners from rival gangs may begin to discuss
their mutually oppressive predicament. This leads to criticism, fueled
by a desire to struggle against their oppression, a criticism of the
available options, submission or hyper-violence, and a rejection of
both. Soon these rivals (actually allies against the oppressors) come to
realize the only true way: the democratic method. Following such an
epiphany, they form an alliance based on refusing to continue being
pawns in the game and find a new unity. Unity, criticism, unity!
While the method is practicable in U.$. prisons, Amerikkka’s prisoners,
on a large scale, lack political consciousness and that is a problem.
Here we must focus on educating, which goes back to our “task,” as
outlined above “…we should work painstakingly and not be impetuous.”
Creating more “self-determinants” as I’ve termed it in, “The Adaption of
Capitalistic Controls,” (see ULK 54). For the future health of
the movement, the correct political points of view must be nourished,
because not to have a correct political point of view is like having no
soul. A movement without a soul is dead.
I am an incarcerated person in a Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
prison named SCI Somerset, located in Somerset, Pennsylvania. An
incident happened on 9 January 2017 at 1600 hour count (4pm). The
regular 2-10pm Sergeant (Sergeant Baserman) and Officer Reesman were
walking past my cell to conduct inmate count. After they passed I needed
to use the bathroom, so I turned my back towards my cellmate (so I
wouldn’t get a write up) and faced the door. The Officer and Sergeant
came back around to go up the stairs, which is by my cell. Sergeant
Baserman, who was second to go up the steps, stopped on the 3rd step and
looked directly over at me. As soon as I noticed I yelled “do you mind
I’m using the restroom” the Sergeant continue to watch me until I was
finished using the restroom.
Later the same evening I sat down and wrote out what happened and asked
to file a PREA report (Prison Rape Elimination Act) against Sergeant
Baserman. I placed this in a plain white envelope and addressed it to
the PREA Lieutenant, DL Abbott. Three days later I went to be
interviewed by Lieutenant Abbott. He stated he was going to pull the
camera footage. In the meantime I would be interviewed by the Psych
Department to see if mentally I was okay, then interviewed by the
Pennsylvania State Police. Within a week I saw both the Psych department
and the Pennsylvania State Police. The Pennsylvania State Police said
during my interview they couldn’t find any video footage but would go
back and look again. I heard nothing after that interview.
About a week later I went on writ for court to SCI Benner Township. I
was gone for almost a month. The day after I came back I was called up
and served with a misconduct. I was written up because they say they
couldn’t find camera footage and said I made up a story. A week later, I
went in front of the hearing examiner S. Wiggins. Despite never having
another misconduct on me or even a block card (a negative housing
report) and being a model prisoner, this hearing examiner still found me
“guilty” and sanctioned me to 30 days cell restriction, which is total
confinement away from general population.
My family then emailed the facility PREA Coordinator Mr. Allen Joseph
(also a deputy here) asking for his help in regards to this misconduct.
A few days later he called me over to an office, along with my unit
counselor, and states he had gotten an email from my family and didn’t
care if we chose to expose the conditions of the prison as my family had
stated. He stated also that I deserve the punishment I received. After
this meeting I returned to my cell. Let the record reflect, that I was
still on the same housing unit with this Sergeant and there had been
nothing but retaliation since that with the Sergeant. My family also
contacted Central Office for PREA, who also stated this prison is in the
wrong.
For the record, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Inmate Handbook, which is given to every prisoner when arriving to their
home prison, page 7, section 8, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)
DC-ADM008 number 2, the last sentence reads “you will not be retaliated
against for reporting an incident of sexual harassment or for providing
witness testimony.” This prison has clearly violated this and continues
to violate this and many other PA DOC policies. They interpret policies
the way they want and enforce them how they want. Even Superintendent
Wingard does nothing to help the situations in here and instead helps
make it worse by sticking up for his staff whether they are right or
wrong. Please take a stand with me and expose these prisons on their
intolerable wrongdoings and let them know they can’t get away with this.
Join with me and take a stand!
MIM(Prisons) responds: This comrade exposes what we’ve
heard
from other prisoners: the “Prison Rape Elimination Act” or PREA is
at best ineffective and at worse turning into a tool for abuse and
retaliation against those who attempt to make PREA reports. We need to
continue to expose these situations. And we ask our readers to chime in
on whether there is a better tactic we should consider to fight these
abuses. While we often try to use the law to our advantage, filing
reports and lawsuits even when we don’t expect to win, we are hearing
more stories of retaliation than victories using PREA.
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.
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.
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.