I’ve been through quite a lot in the six months or so since I’ve become
involved in the anti-imperialist movement. Starting out in a state
prison here in Massachusetts, I began by trying to devour as much
literature as I could on our collective struggle. In order to digest the
principles upon which our rebellion is based, I have tried to discuss
the ideas with other prisoners. However, I found it incredibly perverse
that so many other prisoners would posture and pay lip service to the
principles yet when it comes down to forming any kind of movement they
were cowed by the mere thought of the oppressor.
For example, I attempted to initiate a grievance campaign. There were
actually people willing to get involved but I had to write up each
individual grievance myself. Although this took up much of my personal
time I gladly did it, and actually saw some results. The prison was
serving rotten potatoes for about four years. Changed. Open shower drain
in one shower with the possibility of serious injury. Fixed. Broken law
library computer in the cell block. Fixed. Broken law library computer
in segregation. Fixed. I suppose the grievances weren’t all for nothing.
A couple of months ago I was transferred from state prison to a county
jail to serve a separate sentence. Now I’m getting ready to file my
first civil suits against this jail regarding the disciplinary process.
Hopefully the changes that I seek will stop the current disciplinary
staff from smoking everyone on their misconduct reports. Indeed, there
is a lot of shady stuff going on in the disciplinary board office,
especially the use of duplicate offenses to rack up extra segregation
time as a tool of oppression and complete non-compliance with the jail’s
own policy and procedures regarding disciplinary hearings.
MIM(Prisons) responds: We get many letters from activists behind
bars who are frustrated with the lack of interest and support from their
fellow prisoners. There are several important things to keep in mind
when thinking about why we can’t quickly and easily unite all (or most)
prisoners behind the anti-imperialist cause. First, prisoners come from
the same wealthy society that, on the streets, keeps the vast majority
of Amerikans supporting imperialism. While the class status of lumpen
prisoners makes them more likely to take up anti-imperialism, they are
not immune to the wealth and culture of Amerika.
Second, even where class and nation interests might put someone on the
side of the anti-imperialist movement, we have some serious educational
work to do to counter all the reactionary education they got for most of
their life. While some will instinctively join the revolution, drawing
correct conclusions from their own life and education, others will need
patient education and observation of our practice. This is true in all
revolutionary movements, and it is the job of our leaders, people who
already see the importance of the anti-imperialist struggle, to approach
people where they are at, and patiently provide them information and
examples as we work to win them over. If we look at socialism in China
in the 1960s, we see that even after seizing state power and all of
their great achievements, they still had to wage a vigorous Cultural
Revolution to combat bourgeois ideas all the way up to the Party’s
central committee. So we should not be surprised, nor get frustrated, by
the resistance we face in the United $tates today.
It is victories like those grievance battles won, combined with
education to give people the broader context for our struggle, that will
help us to win supporters and turn them into new activists. Always keep
in mind that you were not born an anti-imperialist. Someone had to
provide you with education, information and/or examples. Now it is your
turn to do the same for others.