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.
Justice? What justice? There is no such thing as justice. Visit the
jails and here’s what you’ll see. “Just us” occupying these modern day
concentration camps.
Justice? What justice? Inside the courtroom you think you’ll find
justice? Absolutely not. You’ll find just-ice. What do we associate ice
with? Cold. Inside the the courtroom empathy is nonexistent, sympathy
nonexistent, feelings nonexistent, emotions nonexistent for the jury,
the judge & the district attorney.
I can’t find no justice in the courtroom. I’m innocent but they don’t
believe me. They want me to pay fines court costs and restitution for
something I didn’t do. So I reach into my pockets pull out the lint and
tell them my pockets contain “just this.”
Where was justice for Malcolm X, Tupac Shakur, Christopher (Biggie
Smalls) Wallace, Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin, the many Black Panthers
and Black Liberation Army members who were hunted & viciously
murdered with malice by the police & FBI just for association with
those organizations? Hmm what happened to the members of the most
vicious organization “Ku Klux Klan”? Nothing!
Psychiatric prisons, gulags and dungeons are the worst of the worst when
compared to the standard human warehouses. These foul dinosaurs are
established under the guise of compassionate medical intervention (yes,
they actually expect you to believe such garbage). Mental health
treatment in psychiatric prisons can be and is torture.
Currently in California, the prisoners are rounded up daily, drugged and
forced through the cattle stockades of court cells and into the courts
where they are dragged before those of black robe who arbitrarily and
capriciously commit them to a virtual (if not actual) life in prisons
now designated for those thought to be mentally ill from the viewpoint
of imperialism’s labor aristocracy. However, one need not be actually
suffering from mental illness at all. I was not, and am not, yet this
fact had no effect. I myself and many others have been railroaded into
psychiatric imprisonment with doctor approved authorization to be at all
times heavily sedated. In my case it was only for the use of body
building steroids with no prior mental health history requiring medical
intervention of any kind.
And, while being held within these psychiatric prisons and jails I have
been, and many others are, tortured and abused, starved and injured,
sometimes on a daily basis. I have observed young guys whose faces are
now a mass of scarring due to them being drugged to the point of
unconsciousness and where massive enforcer brutes are purposefully let
into their cells to beat those who are drugged, and the victims of such
beatings are left to suffer within their cells with no medical attention
at all.
These designated prison and jails have cells with feces on the walls and
floors. Desk-type tables caked with old dried foods and grime combined
to form an un-cleanable cemented solid. And they are usually air
conditioned in winter and heated in summer, especially where these cell
occupants are given no mattress and sometimes for days no blankets as
well. I currently have prison guards who pass my cell door, which is all
steel, every fifteen minutes, 24 hours a day, and bang on it loudly with
a steel baton like device. Try attaining a deep restorative pattern of
sleep under those conditions. This is the current living environment of
Amerikkka’s psychiatric prisons and the pitiful inhabitants of its
populations.
I am not under the illusion that these facts are not already known by
our professionals of community, politics and prisons. Yet, according to
a recent news publication, “[in the state of California] the Board of
State and Community Corrections (BSCC) funnels hundreds of millions of
dollars to construct prisons and jails - and many have been pitched as
‘mental health treatment facilities’.”… “It should come as no surprise
that the BSCC is mostly composed of cops: Jeffery Beard, Secretary of
the California Department of Corrections, Sheriffs, probation officers,
and chiefs of police.”… “It is not shocking when that group of people
thinks that the best way to invest in mental health treatment is to
build shiny new jails.”(1)
What is termed pathological and rooted in psychosis in Amerikka’s
systems of injustice and unjust forensic psychology are in fact
political offenses in nature. Such people incriminated and imprisoned
should not be civilly nor criminally committed at all. “Mental health
treatment… [should be provided and] funded in the community”(1);
preferably by a community of communists. “We need to stop pretending
that prisons solve the violence in our communities, or we will never
actually end that harm or end mass incarceration.”(2)
Onward! in psychiatric prison abolition efforts, and even more so the
world-wide abolition of the parasite imperialism.
MIM(Prisons) adds: This writer correctly identifies a problem
with Amerikan prisons that is actually pervasive throughout imperialist
society: the use of psychiatry to label people as mentally ill because
they do not conform to capitalist behaviors and values. As we explained
in the ULK article
Mental
Health: A Maoist Perspective:
“In imperialist prisons, the ambiguity of diagnosing people as mentally
ill becomes very pronounced. Part of the problem is that imprisonment
causes mental health problems, so people who may not have had symptoms
that would lead to a diagnosis often develop them. Yet it is not in the
oppressor’s interests to recognize this problem, so staff feel that they
must draw a line between the truly ill and the”fakers.” Rather than
seeing the prisons as causing mental illness, they see people acting out
for attention in contrast to those who were born with “real” mental
illness. Such silly exercises allow them to keep some prisoners sedated
while pushing others to suicide.”
Ultimately the purpose of prisons is social control, and the purpose of
mental health facilities is the same. They are another tool of this
social control which targets oppressed nations within U.$. borders. We
must expose these facilities and fight against the torture that this
comrade describes.
I’m responding to the article
“Summing
Up September 9 Protests” from ULK 41. I became aware of
United Front for Peace in Prisons (UFPP) Day of Peace and Solidarity
from my August issue of ULK. I fasted on September 9, but it
was done in a custom as Ramadan. This year I will fast according to UFPP
custom. Solidarity means working or struggling in a union, and I want to
start with those who choose to participate. In solitary confinement here
at this prison it is difficult to get the prisoners to partake in the
fast because of their political immaturity. Many of them are gang
members and they are in the hole for fighting amongst themselves. I try
to talk with them about taking life more serious, but peer pressure is
what forces many to stay in a state of illusion.
You asked what needs to be done about the September 9 Day of Peace and
Solidarity to broaden its impact. We must continue to promote that day
and try to let prisoners see it as a day of unity that represents all
prisoners in this racist country. They need to view it as a so-called
holiday for prisoners throughout this country. Try to promote to them
that this is their day in solidarity with the brothers or comrades at
Attica, who lost their lives for better conditions in prisons. Being in
captivity since the mid-seventies, I learned that this new generation of
prisoners doesn’t appreciate the sacrifices those made decades ago. I
was labeled as a ring leader and spent over 3.5 years in the hole for
being one of the peace makers during the Camp Hill spontaneous uprising.
I understand that not everyone can fast for health reasons, and most
individuals can’t afford to risk losing their prison jobs because that’s
the only income they receive. Therefore, you must come up with an
alternative so that everyone can still support the cause of September 9
in their own way, because you don’t want anyone to feel as though they
can’t be part of the September 9 Day of Peace and Solidarity because of
not fasting or needing to work. Hopefully we can have a larger
participation this year. I’m looking forward to it and I will definitely
spread the word.
MIM(Prisons) responds: This writer is responding to the
article
we published summing up the September 9 Day of Peace and Solidarity
2014, which saw a decrease in reported participation. We asked for input
on how we should proceed with that action. We agree with promoting this
as a day of solidarity with the comrades in the Attica struggle, and we
encourage everyone to participate in building peace, by networking,
putting a moratorium on fighting, and educating others on the necessity
of peace. This is something that can be done regardless of whether you
take up the fasting and work strike, by reaching out to educate others
about the Attica struggle and our work today and why we need to build
peace between individuals and groups throughout the prisons. If we can
have this one day with no conflict between prisoners, that would be a
great victory in demonstrating what is possible, and we can use that to
build lasting peace. A critical part of this is education: our activists
need to be well-educated themselves on the history of this struggle, so
that leading up to, and on, September 9 they can in turn educate others.
To this end we’ve put together a study pack for everyone building the
United Front for Peace in Prisons, which includes historical information
about Attica as well as organizing materials for September 9. Write to
us for a copy. Let’s make 2015 the most productive Day of Peace and
Solidarity yet!
There is a plague in my community - self hate we call it A dis-ease
of media color programming Jimmy killed Bobby for walking on
Mr. Brown’s street Bobby’s brother killed Jimmy for killing
Bobby Mr. Brown’s K-9s killed 160,000 in California alone and the
numbers are still rising! I said: THERE IS A PLAGUE IN MY
COMMUNITY!!! Sistah Susie didn’t like here hair So she bought some
chemicals and dog fur To make her hair look like Mr. Brown’s
daughter’s hair Sistah Susie didn’t like her eye color So she
bought some plastic eyes from Mr. Brown’s wife’s store To make her
eyes appear the color of Mrs. Brown’s eyes Sistah Susie didn’t like
her skin color, breasts, stomach, lips, nails, nose, ass, language,
culture, attitude So she bought & changed bought &
changed bought & changed, until… Sistah Susie didn’t like me
no mo She said: You talk with double negatives - ebonics What she
talkin bout!! I ain’t got no negatives - ebonics - whatever! Damn
plague! I ain’t hardly got a Sistah no mo Doctor say them chemicals
were “kau-ze-genic” or sumthin The col-e-jins breasts leaked he
say Damn plague!!
by a South Carolina prisoner January 2015 permalink
While reading what a California prisoner said in ULK 41, I was
disappointed to see that the Muslim prisoners failed to meet their
obligation in supporting the solidarity movement in support of the
oppressed people of Palestine. Therefore, I decided to put together a
petition here in hopes that we could at least show our support by
signing a piece of paper.
Although I initially drafted the petition for the Muslim community here,
there were a couple of non-Muslim brothers who signed it as well. And
just as the California brother was met with some opposition, I too
encountered quite a few “brothers” who were either afraid to sign or
just didn’t care about the plight and fight of the Palestinian people.
However, I collected thirty signatures and I do believe that I could
have gotten more, but I really don’t have access to the yard as some
other prisoners do. There are a few of us here that are true and tested
soldiers and we are trying to bring forth some political and social
awareness, though most of us are learning as we go.
The petition reads:
A Statement of Unity and Solidarity with the Palestinian People,
from Muslim Prisoners in South Carolina (Note: Non-Muslims signed as
well)
As prisoners of good conscience we reject the genocide and slaughter
which has hystorically been imposed on the people of Palestine and which
is currently being played out by the Jewish state ever since the
creation of I$rael in 1948. And while the Amerikan imperialists and
their general citizenry and population have found us guilty of crimes
against civil society, we prisoners likewise find them guilty of crimes
against humynity for their collusion with the state of I$rael to
exterminate the Palestinian nation.
Within these walls we are as yet powerless to tap into the potential of
the imprisoned lumpen, but we are not yet powerless to sign a piece of
paper to denounce the state of I$rael and their support in the United
$tates. Therefore with this declaration we angrily express our
indignation with the state of Israel for committing genocide, and the
Israeli people for allowing it to happen in the 21st century after
vowing “never again.”
MIM(Prisons) adds: We had previously reported on the relative
success of a
campaign
to support Palestine led by United Struggle from Within following
the latest flurry of attacks by I$rael. Due to timing and mail issues
only a small number of USW leaders were notified of the campaign at
first. It is good to see that the campaign continues to gain support
across the U.$. prison population. This is internationalism in action,
recognizing the interconnectedness between all oppressed nations under
imperialism.
This comrade wrote that they are “as yet powerless to tap into the
potential of the imprisoned lumpen.” Yet it is actions just like the
Palestine petition which help open the door to develop the potential of
our imprisoned comrades. Even having access to a small number of people,
as in this author’s case, we can start the very first steps toward
building a bigger movement against oppression and imperialism.
Discussing an international act of imperialist aggression with others,
and asking them to take a small step toward making a statement against
it, is valuable for laying the foundation for bigger things to come.
I, an honorable member of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation, send
you all my undying love, strength and sacrifice. On 14 December 2014,
the Chickasaw County Regional Correctional Facility (CCRCF) Pod 2
erupted in an all-out war between the “Folks nation” and the “Peoples
nation.” Many of us were asleep when it started, including myself. Being
who I am and my obligation to my people, I did what I had to do. The
fight resulted in 2 of us going to the emergency room. I received 8
stitches and 4 staples in 2 different places on my head.
A few days prior to this incident a few of us were discussing topics I
was reading to them from ULK 41. Many of us were housed
together years ago in three of the most violent prisons in Mississippi
(Mississippi State Prison Unit 32, East Mississippi Correctional
Facility and Wilkinson County Correctional Facility), all on security
threat group status and high risk. It was the ACLU, prison activists,
and the knowledge, wisdom and encouragement from MIM(Prisons) that
helped close Unit 32 down and move me to a minimum security prison, like
CCRCF. It also took good behavior as well.
After the fight was over and I was being transferred back to the prison
from the hospital, the Lieutenant and Chief were asking me what pod I
felt more secure in. I told them I wanted to go back where I was. They
said I was crazy and didn’t want to put me back where I had been housed.
They asked me why I wanted to go back, I said it’s where I live, we can
handle ourselves. This is an issue between the Folks and Peoples, not
the pigs.
What came to mind was the
“Don’t
Loot, Organize!” article by 1st Crown of Black Order Revolutionary
Organization (BORO) that was in ULK 41. This is just what we
did; we allowed ourselves to work out our problems and did what was
necessary to keep the pigs out of our biz. They’re more interested in
who’s got what and who’s doing what. The day after the fight, the goon
squad did a major shakedown, looking for anything we weren’t supposed to
have. Of course, the Warden made the news that day and said it was a
riot that started from one individual being a bully and was run off the
zone. We all know that the American Correctional Association just passed
through this facility and he didn’t want to look bad, so he lied.
I agree with the point BORO made: change won’t happen overnight. It will
take time and we will make mistakes. As long as we can come together
with understanding that we’re all facing the same struggles, we must
resolve our issues peacefully if possible.
It’s been over one week since this fight and I’m honored to say that all
of us have peace and unity. No one talks about that day negatively. Our
talks are of how we can work together in overcoming any obstacles we may
face as we struggle to remain free from oppression. We stand in
solidarity and unity. I pray that all of you in other prisons around the
world can build a united front and that you all have peace behind bars.
King love yesterday, today, tomorrow and always.
MIM(Prisons) adds: This an impressive example of what the United
Front for Peace in Prisons (UFPP) wrote in
their
founding statement, “we are already ‘united’ – in our suffering and
our daily repression.” This quick turn around of hostilities into unity
reflects the consciousness among those imprisoned at CCRCF.
There is no doubt that the presence of well-organized lumpen
organizations (LOs) contributed to conditions to make this step toward
unity a real possibility. This example is why we uphold the progressive
aspects that are found in the majority of LOs. Comrades within LOs who
want to develop the United Front for Peace in Prisons should work with
us to develop the progressive aspects of their organizations into
practical protocols for building the united front.
In California we have 55% of any incoming money taken away, then another
45% taken out under the cloak of obligatory fees. So if your family
sends $20 you get $8, minus another 45% and you are left with $5 and
some change. This is ridiculous and should be challenged just like the
amount of money a prisoner is paid an hour: 10-30 cents. Really if we
were on the street we’d get minimum wage. A business owner would be in
court if found out to be paying their employees 30 cents an hour.
The citizens have been led to believe prisoners don’t need money because
the state pays for everything. To these people I say eat our meals for 4
days and tell me if you don’t want more to eat. Here’s an example: if
your lips chap and skin drys and you go to the doctor for an ointment
they tell you that you have to buy that at canteen. Well if you don’t
have any money to go to canteen you’re shit out of luck. If you’re
lactose intolerant there’s no diet for that. They say just don’t eat
what you can’t eat. Well you do that and you’re shorting yourself of
mandatory calories you’re supposed to receive each day. Same with
allergies to fish, peanut butter, etc. The state doesn’t provide
deodorant and lotion and hair grease or shampoo. So what’s one to do?
The restitution is supposed to be for the victim. Do they get a check
every time the prison deducts money from money sent in? Hell no! People
wake up, we need to fight this money hungry place called prison which is
making a killing off our sweat and prisoner’s family sweat.
MIM(Prisons) responds: As we’ve
written
before, prisons across the country are paying prisoners pennies (or
nothing at all). This is not just a way to keep prisoners totally
dependent on their captors while locked up, but also makes it harder for
released prisoners to get on their feet. No one leaves prison with money
in their pockets. And we know that finding a job and housing as an
ex-con is far from easy. But the prison system is counting on this as
the revolving doors of incarceration help keep the prisons full and the
criminal injustice system employees earning good wages.
We don’t agree that the prison is “making a killing” off the labor of
prisoners and the family money. In reality prisons are a money-losing
operation subsidized by the state. The only people benefiting
financially are the employees with fat paychecks and the few private
enterprises that get to hire prisoners to do work that other Amerikans
don’t want or won’t do so cheaply. Prisons themselves don’t make a
profit, but lots of individuals and other corporations are benefiting
greatly from this huge subsidized humyn warehousing for social control.
The simple minds try to tell me that we are not at war Had to cover
up my mouth with a wet rag cause the chemicals seeped thru the cell
door I know there was a reason behind why it was sprayed I’m
trying to fight for my rights so we won’t get played But these robots
have no brains nor conscience So they waited for the captain to
okay Cause its fuck me which fucks us cause they got to get
payed Been sprayed too many times that I’ve lost count Plenty
nights I’ve layed with burns all over my body Orange stains all over
these walls, sinks and sheets Hunger strikes just so we can get
something decent to eat
Pushing my mattress towards the door and their battling ram came
rattling thru For what?!? I ain’t even gon’ lie, been fighting so
long at times I forget why Losing family cause they don’t understand
all I got left is my sanity But they simple minded cause they think
I’m fighting cause of my vanity Immune to their chemicals and their
tactics ain’t up to date Sprayed so many times I don’t even need
nothing to cover up my face Sprayed too many times that the orange
colors have become a part of my DNA Prayed a lot of times but god
seemed to look the other way Muthafuckas screaming telling me the
team on their way!!! Six geared up men against one plus their paint
ball gun But before they enter they throw a bomb in the cell I’m
looking in these soldiers’ eyes and they looking in a warrior’s
eyes And all of us are nervous as hell
Click is the sound of the door They rush in with shield in hand
trying to take me to the floor Once they get me down they sneak their
shots in But I shouldn’t have it any other way Cause their
cowardly blows keep me fighting for another day
In Missouri, our complaints are easily silenced; the caseworker simply
throws the grievance form in the trash. A prisoner has no way to prove
the form was ever even submitted. This tactic is especially prevalent in
segregation units.
I wonder what state has the best grievance system. I certainly hope it
isn’t Missouri, because ours is too easily sabotaged. I do not have any
experience with other states’ procedures, but I did see a grievance form
for Arizona’s procedure belonging to a prisoner in Missouri on
interstate compact. It looked better than Missouri’s, mainly because the
prisoner keeps a copy.
Will comparing states grievance procedures in a court case be effective
in bringing about change? I am willing to entertain the possibility, but
how will we know what state has the best procedure? The Prisoners’ Legal
Clinic will need to form a team of comrades from the various states to
discuss the differences and their experiences.
MIM(Prisons) Legal Coordinator adds: We don’t rely on the
Amerikkkan court system for our ultimate liberation, but while we’re
stuck here in the belly of the beast we try to use the courts to our
advantage in our revolutionary organizing. A long-term project of United
Struggle from Within and the Prisoners’ Legal Clinic (PLC) is the
campaign to ensure our grievances are addressed. Our subscribers have
been submitting petitions to prison administrators, prisoner advocacy
groups, and the Federal government in several states, some for years.
These petitions notify the prisoncrats of all the corrupt ways
grievances are being mishandled and misused on the ground.
In some states, we’ve had success with our grievance petitions. Other
states have come down with more creativity with their repression. In
those states that don’t respond to the petitions, a lawsuit will likely
be necessary to push this struggle further.
This author discusses the tactic of comparing grievance procedures to
see which states have more reliable remedies for administrative relief,
and using this information in a lawsuit to push your own state to adopt
these tactics.
It is vital to keep a copy of the grievance in any case and in any
system. If the system does not allow the you to keep a receipt or copy
of the grievance, then it is much more difficult to track a grievance
and prove that it was submitted. This of course makes it much easier for
the grievance to end up in the trash.
As we’re looking forward to the development of the campaign to have our
grievances addressed in several states, we can start discussing legal
tactics to use in a lawsuit. Besides ensuring that a prisoner is able to
keep proof that a grievance was submitted, what other procedural reforms
would improve the grievance process?
Of course procedural safeguards won’t always prevent the grievance from
being “lost,” or keep it from being used as an excuse to harrass the
persyn filing the complaint. But the more protections we can build into
the grievance processes, the better we can protect ourselves from abuses
– abuses of the grievance process, and in prison generally.
In response to the article in Under Lock & Key 41,
“Summing
Up September 9 Day of Peace and Solidarity”, I’d like to propose
that this solidarity should be recognized 9-13 September annually, not
just 9 September. The Attica uprising was initiated on 9 September 1971
and was quelled on 13 September 1971.
Those who aren’t knowledgable of what caused the Attica uprising from
9-13 September 1971 should start learning. Our self-discipline to learn
is the first step to standing outside these imperialistic boxes. Their
box is abnormal and inhuman to the poor of all nationalities. Those in
control units/SHU can contribute by conducting study classes on their
gates (i.e. bars). Learn why the Attica uprising occurred and what made
the courageous comrades make the sacrifices they’ve made without
hesitation.
Comrades, to embrace solidarity, we are obligated to hold hands.
Solidarity initiates within the individual. Solidarity cannot be reached
globally when it’s not achieved at least partially within self. This is
a lifelong commitment. Although we may not be around to see the change –
so what! We have a new generation that’s looking up to us. They’re the
next generation of revolutionaries. We are to set the tone for them and
this is done by revolutionizing our own thought pattern of selfishness.
Selfishness and unity will never get along; they’re lifelong
adversaries.
So to win we want to join hands genuinely and let our adversary know
we’re unified in solidarity because we have learned what we’re fighting
for. We know what we’re seeking, what sacrifices will be made, and the
cause of our fight. We know why sacrifices have to be made.
MIM(Prisons) responds: This comrade is writing about the article
we published in ULK summing up the United Front for Peace in
Prisons (UFPP) annual September 9 commemoration of the Attica uprising.
The organizers call on activists to take this day to promote the UFPP by
building unity with fellow captives, and to demonstrate resistance to
the criminal injustice system by fasting, refraining from work, ceasing
all prisoner-on-prisoner hostilities, and engaging only in solidarity
actions. This past year the demonstration involved fewer actions than in
the past and we are asking all United Front activists to consider what
we should do differently in 2015. This comrade’s call for education is
well timed as this is something we need to be spreading now, well before
September, if we want to build a movement of supporters and activists.
Write in for the UFPP organizaing pack.