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[COVID-19] [California State Prison, San Quentin] [California]
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Pestilence Pilot Program: Phase 2

Now, after some 2500 being infected with COVID-19 and more than 2 dozen deaths; Phase 2 of the Pestilence Pilot Program on San Quentin’s Death Row begins pretty much the same way it kicked off back in late March/early April ( see Pestilence Pilot Program: Another Way to Thin Out the Death Row Population at San Quentin“).

The same rotating yard schedule resumes. The only speed bumps added were down days on Monday & Wednesday and a few more due to feigned concern about air quality. But health & safety doesn’t seem to be a factor in decisions affecting the yard program. Lt. Bloise even fired all Death Row workers. So there’s nobody to disinfect the yards or the tiers in any meaningful way. Those chores are left to the same disrespectful sows that refuse to comply with California Health & Safety Code 113969 Hair Restraints during in-cell food service.

None of that should surprise anyone. SQ’s Acting Warden, Ron Broomfield, routinely dismisses advice from Public Health Professionals like Dr. Matthew Willis (see San Francisco Chronicle: Web Edition for the report by Megan Cassidy called “San Quentin Officials ignored Coronavirus Guidance from top Marin County Health Officer”). Ever wonder why the U.$. leads the world in number of people infected with and dead from COVID-19? The evidence points to the rejection of the science and the withholding of facts. We see that a lot.

One example of rejecting science is Broomfield dismissing the recommendations of Dr. Willis. That’s the SQ version of Trump and Fauci as if existing in a parallel universe, right? No, it’s just one of many clumps in the same shit box. Saying one thing while doing another proves to be one creative way SQ withholds facts. One example is given when a positive COVID test was reported in East Block on 18 September 2020. For maximum dramatic effect the yard program was shut down about 45 minutes early. At some point in time the positive prisoner was moved to the Adjustment Center (The Hole) instead of Donner as was supposed to happen according to the 4 August 2020 Edition of “The Informed Patient: A San Quentin Newsletter”. It’s written and published by the “Healthcare and Leadership Team at San Quentin”. That’s not taught in just any creative writing class.

Withholding facts also helps control the narrative in the media. While it has become “common knowledge” prisoners from Chino were transferred to SQ not having been tested 2 weeks prior; nobody seems to find it important to determining how or where those transferred prisoners became infected. It’s just assumed it was brought from Chino. The actual number of staff cases at SQ prior to the transfer was successfully minimized by the 27 March 2020, Broomfield/Verdier Memo which reports: “On Thursday, March 26,2020, we learned that a member of our staff has tested positive for COVID-19”. Of course, it’s obscured that up until June all other employees entering San Quentin were only having symptom checks not COVID tests. Since few then (and even now) wear masks at all times, asymptomatic spread was imminent if not rampant.

Exactly how many employees were/are going in and out being asymptomatic and contagious was/is ignored just like Broomfield was/is ignoring recommendations of the Public Health Department.

The masks initially provided to prisoners on Death Row were not capable of protecting the wearer. They were made by PIA from cloth normally used to produce jumpsuits/prison uniforms. Prisoners on Death Row didn’t receive N95 masks until over 1000 tested positive, many ended up in outside hospitals and others were found dead in their cells. We who survived the first wave are now approaching the 100th day since the positive test results from 15 June 2020.

According to the current science, antibodies last on average around 4 months (120 days). CDCR at SQ is now in position to repeat the same experiment. What does the science say about those who expect a different result? The second wave to hit SQ will be a tsunami. The only thing different will likely be who the CDCR blames (if history teaches us anything).

The September 14 newsletter gives itself a pat on the back for a job well done and blames ignorance of science regarding masks in the beginning of the pandemic. Their creative newsletter claims “researchers didn’t think wearing masks would protect people from spreading the virus”. Did a “researcher” write that or did the writer not know real scientists (and painters) to know the difference between an N95 mask and a cloth mask? It sounds like freestyle back pedaling.

According to the newsletter’s “current statistics” there are zero new cases. There are 2147 said to be “resolved” (but no positive cases determined by 15 June 2020, test results were ever retested to confirm this). It says there are 10 “Active” in-custody cases while 186 of 288 confirmed staff cases have also been designated “resolved” and have returned to work (but without retesting first). That same newsletter admits they don’t know if such people “may infect other(s)” (page 3 of issue 12).

Perhaps it’s more scientifically accurate to explain the numbers like this: There is nobody “new” left to infect so anyone not exhibiting symptoms now is dead or considered “resolved”. Those who kept testing negative were positive and actually “resolved” before the 15 June 2020, testing took place. No retesting for prisoners who tested positive in June was facilitated asymptomatic spread.

Unfortunately, the most useful part of the SQ newsletters have been the word search puzzles. Oh yeah, it may be funny to hear somebody tell one of these disrespectful sows they should put their mask on one leg at a time since their head is up their ass, but that’s no joke! And this is no laughing matter. If this paragraph didn’t get edited out, the impact on the writer’s mental health might seem apparent.

UPDATE: On 21 November 2020, it was reported that an SQ Death Row Officer on 3rd Watch tested positive for COVID-19. This may prove to be a repeat of what followed after it was reported via Memo issued by (a) Warden Broomfield and (a) CEO Verdier that, “On Thursday March 26, 2020, we learned that a member of our staff tested positive for COVID-19.”

If you’re familiar with the popularized story attributing the cause of the outbreak at San Quentin to a transfer of inmates from Chino, be aware of the omitted facts. Those reports make no mention of the March 27, 2020 Memo quoted above. Perhaps those journalists in the mainstream don’t even know that memo exists. But their reports claim there were no COVID cases before the transfer. This means those journalists got it wrong in part.

That does not mean the CDCR is not responsible for the outbreaks then or now. In fact, it only demonstrates here what is being seen across the whole United $tates – selfish individuals who think they’re better than everyone else refuse to comply with the most basic safety protocols (wearing a face covering).

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[Drugs] [Organizing] [ULK Issue 71]
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Black August: Peace and Education to Combat Behavior Modification

[Abolitionists From Within (AFW) submitted a series of essays leading up to Black August and hosted their annual poker tournament that is part of their effort to build the United Front for Peace in Prisons(UFPP). Below are some of the thoughts they sent us, followed by their report on September 9.]

Wake up comrades. Evelyn Williams reminds us that all African American prisoners are political prisoners, whether or not they label themselves as such. Because of the circumstances that got them into prison as well as the harshness of sentencing applied to them. Political prisoners who became politicized inside prison walls and who oriented their lives around the struggle for social justice and national liberation include Malcolm X, George Jackson and the Attica warriors. Many other comrades of yesterday and today’s struggle would be and are encompassed in the term as political prisoners.

So to all comrades behind enemy lines, we are at war and have been and we must understand the enemy tactics. Prisons have become the battle ground in a war of attrition designed to reduce prisoners to a state of submission, psychological incompetence sufficient to neutralize us as self-directing antagonists by making us desperate enough to destroy ourselves for material gains.

So let us not be fooled any longer through our own self-destructive behaviors. You are the target Black man. Tactics of counterinsurgency and low-intensity warfare against us. Assassinated, tortured, frame-ups, imprisonment, control and alter the behavior of people resisting oppression. And as you know, prison officials will use drugs as a method of control. …

Damn comrades, ya’ll giving up. These conditions we living in is temporary. Don’t make it permanent. I see your violent outbursts, passing out, seizures, suicide attempts and serious mental breakdowns. Comrade, them symptoms of that synthetic shit. Homies lose touch with reality and lash out at the one’s who really trying to help them.

One of the comrades pass out standing up. This shit is real bro, that shit hurt me deep. Because you can tell a lot about a person from the company he keep. Comrade, you can’t say you with the business and your actions don’t match. These young warriors not going to respect those acts on the yard.

I hear the C.O.s making jokes like this shit is a game. Perpetuating the fight that the prison administration encourages. However, this Black August and Bloody September we going to continue to organize and apply the UFPP five principles. So AFW will be putting on a poker tournament here with all “ethnic” groups with one goal: Peace and awareness of the prison struggles on these yards and who is the real enemy.

Da struggle continue.


9 September 2020: Black August passed, still pushing. AFW is still building to continue the good fight on September 9 Day of Peace and Solidarity with all our freedom fighters and conscious comrades and to commemorate the all the faceless comrades and to never forget about the Attica uprising and our beloved brother GJ.

I been working out with our comrades, reading, sharing books, etc. Just building doing this COVID-19 the best we can in solidarity with all comrades here struggling behind enemy lines. Today, September 9th, I fast and hit the night yard work out again and count my blessings.

I stress with our comrades to understand who the real enemy is and to learn the enemy tactics of oppression that keep us oppressed. We have to continue to push, pull and stride for unity, and the comaraderie among the brothers and all ethnic groups and continue to put an end to all hostilities among our brothers with peace on our tongue this September 9th day.

The struggle must go on.

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[First Nations] [COVID-19] [Principal Contradiction] [ULK Issue 71]
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Settlers Threaten First Nations with SARS-CoV-2 Virus

In the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the glaringly ugly nature of amerikkkan exceptionalism and arrogance has been on full display. The simple and non-threatening acts of staying home and/or wearing PPE (masks) have become rallying points for reactionary patriotic elements. For this reason, occupied Turtle Island has become the world leader in COVID cases even though the imperialist regime had ample time to prepare for the virus.

With this understanding, it is only logical that people cannot rely on parasites and pigs to secure their health. It, like all aspects of our lives, is most effectively met by the people ourselves.

In May, Republican governor of South Dakota Kristi Noem threatened to sue the Lakota Nation or rely on the U.$. government to use violence to take down the Lakota’s Emergency Health Points on their home lands.

Due in part to fear of the negative reaction from Republican constituents and their mass base, as well as fundamental capitalist-imperialist unbridled greed, Noem refused to issue stay-at-home orders. Such ineptitude placed all South Dakota residents at risk, but especially our First Nation siblings and comrades as they’re a marginalized people.

In light of this development, and understanding the hystory of bio-chemical warfare and its role in the genocide of indigenous nations, the Oglala Lakota Nation pro-actively insulated themselves on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The Emergency Health Points ensured that outsiders couldn’t bring the new sickness (COVID-19) to their home.

The Emergency Health Points, allowed no one to come onto or leave Pine Ridge, unless it was an essential activity. Those going and coming were made to submit to a health questionnaire at the check points.

The Governor’s ultimatum was rightfully refused and the Lakota gave an official written statement, “you continuing to interfere in our efforts to do what science and facts dictate seriously undermine our ability to protect everyone on the reservation.”

The oppressive nature of imperialism continues to undermine the self-determination of First Nation peoples and oppressed nations generally. For this reason, and to work towards the goal of tearing down the imperialist system, New Afrikans and all oppressed nationalities within the imperialist centers must unite in the spirit of collective growth and internationalism, around our shared mission of self-determination.

Let’s not forget, that it is this same Lakota Nation which has been a thorn in the side of our shared enemy for almost 200 years. It was the Lakota, led by Red Cloud, Chief of the Oglala Lakota, who dealt the United $tates its first military defeat in 1868. In retaliation and due to ongoing resistance, it was this same nation who the 7th cavalry massacred at Wounded Knee on 29 December 1890.

Fast forward to the early 1970s with the siege of Wounded Knee and the following COINTELPRO carried out against the American Indian Movement and its supporters on and around the Pine Ridge reservation. This operation led to the political imprisonment of Oglala warrior Leonard Peltier. (An in-depth study of these events and the imperialists’ war on the Lakota people can be read in the book Agents of Repression by Ward Churchill and Jim Vander Wall available from MIM(Prisons) for $10 or work trade.)

Leonard Peltier 76th birthday
Leonard Peltier just turned 76. Free Leonard Peltier!

With the understanding of the Lakota’s specific circumstances and their hystory of resistance against the occupying forces I call on all revolutionaries and people who respect the sovereignty of the First Nations of Turtle Island to raise your voices and shine a light on this issue. Being on reservations, our siblings and comrades are often hindered from garnering proper media attention or solidarity support. The mistake of past generations of oppressed nation fighters was that of failing to support each other’s causes in all aspects (militarily, economically, socially and politically). We end that practice now. In the spirit of true proletarian internationalism.

Clench fist salute to all the First Nation warriors who’ve not sold out the great War for freedom.

source: 1. The Five Percenter Newspaper, Volume 25.6, pg.10.

This article referenced in:
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[Rhymes/Poetry] [Police Brutality] [ULK Issue 71]
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Can We Breathe?

george floyd qualified immunity

(Remember George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and OTHERS)

I done seen too many mothers cry, brothers die,
while the children left to wonder “Why?”
I’m on the side of the righteous in the time of crisis,
Is the prize really worth it? I tell em that its PRICELESS.
I don’t have hope, kuz hope is for the children,
and those UNABLE to take part in what we’re building.
But we’re ALL gonna benefit when we defeat the nemesis.
A new beginning for humynity, modern day Genesis.
It’s THEM that want war kuz we’re bangin on the door,
They’d rather see us breathless and layin on the floor.
But I woke up this morning to a BEAUTIFUL site.
Black, Brown, and white, its TIME TO UNITE!!!
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Sacrifice

“Wherever there is struggle there is sacrifice, and death is a common occurrence. But we have the interests of the people and the sufferings of the great majority at heart, and when we die for the people it is a worthy death. Nevertheless, we should do our best to avoid unnecessary sacrifices.” -Serve The People, 8 September 1944, Mao Zedong

The semi-colonized, oppressed nations in amerikkka suffer from a debased and reprobate collective psyche which has been generated from our subjugation under enslavement, colonialism and neo-colonialism and now fascism. This mind frame is usually referred to as “colonized thinking”. ‘Colonized thinking’ is in opposition to the self-sacrifice principle Comrade Mao mentioned in the above quote. This ‘Colonized thinking’ will be referred to in the body of this essay as ‘amerikkkanism’. The letters ‘ameri’ in the term amerikkkanism are representative of the empire known as america. The three K’s are indicative of the white supremacist, hetero-patriarchal nature of said empire and its government policies. amerikkkanism will be spelled with lower case ‘a’ to note the inferiority and low mindedness of such thought.

amerikkkanism can be and is propagated and perpetuated by all nationalities subjugated under amerikkkan dictatorship. This is merely due to colonial policy, which strategically eradicates an oppressed nations’ culture, hystory, spirituality by force (slavery, war, colonization, police terror, prison). The colonizer then forcefully indoctrinates its culture, twistory, and religion into these nations. The goal is to eliminate the diversity and manipulate one into identifying with their own enemy (the colonizer). Without ever freely recognizing the humyn rights of these nations. The nations and their people are led to believe they’re not a nation at all. They tell us “you are Mexican-American, Afrikan-American, Asian-American, Native-American”, all this ‘amerikkkan’ talk is to insinuate one’s value and worth as a humyn is subject to one’s identification or lack thereof with the amerikkkan colonizer.

This acts to steer the mass of oppressed nations away from seeking self-determination and thus true FREEDOM. Instead we are strategically steered into the thought of amassing as much wealth or capital as possible. This is the capitalist-bourgeoisie’s mentality now alive within the very people such a mentality acts against. The competitiveness mentality which is driven by each one’s aspiration for capital creates the national chauvinist (racist) mentality. It creates a race to the finish line so to speak, between nationalities, and individuals. This race/competition breeds the hatred, oppression, and division we see within amerikkka and amerikkkanism. This individualistic, neo-liberalism is a counter-productive ideology and culture for those on the bottom tier of this caste and class, amerikkkan system. This bottom tier, the poor-working sector, those within the lumpen class, have our only pathway to throwing off the yoke of the fascists oppression is in Unity-Struggle-Unity.

Unity itself makes sacrifice prerequisite. According to ‘Webster’s New World Dictionary’, sacrifice is defined as “a giving up of one thing for the sake of another”. amerikkka has pillaged, raped, manipulated and murdered it’s way to the drivers seat of world imperialism and globalization of capital. As such just being on so-called amerikkkan soil has its privileges. As revolutionists striving to overthrow the domination of the capitalist-bourgeois class both within the amerikkkan empire and the Third world, we must reprogram ourselves into people who continuously sacrifice these ‘privileges’ and blood money for the sake of self-determination for the world’s oppressed and underdeveloped nations. We must establish revolutionary principles within our society, and purge ourselves and our kind of the reprobate, colonized mind/thinking. Reprobate is defined as: unprincipled or depraved.

At the foundational level this 30 day journey and cleansing of the mind, body, and spirit [Black August] is an independent institution being established by a collective of lumpen promoting self-determination of oppressed nation people through resistance, sacrifice, and unity. Let’s keep struggling comrades! Vita wa watu - Power to the People!

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[Rhymes/Poetry] [Police Brutality] [Racism] [ULK Issue 80]
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What is Justice?

What is Justice?

This is the question of our time.
It’s the struggle that people go through when they’ve been wrongfully convicted of crimes.

It’s the outrage over Black men dying and our race being marginalized by this capitalist society.
We’re targeted by fascist forces of white faces in high places who push the agenda of these racist polices.

Which perpetuates poverty and inflicts us with pain;
we’re steady searching for the sunshine but all we seem to find is the thunder and rain.

In order for there to be justice, first there needs to be a change.
To abolish the system that views a Black man as a cold-hearted killer or a member of an organized gang.

It’s a damn shame how they view our people as animals who needs to be tamed.
When they can’t even seem to control these fascist forces of pigs who really needs to be trained.

Honestly, they really need to be slain for trapping our black bodies in chains,
and for killing our brothers in the streets every day like it’s all apart of the game.

Justice is insane!
It’s a process full of heartache and pain.
It’s like the government is the Devil and we just caught in the flames.

Yankee politics are to blame for causing another Brother to be slain.
“I can’t breath! Officer please” was his claim.
So to overthrow the capitalist reign, we ain’t gone let that Brother die in vain.

What’s his name?   What’s his name?
  George Floyd!     George Floyd!

And to all the other Brothers and Sisters that we lost to this racist system.
The People have become conscious;
the revolution hasn’t quelled!

-Forty

#AllPowerToThePeople!

#LongLiveTheGuerrilla!

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[COVID-19] [Organizing] [Valley State Prison] [California] [ULK Issue 71]
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Exercise Your Influence, Lead by Example

In early March [2020], at the beginning stages of the public information campaign regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, I was informed of preventative methods such as wearing a mask and hand washing by family and friends on the outside. I began to educate the other prisoners at Valley State Prison (VSP) of the pandemic and how the administration was trying to down play the severity of the situation.

I decided to exercise my influence by leading by example, so my first step was to create my own face mask, second step I wore it in public every time I got the chance. At first I looked and felt rather silly because I was the only one wearing a mask; not even medical staff were wearing masks. People were calling me paranoid and hypochondriac, they said it was not that serious and the virus would not come into prison.

One day while going to A-yard dining hall a really rude officer named Miss Avila stopped me and confiscated my mask and told me “Inmates are not allowed to wear a mask.” I was also warned by another officer that worked regularly in my building, that I was causing a hysteria among the prisoners by wearing my mask. He also said he believed the pandemic was just a hoax.

By the end of April, CDCR’s Prison Industry Authority(PIA) starts creating and distributing masks to all of California’s imprisoned population. Medical staff began to wear masks, but custody staff officers still refused to wear any masks. Officers would harass any prisoners not wearing masks, although it was hot and the masks were uncomfortable we wore the masks as a symbol out of solidarity we want to protect one another, in particular our elderly population and those with high risk medical conditions. But the officers still refused to participate with us by wearing a mask. On 24 April 2020 we united around a common interest as imprisoned lumpen striving to build a healthy environment and we filed a group Appeal L (602) Log# VSP-A-20-01089 with 12 prisoners and on 5 May 2020 a memorandum was issued ordering “All Staff” Mandatory wearing of cloth barrier masks by warden R. Fisher Jr. On 5 June 2020 our inmate appeal was partially granted and all staff was mandated to wear “cloth barrier masks.” I want to thank MIM for encouraging me to exercise my influence by creating a united front and helping me to turn my knowledge into political organizing.

MIM(Prisons) adds: This is an example of real leadership. Recognizing what the material needs of the people are, and sticking your neck out to lead by example in how to meet those needs. The people soon recognized this leadership and followed. This is just one of many examples we have printed in recent weeks of prisoncrats actively resisting safety measures to protect prisoners (and staff). This is everyday treatment of those in U.$. prisons, it just has more immediate relevance to the outside world because of the global pandemic. Supporters of United Struggle from Within join these comrades in these day-to-day struggles to say “Prisoner Lives Matter!”

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[Medical Care] [COVID-19] [California State Prison, San Quentin] [California] [ULK Issue 71]
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San Quentin Staff Spread COVID-19 in Prison, Now to other Prisons and the Streets of San Francisco

Continuation of San Quentin: Greatest Concentration of COVID-19 after Guards Refuse Masks and Put Hands in Prisoners’ Food

On 15 June 2020, swab tests for COVID-19 were performed outside East Block on what is called G yard. Donner’s 1st tier and 2nd tier (now occupied by a group of grade B condemned prisoners from the AC which is being used as a quarantine unit) are now waiting to see who got infected by the disrespectful sows too righteous in their own eyes to cover their snouts.

Since 29 May 2020 forward, less and less care is being seen. Trays went from having no lids to being paper without much if anything protecting them from any number of pathogens during food seizure.

On the morning of 15 June 2020 and throughout early afternoon, locking cuff ports were installed on holding cages. When asked why no plexiglass partitions were installed (because the cages are literally only separated by the grated walls they’re made of) the installer’s response was “they’re doing a lot of stupid things right now.” That rings truer than wanted.

New rules implemented 1 June 2020 got rid of CDCR 22 forms. The purpose of such forms was, according to DOM54.090.1 policy, to document communication between staff and inmates. By getting rid of a way to document communication between staff and inmates it opens up a trap door for things like grievances to fall through. It also shuts down any prisoner’s attempt to resolve problems in a timely manner that could and now will spin out into oblivion. Of course, CDCR must have another purpose for invoking “emergency regulations” as regards the appeals process (see 15 CCR 3084-3086 on http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/regulations/adult_operations). But CDCR hasn’t said what the emergency is concerning appeals and/or CDCR 22 forms. Why not emergency enforcement of 15 CCR 3052(e)(f)? Why not emergency training for disrespectful sows that don’t tuck their snouts into their masks?

On 16 June 2020 Donner condemned is allowed yard with 1/2 of East Block (one day after testing and before results). It turns out EB is getting fed with normal trays that have lids. When confronted, staff explained that it’s because the kitchen doesn’t want to chance spreading COVID-19. Nobody in Donner has tested positive, but 2 prisoners with “symptoms” were moved to the AC. Even still, how does serving food uncovered on a paper tray stop the spread of anything? The bullshit thickens.

On 22 June 2020, ABC News at 5 did a story called “Outbreak at San Quentin”. It did have snippets of testimony and video footage but it was edited to be misleading. It casts CDCR as being proactive and without cases until a transfer of inmates from Chino. Not only is that bullshit, it explains nothing about how death row prisoners became infected having no contact with those Chino prisoners. As of 15 June 2020, at least 30 of the other 300 reported infected prisoners at San Quentin are death row prisoners currently warehoused in Donner Section.

The virus will continue to spread out of control because of staff’s extreme lack of care expressed by their actions and/or reckless disregard for the health & safety of both themselves and others.

Today (23 June 2020) two of the disrespectful sows assigned to Donner RC (Busseman and Peters) began their daily asinine antics by first prepping the RC prisoner food without face coverings. Later, the same two handled the 5th tier’s canteen without face coverings or gloves. Then they handed it to each of the intended recipients. Prisoners continue to be put at risk when exposure is available. This outbreak springs from an extreme lack of care NOT Chino.

According to the news ticker going across the bottom of the TV screen, KPIX 5 reports over 160 death row prisoners have tested positive for COVID-19 (as of 26 June 2020). More than 1/4 of all DR prisoners! In addition to not wearing their masks properly or not at all, the disrespectful sows assigned to Donner continue to follow orders to do other really stupid things which facilitate the spread of the virus. Death row prisoners warehoused in Donner take showers in cages with no way to be more than 3’ from the prisoner in the cage next to them. Here’s another example of stupid from the guy who built them. When drunkard Ron Denis was warden at S.Q. he decided to prohibit prisoners from using the yard showers. Rumor has it that the decision was in response to female employees complaining about seeing naked men. A stenciled sign was also posted on each yard prohibiting “bathing”. That reactionary mole only detracts from what would be an available option. Death row prisoners have been denied yard for 12 days as of 28 June 2020. However, a continuing lack of care blinds the S.Q. administration’s ability to see and implement common sense solutions. The present plan seems to be keep everyone locked in the units (health professions warned have such poor ventilation) until all prisoners are eventually exposed to a lethal dose of bullshit. Appeal #SQ-A-20-01123 recently submitted 29 March 2020 was due 29 June 2020 but continues to be ignored despite the issues cited therein being major contributing factors to the spread of COVID-19.

According to KPIX News (30 June 2020) a 71-year-old man on the row died in his cell last week from COVID-19. CDCR is now assigning blame to outside hospitals to further bury the fact its own employees NOT wearing face coverings correctly or not at all are willing accessories.

The same report mentions 40 prisoners have been transferred to an outside hospital due to COVID. Stepping up enforcement of Newsom’s mask mandate has been and remains a joke as “essential employees” such as Busseman, Peters, Alwhart, Costa and others “on assignment” for now or who returned after being infected themselves remain a vector refusing to properly wear or wear a face covering at all. Unfortunately, it is that same selfish attitude that has led to the sharp spike in this whole state - this whole country. According to every employee asked who returned after a bout with the virus, S.Q. is NOT testing for the virus prior to their return. These employees explained all S.Q. did was basic symptom checks without any requirement to actually test negative for COVID-19.

Now that CDCR says all its employees at S.Q. have been tested it seems as if quite a few of those employees think a negative test means you’ll never get COVID-19. But they could now get it (or give it) walking into any cell block. Here’s another illustration to help make this point more clear: on 15 June 2020 all death row prisoners being warehoused in Donner Section were swab tested for COVID-19. Those who tested positive could have been infected 2 weeks or more before the test was done - BEFORE the transfer of prisoners from Chino even arrived. Those who tested negative could have been infected while en route back to their cell under “hands on escort” AFTER being tested.

On 1 July 2020 Gov. Newsom said nothing about the skyrocketing cases of COVID-19 at S.Q. “Technical difficulties” prevented any questions from the media. The Gov. went on about contact tracing for a moment but the narrative surrounding the cause of the outbreak here remains fictionalized in the mainstream version of events.

On the same day, later that evening it was put out on the wire that another death row prisoner died. From what remains undisclosed at this time. Can Gov. Newsom put a moratorium on the Pestilence Pilot Program?

So like so many Californians I watched the governor’s speech. Sitting in my 8x10 cell I watched yesterday as Governor Newsom spoke on the impact of COVID-19. The spiking of coronavirus in our state and the prison outbreak in California.
He spoke about coming out to Vacaville the day before to oversee the building of a tent city out on the yard. His project is meant to reduce the population of San Quentin State Prison due to out break of coronavirus and all the deaths there by moving them out. Implying the truth with out coming straight out and saying it, that they would move them here. Thereby, jeopardizing an already medically fragile community housed here at CMF, which is in fact a hospital. Most of us here are 55+ years of age with medical issues, many of which are the underlying medical conditions we hear them referring to all the time when discussing the COVID-19 pandemic. I wonder, is this the Governor’s plan to reduce the population of CDCR?
But reducing the population of CDCR by means of population control by euthanization through coronavirus?
They are expecting the virus to spread like wild fire here, now like it did at San Quentin. Even more so because of the medically fragile population here.
But when it does, don’t believe the lies and fairy tales that CDCR will put out on it, and Governor Newsom stories of caring about incarcerated populations. Because his actions prove otherwise.

MIM(Prisons) adds: One persyn recently told eir story of being released from San Quentin prison and dropped off at the San Rafael transit center, as is standard practice. After riding a bus to San Francisco, this persyn got off the bus with flu-like symptoms and passed out on a bench. Ey tested positive for COVID-19 immediately after release.(Snap Judgement on National Public Radio, 25 July 2020)

California, which began the pandemic as the good example in the United $tates, is quickly going downhill as capitalism demands business opens up to “keep the economy going.” Meanwhile, the San Quentin humanitarian disaster is an embarrassment for the CDCR across the country and in the global news. Yet, the staff still seem proud to violate safety procedures and endanger the people around them.

The sickness that is spreading throughout the population of the United $tates that is due to the COVID-19 virus is just a symptom of a deeper sickness that is the individualism and cruel sadism that has allowed the virus to spread so much more in this country than in others. It is no coincidence that this cowboy, settler, #1 imperialist country in the world sees itself as superior and invincible and enjoys inflicting suffering on others. These characteristics are required to keep imperialism going. Yet, this pandemic is an example of how these characteristics will be part of this empire’s undoing. They are intentionally spreading a disease among their own people, even as the oppressed and the imprisoned suffer disproportionately from their behavior. Recent events have only strengthened the oppressed peoples’ cries for organized resistance that serves humyn need. It is in these conditions that real leaders and servants of the people must act to bring us to a new stage of history.

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[Rhymes/Poetry] [ULK Issue 71]
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Knowledge Supercedes Any Title

When you enter a new mental, you tap into true potential

Unsatisfied with the gat you become attached to the pencil

You can’t brag on your little strap when they enemy’s blastin missiles

Do the math on that real fast, now you get the picture

You wanted to get cash real fast now you in the system

Then you want that wealth that’ll last once you get the wisdom

It’s not about “DEVELOPING PLANS” it’s staying with ’em

Knowledge supersedes any title, so it’s vital!

It’s not about what you read, it’s the substance of your recital

First you try it, then apply it to your life and just let it guide you

It’s more than quoting the Qur’an, Hindu Scriptures, and Holy Bible

It’s Essentializing Beneficial Knowledge without College

Using LOGIC and not VIOLENCE when it’s time to solve your problems

It’s more than filling up your pockets and seeing your whole profit

The real challenge is to BALANCE getting dollars with killing DRAMA.

K.S.A.T.

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[Rhymes/Poetry] [Florida] [ULK Issue 72]
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Community

They say, we are burning down our own community,
they must be looking at the wrong TV,
According to Webster, a community is:
1) A body of people living in the same place
under the same laws.
2) society at large
3) joint ownership
4) The people with common interest
living in a particular area.
Based on this definition, we have no community.
We own no major corporations, no assets, no property.
We get no equal service and protection of law
in any of these territories,
like the Palestinians being occupied by the I$raelis.
All we are experiencing here is amerikkklan apartheid,
Portrayed as aliens, second-class citizens, animals on channel live.
This would not be happening in our community.
Our schools and education, would not be getting determined
by capitalist imperialist white supremacist owners of our ancestry,
In our community, the police would be police,
not PIGs (Pro Imperialist Goons) who hate us with dignity,
lynching us like dogs in the streets, with guaranteed impunity,
no accountability,
In our community, 94% of our annual spending
would be on own products and services.
Rent and interest rates would not be discriminatory.
We would be land lords, we would have our own banks,
investing our savings in our own community interest,
with appreciation and thanks.
We would own our own means of production.
Selling our labor to each other,
and receiving fair wages, top dollars,
the only community we’ve ever had,
was burned to the ground in 1921.
Tulsa Oklahoma, Black Wallstreet.
Where the owners of corporations and property
looked like us, thought like us, acted like us
everything there was for us, by us.
The court rooms in our community would be egalitarian and just.
We wouldn’t be getting lynched in the streets,
or being incarcerated, rail-roaded for profit.
This is not our community,
Burn it down… Burn it down…
To the ground,
This is not our community.
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