Under Lock & Key

While reading a comrade’s April 2017 SF Bay View, National Black Newspaper, I cam across an ad regarding the Texas prisoners’ boycott of the prison commissary injustice.

This ad helped me realize that the unarmed robbery of the loved-ones of prisoners is not only a Florida atrocity, but a national occurrence. Prisoners in Texas and other states are being used as a means of robbing not only tax payers, but loved-ones of prisoners, who are constantly being punished for supporting prisoners financially and emotionally. The imperialist monopolizers are making hundreds of millions annually through the commissary system. I can’t help but confirm and echo the main points of the Texas prisoners’ ad:

1. Sub-par and poor quality food items.
2. Faulty electronics that regularly break (after short use).
3. Tennis shoes which tear up after a week of use.
4. Inflated prices and price gouging tactics.
5. Abuse and disrespect from employees of commissaries.

All of the above mentioned is nothing but the truth to which I would love to add more. In Florida, specifically Charlotte Correctional Institution, there exists a staff canteen menu and a prisoner canteen menu. The double standard and financial discrimination can’t help but be realized once both menus are compared. Prisoners are paying twice as much as staff for the same food items. Some of the most popular food items are listed below for your own concluding.

Charlotte CI staff canteen menu prices and Prisoner Canteen menu prices:

The above list does not mention hygiene items. However, prisoners are paying exorbitantly for hygiene items that are clearly not worth their price. For example, the $4 deodorant from prescription care and Oraline-Seccure (meant for indigent prisoners) leaves prisoners musty in just a matter of hours. The $2.85 prescription care lotion is so generic it dries the skin quick as it moistens it. And it’s definitely not meant for Black people. The $1.12 prescription care shampoo does not lather up and causes more dried scalp and itching than the state soap. There is 99-cent soap claiming to be anti-bacterial and 50-cent soap, both made by Silk. Neither of these soaps are worth even being given away for free.

Prisoners do not want these canteen items. They complain amongst each other but are too cowardly to write grievances or stop buying from canteen. We all know that it is our loved ones who are being attacked by the state. We all know our families who support us are being extorted, but the needle is just too deep in our veins. Florida only has one canteen vendor (Trinity) leaving us without options or other places to shop. We are simply victims of a monopoly and we are contributing to our own victimization.

It is quite clear that the canteen profits only benefit Trinity and high-ranking members of the state prison system. It is clear that the profits are being used against prisoners rather than for their welfare and genuine rehabilitation programs.

Even in the visiting park, freeworld citizens visiting their loved-ones are forced to pay prisoner canteen prices. This price-gouging is a war against the innocent citizens who support prisoners. It also results in the isolation of prisoners from the outside world and leaves prisoners dependent and vulnerable against the state.

One is left with no choice but the question: where is all the profit from the unarmed robbery of prisoners’ loved ones? What is being done with these millions of dollars in profit? This matter must be investigated and objectively challenged. We prisoners surely need to stop perpetuating our own victimization by the state of Florida DOC.

MIM(Prisons) responds: This writer exposes one of the many ways that companies and individuals are making money from the prison system in this country. While overall the prisons are run at a financial loss, subsidized for most of their costs by state and federal funds (i.e. taxpayer money), lots of people are still making money off the operation of prisons.

Obviously the prisons’ employees (COs, administrators, etc.) are earning a good salary and have an interest in keeping the system going. In some prisons medical is contracted out, and then there are the many companies that sell prisons all the stuff they need to run: from clothing to food to furniture to security equipment. Most of this is funded by a subsidy from the government.

But canteen is a case of the costs falling on prisoners’ families. And this is just one of many costs borne by families of prisoners. As we exposed in an article in ULK 60 “MIM(Prisons) on U.$. Prison Economy - 2018 Update,” mass incarceration costs families and the community $400 billion per year.

I am listed as a sex offender,
a few friends and I caught a charge in ninety six.
We did time and got released,
but can a sex offender be fixed?
Currently I’m doing life for a 2006 armed robbery
I have never violated any disciplinary measure for masturbation
on female prison staff or any sexually related issues
but I’m still listed as a sex offender
Can a sex offender become a revolutionary?
Can a sex offender become a genuine feminist?
Or an anti-patriarch misogynist?
Can a sex offender have been a victim of misogyny?
Or sexism like his victim?
For a sex offender, where does the healing and fixing begin?
Can a sex offender be considered or seen as equal?
Can he ever be considered or seen as a member of the people?
Does a sex offender still have human rights?
Is he even still human?
Can he ever be forgiven or forgotten for his crime against the people?
Aren’t almost all crimes against the people?
Can a sex offender be genuinely healed or rehabilitated?
Do we throw away the key and keep all sex offenders gated?
Yes? No?
Is the justice system just or genuine?
We all agree that poverty is the mother of crime,
So then affluence must be its father by grand design.
Can a sex offender be a victim of sexual double standard
or contradiction?
Can a rich sex offender be subject to the same prosecution,
incarceration, condemnation or even oppression as a
poor sex offender in this nation?
Do poor sex offenders receive systematic indulgence?
How long has the #MeToo movement been in existence?
Suddenly, the #MeToo movement has after so long, gained overdue prominence.
Will the real sex offender please stand up?
Let your money do your talking, prove the law is corrupt.
Rich sex offenders versus poor sex offenders?
White sex offenders versus Black, Brown, Yellow
and Red sex offenders?
Ghetto, hood sex offenders versus hillbilly sex offenders.
President sex offenders, PIG (pro imperial goon) sex offenders,
evangelical sex offenders, papacy sex offenders?
Thomas Jefferson was a sex offender? Still your hero and founding father?
Because his victim was a wombman of color?
Sally Hemmings, daughter of momma Afrika
Columbus was a sex offender,
still got his own day, for us to remember
“Grab them by their pussy” that’s what Trump say.
I don’t see anybody throwing their keys away.
A poor sex offender can’t point the finger, can’t scream “foul play?”
rich sex offenders could be healed, poor ones can’t?
Can’t compare apples with grapes? Naw.
Aren’t they all fruits? Yes, but naw.
Ain’t we all been living the misogynist culture?
Won’t we still keep doing it till so-called society
fixes its mental stature and structure?
Separate the sex poorfenders from the sex richfenders
Can a sex offender practice genuine self criticism?
Can a sex offender be a guerilla for egalitarianism?

The terrorist attains his goals
by means of instilling fear and intimidation.
The revolutionary, being an egalitarianist,
attains his goals by means of instilling courage.
So who then but the government is the real terrorist?
Using the press and the media,
showing off weapons and technologies,
instilling fear in oppressed people,
giving them nothing but worries.
Wonder why the people are standing up no more?
After decades of being psychologically bombarded,
with nothing but pro-imperialist goon (pigs)
and military blows?
Big Brother’s watching you, everybody knows.
Got you watching yourself too, from head to tippy toes
like you was living in One Nine Eight Four.

The grand jury is a mockery, no matter all white or all black
Psychologically conditioned into seeing all pigs as right and exact
Just like a trial jury, the state can never be wrong
The state’s not trying to indict, they’re only playing along, singing a song
To keep the people pacified and from raging against the machine
It’s a police state, a black persyn’s life ain’t worth a thing
They can kill us but we can’t kill them, what kind of justice is that
How can we free the people with all this warring against us Blacks?
“No Egalitarianism, No Peace!” this double standard of law must stop
Calling us extreme for us only responding to them extremely peeling our caps
Leaving it to their mock grand jury like leaving it to their mock god
Til we show them what we’ll do for our blood, we’re scarred
We must do more than just protest, we must boycott
We must organize and educate and revolutionize believe it or not
We are the only people that the constitution don’t protect
Shooting us down now is equivalent to ropes around our necks
They’re killing us while screaming they’re in fear for their lives
They pick the fight then go to crying, telling lies
Bullies, that’s all they are, goons for the rich
Take their guns and badges away, they’ll run back to the sticks
6 conscripted pigs on one Black man, chokehold him to death
And his family is screaming for calm, that’s all we get
“Burn it down!” Michael Brown’s step dad said
Look how quick he was about to face indictment, as a threat
Amerikkka fascinates us but infuriates us more
You’re an Amerikkkan if you’re not against Ms. Justice and her so-called law
Having all Black pigs won’t make a difference either
Because their oath is to the anti-egalitarianist imperialist agenda
We are not supposed to fight back or take a stand
Just accept our inferior status, know our place and stand in it looking grand
It’s not angry, extreme or wrong to kill an innocent black man
Criminal background or not, 12 or 90, blam blam
Not only in Amerikkka but in many distant lands
Bombing innocent wombmen and children in Afghanistan
But one of theirs get killed they go Amerikkkan Nam
Oppression is oppression here, there and everywhere
Apartheid is apartheid, in Azania, Palestine or Amerikkka
We are occupied by imperialist forces, we can’t afford to bow
The pigs want beef, we gotta bring the whole cow
Egalitarianism now, yes right now

Imperialism;
you are the highest elevation of capitalism,
you are the cause, and the source of all racism,
you murdered egalitarianism, communism
and gave birth to this oppressive machanism
called prison.
Imperialism;
you built and bought the slave ship Jesus,
that brought my innocent ancestors into slavery.
You hired the guns that assassinated bravery,
you paid for the ropes that lynched knowledge
and courage,
you are the main cause of all our sufferage.
Imperialism;
you have caused slaves to become overseers,
local representatives of the oppressor,
by placing the needles in the veins of our
so-called niggero brothers and sisters.
Imperialism;
you created the miseducation that keeps us blind,
and the mis-justice that keeps us confined.
You created poverty;
and when you created poverty, you created crime.
You locked up our bodies when you locked up our minds
and I’m not just making up excuses.
I’m a clock, best believe, I know the time.
Imperialism;
your agenda may be instilled in our every move,
your ideals may be in every thing we learn and know,
show and prove,
your hands may be in every aspect of our lives,
your blood may be in every one of our husbands
or wives,
your products may be in everything we consume,
but none of this will stop or prevent your doom.
Imperialism;
Your tel-a-lie-vision, weapon of mass distraction
and destruction is evil,
but no amount of lies and weapons can defeat
the fighting spirit of the lumpen proles - the people.
Egalitarianism, communism will rule Supreme,
you may win the fight, but the war you will not win.
Once red and blue, black white brown and yellow
unite under MIM, United Struggle from Within
Imperialism;
you already know, you are the ultimate sin.

We recently created a petition addressed to Governor Scott:

The families and friends of Florida prisoners petition for a state investigation of the Keefe commissary network contract with the FDOC. In this economy and in fairness, the people of Florida deserve a new contract that makes canteen prices more affordable or reasonable. (see www.tampabay.com/news/kickback/155046)

Keefe is one of the biggest if not the biggest prison and jail commissary vendors in the United States. Revenues from canteen operation for fiscal year 2009-2010 were $30,973,262. The prices prisoners are being charged are higher than prices for the same items sold in the free world. There are several vendors who bid for the FDOC contract who would offer a wider variety of available items at almost a 60% decrease of what Keefe presently charges. One has to “wonder” why were these other vendors not given the contract?

Keefe’s sneak attack on snacks continue to prey on the families and friends of Florida prisoners who for the most part provides financial support to the prison population to spend on canteen. With the economy in recession it is doubtful prisoners families and friends are going to be able to spend more money.

Keefe, which is based out of St. Louis, MO, latest price increase has lead to more thefts, robberies and violence in Florida’s prisons. Governor Scott, you can stop Keefe’s price gouging with just one phone call, we urge you to be that champion of the fairness and justice that you promised all Floridians during your campaign by making that call.

The success or failure of this important project depends on genuine community interest and online petition signature support. To support Florida prisoners against Keefe’s Snack Sneak Attacks visit: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/229/807/212/support-keefe-sneak-attacts-on-snacks-must-go/

Also at issue here is the right to healthy and adequate food. Vending machine food is always going to more expensive and less nutritional. All pisoners should be provided with adequate, fresh food, so that supplementary snacks are a luxury.

The following are a list of eye witnessed brutalities by staff against captives (prisoners) on close management (CM) at Guan”Suwannee”mo Bay (Suwannee C.I.) in Florida.

Early November 2012: a prisoner was targeted for being a writ writer. He was jumped on and cut with a razor by another prisoner placed in the cell. The police are paying extra trays to prisoners to jump on other prisoners. Currently one prisoner has been slapped with several fabricated DRs (disciplinary reports) and downgraded in CM status. He might remain on CM until he is broken from his writ writing ways.

Early November 2012: A mentally ill prisoner, after continuous daily harassment by Sgt Green and his crew, was gassed for no reason. He was used as an example to inflict terror in other prisoners.

December 3, 2012, CO McGuire and another CO jumped on a prisoner who was in handcuffs, hands behind his back. After being beaten the prisoner was slapped with a fabricated “battery on a CO” disciplinary report (DR) to justify this brutality. But how can one commit battery on CO with his hands in cuffs behind his back?

June/July 2012: A prisoner was jumped on by COs who sprayed chemical agents into his mouth and throat in the hallway of P-Dormitory at Suwannee Annex.

April 17, 2013: A prisoner was placed on strip because he said something to the recreation coach criticizing him for not announcing rec when he enters the yard, just so he can deny rec to prisoners who he deems not ready. He does this so that he will have fewer prisoners to take out to rec, less work.

April 18, 2013: A prisoner and his cellmate were gassed with chemical agents. The prisoner was given a choice to either be gassed or placed on strip. He chose to be gassed because when prisoners are placed on strip most of their personal property comes up missing. COs either throw the prisoner’s personal property away or allow their orderlies to go through the prisoner’s personal property.

April 19, 2013: Two prisoners were pepper sprayed by CO Mayo, then placed on strip.

April 21, 2013: Two prisoners were placed on strip. CO Mayo threatened one of the prisoners that he was “going to send him to CM if he’s gotta fuck the mayor’s daughter to get it done.” He also called a prisoner a “pussy ass nigga” repeatedly, loud and clear, after denying this prisoner lunch and dinner by putting empty trays through his flap.

April 21, 2013: CO Mayo can be seen on GI cameras and/or heard on intercom audio recording extorting prisoners, charging prisoners canteen food items if they want to receive their purchase.

Many prisoners are falsely accused of gunning (masturbating) by female staff, just so prisoners can be gassed, placed on strip, and/or beaten and slapped with fabricated DRs, mostly by male COs acting in affinity with these female staff members, or just exerting DOC team spirit and loyalty. These sadist tyrants and their brutalities will not just stop on their own. There is no such thing as altruism towards prisoners in DOC/ Guan”suwannee”mo Bay. Altruism toward prisoners here is considered unamerikkkan and/or unpatriotic.

In October 2012, Taylor CI and Union CI underwent a major purge by higher authorities during which approximately 60 something staff members of all ranks were escorted off institution grounds due to their involvement in these brutalities and tyrant practices. Suwannee CI needs such a purge of sadists and tyrants like Lt. Martin (AKA white widow or misery) and Lt Harrold who are in charge of management wing goons such as Sgt Lynblade, Sgt Harvey, Sgt Patton, Sgt Silver, Sgt Gree, Sgt Kelly, Sgt Fisher, Sgt Linea and their subordinate ruffians like CO Murman, CO Mayo, CO Knowleds (who was involved in the Panama City boot camp murder of 13 year old Martin Lee Anderson, now working on CM here at Guan”Suwannee”Mo Bay and is still at his klansman ways), CO Barton, CO McGuire, CO Lynblade, CO Diaz, CO Landrum, CO Lane and CO Pope (who brags how he pays prisoners in G-dorm extra lunch trays to beat up other prisoners for him.) Also we can’t forget their superior officers: captains, majors, colonels and wardens who not only condone, encourage and orchestrate, but participate in these willful and unlawful brutalities. There are also the classification officers, medical and mental health staff who are aware of the brutalities and either help cover them up or approve of them by not reporting them to the proper authorities.

The above mentioned brutalities are only a very few of the many that occur here on CM at Guan”Suwannee”Mo Bay (Suwannee CI) in Florida.

MIM(Prisons) responds: This comrade has done the important work of documenting the ongoing abuse of prisoners at Suwanee CI. In a previous article incidents through most of 2012 are described. Our response to that article is important to repeat here: “The list of people this writer suggests need to be purged from Suwanee demonstrates our point that it is not possible to reform the Amerikan criminal injustice system. This is not a case of just a few bad apples, but rather a system of oppression and violence, in which employees must participate to receive a paycheck. We must expose the brutality, and fight the individual cases to create some livable space for our comrades, but we will only end the violence by dismantling the criminal injustice system entirely.”

It is the systemic problem that puts us on the only possible path to liberation, from the criminal injustice system but also from the broader system of imperialism: communist revolution. We need to create a world where no group of people has power over another group.

Hey yo! These pigs don’t care about you
You’re Black wearing blue
On your own, up against the DOC crew
Department of Conspiracy, I thought you knew
Classification and medical they DOC too
Tallahassee? That’s the highest rank in operation
Most folks in Tally got promoted from corrections
The Warden was a CO once upon a time
Promoted to the top, down with organized crime
Organized injustice, denying all grievances
Tallahassee do the same thing, fuck your witnesses
No remedy, show you how they all stick together
Like birds of a feather, for worse or for better
Who can you run to, the whole system is against you
And still trying methods to turn your peeps against you
So you can be totally dependent on them
So they can put down the William Lynch all over again
Every move is a mission, show no submission
If you wanna upgrade your humyn condition
We gotta stick together in this tight situation
If not, we’re going back to being a possession