I N T E R N E T ' S  M A O I S T  BI-M O N T H L Y

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         THE MAOIST INTERNATIONALIST MOVEMENT

  MIM Notes 165                July 1, 1998



MIM Notes speaks to and from the viewpoint of the 
world's oppressed majority, and against the 
imperialist-patriarchy. Pick it up and wield it in 
the service of the people. support it, struggle 
with it and write for it.


IN THIS ISSUE:
1.  AIM ACTIVIST LEONARD PELTIER DENIED PAROLE, ACCESS TO 
    MEDICAL CARE
2.  BILINGUAL EDUCATION CRUSHED IN CALIFORNIA
3.  LETTERS
4.  CORRECTION: MIM NOTES 163 ARTICLE ON FILIPINO YOUTH 
    CONFERENCE
5.  PROTESTS IN INDONESIA AND EAST TIMOR CONTINUE
6.  CAPITALISM AND IMPERIALISM RESPONSIBLE FOR DISEASE AND 
    DEATH, NOT "INDIVIDUAL LIFESTYLE CHOICES"
7.  BLACK MAN BRUTALLY TORTURED AND MURDERED IN AMERIKKKAN 
    SOUTH
8.  AMERIKKKAN IMPERIALISTS INTENSIFY MILITARY CAMPAIGN 
    AGAINST COLOMBIAN MASSES 
9.  U$ CONDEMNATION OF NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION IN INDIA AND 
    PAKISTAN A SHAM 
10. GOVERNMENT STATS EXPOSE D.C.'S INJUSTICE SYSTEM
11. CALIFORNIA PRISON EXPANSION
12. SUPPORT REVOLUTIONARY STUDY GROUPS UNDER LOCK & KEY
13. PIG LOBBY KILLS CONGRESSIONAL BILL TO STUDY RACIST 
    TRAFFIC STOPS 
14. WHAT DO YOU SPEND $75 ON?
15. UNDER LOCK AND KEY: NEWS FROM PRISONS AND PRISONERS


* * *


WHAT IS MIM?

The Maoist Internationalist Movement (MIM) is a 
revolutionary communist party that upholds 
Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, comprising the collection 
of existing or emerging Maoist internationalist 
parties in the English-speaking imperialist 
countries and their English-speaking internal 
semi-colonies, as well as the existing or emerging 
Spanish-speaking Maoist internationalist parties 
of Aztlan, Puerto Rico and other territories of 
the U.S. Empire. MIM Notes is the newspaper of 
MIM. Notas Rojas is the newspaper of the Spanish-
speaking parties or emerging parties of MIM.

MIM is an internationalist organization that works 
from the vantage point of the Third World 
proletariat; thus, its members are not Amerikans, 
but world citizens.

MIM struggles to end the oppression of all groups 
over other groups: classes, genders, nations.  MIM 
knows this is only possible by building public 
opinion to seize power through armed struggle.

Revolution is a reality for North America as the 
military becomes over-extended in the government's 
attempts to maintain world hegemony.

MIM differs from other communist parties on three 
main questions: (1) MIM holds that after the 
proletariat seizes power in socialist revolution, 
the potential exists for capitalist restoration 
under the leadership of a new bourgeoisie within 
the communist party itself. In the case of the 
USSR, the bourgeoisie seized power after the death 
of Stalin in 1953; in China, it was after Mao's 
death and the overthrow of the "Gang of Four" in 
1976. (2) MIM upholds the Chinese Cultural 
Revolution as the farthest advance of communism in 
human history. (3) MIM believes the North American 
white-working-class is primarily a non-
revolutionary worker-elite at this time; thus, it 
is not the principal vehicle to advance Maoism in 
this country.

MIM accepts people as members who agree on these 
basic principles and accept democratic centralism, 
the system of majority rule, on other questions of 
party line.

"The theory of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin is 
universally applicable. We should regard it not as 
dogma, but as a guide to action. Studying it is 
not merely a matter of learning terms and phrases, 
but of learning Marxism-Leninism as the science of 
revolution."
-- Mao Zedong, Selected Works, Vol. II, p. 208


* * *


AIM ACTIVIST LEONARD PELTIER DENIED PAROLE, ACCESS TO 
MEDICAL CARE

by MC17

Leonard Peltier is held captive at Leavenworth prison for a 
crime he could not have committed, convicted by the white 
nation as a threat because of his political activism with 
the American Indian Movement. He has been in prison since 
the 1975 frame-up and is currently suffering extreme pain 
from lack of medical treatment.

Leonard Peltier is a First Nations activist who was 
imprisoned as a part of the united snakes war against the 
oppressed nations. He was put away on clearly false murder 
charges: evidence was tampered with or fabricated entirely, 
police reports were changed, witnesses were paid or 
threatened into making false testimony, and still there is 
virtually nothing linking Peltier with the murder he was 
convicted of. 

But even if Peltier had committed the murder of the FBI 
agents which has kept him in prison, any reasonable jury 
would have recognized it as self-defense. The agents invaded 
First Nation territory in a time of extreme hostilities 
between the u.s. government and the residents of the Pine 
Ridge reservation. They came in an unmarked car and began a 
shoot out with a car they followed onto the reservation. No 
one ever prosecuted the FBI for invading the First Nation 
territory where it has no legal jurisdiction anyway. 

Leonard Peltier currently cannot chew or move his jaw. He 
cannot eat and the pain makes him dizzy. As a part of the 
torture the criminal injustice system inflicts on its 
captives, Peltier is being denied medical treatment and 
being treated maliciously at the prison medical center in 
Springfield. There are many good physicians who have offered 
to see Leonard including the Mayo clinic but the Federal 
Bureau of Prisons will not allow him to see any of them. The 
Leonard Peltier Defense Committee is seeking a qualified 
lawyer in Kansas to file a lawsuit against Leavenworth to 
ensure that Leonard is allowed to see an outside doctor.

Leonard does not stand much chance of gaining his freedom 
through court appeals. The criminal injustice system has 
already rejected all of his attempts to gain a fair trial. 
The last option open to Leonard and his supporters is 
executive clemency. In spite of a widespread campaign to 
demand clemency for Leonard, no progress has been made in 
the five years since the request was filed with the 
president.

In his May 4th parole hearing Leonard Peltier reports that 
his attorneys were given no chance to speak and the members 
of the parole board made some statements that make it clear 
the whole thing is just a legal formality and not an attempt 
to give Peltier a fair hearing. Parole board members said: 
"We spoke with one of the agent's wives and she wants you to 
die in here. You will not receive another parole hearing 
until 2008 then we'll take it from there." and "The 
government can't prove who is responsible for the agents' 
deaths, but someone has to pay." 

MIM is under no illusions about the criminal injustice 
system. The imperialist system uses its prisons to control 
oppressed nations, youth and political activists. Leonard 
Peltier is one of the 1.7 million captives of the 
imperialist system. While we know that this is not a system 
of justice, we also know that it is sometimes possible to 
win small victories through the legal system. A part of this 
battle is the public opinion we build through education and 
protests. By putting pressure on the system we are sometimes 
able to win these battles. MIM joins the many activists 
around the world in their demand for immediate freedom for 
Leonard Peltier.

Note: Leonard Peltier Defense Committee <lpdc@idir.net> 
http://members.xoom.com/freePeltier/index.html 


* * *


BILINGUAL EDUCATION CRUSHED IN CALIFORNIA

by MC17

Voters in California overwhelmingly passed Proposition 227 
in early June putting an end to bilingual education within 
60 days and replacing it with a one-year program of English 
immersion. This is another victory for the white nation in 
the battle to take away all national identity and self-
determination from the Latino nations both within and 
outside u.s. borders. 

Built on land stolen from Mexico, it is ironic that the 
white immigrants to California would now be flexing their 
power that comes with the wealth and military strength of 
the white nation to try to eliminate the last remnants of 
Aztlan from California. Although the debate was made out to 
be a battle over the best way to teach English to Spanish 
speaking immigrants, the reality is quite different. The 
English only movement is a push for greater national 
chauvinism.

It is the unfortunate reality of assimilation that some 
Latino parents in Los Angeles were part of the leadership of 
Proposition 227. These people have been fooled by the 
Amerikan dream and believe that the goal of all immigrants 
should be to become as white as possible. Bilingual 
education not only helped students to become comfortable 
with English as a second language but also allowed them to 
preserve a part of their culture and national identity. 

But it is not only the Latino parents who are pushing this 
change, money buys influence and Ron K. Unz, a millionaire 
businessman who ran unsuccessfully against incumbent Gov. 
Pete Wilson in the 1994 Republican primary took the 
leadership of the movement to get Proposition 227 on the 
ballot. Opponents of bilingual education like to blame the 
poor educational achievement of all Latinos on the program. 
But if this is a fair evaluation then we must also blame the 
English only program for the failure of the many inner city 
youth (whose first language is English) who graduate high 
school without ever learning to read. The fact is that there 
are a number of studies that demonstrate that well run 
bilingual programs are more successful at educating youth in 
both their native language and in English and in fact often 
out perform students whose native language is English and 
hence are learning in an English only environment. This is 
logical because learning more than one language contributes 
to a student's overall language proficiency.(1)

As we build the fight for Aztlan free of imperialist control 
we must participate in these smaller battles for national 
identity and self-determination. Work with MIM to end 
imperialist domination of the Latino nations around the 
world.

Notes: See for instance NCBE Newsline, May 4, 1998. (A 
publication of the National Clearinghouse for Bilingual 
Education at The George Washington University.) 


* * * 


LETTERS

MIM WRONG ON MOTHER TERESA?

Dear MIM:

Your "indictment" of Mother Theresa is vaguely worded. She 
was a humanitarian and role model for us. Your 
disappointment that people believe in God is short-sighted. 
Albert Einstein, the secularist, marveled at the ever-
unfolding wonders of the universe.

Prisons do need reform.

The "people" are oppressed because we watch TV instead of 
demanding good government. Israel said "We'll bargain with 
Palestinians not PLO."

--An east coast reader February 1998

MIM responds: The article on Mother Teresa (MN147, October 
1, 1997) is very clear in its criticisms of Mother Teresa. 
This "role model" encouraged the poor to passively accept 
their position and in fact encouraged the view that there 
will always be poverty in the world so the poor should just 
take up religion. This is not an appreciation of the marvels 
of the world, it is an acceptance of poverty and suffering 
and a refusal to fight against injustice. 

As the article explained "Mother Teresa did far more than 
hold dying people in her arms. She also campaigned against 
birth control and other reproductive freedoms and then ran 
part of the insidious practice of baby-shipping that 
oppresses poor wimmin in many parts of the world. She 
encouraged poor wimmin to use what little calories and 
nutrients they could acquire on bearing babies, which they 
could then leave at her orphanages. Most of the infants in 
those orphanages are sent on for adoption in the United 
Snakes-for modest bureaucratic fees."

The article pointed out that not all religious people are 
enemies of the people, many can be allies of the 
revolutionary struggle. But religion is the ideology that 
encourages people to look to a "higher power" rather than 
take control of their life and the world around them. We can 
marvel at the wonders of the universe without attributing 
them to the supernatural. One of the great wonders of the 
universe is human's power to study and understand the world 
around us. It is a cop out that supports the oppressive 
status quo of imperialism to give up on materialism in favor 
of the mysticism of religion.

It is ironic that this letter writer thinks that watching TV 
rather than demanding good government leads to oppression. 
Worshipping the escapism of television is bad but 
worshipping the escapism of religion is good? It is true 
that people should reject television and instead spend their 
time demanding liberation and an end to oppression. The 
majority of the people within u.s. borders have the luxury 
and wealth to afford escaping into television and ignoring 
oppression around the world. It is the people of the Third 
World who have no choice but to fight their oppression or 
die. We encourage all people, religious and not, to join the 
fight against oppression.

MAOISM IN KANADA

MIM Comrades,

Fraternal greetings from the Canadian Arctic. Thank you for 
the recent information package that you sent. I've read and 
re-read all the information you sent from cover to cover and 
honestly have to say that I'm in complete agreement of what 
the MIM wants and believes.

Even though [our] fascist countries are indeed partners in 
crime against humanity the internal issues facing Communists 
are somewhat different. In your literature, you have well 
defined the issues in Amerika while I believe there exists a 
few added twists here in Canada.

There exists in Canada regionalism and factualisms 
[factionalisms], e.g.; French against English, First Nations 
against Europeans, Maritimes against Federal Government, 8 
Provinces and 2 Territories against Central Canada (Ontario, 
Quebec), Everybody (Left, Right & Centre) against Ottawa, 
East against West, North against South, etc. I believe that 
this program is promoted by the Capitalist and their puppets 
in Ottawa, the old divide and conquer policy. The Canadian 
government I think likes to promote itself as the friendly 
and quiet exploiters not only of the Third World but also of 
its own populace.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that both countries have 
the same goals they just employ different methods in 
implementing their plans. My little theory may be full of 
shit and totally off the track and if so let me know where 
I've gone astray.

If possible, I'd like to be a part of the MIM, please 
consider my request, I'm not sure how much I can be of use 
to the movement given my geographic location but any help is 
better than no help at all.

In Solidarity, 

- a friend in KKKanada

MIM responds: We welcome the help of all comrades both 
inside and outside u.s. borders. In fact there is much to be 
done in Kanada as we build a Maoist vanguard there. 

While it's true that there are differences between the 
united snakes and Kanada, the main and most important 
characteristics are the same. Within these two imperialist 
countries the principal contradiction is the same: the 
contradiction between oppressed nations and imperialism. In 
Kanada this is often manifested in the struggles between the 
First Nations and the imperialists. 

As in the united snakes, the majority of the population in 
Kanada is bought off by imperialist superprofits. The white 
nation in Kanada enjoys the privileges that the white nation 
in the u.s. enjoys. Although there are divisions within the 
white nation, between provinces and regions, these do not 
make up the principal contradiction. 

These divisions sometimes will create opportunities for us 
to organize against the imperialists but more often they 
will just lead to greater white nation chauvinism. The 
situation in Quebec is a good example. The First Nations in 
territory being occupied by Kanada recognize that the 
Quebecois separatists are an even greater threat to their 
autonomy and self-determination and strongly opposed Quebec 
separating from Kanada.

There are many ways that people around the world can get 
involved in the Maoist struggle. Writing articles about 
what's going on in your area from the perspective of the 
oppressed is a good way to get started. MIM Notes can always 
use writers.
 
  
* * *

Correction:

RAIL Comrades have at most two hands.

The article on the Newark Filipino student conference in MIM 
Notes 163 June 1 1998 contained a confusing error. We meant 
to say that Black soldiers in the U.$. army shared a common 
enemy with the Filipinos: Amerika; but that there was also 
an integrationist current that demanded the Black soldiers 
to perform well in battle, thereby proving their "worth" to 
Amerika. For revolutionary Black nationalists of the time, 
there was no contradiction between Black nationalism and the 
internationalist duty to switch sides and fight Amerika.


* * *


PROTESTS IN INDONESIA AND EAST TIMOR CONTINUE

by MC17

Protests continued in Indonesia and East Timor in June as 
the people  demanded more change in the government than the 
cosmetic change of leaders that took place when Suharto 
stepped down and Habibie, Suharto's protege, took over on 
May 21. Habibie, like Suharto before him, is closely backed 
by the United Snakes of Imperialism.

On 4 June, 1500 students took over Jakarta's main 
thoroughfare in a protest against Habibie. Indonesia's 
military chief issued a warning that the protesters should 
stop insulting the former dictator General Suharto. In 
response demonstrators shouted "Hang Suharto!" and demanded 
prosecution for his crimes of theft from the people during 
three decades  of military dictatorship.(1)

Habibie has been trying to deflect the people's attention 
from the crimes of the past for fear that any investigation 
into Suharto's crimes would quickly bring down the entire 
government that worked with and for the military dictator.

Habibie offered East Timor, a colony which is under the 
military rule of Indonesia since 1975, a special status in 
exchange for peace. The Timorese people have been fighting a 
war against the Indonesian occupation. Even peaceful 
protests have been met with violent repression on the part 
of the Indonesian military which has massacred close to a 
third of the population in an attempt to keep control of 
East Timor. (2) Habibie made it clear that this special 
status would not mean political autonomy for East Timor.

Habibie signed a decree to release 15 East Timorese rebels 
held as political prisoners in Indonesia in early June but 
stressed that he would not release Xanana Gusmao, a leader 
of the liberation movement, who is serving 20 years in a 
Jakarta prison for his fight against Indonesian rule. 

East Timorese activists quickly responded that the token 
status change would not be sufficient for them to end their 
guerrilla war against Indonesian rule. "They are rehashing 
an old position, which requires first that the United 
Nations recognize the illegal annexation of East Timor by 
Indonesia," said Jose Ramos-Horta, an independence activist 
from East Timor who shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996. 
"Only then might they consider some wishy-washy 'special 
status' for East Timor." "This is not a serious proposal, 
and I am stating unequivocally that we reject it," he said.  
(3)

More than 3,000 East Timorese protested for an end to 
Indonesian occupation of their country on June 10. 
Indonesian students joined in the protest shouting slogans 
in support of self-determination for the East Timorese 
people. "We want total independence. We want to be free," 
was a common sentiment among protesters.(3)

Even the East Timorese rebel flags have been banned and the 
potential threat of arrest or worse hung over the protest as 
activists only briefly displayed the flags.(3) 

A new military commander for East Timor, Col. Suhartono 
Suratman, was sworn in Wednesday in Dili. His predecessor 
and 11 other top officers and soldiers were killed in a 
helicopter crash last week. The army said it was an accident 
in bad weather, but East Timorese nationalists based in 
Portugal said rebels had shot it down. (3)

The Indonesian government continues to try to cover up for 
the crimes of the past while they perpetuate new crimes 
against the people, denying them freedom and self-
determination. Two police lieutenants accused in the 
killings of four student protesters were arraigned in a 
military court on June 6th. The May 12 shootings at Trisakti 
University led to days of rioting protests. The two cops are 
among 18 who face court martials as the military attempts to 
respond to demands for accountability by pacifying the 
people with token sacrifices. The military prosecutor 
claimed that the defendants caused the deaths of the 
students by failing to control policemen in their charge 
during the anti-Suharto rally at the university. (3)

NOTES:
1. Associated Press, 4 June, 1998
2. Associated Press, 10 June, 1998
3. Washington Post, 7 June, 1998, p. A22


* * *

CAPITALISM AND IMPERIALISM RESPONSIBLE FOR DISEASE AND 
DEATH, NOT "INDIVIDUAL LIFESTYLE CHOICES"

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical 
Association on June 3rd examined the relative importance of 
risky health behaviors (smoking, heavy drinking, being 
overweight, and sedentary lifestyle), low education, and 
poverty in causing increased mortality among the poor. Many 
people - including new age quacks who have a financial 
interest in promoting self-help as the solution to all the 
world's problems and members of the oppressed nations' 
bourgeoisie who want to deny the material roots of 
oppression - have put forward the hypothesis that these 
risky behaviors are the main reason poor people die at 
higher rates, because poor people tend to engage in high 
risk behaviors more than others. However, the JAMA study 
showed that these risk behaviors only "accounted for 12% to 
13% of the predictive effect of income on mortality."(1) In 
other words, programs preaching abstinence from smoking, or 
moderation in drinking, or the best way to jog to the 
relatively poor will not eliminate the main causes of 
increased mortality among the poor.

What does account for the difference in mortality rates? 
Lack of access to health care, for starters. Among the 
oppressed nations, which are disproportionately poor, this 
is certainly the case. For example, the infant mortality 
rate for Blacks is twice that for whites, and the maternal 
mortality rate for Blacks is more than three times that for 
whites. These rates are considered to be good indicators of 
the general health of a population. One reason for the 
differences in the these rates is a relative lack of pre-
natal care among Black wimmin; the percentage of Black 
wimmin who did not receive pre-natal care was nearly twice 
that of white wimmin. Even when Black wimmin have access to 
pre-natal care, they receive different treatment and 
advice.(2)

Other possible factors associated with the higher mortality 
rates: Exposure to environmental toxins, employment in high 
risk industries, distrust of the Amerikan medical 
establishment (remember Tuskeegee), and so on.(4)

An editorial in the same issue of JAMA suggested that the 
higher mortality rates may be due to the "high stress" 
associated with lower socio-economic status. The editorial 
goes on to argue, in effect, that more stress management 
courses for the poor will reduce excess mortality. This is 
simply a variant of earlier arguments about lifestyle risks 
and ignores the obvious material causes of increased 
mortality among the poor. Oppression should not be "managed" 
or adjusted to, it should be abolished.

Only socialism will be able to provide adequate health care 
for the oppressed masses of the world. Capitalism will never 
be able to provide basic health care to the laboring masses 
of the world because capitalism ensures that they will never 
have enough money to provide health care capitalists with 
the profits they crave. We realize this through Marx' theory 
of capitalism and proletarian revolution, and we can see it 
today, simply by looking at the criminal differences in 
health and health care between oppressed and oppressor 
nations. The lifetime risk of maternal mortality for African 
wimmin is over 200 times that of wimmin living in the united 
$tates; the risk for Somali wimmin is over 380 times that of 
wimmin living in the u.$.(3) Socialist countries like the 
USSR before 1954 and China before 1976 realized huge gains 
in basic health care for the masses - life expectancy more 
then doubled in China from liberation to the early 70s. In 
order to recreate those successes, we must overthrow the 
existing Amerikan bourgeois dictatorship and replace it with 
a dictatorship of the proletariat.

Notes: 

1. Lantz, et al, "Socioeconomic Factors, Health Behaviors, 
and Mortality," in: JAMA, June 3, 1998, pp. 1703-1708.

2. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 12 Jan 1995.

3. WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record, 19 April 1996.

4. Experiments were conducted on 400 Black men with syphilis 
from 1932 to the 1970s. The men were not told they had 
syphilis and treatment was withheld.


* * *


BLACK MAN BRUTALLY TORTURED AND MURDERED IN AMERIKKKAN SOUTH

by MC53

James Byrd, a 49 year old Black man was tortured and 
murdered on June 7th by three white settler nation men. 
Hitchhiking, Byrd was picked up by the settler supremacists 
and driven to a remote area in Jasper county, Texas. The 
three men began beating Byrd and then tied him to the back 
of the truck before driving again. Byrd was then tortured 
and dragged behind the truck and eventually died after being 
decapitated and dismembered.

One of the murderers told the pigs that the attack was an 
attempt to 'start a race war,' according to Reuters.(1) Make 
no mistake about it, ITAL Amerikkka is at war. END The white 
settler nation of Amerika is at war against Third World 
nations throughout the world and against Amerikkka's 
internal colonies held captive within the belly of the

imperialist beast. Amerikan imperialism dominates oppressed 
nations within its illegitimate borders through military 
repression, political control, economic domination and 
social warfare much like its war throughout the world 
against the oppressed.

Amerika's war against the Black, Latino and First Nations 
rests on the denial of oppressed nations to control their 
own political affairs. Through the repression of self-
determination, Amerikkka is not required to recognize and 
negotiate with the internal colonies as sovereign nations. 
Without political power, oppressed nations are subject to 
military occupation in addition to settler-dictated material 
reality.

Amerika's military domination of the internal colonies 
exists to dictate what land is occupied by the oppressed, it 
exists to ensure that the oppressed do not rebel against 
oppressive conditions, and it exists to protect the settler 
nation from the righteous wrath of the oppressed. Just as 
the Amerikkkan military trains to annihilate mass struggles 
throughout the world, the Amerikkkan INjustice system 
battles against the oppressed to kill potential soldiers of 
the struggle and to incarcerate a disproportionate number of 
the remaining oppressed nationals.

From the pigs on the streets targeting oppressed nationals - 
usually under the guise of the alleged war against drugs, 
gangs and crime - to the white nation juries, judges, prison 
guards, and parole officers, the white nation has armed 
itself and uses these weapons in its systematic campaign of 
genocide against the oppressed.

Amerikkka disproportionately incarcerates Black men in its 
prisons, jails and work kkkamps. These are some of the 
soldiers otherwise ready to stand up and fight against 
oppression and national domination. Still more oppressed 
nationals are steered away from revolution through 
intimidation. The repression against the Black nation's 
organization for liberation include incarceration of leaders 
and withholding revolutionaries for arbitrary reasons from 
being paroled. As the people's leaders are killed and 
imprisoned, the masses are constantly rounded up to prevent 
organization and mobilization against oppression.

While the white supremacists may have wanted to start a war, 
the Amerikkkan government has already done the dirty work 
for the white settler nation reactionary extremists. While 
the KKK (which the murderers were affiliated with, but 
allegedly not members) and other supremacist groups are 
dangerous in that they conduct violence against the masses, 
the United Snakes government is our primary target.

According to the Reuters report, the three murderers were 
recently in Amerikkka's prisons. Publicizing this helps 
Amerikkka to bolster support for the proliferation of 
prisons and stiffer requirements for release. However, it is 
the masses of the oppressed nations which are hit with the 
increasingly stiffer criminal INjustice system. MIM has seen 
repeatedly that revolutionary comrades (or even less 
political oppressed nationals) who have served their 
original sentences are denied parole and release

when a white prisoner would have been released. We don't 
mean that the white prisoner should be held captive longer, 
we merely recognize the unjust treatment of oppressed 
nationals as part of Amerikkka's war.

The case of these murderers shows that the Amerikkkan 
INjustice system does nothing to reform or reeducate 
prisoners. These prisoners were released after spending time 
in prison that could have been used to re-educate them. But 
the Amerikkkan INjustice system has no intention of working 
to help prisoners become productive internationalist members 
of society.

This is one of the many reasons that MIM works against the 
prison system in its entirety as it exists under 
imperialism. In China, prisons were used to confront 
individuals with their beliefs and actions that cause harm 
to other people or society. The prison terms were used as a 
time to improve, study, struggle and become productive 
additions to society. In Amerikkka, prisons do not serve to 
rehabilitate, but only to control.

MIM mourns the death of another Black man in Amerikkka. And 
we take the systematic genocide against the oppressed very 
seriously. This is why we are building a revolutionary 
internationalist vanguard Party to lead to the development 
and success of national liberation and genuine socialist 
revolution. This war against oppressed nations will only end 
when the oppressed have seized state power through armed 
revolutionary struggle. And the success of the revolution 
will be determined by its adherence to the universals of 
Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. Fight with MIM to build the 
foundations for successful revolutionary struggle to end the 
genocide afflicted by imperialism!

Note: Reuters. 9 June, 1998.


* * *


AMERIKKKAN IMPERIALISTS INTENSIFY MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST 
COLOMBIAN MASSES 

by MC53

The United Snakes of Imperialism is using several successful 
rebel battles against the Colombian military as 
justification to steadily increase the amount of military 
aid, funds to fight the alleged war on drugs, military 
equipment sales and troop training which it provides to its 
Colombian lackey government and military. Intensified 
guerrilla defeats of the imperialist lackeys has 
necessitated deeper u.$. militarization and control to 
thwart the struggle of the masses. The strength of the 
struggle has provided the justification Clinton et al were 
seeking to waive the paper penalties of the 1996/97 drug war 
ally decertification - which was supposed to be a ban on 
military equipment transfers and u.$. military training.

According to the bourgeois press, 'a classified Defense 
Intelligence Agency speculated that if current trends 
continue unchanged, the armed forces [of Colombia] could be 
defeated within five years.' MIM questions this piece of 
information just as any which comes from the bourgeoisie and 
its media. It is possible that the statement is false and is 
only being used to justify u.s. militarization. 
Nevertheless, the rebels and masses have clearly intensified 
struggle and given the imperialists cause for concern.

The Pentagon reported that in March, the rebels conducted 
its most serious defeat since the beginning of armed 
struggle in the 1960s. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of 
Colombia (FARC) crushed an army unit, killing 67 and 
capturing 30. According to the imperialists, the rebels have 
more than doubled in size over the last six years. While 
size is not definitive, this is coupled with reports of the 
rebels now controlling 50% of the country.(1) Again, 
depending on the agenda of the imperialists, the numbers and 
strength of guerrillas is usually understated or 
exaggerated. What MIM is certain of is that Amerika's 
constantly growing parasitism means that imperialism must be 
evermore exploitative to oppressed nations. And intensified 
oppression and exploitation pushes the masses further in 
struggle to expel imperialism and its lackeys. The 
strengthening of the Third World masses' struggles against 
u.$. imperialism will continue to become more acute until 
Amerika no longer has the power to exist as a parasite.

Military aid despite rhetoric of decertification

Whatever the actual numbers, the imperialists have used the 
military defeats to justify increased control to smash the 
masses of Colombia. The u.$. has maintained that stability 
in Colombia is necessary for stability for the region. 
Amerika has flip flopped more than once on how it wants to 
portray its justification for sending more military aid. R. 
Rand Beers, State Department anti-narcotics chief, worked 
with Bush to develop the 1990 "Andean Strategy" to spend 
$2.2. billion over a five year period to repress rebels 
under the guise of the war on drugs. Because stability and 
repression of the rebels in Colombia is essential to the 
imperialist agenda, Rand said that he would start with 
adding an additional $21 million to the amount of military 
aid sent to Colombia for 1998.

In November 1997, MIM reported that the u.$. allotted an 
additional $50 million in equipment to Colombia's military 
with the purpose of fighting the rebels. This approval was 
given with the on-paper-only stipulation that only Colombian 
army units which have not been engaged in human rights 
violations could receive the aid. The main problem with this 
stipulation is that it is the military itself which provides 
the confirmation that units meet this criteria.

The reason Clinton had to give special approval for the $50 
million was that Colombia was decertified as an ally in the 
war on drugs in 1996.(3) The decertification came in part 
after the President, Ernesto Samper, was exposed for having 
received millions for his campaign from the Cali drug 
cartel. Technically, this was supposed to mean that Amerika 
was not to send military aid. In reality, it meant that 
Amerika could send aid only under the cover of drug 
eradication and seizure.

When the United Snakes portrayed itself as cracking down on 
corruption and human rights violations through decertifying 
Colombia, in fact, the u.$. increased its military aid. And 
in the same time period, this military aid allegedly slated 
for drug eradication was evidently absolutely ineffective. 
The amount of money sent for 'drug eradication' jumped from 
$28.8 million in 1995 (before decertification) to $95.9 
million in 1997.(2) And between 1995 and 1997, the amount of 
cocaine produced increased by 50%.(2)

The u.$. needed to create a public disclaimer for its 
assistance to the corrupt Colombian government and military. 
But decertification only meant that the aid would all be 
focused as part of the war on drugs instead of general 
military aid. The line between the war on drugs and the war 
on the people is of course intentionally blurred by the 
imperialists labeling the rebels as narco-terrorists.

Amerika trains military on the sly

In addition to an alleged ban on military aid, penalties for 
decertification include restrictions on direct military 
training of Colombian troops by the u.$. military. 
Allegedly, Colombian units which were connected to human 
rights abuses should not be trained by the u.$. as that is 
considered military aid. However, under a 1991 law, U.S. 
Special Forces are permitted to train on foreign soil. 
Allegedly, the condition of this arrangement is that the 
Special Forces training should be for the benefit of the 
U.S. troops.(1) In the case of Colombia, the Pentagon 
justifies the action by stating that the terrain found in 
Colombia is not found in the u.$. and helps u.$. soldiers 
learn what they would otherwise not experience.

This means that U.S. Special Forces can train under the 
Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) with any other 
troops without the stipulations which exist on paper as a 
result of decertification. In both the cases of Indonesia 
and Colombia, U.S. Special Forces trained under the guise of 
learning from their hosts. In fact, the training exercises 
are used as a means to better equip the Colombian military 
for its battle against the masses.

Hundreds of U.S. troops from the 7th Special Operations 
Group and the Navy SEALS train each year in Colombia.(1) The 
training and exercises are conducted primarily in the areas 
where rebels are active.(1) The agreement for imperialist 
cross training with lackeys was reached in August 1997. The 
agreement stipulates that the training be used only by the 
Colombian military in the southern half of the country, also 
called "the box." Just as many stipulations are on paper, 
this special training arrangement enables the u.$. Special 
Forces to legally train the units which have been recognized 
as units engaged in human rights violations. This is 
allegedly because the u.$. does not have the power in such a 
circumstance to control who the Colombians send to training 
with the u.$.

All in all, the u.$. Special Forces have absolute impunity 
to train any Colombian military units, even those notorious 
for torture and massacres, and to use u.$. military 
equipment in "the box" where rebels are most active. While 
the Defense Department's accounting is different, the 
Special Forces engaged in 29 deployments in 1997 involving 
319 u.$. troops - according to the Special Operations 
Command.(1) For 1998, the estimate of deployments is about 
the same.

From other Defense Department statements, it is more 
obviously stated that u.$. troops train Colombian troops 
despite the law stating that it should be for the benefit of 
u.$. troops' own training. Generally, the training consists 
of jungle maneuvering, so-called anti-terrorism training, 
marksmenship, psychological warfare, intelligence training, 
etc. At the end of the training sessions, "the trainers will 
typically plan a "graduation" attack on the guerrillas and 
then wait at their base while the students carry it out."(2)

More money & power

Another breach of the penalties of decertification is the 
sale and transfer of military equipment to Colombia. Because 
of the many ways that the imperialists have skirted their 
own promises, the sale of military equipment has jumped 
instead of declined since decertification. In 1995, u.$. 
military sales to Colombia was $21.9 million and by 1997, it 
had jumped to $75 million.(2)

"Colombian military officials have also said they would like 
to buy armored attack MH-1 Cobra helicopters, and a Defense 
Department official predicted that the Pentagon would 
support such a request."(2) Perhaps, the u.$. will write up 
a fake stipulation on the sale like the one for the six 
Blackhawk helicopters Colombia bought in 1996. The 
stipulation is that the helicopters be used only in the 
fight against drug traffickers -- which can include rebels 
based on imperialist assessment.

As Amerika states that it does not want to be involved in a 
civil war in Colombia, it makes such ridiculous public 
relations agreements like the above. Stating that the 
helicopters should only be used against drugs and stating 
that troops should only be fighting in "the box" is in 
contradiction to stating that the u.$. is not targeting the 
rebels. The reason this is a contradiction is that the u.$. 
maintains that the rebels are involved in drug trafficking.

'War on Drugs' is War Against the Masses

Amerikkka's alleged war on drugs has never consisted of a 
plan to eradicate the production, distribution and use of 
drugs for the purpose of making the lives of the masses more 
productive and fulfilling. The alleged war on drugs is a war 
on people. Specifically, under the guise of the war on 
drugs, the Amerikkkan empire has justified militarized 
domination, occupation, and bloody war against the people of 
oppressed nations -- both outside and inside the 
illegitimate borders of the United Snakes. Amerika has 
successfully sugar-coated its intrusion of Third World 
countrysides and occupation of internal colonies with the 
mythological goal of eradicating drugs.

As MIM has documented many times, the imperialists are only 
too happy to directly or indirectly provide oppressed 
nationals within Amerika with drugs which dull the desire of 
the masses to fight for revolution. Genuine efforts to 
eradicate drug use should be modeled after China's 
successful history. The Chinese people, under the leadership 
of Mao Zedong, addressed drug use and addiction through 
changing oppressive and exploitative material conditions and 
through helping people to be productive and creative for the 
purpose of advancing the revolution. Genuine efforts to end 
drug use definitively must start with liberation of the 
masses from oppression.

Amerika is not interested in changing the conditions of 
oppression. Amerika only seeks to use its military and 
domestic pig forces to expand hegemony over oppressed 
nations. The alleged war on drugs is a perfect imperialist 
cover to expand this control. As a result of this alleged 
war, the incarceration for Black youth has skyrocketed. And 
as a result of the fierce war, the imperialists can justify 
throwing aside previous promises to deny aid to governments 
shown to systematically violate basic human rights.

To perpetuate their parasitism, the imperialists will stop 
at nothing to repress the masses of oppressed nations. The 
scenario of the imperialists creating a justification to 
militarize the countryside in Third World nations is nothing 
new. And the purpose has remained the same - to squash the 
development of genuine liberation of the oppressed masses.

Both the FARC and the National Liberation Army (ELN) are 
waging armed struggle against the imperialist-backed 
Colombian government. MIM supports genuine struggles of the 
people waging wars of national liberation. From the 
literature that MIM has read by and about them, both 
organizations appear to be focoist. Focoists follow the 
incorrect line of sensational military actions rather than 
waging People's War; the focoists expect to gain adherents 
through military inspiration instead of building independent 
power and support among the population. But MIM cannot make 
a complete analysis of the forces fighting the government in 
Colombia without further study of their theoretical writings 
and strategies. We can say with conviction that we oppose 
imperialism, and particularly United Snakes imperialism, in 
Colombia and we support the peoples right to self-
determination. Armed struggles is the only way the people 
will bring down the imperialist-supported government and we 
stand with the Colombian people on their struggle for a 
genuine people's democracy.

Notes: 

1. The Washington Post. 25 May 1998, p. A1. 

2. The New York Times. 2 June 1998, p. A1 and A12. 

3. MIM Notes #150, 15 November 1997. 



* * *


U$ CONDEMNATION OF NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION IN INDIA AND 
PAKISTAN A SHAM 

by RC93

Nuclear weapons testing in India and Pakistan in May 
received great condemnation from all over the globe, and 
rightfully so. Nuclear weapons are means of mass destruction 
that are against the interest of all people. Even if not 
used in war they pose serious environmental and health 
threats, while wasting time and energy that could be used in 
productive ways. However, the U$ keeps ten different types 
of nuclear weapons active; a total of 9600 bombs.(1) The U$ 
has carried out dozens upon dozens of such tests, as have 
the other nuclear powers--France, Britain, Russia and China. 
Therefore the condemnation of the imperialist powers is 
merely an act to maintain world hegemony, rather than an act 
in the interest of the people.

General bourgeois consensus has put the blame for this 
sudden eruption of arms development on India, who detonated 
five nuclear devices on May 11 and May 13. Given the history 
of strife with India, Pakistan felt that it had no choice 
but to prove its own nuclear power to the world and to 
itself by replying with five detonations on May 28 and one 
on May 30. Following India's actions, many countries 
attempted to prevent Pakistan from following suit with 
bribes and threats. President Clinton said that Pakistan 
would have to refrain from any nuclear testing in order to 
receive $501 million reimbursement for 28 U.S.-built F-16 
Falcon fighters.(2) This is money that Pakistan paid the U$ 
without receiving the promised jets. So the U$ has stolen 
the money from Pakistan. 

History of conflict

For decades India and Pakistan have been potential nuclear 
powers, following the five powers listed above. The other 
two potential nuclear states are Israel and South Africa. 
However, the South Afrikan government destroyed all of its 
nuclear devices and research allegedly because the cold war 
was over. It has also been speculated that this was an 
effort to keep a Black government from being a nuclear 
power, since this occurred before Blacks were able to gain a 
role in the government.(1) Israel is widely believed to have 
up to 20 nuclear weapons. Israel doesn't comment on the 
question, and the U.$ ignores the evidence because Israel is 
a close ally of Amerika. Post-Gulf War UN Resolution 242 
calls for eliminating all weapons of mass destruction from 
the Middle East, but the UN Security Council is only 
actively enforcing this against non-ally Iraq. 

India tested its first nuclear device in 1974, and did not 
test again until this year when it became a nuclear state in 
the eyes of the world. Pakistan replied to India's first 
test by beginning its own research in 1976, with help from 
China, another enemy bordering India. India and China have 
had continued border disputes which were the cause of war 
between the two countries in 1962. Since 1947 when India and 
Pakistan became separate states after their liberation from 
British occupancy, they have had border disputes as well 
which have led to three wars since then. Two of the wars 
were over Kashmir which is held by India, but which Pakistan 
claims is Muslim territory. Low-scale fighting continues 
along that border to this day. 

Tests not in the interests of the people

The media has reported strong support by the people of both 
nations in their recent actions. People in Pakistan 
celebrated the tests because of what they felt was a threat 
from India. India began its testing after weeks of 
corruption charges, dissensions, and intra party feuds among 
the new government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (Indian 
Peoples' Party).(3) The nuclear diversion helped to bring 
favor towards the party. 

Indians in the farming town of Chacha are complaining about 
the effects that the tests have had on them. Many people 
have become weak and ill since the blast. Two weeks after 
the test one man has lost five cows and 200 of his 300 sheep 
are sick and dying. People also fear that the blast has 
caused the temperature to reach 118 F. Although officials 
have claimed there were no gas leaks after the tests, one 
man from the village of Khetolai reported a dark brown cloud 
rising and dust blowing into the village for two hours on 
May 11. That village also reported that 196 of its 262 stone 
homes were damaged by the blast.(4) 

U$ maintains hypocrisy in law and actions

President Clinton condemned the budding of an arms race 
between Pakistan and India, calling it "a self-defeating 
cycle of escalation" that will only make things more 
dangerous.(5) This coming from a country who had 23,000 
nuclear weapons, including 26 different types by the end of 
the cold war.(1) START II required this number to be reduced 
to 3,000-3,500, yet neither the U$ nor Russia have complied 
to their pact. Meanwhile the U$ continues to modify its 
nuclear arsenal although it has stopped production since 
1989. Even the so-called 'retired' weapons require great 
care, as there is no effective way of disposing with them, 
resulting in a great environmental threat. 

The 1994 Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act requires the 
U$ to restrict any trade, aid, or loans except those 
pertaining to food and agriculture to any non-nuclear weapon 
state that detonates a nuclear device. First of all, this 
act clearly allows established nuclear powers to continue 
testing without repercussion, the logic being that they 
already have them, so we have to maintain our power over 
those who don't. However, even in this case, President 
Clinton is searching for loopholes in this act in regards to 
Pakistan.(6) The U$ had no problem placing the sanctions on 
India after its testing. The U$ looks more favorably on 
Pakistan since they have been a longtime U$ ally. Also, 
Pakistan is far more dependent on foreign aid, trade credits 
and lending from the International Monetary Fund(IMF) and 
the World Bank.(6) This indicates the great investment that 
the U$ has made in Pakistan compared to India, and to stop 
these funds would mean a loss of profit and power for the 
U$. 

U$ efforts have also included trying to convince both 
countries to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 
1968 (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty of the UN 
from 1996 (CTBT). The UN treaty requires the signatures of 
all 44 countries with nuclear power capabilities to sign in 
order for it to be effective. Therefore Pakistan and India's 
refusals to sign delay the treaty. However, Congress has yet 
to ratify the U$ signing of the CTBT while it continues to 
push for other countries to sign.(3) 

Both Pakistan and India have given mixed messages about 
their intentions to use nuclear weapons in the future. India 
has reiterated it is willing to discuss a "no-first-use" 
agreement with Pakistan and other countries, banning a 
nuclear first strike in the case of war. However this means 
nothing, but merely shows that this is a power struggle 
among governments who are not working in the interests of 
their citizens. 

Still, the U.N. Security Council, which is made up of the 
five nuclear powers previous to last month, has no right to 
be the deciding party in the situation. The U$ has enacted 
sanctions, tailoring them to its own interests. Many others 
such as Australia, Japan, and the Netherlands have cut off 
aid to the two countries. While MIM strongly opposes the 
proliferation of nuclear weapons, we do not support 
imperialist interests controlling the rest of the world. 

Notes:

1. The High Energy Weapons Archive, "A Guide to Nuclear 
Weapons." http://www.fas.org/nuke/hew/index.html 

2. Times Union. 28 May 1998, A3. 

3. Times Union. 2 June 1998, A7. 

4. Times Union. 31 May 1998, A11. 

5. Times Union. 31 May 1998, A1. 

6. Times Union. 30 May 1998, A1.


 * * *


GOVERNMENT STATS EXPOSE D.C.'S INJUSTICE SYSTEM

As of August 1, 1997, 96.1% of Washington, D.C. prisoners 
are Black, and only 1.5% are non-Hispanic white.(1) We 
calculate imprisonment rates per 100,000 as 2,782 for Blacks 
and 94 for whites (combining men and women).(4) The overall 
U.S. Black incarceration rate was 1,947 per 100,000 in 1992-
1993, and 306 for whites.(3) This means the Black 
imprisonment rates are worse in D.C. than in the rest of the 
country, and much lower for whites.

Unlike most of the country, Washington had a declining 
prison population from 1992 to 1996. This is probably the 
result of a weak government and police force. The number of 
sworn police officers fell from 5,679 in 1991 to 3,815 in 
1995 (the most recent number we found), so there were less 
people to make arrests. From 1992 to 1996 the number of 
prisoners per 100,000 population dropped by 12%, from 1,973 
to 1,739. However, in 1997 the rate bounced back up 6%, to 
1,841.(1) Another sign of a weak local police and injustice 
system could be the shift from arresting people for dealing 
drugs to arresting people for using drugs. From 1992 to 
1996, the percent of adult drug arrests for sales dropped 
from 35 to 13, while possession arrests rose from 65% to 86% 
of adult drug arrests - all while the total number of drug 
arrests didn't change much.(1) For whatever reason, this 
just means more persecution of people for drug use or 
alleged drug use, more repression of people who should not 
be considered criminals at all.

The juvenile imprisonment rates are just as unequal. In a 
1995 one-day count, the juvenile (ages 10-17) "custody" rate 
was 910 per 100,000 -- 1,992 for Black men, 269 for Black 
women, 326 for white men, and 0 for white women.(1)

RAIL argues that the whole injustice system is an oppression 
machine, especially targeting the oppressed Black, Latino 
and First Nations. We also acknowledge that some people in 
prison have done bad things and need to shape up - it's just 
that the worst criminals are in government and corporate 
boardrooms, not in jail. Still, talking to people on the 
street it's clear that most don't realize that a majority of 
prisoners are not there for violent crimes. In D.C., 53% of 
inmates were sentenced for non-violent crimes.(1) But even 
that is misleading, because a lot of "violent" crimes only 
included the threat of violence. Only 3% of all arrests are 
on charges of a violent crime that resulted in injury.(3) In 
D.C., 29% of adults in prison are there in for narcotics 
charges alone - that's almost 3,000 people in prison for 
drugs in this city.(1)

Washington shows an extreme form of the oppressive nature of 
Amerika's criminal injustice system, made worse by the lack 
of even basic democracy for the Black D.C. majority and the 
economic isolation of the city that results. DC-RAIL urges 
people to get involved with the local work to end the 
Amerikan lockdown. 

Notes:

1. Crime and Justice Trends in the District of Columbia. 
National Council on Crime and Delinquency. Washington, D.C., 
Fall 1997.

3. The Real War on Crime: The Report of the National 
Criminal Justice Commission, edited by Stephen R. Donziger 
(HarperCollins, 1996).

4. The Census Bureau has 1997 population estimates for D.C., 
but the most recent "race"-specific estimates are for 1996. 
So we assume the 1996-1997 population change was equal for 
Blacks and whites; it wasn't a big change anyway.


* * *


CALIFORNIA PRISON EXPANSION

Over the last ten years, the California prisons system 
followed the trends in the u.$. prisons system as a whole 
towards increased imprisonment and calculated brutality. In 
fact, the California Department of Corrections (CDC) boasts 
that it has undertaken the largest prisons expansion program 
in the u.$.(1) There are currently 156,789 inmates in all 
CDC facilities; this number grew by 13,849 in 1997 (almost 
10%). More than 145,000 of these inmates are in prisons.(2)

As is the case throughout the u.$. prisons system, people 
from the oppressed nations are imprisoned in California 
prisons at a disproportionate rate. The CDC claims that 34% 
of the population in all CDC institutions is Latino, and 31% 
is Black. However, these figures go up when we consider the 
population of the Security Housing Units (SHUs), (the CDC's 
control units). Fully 82% of those in SHUs are non-white, 
and 52% of those in SHUs are Latino.(3) About 45% of 
California's population is non-white; 32% is Latino, and 7% 
is Black.(7)

The SHUs: Central to CDC repression

The three California SHU's - Pelican Bay State Prison SHU, 
Valley State Prison for Women SHU, and the California State 
Prisons at Corcoran - are the lynchpin for the CDC's prison 
system. They are the most brutal prisons in the system and 
principally target those prisoners who show the most 
resistance. They are designed to break inmates' spirit. The 
SHU is a threat which hangs over the head of all CA 
prisoners.

According to California Prisons Focus, a mass organization 
which sprang up in opposition to the first CA SHU more than 
10 years ago:

"At Pelican Bay State Prison prisoners are kept in 
windowless cells for a minimum of 22 1/2 hours a day. They 
never see sun directly. There is no education, no job 
training, no work, no religious services, or hobby 
materials. No communal activities of any kind are allowed. 
All meals are eaten in cell. ... Prisoners are subject to 
strip searches upon departure from and return to their cell 
for the purpose of 'security' - when they have not come in 
contact with any other individual."

Conditions at Pelican Bay were found unconstitutional in 
1995 by a federal court, which ruled that prisoners were 
subjected to gratuitous and racist beatings and that medical 
facilities were inadequate. Prisoners report that little has 
changed since this ruling. Corcoran prison is infamous for 
its daily "gladiator fights," staged between 1988 and 1996. 
Guards would manipulate exercise schedules so that known 
enemies would be in the handball-court-sized recreation area 
at the same time. Fights were basically certain, and guards 
bet on the outcome. After a fight had gone on for a while, 
guards would break it up by firing wooden bullets at the 
prisoners. Hundreds of prisoners were injured in these 
fights - including seven murdered by guards.(3) These are 
only a few of the tortures and terrors implemented by the 
CDC.

Transfer to and from a SHU depends on the whims of a 
classification committee. Prisoners are not allowed legal 
counsel before this kangaroo court. The CDC claims that the 
SHUs house "the worst of the worst," who are kept in 
lockdown because they pose a danger to other prisoners. 
However - again as is the case in other control units 
throughout the u.$. - many of the prisoners in California's 
SHUs are there because they are jailhouse lawyers, or have 
filed too many grievances.

The CDC also uses the policy of "snitch, parole, or die" to 
justify further repression and turn prisoners against each 
other. Prisoners can be transferred to the SHU - regardless 
of good behavior or their sentence - if "confidential 
informants" label them gang members. Prisoners are not 
allowed to confront their accusers or defend against the 
allegation of gang membership, so many of those sent to the 
SHU under this policy may indeed be innocent of the so-
called crime of gang membership. Once in the SHU, these 
prisoners can only leave if they inform on another "gang 
member," are paroled, or die. This is clearly a policy aimed 
at creating a need for SHU space and fanning the flames of 
the anti-gang (read: anti-oppressed nation youth) hysteria. 
As California Prison Focus points out, this CDC policy 
violates the international bourgeoisie's own standards for 
fair treatment of prisoners. "The practice of throwing 
somebody in solitary confinement in order to extract 
information is considered torture and is prohibited by the 
Geneva Convention governing wartime combatants." 
"Information gained under such duress is notoriously 
inaccurate."(3) 

Anti-people violence for sick fun and profit

The CDC and the California Correctional Peace Officers Union 
- the guards' union is the largest contributor to political 
causes in California - used these fights at Corcoran to 
justify the CDC's bloated budget and an increase in 
repressive measures in CDC facilities.(6) Prisons have 
become big business. Prisoners are exploited at Third World 
rates (indeed, slavery is still legal within prison walls), 
contracts to build and run prisons are lucrative, if 
unproductive, ways for clever capitalists to scam money from 
so-called public funds, and the prison guards' wages place 
them comfortably in the ranks of the labor aristocracy (a 
position they will fight to defend).(7) The fights and 
shootings at Corcoran show that the bourgeoisie and its 
lackeys will happily provoke and carry out violence all for 
a cheap and fast buck.

Just as the "snitch parole or die" policy and the "gladiator 
fights" at Corcoran create the bogus illusion of a need for 
SHU space, other CDC policies regulating even the most 
mundane aspects of prisoners' lives are designed to provoke 
prisoners and pave the way for further prisons expansion and 
crackdowns. Since the end of 1997, the CDC has (a) 
prohibited long hair and beards among male prisoners - some 
of whom wear their hair long for religious reasons, (b) 
taken away the $1 million budget for the prison law library, 
and (c) taken away prisoners' weights, restricting their 
already limited recreation and increasing hazards to their 
physical health. Further restrictions being discussed 
include prohibiting quarterly packages and eliminating 
smoking and personal TVs.(4)

Whether or not the CDC prisoncrats were consciously 
manipulating the law that "oppression breeds resistance," 
they proved it true again. On New Year's Day 1998 over 1,000 
prisoners in Folsom State prison rebelled by throwing 
burning toilet paper over the tiers, banging on cell doors, 
and refusing to eat. In the words of a San Quentin prisoner, 
"We do have a little bit of life in here, debased as it is, 
but there's stuff to do. [The grooming restrictions are] 
just too much."(5)

What is to be done?

Single-issue work around prison brutality is important work. 
However, ultimately, the systems of imperialist national 
oppression and capitalist exploitation - that is, the 
systems which create the need for oppressive institutions 
like the CDC - must be overthrown in order to change the 
Amerikan prison system. The movement against prison 
expansion and prison brutality must be part and parcel of 
the movement against imperialism and for socialism.

Notes: 

1. California Department of Corrections homepage. 
http://www.cdc.state.ca.us. 

2. California Department of Corrections factsheet. 
http://www.cdc.state.ca.us/factsht.htm. 

3. California Prison Focus website: 
http://www.igc.org/jusitce/cpf. 

4. Prison Legal News, Mar 1998, p. 18; Prison Legal News, 
Apr 1998, p. 5. 

5. Prison Legal News, Apr 1998, p. 9. 

6. The San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Oct 96.

7. 1996 Statistical Abstract of the United States. 


* * *


SUPPORT REVOLUTIONARY STUDY GROUPS UNDER LOCK & KEY

MIM recently solicited and received a large anonymous 
donation of progressive books specifically for the Serve the 
People Books for Prisoners Program. MIM will work with its 
supporters to send these several hundred books out to 
prisoners and use this opportunity to sustain and expand 
work with prisoners to develop anti-imperialist study groups 
under lock and key.

We remind our readers that we have a constant flow of 
requests by prisoners for political, historical, anti-
imperialist and revolutionary reading material. Distributing 
this one donation only fills a portion of the needs of our 
comrades under lock and key. We need our readers to send 
cold hard cash to help with costs that range well over one 
thousand dollars for this small project of the Serve the 
People Books for Prisoners Program. We also need more 
readers to get involved in soliciting and obtaining needed 
study group material for incarcerated comrades.

Prison comrades: If you want to read literature on a certain 
topic, let us know and we'll see what we have. If you will 
read, study and review the book [for MIM Theory] we will 
send you "The Geopolitics of Hunger" by Jose de Castro [five 
copies available] or "The Struggle for Zimbabwe" by David 
Martin and Phyllis Johnson [9 copies available.] These are 
all bound paperbacks -- check with your facility on policies 
regarding receiving books. See future MIM Notes for 
announcements of other study materials and requests for 
books reviews by prison comrades.


* * *


PIG LOBBY KILLS CONGRESSIONAL BILL TO STUDY RACIST TRAFFIC 
STOPS 

MIM and Black nationalists have long exposed the practice by 
which police stop motorists simply for being Black. MIM and 
others have called the "charge" DWB, or Driving While Black. 
Congressional Representative John Conyers Jr. (D-MI) had 
sponsored a bill to require the Justice Department to 
"collect racial and ethnic statistics on traffic stops."

After the bill was watered down, preventing the data from 
being used to "establish 'an inference of discrimination" in 
future lawsuits arising from contested police stops of Black 
motorists" it passed in the House. But strong opposition 
from the National Association of Pig Organizations (a group 
of 4,000 unions) and the National Troopers Koalition has 
consigned the bill to languish in the Senate Judiciary 
Committee. The bill might be dead, but the effort will no 
doubt help Conyers with Black Detroit voters.

According to the National Association of Pig Organizations, 
there is "no pressing need or justification for this study." 
Members of the oppressed nations have their own experiences 
to prove this false, and some of our younger white readers 
may need to hear it from some of imperialism's top leaders 
to think otherwise:

Conyers told the House in debate: "There are virtually no 
African-American males -- including congressmen, actors, 
athletes, and office workers -- who have not been stopped at 
one time or another for an alleged traffic violation, namely 
driving while Black."

And two years ago Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the 9th US 
Circuit Court of Appeals wrote: "It is clear ... that 
African-Americans are stopped by the police in 
disproportionate numbers."

One of the reasons the pigs give to opposing the bill is a 
complete ruse.

The pigs allegedly are concerned that they "would resent 
being asked to collect data on the race or ethnic background 
of those they stop and often search, and that many motorists 
would balk as well." 

MIM thinks the pigs would resent this on two fronts: First, 
such hard, continent-wide data would be yet another nail in 
the coffin of this rotten imperialist system and it's phony 
claims of being "race-neutral." In fact, this system depends 
on the brutal oppression and exploitation of the Black, 
Latino and First Nations by white Amerika. The police are 
the front lines in Amerika's war against these internal 
colonies. Secondly, compiling such data would remove the 
charade of "race-neutrality before the law" that the so-
called "good cops" uphold. Such "good cops" would be forced 
to challenge too many of the systems assumptions.

And the pigs are right, most motorists would balk at this 
data collection. Most whites and integration-minded 
oppressed nationals try very hard to ignore the issue of 
national oppression and don't like to be categorized or 
think about their position in the Amerikan empire. And for 
the majority of oppressed nationals who know that they were 
pulled over for racist reasons in the first place, putting 
their nationality further to the front of the pigs mind by 
answering the question "License, registration and race, 
please." is the last thing they'll want to do.

MIM works for national liberation against this rotten 
imperialist system. We want to see nations control their own 
police forces.  While we recognize that some good could come 
out of Imperialist Conyers' bill, we have no illusions that 
he is on the side of the oppressed. But in this case that 
point is moot, since the ITAL system END made sure his bill 
didn't pass.

Note: Boston Globe 2 June 1998, p. A7.


* * *


WHAT DO YOU SPEND $75 ON?

As MIM Notes readers know, MIM and RAIL send the newspaper 
to prisoners for free as well as MIM Theory journals, Marx, 
Lenin, Mao classics, literature by and on the Black Panther 
Party and many other types of revolutionary literature. The 
Serve the People Books for Prisoners Program has grown 
exponentially as MIM and the masses have continued to spread 
the word and educate and mobilize prisoners into battles 
against oppression. We have a constant stream of requests 
from prisoners asking for revolutionary and historical 
material. This program is funded in various ways, but 
primarily it is funded from help on the outside because 
prisoners are not paid the value of their labor, and are 
forced to spend little money they earn (if they receive it) 
on basic necessities. 

In May, an Attica prisoner sent MIM $75 in order to receive 
revolutionary materials to study and help other brothers 
learn more about the parasitic and oppressive nature of 
imperialism. Most prisoners are not able to send money to 
MIM for the literature and when they do, for many prisoners 
it is a much deeper sacrifice than most people on the 
outside in Amerikkka will ever understand.

If prisoners can scrape together money, then what about you? 
What about sending along $100 every two months to help us 
send materials to prisoners? 


* * *


UNDER LOCK AND KEY: NEWS FROM PRISONS AND PRISONERS

One Hundred Years of Resistance

...I would like to comment on a couple of articles printed in 
MIM Notes (February 1, 1998 issue): "Amerikan COINTELPRO 
Continues, Puerto Rican Independence Movement Under Attack" 
and "Freedom and Amnesty for Puerto Rican Independence 
Leaders". Thank you for shedding light on these topics. 
Those were great articles, which will hopefully open some 
eyes on this ongoing struggle.

...The administration where I am incarcerated at seems to be 
very biased toward not only the Puerto Rican Independence 
Movement but to Puerto Rico as a whole. I have been mailed 
letters, pictures and literature pertaining to Puerto Rico 
and it never reaches my cell. In the past I have had 
literature as well as flags confiscated from my cell 
numerous times.

I am a proud Puerto Rican brother with strong beliefs. I 
have always been for Independence of our Island. ...I carry my 
flag up high proudly as do many other Boricuas. We were all 
United Snakes born but this did not deter us from searching 
for our roots studying up on our history and its struggles 
(both Spanish and Amerikan) to overcome oppression and seek 
liberation of its inhabitants from Colonial rule. But for 
every one Boricua who has studied their history there are 
five who haven't. You ask the majority of United Snakes born 
Puerto Ricans who Emertrio Betances, Don Pedro Albizu 
Campos, Blanca Canoles, or Lolita Lebron are and they will 
not have a clue. But ask them if they ever heard of George 
Washington, John Wayne or David Duke and they will reply 
"correctly" within the blink of an eye.

It is sad how many are lost mentally. Especially when there 
are so many Latino Organizations with powerful as well as 
positive names such as The  Family (La Familia) and the 
Latin King Queen Nation. Yet there is still so much violence 
against (amongst) our own. This lack of interest is why we 
continue to kill one another. Depleting our own numbers. 

If individuals were aware of their history and the past 
struggles, sacrifices and true revolutionary figures, maybe 
there would be a lot more respect and less violence. It's 
bad enough we have to watch our backs against the machine. 
Why do we have to continue to watch our backs from our own 
brothers and sisters in the struggle as well? I sincerely 
hope that individuals awaken from this madness before it's 
too late.

Right now as it stands, there are fifteen Puerto Rican 
Prisoners of War (mothers and fathers) incarcerated under 
hellish conditions in Amerikan Gulags because of their 
political beliefs; and love of their people and Island. 
Fighting this Hundred Year War of Liberation against these 
Devil Imperialists.

One hundred years later these people [Amerikkka] are not 
satisfied with their exploitation of our Island. They are 
still in the mix of things trying to make Puerto Rico a 
state. Unfortunately with all the people who have been 
brainwashed and/or made dependent on the United Snakes, it 
may happen. If it does happen all will be lost. 

Rise up brothers and sisters. Unite for the rights of your 
people before our Island becomes another permanent fixture 
of Amerikan Imperialism.

Personal respects to: Oscar Lopez Rivera, Alejandrina 
Torres, Antonio "Camacho" Negron, Edwin Cortez, Elizam 
Escobar, Alicia Rodriguez, Juan Segarra Palmer, Carlos 
Torres, Carmen Valentin, Ida Luz Rodriguez, Adolfo Matos, 
and all other Puerto Rican Prisoners of War. We pray for 
your liberation. Also to those who have passed away fighting 
for the cause, you may be gone but not forgotten.

-A Puerto Rican Prisoner, 15 March 1998

Imperialist Criminals Warehouse the Masses

MIM,

I am a prisoner of war being housed at Maryland's "Super 
Maximum' facility. I have been here since December 1996 - 
obviously warehoused with 228 other so-called felons.

...This is the only country in the world where one is 
imprisoned not so much for what he does, but rather for what 
he represents. It is true that we of the working class are 
subject to the political apparatus. Those who privately 
profit from this warped economic system, are the same ones 
who flood the poverty stricken communities with narcotics 
and guns. The same politicians and capitalistic elite talk 
of tougher prison sanctions and crime prevention when they 
are responsible for the crime itself.

I no longer accept being the victim and would very much like 
to opportunity to align myself with others who know the 
enemy and commit to the struggle. ...In closing I say if you 
possess allies, unite with them. I you find yourself in 
enemy territory, do not linger. If you find yourself 
imprisoned, you must hold your body still and concentrate 
with your mind until a way out presents itself to you.

Power to the People!

-A Maryland Prisoner, 2 May 1998

Transferred to Suppress Political Views

I write to inform you that I was transferred back to this 
Maximum Control Facility in March. I am under the belief 
that the officials at the last facility conspired to send me 
back here to persecute me for my progressive political 
activities. 

This is another repressive measure being used by my keepers 
to suppress my progressive revolutionary voice among my 
brothers who are being held by force, not by choice in these 
genocidal tombs as I am. 

I am currently under punitive measures. Nothing has changed 
for the better. It is more or less being used as a warehouse 
for the human commodity that dwells here. 

I've begun to realize that many of my brothers presently 
housed here are very ignorant to what's happening to them 
here. Thus the neo-colonialist agents who run this genocidal 
tomb have capitalized off the ignorance of these brothers 
and continue to get away with crimes of genocide....

Struggling,

-An Indiana Prisoner, 30 March, 1998

Breaking the Silence

The state of TX has more prisoners held captive inside the 
womb of her plantations than any other. It is my position as 
a Black man in the struggle and should be the position of 
every conscious mind that's here in the u.s. to rise up its 
nation. The Black, Latino and Mexican communities are the 
most shot and killed by the police, the most arrested by the 
police, and the most unfairly tried and condemned by this 
racist judicial system. Over and again the overt racist acts 
that are committed against us are so egregious that even the 
major media, and middle-class white Amerikans cry out in 
protest. 

But way too often my own people are silent. And for those of 
us who are less blessed are often forgotten too. I glance at 
the TV, newspaper or whatever it may be. Our so-called Black 
professionals are quick to point out the problems with the 
Black communities, but when it is time to bring the solution 
into action all that have been said have been forgotten. 
There's no secret why Texas prisons are full of young Black 
males, cause if our own people forsake us how can we expect 
anyone else to accept us? 

Within confinement I have gained much and lost dearly. I 
have gained knowledge of self, which brings pride and 
discipline. I have lost my mother through death, and many 
close and dear friends through gang violence. I have been 
confined since I was seventeen and now am twenty-two.... There 
are many talented young brothers in here as well as 
intelligence, but there is no such thing as hope for these 
African man trapped inside.

Please don't misunderstand me there are some men here who 
deserve to be here, and there are some who don't deserve to 
take another breath. But there are some of us who have done 
nothing horribly wrong as what the Menedez brothers did, or 
Susan Smith the woman who drowned her two children and then 
said a Black man kidnapped them. There are many brothers 
here who cannot write nor read and half barely average a 
fifth to sixth grade average. Few of you don't know what the 
treatment is like, cause what prisons administrators tell 
you is not anything near the truth. So when I ask for your 
help I don't mean monetary help. I am speaking of genuine 
interest in what is happening to our people. We are still 
your people, we just happen to be in prison. 

Investigate and you will find in here those of us that are 
often imprisoned confront sadness, loneliness, feeling of 
betrayal and real pain that often turns to rock hard anger 
after so long behind bars, then when we are released as 
older men with nothing awaiting us except a greyhound bus to 
a street with a hotel where the bathroom is down the hall. 

-A Texas Prisoner

MIM Adds:

Some prisoners may have done criminal acts, but the United 
Snakes Injustice System is not fit to judge criminal 
behavior since it advocates the greater criminal act of 
imperialist murder and oppression. The biggest criminals are 
the ones running the system and creating the jails. 

Inmates Battle Injustice and Corruption

It's a lot of corruption and injustice that goes on in this 
unit which was supposed to be set-up for the worst of the 
worst convicts. I have seen a lot of innocent convicts. Me 
and my ex-cellmate were departed from each other due to our 
gay beliefs. 

We were placed on lockdown (U.C.U.) on 72 hours stripped out 
no blankets no hygiene. Pigs spit in our food tamper with 
our mail, not just gay convicts but all. I was slammed on 
the ground face first for turning my head...

...This pig still doing the same like the others I named. 
There's no justice in this place SMU2 [Security Management 
Unit 2]. The Disciplinary Hearing Officer (DHO) takes the 
pigs' side every time. For the past month I haven't gotten 
my periodicals such as the newsletters Coalition for 
Prisoners' Rights, and the Prisoners' Rights Union. 

I was given MIM's address to expose the truth from a convict 
that wished not to expose his name. So this unjust and 
corrupt system can be exposed to the people on how the pigs 
treat us. Every damn thing is almost denied for us. Some 
convicts gave up hope ... the convict that didn't want his 
name exposed he gave up. 

Convicts that are battling injustice and corruption told me 
to expose it all based on how corrupt it is. I had to beg 
the convict for this address so these pigs dirty work can be 
exposed. We must fight against injustice and corruption of 
these pigs. We must get our rights. So don't be scared to 
pick up a pen and get some paper to expose the corruption of 
these pigs.

-A Prisoner, 9 April 1998

Suspending College Classes

...MIM wanted to know why Michigan decided to suspend college 
classes [in prison]. The state decided that is was too 
expensive to keep all the programs in existence. As we know 
the state has no interest in rehabilitating prisoners. You 
know the saddest thing about this is the courts refuse to 
let them take exercise weights out of the institutions, but 
allowed oppressors to discontinue college classes.

States have a goal to reserve funds, so they can hire more 
staff (officers) to run the multiple prisons they are 
building, or preparing to build. They still have pretend GED 
school, which, in most of the prisons, is a joke. Our 
education has been reduced by the so-called mighty swing of 
the oppressor's wrath. Which comes with consistent blows. 

Yes, the DOC [Department of Incorrections] recognizes that 
any education can be dangerous! Five years ago a teacher 
told me that the State no longer has the funds to operate 
college classes. It is my opinion, that the funds are being 
shifted to hire more oppressors. My opinions come from what 
I see! ...

-A Michigan Prisoner, 1 March 1998

The following letter was sent to MIM in April 1998. It was 
written to the Governor of Kansas.

Deprived of Proper Medical Care

Bill Grave, Kansas Governor

State Capital, 2nd Floor

Topeka, Kansas 66612-1590

Dear Governor Graves:

State Correctional Officials are deliberately allowing a 
pattern of indifference regarding inmates medical needs to 
occur. This is resulting in the increase of untimely and 
unnecessary deaths of inmates from medical conditions that 
usually are effectively managed, arrested and even cured by 
adequate and proper medical care.

Inmates are being deprived of proper and adequate medical 
treatment. These facility medical departments and doctors 
are deliberately failing to acknowledge and diagnose medical 
conditions in inmates in an effort to save the money that 
would be required for the medications, treatments and other 
interventions for a given medical condition. Even when an 
inmate is diagnosed with a particular medical condition 
and/or disease, only the bare minimum and often time 
obsolete treatments are being used. There is no attempt to 
actually correct or cure the condition or disease; just 
protractedly manage it.

In support of my allegation, I submit the following 
individual cases and situations from some of the 
correctional facilities in the state of Kansas:

In May of 1992, Mr. X, complained to Dr. H at the Lansing 
Correctional Facility for months about blood in his stool, 
weight loss and extreme frequent pain in his lower stomach. 
Nothing was ever done about his condition. Three months 
later Mr. X had to be taken to the hospital for emergency 
surgery. He lost his entire colon. He now lives with a 
colonostomy.

In December of 1994, Nathaniel Smith complained to Dr. H at 
the Lansing Correctional Facility that he was having chest 
pains. Dr. H examined him, told him it was gas, and sent him 
back to the cell house. Early that evening Nathaniel Smith 
died of a heart attack.

In February of 1996, Mr. Y complained to El Dorado 
Correctional Facility Dr. P about severe pain in the upper 
left side of his stomach. Dr. P told Mr. Y that he was 
suffering from stomach acid and told him to take some Tums. 
The pain Mr. Y was having persisted for months, and he 
complained to Dr. P for months. In April 1996 Mr. Y had to 
be rushed (because of imminent death) to the Hospital for 
emergency surgery. His pancreas had completely stopped 
working.

Mr. Y is a diabetic, and his condition was caused by 
facility medical staff not giving him insulin injections 
according to the recommended guidelines for certain blood 
sugar levels. The facility medical department and doctor 
allowed Mr. Y to go for two and three years with blood sugar 
levels of 200 and 300 without giving him injections of 
insulin.

Additionally, there are about thirty-six inmates in 
Administrative Segregation with diabetes. At least fifteen 
of these guys' blood sugar levels have been over 200 and 300 
numerous times through the months for years and none of 
these guys have been given insulin. As a matter of fact, out 
of the thirty-six diabetics in Administrative Segregation, 
only one is getting insulin injections according to the 
recommended guidelines.

In May of 1997, Arthur Chandler died because he did not 
receive adequate medical treatment from the El Dorado 
Correctional Facility medical department for his kidney 
problem. He was transferred to the Lansing Correctional 
Facility where he died two months later.

In February of 1997, Kenneth McArthur died from and 
undiagnosed cerebral hemorrhage.

I have three reasons why I'm writing you this letter:

I have my own medical condition, a liver and colon 
infection. I cannot seem to get properly examined and 
treated for this. It is my hope that you [will]... encourage 
the facility medical department to conduct an examination or 
probe of my liver. And ascertain the cause of blood in my 
stool, the pain in my liver and lower back, and the extent 
of my problem. I would like an intervention to attempt to 
arrest my problem before it becomes worse.

I have a legal obligation to make you aware of this 
situation.

And finally, I am tired of seeing inmates die unnecessarily 
and I am hoping you will do something about this situation. 
I have been in Administrative Segregation here at the El 
Dorado Correctional Facility for four years. During that 
time seven inmates have unnecessarily died in here. That's 
roughly two inmates a year.

This should be unacceptable, if not intolerable.

I thank you for your time, and hopefully concern regarding 
this  situation.

-A Kansas Prisoner 27 August, 1997

Guards Force Naked Transport in Winter Cold

Well I have another tale of blatant abuse by these officers 
here. On March 3, 1998, I was transported to the county 
hospital Emergency Room for treatment of a suspected drug 
overdose. I hadn't eaten or responded to anyone in more than 
two days. Early on the third day I was rushed to the 
infirmary here on the unit. 

They tried everything to get me to respond - to acknowledge 
where I was and what was happening, including several 
"painful stimuli" techniques. None were successful, so they 
called an ambulance. I just lay there staring at the 
ceiling. After being examined by the ER [Emergency Room] 
docs - which included blood tests, urine tests, EKG/EEG 
tests and x-rays, they determined that it was psychological 
and referred me to the Acute Care psychiatric Facility 3 
hours away. 

These officers transported me naked in freezing weather (32 
degrees F), forcing me to curl up in the backseat shivering. 
By the time I got there, I'm sure the staff thought I was 
convulsing. A Lieutenant here ordered the transporting 
officers not to clothe me, I found out, just to harass and 
humiliate me. That I caught a cold is beside the point. This 
was a clear violation of my constitutional rights - my human 
rights - and a perfect example of inhumane treatment, cruel 
and unusual punishment in one of its worst forms. Of course 
I'm taking action against all involved. 

They also stole six educational books claiming that they had 
"no labels" on them. A label on a book? If he meant covers, 
they all had front and back covers, so its obvious what time 
it was (and is). The oppression continues...

-Texas prisoner 6 April 1998