Anarchy Live! Writings of Anarchist Prisoner Michael Kimble
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For more writings and contact information for Michacl anarchylive.noblogs.org
INTRO  “Affective struggle changes those struggling, as well s the world around them”  Clenched-fist salute! Welcome to anarchylive. Anarchylive i a suppore site for Michael Kimble, but more importantly, a space for promoting radical/ anarchist thought, smashing the state and building unity among anarchists and all those who desire to radically transform this corrupt and rotten world into 2 world worth living in for humyns and wildlif alike.  Thisisavehicle to put forth, pushandimplement real world possibilicis. Thisis crucial because in this 215t century world, an agenda of assimilation into. the current corrupt and rotten poliical, cconomic, and social status quo is being aggressively promoted in every arena, not only by the capitalist ruling class, but by neo-kolonial, pecey-bourgeois, and what the BPP called illegitimate kapicalist (hustlers, robbers, etc.) clements, and many are faling victim to this harmful ideology. Not truly understanding that this ideology that’s being aggressively promoted wanslates into slavery, super-exploitation, and death for millions of people and wildlife. Itis my belicf that anarchism is the best alternaive to what exists today for humyn and wildlif.  Although i and others are presently being held kaptive in the prison slave kamps, does not mean that we should be inactive in the social war taking place throughout the world or that our vision should be narrow and confined o so-called prison issues. We must come to understand that the so-called prison issues are connected to and an outgrowth of the political, economic, and social system of kapicalst democracy.  We are under no illusion that the struggle for a better world i casy as makinga cup of coffee, but it s possible and worth fighting fo.  “The war goes on wherever one finds him/hersclf on bourgeois dominated soil”
TO MY COMRADES  Comrades, I hope you all are doing well and continuing to resist the excesses of this rapacious system of slavery, exploitation, and oppression. I’m doing great, although I’ve had some rough times lately. But I’m alive and in resistance and find solace in that, along with all that’s happening out there.  Comrades, from all the info I’ve been able to get my hands on there scems to be a heightened level of struggle and movemen building in the Black colonies throughout the USA against police violence, racism, white supremacy; and it hasn’t taken long for this movement in infancy to make the connection between the above mentioned ills of US capitalist socicty and the mass incarceration of Black and Brown people. One participant of a new formation of various organizations/collectives called Third World Resistance (TWR) made the following statement during the #ReclaimMLK demo in Oakland in January: “It is really empowering to see our commanities rising up against the violent policing of Black people. But we must also be just as enraged at the violence that is harder to sce, the violence of our people disappearing into cages. This country, which locks up more people than any other, plays a hand in locking up even more beyond its borders by exporting and sharing tactics and models of repression with oppressive governments, from Isracl to Haiti and the Philippines.”  Connections,the whole matrix between the prison-industrial compler, white supremacy, business, domination, control, and exploitation, ctc. Thar’s what we’re looking for and need to explain in a clear, no bullshit language. This is the point of actack. From all that’ taking place out there I’m really beginning 0 believe that we just may get to witness the destruction of Leviathan and dance in the ruins of civilization in our lifetime. And it having its presence feltin che prisons. Will it translate inco action? Who can say? Bu the slaves are getting restless in here. Bolder. The drugs, TV, sporcs, gangs, ctc. can’t keep up. distracted forever. People can’t be so repressed that they can’t fight back in some. way. And you all should know that prisoners are really ingenious. I’m taking heart in the rebellions taking place throughout the world, not just in the USA. The only freedom today, now, is in struggle and aggressive free action.
For the last few months I’ve been reading and analyzing the rapidly building movemen since the rebellions in Ferguson and Oakland, and other places where anti-police demos have been popping off. I don’t claim to have all the answers buc T simply want people to accept this as a contribution to the development. of anarchist strategy: I think all the old models of bringing about revolution is obsolete to 2 large degree and that the informal organization that appears to be developing is the correc strategy, but I would point out that we need to be. setting some specific goals,long:term and short-term. Our long-term goal s of course, the smashing of the state, 0 we can begin the struggle of building new social relationships, without a hierarchical, capitalst society.  Our long-term goals do not excuse s from doing just that nov in the midst of struggle. As a matter of fact, thar’s exactly what we should be doing ight now as the fires of collective anger burns. Although we say we don’t know what change is going o look like. OF course we don’t. We’re not soothsayers, buc the idea is to make it look the way we desire. Nothing s guaranteed but can we afford to continue o allow others to develop the change they desire? If not, then part of our social strategy should be the projection of our vision of change we desire.  As the fires of rebellion continue, many rebels wil find themselves behind che walls or on the run. Remember, revolution is outlawed, illegal. So, the care and safety of comrades who find themselves in these sicuations should be part of our short-term goals (finances for bal, safe-houses, etc.) along with our narrative of what’s going on and how change is possible, and what that change can possibly look like  “I believe in human beings’ abilicy to live without control and exploitation, but we have an entire social order to destroy, and lifetimes of socialization to undo. Our ways of fighting, our ways of being together, can carry our ideal world in them, but thar’s about all we have right now. I’ve spent enough time on anarchy as a daydream, the point seems o be to create it wherever we can”  This not only meets the need and care of comrades who find themselves behind che walls but shows unity and solidaricy not only to the comrades but  3
t0 others who are watching how we deal with cach other. Believe me, they are watching. So, we need to come up with an economic strategy to raise the cash that’s needed for such a project. Concerts, nightclubs, restaurants, expropriations, ctc.are some of the ideas that come to mind.  I’m lumping cconomic, social, and political strategy together since they will overlap. Cash is also needed for other projects like purchasing land, agriculture, events, clinics, ctc. Part of this strategy should be the raising of,Let’s say, $1000 from cach anarchist group/collective, etc. I’m sure we can get 30 anarchist groups throughout the US alone to raise $1000 a year. That’s $30,000 and we can replicate this year after year. Also, many prisoners have skills/alents such as craftmaking, leathercraft, ctc. that can contribute to the economic strategy.  Another aspect of our political/social strategy should be establishing projects to fecd the hungry, clothing, etc. Not as solutions but as examples of murual aid and to point out the contradictions of the state. And as one avenue of subverting the state’sinstituions.
UP THE ANTE  If we’re serious about destroying oppression in its many forms, prisons are the starting point, especially since the many forms are more concentrated in prison than anywhere else in socicty, and prisoncrs are the most defenseless targets of these oppressions, one could argue. Many people try to separate prison struggles from the overall struggle for freedom and call it “The Prison Movement” I’ve been guilty of this myself ac times, but we can’t divorce it from the overall struggle. As anarchists we attack all forms of oppression simultancously. We try t0 understand the nexus of the many forms of oppression so we can overcome them, as well as a way to practice ficedom NOW, rather than relegaring it to some distant future.  Prison has swallowed up millions of people. Those who have been lucky 0 survive them have problems with housing, jobs, and education, among many other problems stemming from being held captive by the state. Once one has been digested by the state inco their prisons, they are forever more targeted for discrimination and further oppression by socicty: Prisons must be abolished and the only way to end prisons i to destroy the state. Reform is the only outcome of “Prison Movements.” We have to up the ante. We have to make this muthafucka ungovernable  “They call us criminals and indeed we are criminals when we act outside of laws made by the state. We are frec only when we act outside of laws made by the state.”
FROM AFAR  The recent rioting in Ferguson, MO after Mike Brown, an 18 year old black teenager was murdered by a white cop, and ics aftermath brings to mind another siot.In April 2001, Cincinnati erupeed into rioting after Timothy Thomas, a 19 year old black teenager was similarly murdered by a white cop.  From afar (prison), I see that the wajectory of tensions in Ferguson is spiraling towards recuperation and cooptation. This is the same old mancuer and actors we see time after time. I’m specifically speaking of actions of so-called black leaders and black organizations, namely, the Nation of Islam (NOI) and. the New Black Panther Party (NBPP). These organizations and so-called black leaders are into maincaining the status quo so they can continu to profit off of the misery of the excluded financially and by gaining acceptance into the ranks of the state, and to be seen as the go-to folks when any disturbance happens in the black communicy: They must be challenged. Their working with the state to quell and control the rage of the excluded, and to protect property puts them in the camp of the exploiters and oppressor (the state), and no compromise with themis possible. Anyone who puts themselves between the cops and those that rebel is a collaborator of the sta.  In Cincinnati ac Timothy Thomas’ funeral, black policical officials spoke of “restoring civil peace.” Rev. Damon Lynch I11,a member of Cincinnati’ Black United Front (BUF) chaper called on several city officials to be fired, adding, “there’s enough violence in our city right now without us adding to ic” Kuveisi Mfume of the NAACP called for change in the cicy’s power structure buc urged the youth to “remain calm.” Jalil Muhammad of the NOI said, “Don’c get angry and tear up your neighborhood. Ger angry and register to vote” How pathetic. As i black youth registering to vote, change a few faces in city government, fire a murderous cop, and remain calm is going to change anything, “They are in this for four things only: reputation, power, politics, and money” stated one black youth in Cincinnati. The same sentiments were expressed in Ferguson as well. These neo-kolonial puppets have attempred to reframe the narrative by making those that rebel into the perpetrators of violence when in realicy it isthe state chat are che (legal) monopolizers of violence. The scate (cops) are systematically executing black folks.  6
Also, in Ferguson, the NOI and NBPP called for women to go home. Thisis an attempt to crase black women from the history of militan struggle by associating milicancy with black males, essentially perpecuating the patriarchal notion of women as defenscless nurturers and non-stakeholders in their ‘communities and refusing black female agency. It should be obvious to anyone. who can think that these people are tools of the state.  This atcempt at recuperation and cooptation is not only relegated to the outside. The same goes on in the prisons. Any time ther’ resistance on a collective level, out of the woodwork comes the recuperators and apologists atcempring to talk down those that are rebelling. And ics always those that hold some amount of prestige in the prison and have friendly relations with prison officials, whether it be religious group leaders, drug dealers, or gang members They must be confronted as well by those of us on the inside.  The point is that we must come up with methods to neutralize these agents of the state. They are the main roadblocks in ansforming riot into insurrection and revolution. All I know is that in order to destroy this civilization, we must confront these challenges boldly. We must also remember that these groups are homophobic, conscrvative, and unrepentant capiclists. There is no way around it: they are the enemy: They are staists.
5y TO THE 2 CARRBORO BOOKFAIR  Rebel Greetings,  My name is Michacl Kimble. T am a black, gay anarchist being held captive in the State of Alabama and scrving a lfe sentence for the murder of a racist homophobe, and three years for assault on a pig guard while incarcerated. T’ve served 29 years to date. Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to address this event. I won’t take up too much of your time.  Because | am gay and black, because I will not tolerate racism o homophobia, because I have a burning hatred for authority; because I love freedom and believe in self.determination, I became an anarchist  Fora while there’s been a lot of focus and interest in things that relate o prisons and the conditions on the inside. And one of the reasons I think this is cruc is because more and more people are realizing that it could be them behind the fence at any time. As long as governments cxist everyone will be living under the threat of imprisonment. Outside of the prisons, people are subjected to widespread surveillance, kop parols, and investigations. These are all methods used for the authoritarian management and monitoring of bodics through the threat of violent kidnapping and capivity. Prisoners are examples shown so that people know what happens when they step out of line. Prisoners on the inside face a similar, but intensified, situation. In the prisoner’s case, the. example is made out of the “more imprisoned” ~ meaning those who have lived in segregation for months, years, or decades  ‘Welive in dangerous times. The rapacious quest for profits for the few is destroying human lifc and the environment on an unprecedented scale. The only answer to the ravages of governments is milican social war.  We must decide the road we shalleravel. Eicher we permit the oppressive system to endure o we get rid of it ourselves. We must continue steadfast to survive and fight with 2 profound love and great desire for a world without ¢ Let us join as accomplices in the grand conspiracy to bring this muthafucka to its knees.  ATTACK!
REVOLUTION 2 VERSUS REFORM  Historically, domestic social movements, no matcer their theory, have adopted apractice of the two approaches. For instance, the Black Panther Party - which was a revolutionary nationalist organization with a Marxist, Leninist, Maoist orientation ~ degenerated into a reform party when it began to participate in state clections, as did most of the organizations of the most revolutionary period in america since the 1800s. Revolution is radical and being radical means getting to the root of things and making changes to bring about REAL liberation. Tha’ revolution.  Reform, in contrast, only desires and attempts to bring about cosmetic rehabilication by having the state cnact new laws, rules, regalations, satutes, . “Reform adopts the logic of the political system (government). The political system has definice rules and structures chat limic both the ways in which demands are framed, and the solutions to these demands. These demands, because they have to adhere to an abstracted system of rules, become abstracted because they must be defined in terms of the political system. Thus, the demand. becomes a policical demand, necessitating a policical solution. These political solutions must also adhere to che rules of the system, meaning that it cannot subvert the political process (the rule of law). The political system and political process thus preclude solutions outside of its rules and limits. The solution of the demands leaves the political process untouched.” Reform peritions the state to repent and change its ways. It moves off of the premise that the moral rightness of cs posicion would be recognized and convince the state o change for the becter.  In essence, these organizations attempt to use the laws of the state (human rights laws) and moral persuasion to bring about better conditions for prisoners and fice them in some cases. The tactics of these organizations are within the prescribed limics devised by the state. Instead of destroying the system and hierarchy, they religiously adhere o this way of thinking and practice. Reform only strengthens the state, continues the status quo, causes assimilation and more misery, because in reality nothing really changes. The groups’ sense of social justice s stricdly limited o the capitalist laws which are designed to defend the state and prevent any real social change. Anarchist  9
revolution imparts a consciousness so that people can get past the superfcial/ symbolic and do not ask folks to petition the state to change itslf in response o moral rebukes, as eform does, but rather, to build an alternative by fighting the state and all forms of hierarchy and domination. Capitalism, prisons, hicrachy, and all the fucked up shit this present world has to offer will forever exist unless the present mindset of society radically changes. The only outcome activists, abolicionists, prisoners, revolutionarics, ctc can look forward to is reform, which translates into more of the same bullshit. Nothing shor of destroying this muthafucka is going to bring about radical change. We’ve gor to get this in our fucking heads.  Revolution now! Fuck tha world! @)  10
JUNE 11 STATEMENT  Rebel greetings, My name is Michael Kimble and I’m a 49 year old, black, gay anarchist being held kaptive by the state of Alabama. I’ve been acive for over 20 years in the struggle for a better world. I’ve suffered and weathered all the hate, brucality, and slander the state has thrown at me. I’ve been i rebellion against the instiutions of capitalist patriarchy, racism, and coercion my whole life, but didn’crealize it. My rebellion began with the insticution of the family.  From an carly age I’ve had  strong distaste for authority, starting with my family, who could not reconcile the fact that I was not the “normal” male child, but a somewhat effeminate child. This distaste only became stronger as Ibecame older and ventured out inco the larger world. Everywhere I turned I encountered authority figures who constantly attempred to force me to conform o their notion of what I should be and what I should desire. The same as my family.  As T began to understand the dynamics of patriarchy and capitalism, 1 started scarching for an alternative that spoke to my desires and ideas of what the world should look like. Communism, Marxism I should sy, was my. first embrace, but anarchism resonated more with my way of thinking. Since becomingan anarchist my fighting spirc has sharpened, which brings me to this Recently, | helped organize and participated in a work strike here at Holman Maximum Securicy prison and since that time a number of prisoners who were also instramental in making the strike happen have been placed in solitary confinement for conspiracy and creating a security threat. I, myself, have been added to the state’slst as a Security Threat Group (STG) and Iabeled a terrorist, simply because of my work relating to the work strike. I’m not surpriscd by the state’s actions in this matter. As a matter of fact, I expected it. We can never expec the state and its institutions no to retaliate. The state and i insticutions are the enemy of the people, and especially the enemy of those who fight to bring about ts demise.  We prisoners, and anarchist prisoners in particular, need all freedom loving folks’ suppor to combat this ever hungry beast. There isn’t much that [ can do from this position but to continue to resist and spread the word that a  11
better world is possible but only if we fight forit. And that anarchism is the only. alternative for the survival of humanity, wildlife, and the environment.  ‘Acchis poine, I would like to give a shout out to all the anarchises/anti- authoritarians that have given me support and unreleningsolidarity. And know that you have kept me on point when things were not looking so good for me. And 1o all the anarchists out there, stay strong and know that one day we will cun free  “Anarchists would do best to reimagine what becoming powerful might e like. It would bencfit s to expericnce our power incimately embodied in spaces where capitalism is being called into question. This means we would not continue to exist as 2 mere protest movement but rather as criminals experimenting with ways to survive. We would notice that a similar fabric runs throughou socicty, connecting us not solely with other predominantly white social movements, but also to many people who survive without compromise in this world on fire. We are not individuals acting on our moral impulses; we are a social force becoming aware of its power. Becoming powerful is a matter of making our story a place to inhabit ~ making our story material. We dream i the face of nightmares, not as an escape into an alternative realicy, but as a weapon to change this one.”  Abolish all prisons! No compromisc!  12
INTERVIEW %  Could you tell us alitele about yourself?  There’s not much to say about myself, there’s nothing unique about me or my. situation. I’m a proud Black gay anarchist that sincerely wants to bring about radical change, and when I say radical, I mean extreme and I don’echink nothing can be more extreme than the total destruction of this social order, system of domination or whatever you want to call it  What was life like growing up in Alabama? What sorts of obstacles and struggles did you have to face?  My life in Alabama, at least the early years of my existence, was beautiful. I was born and raised in the Black community of Birmingham, Alabama called Powderly (Westside) and it was rural, dirt roads, hogs, . At about 7 years of age our house burned to the ground and we relocated to another neighborhood on the Westside called Westend. It was considered a middle-class neighborhood. We owned two houses in this neighborhood. Both of my parents worked. But litde did I know, being so young, that my parents were having problems in their marriage and financially. Eventually, my parents divorced and we lost the homes. Me, my sister, and three brothers moved with our mother to the Southside for about three years and then to the Northside to the housing projects. This is when I began to have social problems. I was ostracized by the kids in the projects, but never being a wimp, I never allowed anyone to beat me up without fighting back. After the kids learned that I would fight back I was accepted as a peer. That was my biggest obstacle, being accepted or fitting in. In the projects there was a ot of gay (drag queens) people in my peers’ family, so it was nothing unusual. The thing was, would you fight. Outside was differen  Could you talk a bit about why you got locked up in the late ’80s?  T got locked up in 1986 for the murder of a white guy that wanted to do harm o me and a friend who was out one night walking. We had our arms around  13
cach other and this guy started fucking with us, calling us fags, niggers, and all kinds of disrespectful, homophobic and racist shit. When he actacked after confronting him, I pulled  piscol I had on me and shot him. The media tried o tum it into a racially motivated murder and all kinds of things. I really didn’c know any of this uncl I had a chance to view my Pre-sentence Investigation Report (PSI) and this was after [ had already been in prison awhile. I took the case to trial and received a life sentence and here I am 29 years later sill in prison because of a homophobic racist. I have no regrets about it  You’ve talked before about your political development while in prison - from communism to anarchy. Could you tell us about how that happened Were there experiences, events, relationships, or writings that pushed you in the direction of anti-authoritarian action?  Yeah, I became a commaunist in my early years as I’ve said before, because it spoke to the oppression of Black, gay, poor people and of course prisoners, and espoused the idea of creating a world free of these oppressions. I became a part of the New Afrikan Independence Movement (NAIM) which was very vocal at the time and it scemed thatall the warriors from the Black Liberation Movement was part of the NAIM. And they were active in the prisons as far as legal (lawsuits, lecter, phone campaigns, education) support and visiting prisoners. And of course, they participated in cultural programs as well in the prisons here in Alsbama. Also around this time the ABCs had begun to be visible through their support of “political prisoners/prisoncrs of war” from the previous decades’ movements (BLA, BPP, UFF, anti-imperialists, WUO, exc)’, so I started recciving literature and newspapers (The Blast, Love & Rage, Bulldozer, ifth Estate, ctc.) and starced tolearn aboutanarchismand it resonated with me. Shit, [ was against authority, against oppression and started to sce the contradictions between statchood (government) and frcedom. Anarchism was/ is alking about doing away with all this, and putting into practice now and not waiting on the future. And I’ve been a staunch anarchist since  Does being gay affect your ability to organize and struggle collectively in prison?  No doubt. First, you have to understand the mindset of prison, which isn’c much different than on the ourside, just smaller. On the one hand, you have the  1 Black Liberation Army, Black Pancher Parcy, United Freedom Frons, Weacher Underground Organization  14
belicf that being gay equals weakness, then on the other you have guys putting up a front as being very macho as a form of defense in a world of predarors and/or you have guys that are political that are coming from a religio-culrural nationalist orientation. These last guys mentioned are the guys most likely you’ll be interacting with doing any organizing. And many of them are gang members and are what s called O.G.s (Original Gangstas), gang members who are not as active in gang culture as when they were younger but seill has 2 conneetion to it and are looked up to by younger gang members. All the stigmas on the outside are magnified, but one can stll work with most of these guys if one has buile a reputation as being one who will stand up and not take shit from anyone, pigs or prisoners, and sincere about what they say they are about. They know, they live around you daily for years. But again, ics a scruggle in and of iselfjust getting past all the psychological bullshit Aoating around in these guys’ head. You know, they’ve been told for years that something is wrong with being gay; non-conforming to traditional gender roles. So, being gay kind of blunts your voice and efforts. But as an anarchist, I rage on because of my own self-interest in bringing about disorder on the inside and contributing to the toral annihilation of prisons and the system that birthed them.  What was it like being a revolutionary prisoner in the ‘905, when much of the anti-imperialist movement had fallen apart and the anarchist struggle was only beginning to pull itself out of its multi-decade lull in the US?  To tell you the truth, I was so caught up in bactle in these prisons I was not rally. focused on the outside happenings. I was preoccupied with trying to build on the inside. Of course, we were reaching out and felc the decline, but people were still rying o interact with us. I wasn’t xpecting too much out of the burgeoning anarchist movement since it was obvious that it was in ics infancy.  Have you noticed any changes in the methods and forms of anarchist prison solidarity since you got locked up?  My experience with anarchist on the outside was not been that extensive, but from what I’ve observed, has been anarchist groups such as the ABCF which was most active around prisons, has been material and emotional support mainly for those of the old, established movements, organizations of decades past, whom they classify as political prisoners/POW. That has changed to a large degree, now you have anarchists who are into the material, emotional support, but also demos, attacks against prisons, ctc. That’s something  never saw in the 1990sin  15
the US. It bout becoming accomplices now.  You’ve expressed criticisms of the Political Prisoner/Prisoner of War (PP/ POW) concept before. Can you elaborate on why you oppose the label and your experiences with the concept and its proponents?  First, the concept being used by most groups is based on the United Nations (UN) definition of who and what consticutes a PP/POW; so definitely I have a problem with that. As a matter of fact, I reject it. The UN s just another state insticution based on domination and control of populations. Then the concept as practiced is eltist, discriminatory, and creates celebritis, and really. just legitimizes the state and itslegal system. The US. has over 2 million bodics in its warchouses, but only about 100 are considered PP/POWs by the groups. Ies a joke. It overlooks the men and women who are fighting in these prisons and suffering because of it. Oh, I’ve had debates about all this with anarchists. It caused our correspondence to end. I get a headache talking about it just as [ do religion.  Recent anarchist struggles have had prison as a central focus, both because of the state’s targeting of anarchists and because of anarchists taking offensive action against prison socicty. Are there actions or struggles that have been inspiring to you recently?  The support and solidarity that was shown and given to the Free Alabama Movement (EAM.) here by anarchists who put on demos around the country, the June 11th events, the solidarity I’ve been given in the last year o so, and the actions carried in solidarity with prisoners and against prison socicty around the world, the banner drops, the weekly noisc demos in California at the jail is allinspiring. Il just be glad when I sce that kind of constant stuff going on here in Alabama.  What are your feclings on the recent anti- us.  I’m loving the anti-police demos, rebellions. T was listening to the radio a few nights ago when it came across the air that two pigs had been shot in Ferguson. Twas so excited that I didn’t even go to slecp that night. I’m glad that young, Black people in Ferguson hadn’c allowed these race pimps to extinguish their rightcous anger and desire to fight, and inflice recribution on the pigs. I’m  16
thinking that we will see more of these attacks in the near furure, because the pigs are not stopping murdering Black folks. What choice to we have other than o fight back? That’s two actions of recribution. NY action and the Ferguson action. There’s more I’m sure I haven’t heard of.  In some of your writings, you express an opposition to civilization. Could you talk about that and how it differs from a critique of the state and capital alone?  T don’e chink one can separate a critique of the state and capital from a critique of civilization. Civilization gave birth to the state and capital, which brougheall kinds of oppressions and tools to manage that oppression such as surveillance, greed, domination, and all the other shitty things people find logic in doing t0 cach other and the environment. Civilization is explained away by capiral as being advancements in efficiency and quality of life, but remember the life expectancy of a Black male in the US. is about 25 years. He is expected to be. dead orin prison by 25 years of age. Civilization hascaused adisconnect berween people and the carch. Civilization has given birth to all kinds of discases; drugs that don’t cure anything but have you buying them to “manage” the discase,  feed cheir greed; pollution; patriarchy; racisms prisons; etc. Civilization s the ro0t cause of the misery which we term oppression and must be dismantled,  ruthlessly and utcerly destroyed.  How can anarchists build stronger relationships with comrades on the inside?  Through interaction, listening, becoming accomplices, treating prisoners as equals and not romanticizing prisoners’sicuations. There’s nothing noble about beingin prison. Just showing revolutionary solidarity and all that encail. I keep. sayingchis and will continue to do so: people need to check out Os Cangaceiros, you know, the group in France during the 705, 80s, 905, to sec how one form of solidarity looks.  What would you like to sce from U.S. anarchist struggle in the coming  I like o see anarchists becoming more active through building genuine  comradeship, friendships with those of us inside and see more attacks against prisons, companies, instiutions that erect, sustain, and profic offof peaple being  17
kidnappedand held in prison. Alsol think ics time for anarchists to starebuilding something for those anarchists that are leaving the prisons through parole, End of Sentence (E.O.S.), or otherwise. Some of us will be needing housing, clothes, ete. once out. You know, something we can plug into. Most times we have o apply at a halfivay house and that’ a whole new problem because all the ones I know of are religious oriented and require one to parcicipate in religious shit.  Struggle in Alabama prisons is heating up. What’s going on there currencly?  Well, we just had a national callin day for the distribution of condoms since STDs scem to be a major problem among prisoners. Then on March 1, 2015, the. EAM. called for a work strike (shutdown). It asted 3 days and only at prison (St. Clair). I’m kind of pissed about that. Why only 3 days? It was supposed 0 be indefiniccly. I starced a hunger strike on the 2nd of March to show my solidarity and didn’t get word that it was over unil like the 9¢h or 10th. The explanation I’m geteing for the shortness of it all is that this was a test run to show gays what to expec. Shit, we (Holman and St. Clair) just had a shutdown in January of 2014 and ic lasted 15 days, so the guys know what to expect. But again, I wasn’t there so I don’t know, but I suspect that some “reasonable” and “responsible” prisoners talked “sense” ino the rebels heads and squashed ic. Here at Holman in the lockup unit guys are protesting the replacing of hot meals with sack lunches if you have your ray slot open. So, there’s been a lot of urine and feces thrown, and fires burning The pigs have backed off of thatfor now, but we’re waiting to see what’s next. I’ve come off of my hunger strike.  Anything clse?  Yeah, I chink as we see more struggle on the outside the more you’ll see shit popping off on the inside. Anarchists have to be ready for this and need to be thinking about what they are willing to contribute to the destruction of the state by artacking prisons.  Let me back up o the second question you asked. Don’ get me wrong, there was grave injustices inflicted against me while growing up in Alabama. There was certain sections I wouldn’t go through because most likely I would be arrested, simply for being a Black person. Even in the 1980s there was what was called “Jew Town?” a street ofstores thatseill had “Whites Only” signs in the store windows. Buc I felt safe in my hood. Plus, I rally didn’t have any reason to g0 to these place that was antagonistic towards people of color. But you know. what, when I was about 12 or 13 years old a whole bunch of us kids used to go  18
bike riding through these racist neighborhoods and not one of these bigors said anything. Oh yeah, they gave us these nasty looks, butshic, we didn’t give a fuck. We were bad asses and did basically whatever.  Now, being gay was something else. I was fucked with through ridicule by friends and family; but it wasn’ like it was with race antagonisms. Although it was accepted by the folks in my hood to be gay, right next door in the other hoods was different. People ridiculed, harassed, and even beat up those that they saw as gay. I’ve been called many names and had  lot of fights growing up. But you know, I got locked up so young and this was not my first time being locked up. 1 had been going through the juvenile system for quite a while. So, Twas saved from a lot of the stuff on the streets. Yeah, jail saved me from the streets, but not from all the shit that goes on against gay folk while locked up. T never had witnessed a rape, but I have witnessed crucley. You know, as kids we ook for all kinds of reasons to put other kids down. We look for differences and along with the prejudices socicty has put in our head, it not hard for us to find. This world isso sick that if it doesn’c understand it,can’t control i, i tres to destroy it. And kids are being taught this at home, church, school, just about everywhere they turn. No wonder there’s such a high rate of teenage suicide.  19


Prison has swallowed up millions of people. Those who have been lucky to survive them have problems with housing, jobs, and education, among many other problems stemming from being held captive by the state. Once one has been digested by the state into their prisons, they are forever more targeted for discrimination and further oppression by society.  Prisons must be abolished and the only way to end prisons is to destroy the state. Reform is the only outcome of “Prison Movements.” We have to up the ante. We have to make this muthafucka ungovernable.

For more writings and contact information for Michacl
anarchylive.noblogs.org
INTRO

“Affective struggle changes those struggling, as well s the world around them”

Clenched-fist salute! Welcome to anarchylive. Anarchylive i a suppore
site for Michael Kimble, but more importantly, a space for promoting radical/
anarchist thought, smashing the state and building unity among anarchists and
all those who desire to radically transform this corrupt and rotten world into 2
world worth living in for humyns and wildlif alike.

Thisisavehicle to put forth, pushandimplement real world possibilicis.
Thisis crucial because in this 215t century world, an agenda of assimilation into.
the current corrupt and rotten poliical, cconomic, and social status quo is being
aggressively promoted in every arena, not only by the capitalist ruling class, but
by neo-kolonial, pecey-bourgeois, and what the BPP called illegitimate kapicalist
(hustlers, robbers, etc.) clements, and many are faling victim to this harmful
ideology. Not truly understanding that this ideology that’s being aggressively
promoted wanslates into slavery, super-exploitation, and death for millions of
people and wildlife. Itis my belicf that anarchism is the best alternaive to what
exists today for humyn and wildlif.

Although i and others are presently being held kaptive in the prison
slave kamps, does not mean that we should be inactive in the social war taking
place throughout the world or that our vision should be narrow and confined o
so-called prison issues. We must come to understand that the so-called prison
issues are connected to and an outgrowth of the political, economic, and social
system of kapicalst democracy.

We are under no illusion that the struggle for a better world i casy as
makinga cup of coffee, but it s possible and worth fighting fo.

“The war goes on wherever one finds him/hersclf on bourgeois
dominated soil”
TO MY
COMRADES

Comrades, I hope you all are doing well and continuing to resist the excesses of
this rapacious system of slavery, exploitation, and oppression. I'm doing great,
although I've had some rough times lately. But I'm alive and in resistance and
find solace in that, along with all that’s happening out there.

Comrades, from all the info I've been able to get my hands on there
scems to be a heightened level of struggle and movemen building in the Black
colonies throughout the USA against police violence, racism, white supremacy;
and it hasn't taken long for this movement in infancy to make the connection
between the above mentioned ills of US capitalist socicty and the mass
incarceration of Black and Brown people. One participant of a new formation
of various organizations/collectives called Third World Resistance (TWR)
made the following statement during the #ReclaimMLK demo in Oakland
in January: “It is really empowering to see our commanities rising up against
the violent policing of Black people. But we must also be just as enraged at
the violence that is harder to sce, the violence of our people disappearing into
cages. This country, which locks up more people than any other, plays a hand in
locking up even more beyond its borders by exporting and sharing tactics and
models of repression with oppressive governments, from Isracl to Haiti and the
Philippines.”

Connections,the whole matrix between the prison-industrial compler,
white supremacy, business, domination, control, and exploitation, ctc. Thar's
what we're looking for and need to explain in a clear, no bullshit language. This
is the point of actack. From all that’ taking place out there I'm really beginning
0 believe that we just may get to witness the destruction of Leviathan and
dance in the ruins of civilization in our lifetime. And it having its presence
feltin che prisons. Will it translate inco action? Who can say? Bu the slaves are
getting restless in here. Bolder. The drugs, TV, sporcs, gangs, ctc. can't keep up.
distracted forever. People can't be so repressed that they can't fight back in some.
way. And you all should know that prisoners are really ingenious. I'm taking
heart in the rebellions taking place throughout the world, not just in the USA.
The only freedom today, now, is in struggle and aggressive free action.
For the last few months I've been reading and analyzing the rapidly building
movemen since the rebellions in Ferguson and Oakland, and other places where
anti-police demos have been popping off. I don't claim to have all the answers
buc T simply want people to accept this as a contribution to the development.
of anarchist strategy: I think all the old models of bringing about revolution
is obsolete to 2 large degree and that the informal organization that appears to
be developing is the correc strategy, but I would point out that we need to be.
setting some specific goals,long:term and short-term. Our long-term goal s of
course, the smashing of the state, 0 we can begin the struggle of building new
social relationships, without a hierarchical, capitalst society.

Our long-term goals do not excuse s from doing just that nov in the
midst of struggle. As a matter of fact, thar’s exactly what we should be doing
ight now as the fires of collective anger burns. Although we say we don't know
what change is going o look like. OF course we don't. We're not soothsayers,
buc the idea is to make it look the way we desire. Nothing s guaranteed but can
we afford to continue o allow others to develop the change they desire? If not,
then part of our social strategy should be the projection of our vision of change
we desire.

As the fires of rebellion continue, many rebels wil find themselves
behind che walls or on the run. Remember, revolution is outlawed, illegal. So,
the care and safety of comrades who find themselves in these sicuations should
be part of our short-term goals (finances for bal, safe-houses, etc.) along with
our narrative of what's going on and how change is possible, and what that
change can possibly look like

“I believe in human beings' abilicy to live without control and
exploitation, but we have an entire social order to destroy, and lifetimes of
socialization to undo. Our ways of fighting, our ways of being together, can
carry our ideal world in them, but thar’s about all we have right now. I've
spent enough time on anarchy as a daydream, the point seems o be to create it
wherever we can”

This not only meets the need and care of comrades who find themselves
behind che walls but shows unity and solidaricy not only to the comrades but

3
t0 others who are watching how we deal with cach other. Believe me, they
are watching. So, we need to come up with an economic strategy to raise
the cash that’s needed for such a project. Concerts, nightclubs, restaurants,
expropriations, ctc.are some of the ideas that come to mind.

I'm lumping cconomic, social, and political strategy together since
they will overlap. Cash is also needed for other projects like purchasing land,
agriculture, events, clinics, ctc. Part of this strategy should be the raising of,Let’s
say, $1000 from cach anarchist group/collective, etc. I'm sure we can get 30
anarchist groups throughout the US alone to raise $1000 a year. That's $30,000
and we can replicate this year after year. Also, many prisoners have skills/alents
such as craftmaking, leathercraft, ctc. that can contribute to the economic
strategy.

Another aspect of our political/social strategy should be establishing
projects to fecd the hungry, clothing, etc. Not as solutions but as examples of
murual aid and to point out the contradictions of the state. And as one avenue
of subverting the state’sinstituions.

UP THE
ANTE

If we're serious about destroying oppression in its many forms, prisons are the
starting point, especially since the many forms are more concentrated in prison
than anywhere else in socicty, and prisoncrs are the most defenseless targets of
these oppressions, one could argue. Many people try to separate prison struggles
from the overall struggle for freedom and call it “The Prison Movement” I've
been guilty of this myself ac times, but we can't divorce it from the overall
struggle. As anarchists we attack all forms of oppression simultancously. We try
t0 understand the nexus of the many forms of oppression so we can overcome
them, as well as a way to practice ficedom NOW, rather than relegaring it to
some distant future.

Prison has swallowed up millions of people. Those who have been lucky
0 survive them have problems with housing, jobs, and education, among many
other problems stemming from being held captive by the state. Once one has
been digested by the state inco their prisons, they are forever more targeted for
discrimination and further oppression by socicty: Prisons must be abolished and
the only way to end prisons i to destroy the state. Reform is the only outcome of
“Prison Movements.” We have to up the ante. We have to make this muthafucka
ungovernable

“They call us criminals and indeed we are criminals when we act outside
of laws made by the state. We are frec only when we act outside of laws made by
the state.”
FROM AFAR

The recent rioting in Ferguson, MO after Mike Brown, an 18 year old black
teenager was murdered by a white cop, and ics aftermath brings to mind another
siot.In April 2001, Cincinnati erupeed into rioting after Timothy Thomas, a 19
year old black teenager was similarly murdered by a white cop.

From afar (prison), I see that the wajectory of tensions in Ferguson is
spiraling towards recuperation and cooptation. This is the same old mancuer
and actors we see time after time. I'm specifically speaking of actions of so-called
black leaders and black organizations, namely, the Nation of Islam (NOI) and.
the New Black Panther Party (NBPP). These organizations and so-called black
leaders are into maincaining the status quo so they can continu to profit off of
the misery of the excluded financially and by gaining acceptance into the ranks
of the state, and to be seen as the go-to folks when any disturbance happens in
the black communicy: They must be challenged. Their working with the state to
quell and control the rage of the excluded, and to protect property puts them in
the camp of the exploiters and oppressor (the state), and no compromise with
themis possible. Anyone who puts themselves between the cops and those that
rebel is a collaborator of the sta.

In Cincinnati ac Timothy Thomas’ funeral, black policical officials
spoke of “restoring civil peace.” Rev. Damon Lynch I11,a member of Cincinnati'
Black United Front (BUF) chaper called on several city officials to be fired,
adding, “there's enough violence in our city right now without us adding to ic”
Kuveisi Mfume of the NAACP called for change in the cicy's power structure
buc urged the youth to “remain calm.” Jalil Muhammad of the NOI said, “Don'c
get angry and tear up your neighborhood. Ger angry and register to vote”
How pathetic. As i black youth registering to vote, change a few faces in city
government, fire a murderous cop, and remain calm is going to change anything,
“They are in this for four things only: reputation, power, politics, and money”
stated one black youth in Cincinnati. The same sentiments were expressed in
Ferguson as well. These neo-kolonial puppets have attempred to reframe the
narrative by making those that rebel into the perpetrators of violence when
in realicy it isthe state chat are che (legal) monopolizers of violence. The scate
(cops) are systematically executing black folks.

6
Also, in Ferguson, the NOI and NBPP called for women to go home.
Thisis an attempt to crase black women from the history of militan struggle by
associating milicancy with black males, essentially perpecuating the patriarchal
notion of women as defenscless nurturers and non-stakeholders in their
‘communities and refusing black female agency. It should be obvious to anyone.
who can think that these people are tools of the state.

This atcempt at recuperation and cooptation is not only relegated to
the outside. The same goes on in the prisons. Any time ther’ resistance on
a collective level, out of the woodwork comes the recuperators and apologists
atcempring to talk down those that are rebelling. And ics always those that hold
some amount of prestige in the prison and have friendly relations with prison
officials, whether it be religious group leaders, drug dealers, or gang members
They must be confronted as well by those of us on the inside.

The point is that we must come up with methods to neutralize
these agents of the state. They are the main roadblocks in ansforming riot
into insurrection and revolution. All I know is that in order to destroy this
civilization, we must confront these challenges boldly. We must also remember
that these groups are homophobic, conscrvative, and unrepentant capiclists.
There is no way around it: they are the enemy: They are staists.
5y TO THE 2
CARRBORO
BOOKFAIR

Rebel Greetings,

My name is Michacl Kimble. T am a black, gay anarchist being held
captive in the State of Alabama and scrving a lfe sentence for the murder of a
racist homophobe, and three years for assault on a pig guard while incarcerated.
T've served 29 years to date. Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to
address this event. I won't take up too much of your time.

Because | am gay and black, because I will not tolerate racism o
homophobia, because I have a burning hatred for authority; because I love
freedom and believe in self.determination, I became an anarchist

Fora while there’s been a lot of focus and interest in things that relate
o prisons and the conditions on the inside. And one of the reasons I think
this is cruc is because more and more people are realizing that it could be them
behind the fence at any time. As long as governments cxist everyone will be
living under the threat of imprisonment. Outside of the prisons, people are
subjected to widespread surveillance, kop parols, and investigations. These are
all methods used for the authoritarian management and monitoring of bodics
through the threat of violent kidnapping and capivity. Prisoners are examples
shown so that people know what happens when they step out of line. Prisoners
on the inside face a similar, but intensified, situation. In the prisoner’s case, the.
example is made out of the “more imprisoned” ~ meaning those who have lived
in segregation for months, years, or decades

‘Welive in dangerous times. The rapacious quest for profits for the few
is destroying human lifc and the environment on an unprecedented scale. The
only answer to the ravages of governments is milican social war.

We must decide the road we shalleravel. Eicher we permit the oppressive
system to endure o we get rid of it ourselves. We must continue steadfast to
survive and fight with 2 profound love and great desire for a world without
¢ Let us join as accomplices in the grand conspiracy to bring this
muthafucka to its knees.

ATTACK!
REVOLUTION 2
VERSUS
REFORM

Historically, domestic social movements, no matcer their theory, have adopted
apractice of the two approaches. For instance, the Black Panther Party - which
was a revolutionary nationalist organization with a Marxist, Leninist, Maoist
orientation ~ degenerated into a reform party when it began to participate
in state clections, as did most of the organizations of the most revolutionary
period in america since the 1800s. Revolution is radical and being radical
means getting to the root of things and making changes to bring about REAL
liberation. Tha’ revolution.

Reform, in contrast, only desires and attempts to bring about cosmetic
rehabilication by having the state cnact new laws, rules, regalations, satutes, .
“Reform adopts the logic of the political system (government). The political
system has definice rules and structures chat limic both the ways in which
demands are framed, and the solutions to these demands. These demands,
because they have to adhere to an abstracted system of rules, become abstracted
because they must be defined in terms of the political system. Thus, the demand.
becomes a policical demand, necessitating a policical solution. These political
solutions must also adhere to che rules of the system, meaning that it cannot
subvert the political process (the rule of law). The political system and political
process thus preclude solutions outside of its rules and limits. The solution
of the demands leaves the political process untouched.” Reform peritions the
state to repent and change its ways. It moves off of the premise that the moral
rightness of cs posicion would be recognized and convince the state o change
for the becter.

In essence, these organizations attempt to use the laws of the state
(human rights laws) and moral persuasion to bring about better conditions
for prisoners and fice them in some cases. The tactics of these organizations
are within the prescribed limics devised by the state. Instead of destroying
the system and hierarchy, they religiously adhere o this way of thinking and
practice. Reform only strengthens the state, continues the status quo, causes
assimilation and more misery, because in reality nothing really changes. The
groups’ sense of social justice s stricdly limited o the capitalist laws which
are designed to defend the state and prevent any real social change. Anarchist

9
revolution imparts a consciousness so that people can get past the superfcial/
symbolic and do not ask folks to petition the state to change itslf in response o
moral rebukes, as eform does, but rather, to build an alternative by fighting the
state and all forms of hierarchy and domination. Capitalism, prisons, hicrachy,
and all the fucked up shit this present world has to offer will forever exist unless
the present mindset of society radically changes. The only outcome activists,
abolicionists, prisoners, revolutionarics, ctc can look forward to is reform,
which translates into more of the same bullshit. Nothing shor of destroying
this muthafucka is going to bring about radical change. We've gor to get this in
our fucking heads.

Revolution now!
Fuck tha world!
@)

10
JUNE 11
STATEMENT

Rebel greetings,
My name is Michael Kimble and I'm a 49 year old, black, gay anarchist
being held kaptive by the state of Alabama. I've been acive for over 20 years
in the struggle for a better world. I've suffered and weathered all the hate,
brucality, and slander the state has thrown at me. I've been i rebellion against
the instiutions of capitalist patriarchy, racism, and coercion my whole life, but
didn'crealize it. My rebellion began with the insticution of the family.

From an carly age I've had strong distaste for authority, starting with
my family, who could not reconcile the fact that I was not the “normal” male
child, but a somewhat effeminate child. This distaste only became stronger as
Ibecame older and ventured out inco the larger world. Everywhere I turned I
encountered authority figures who constantly attempred to force me to conform
o their notion of what I should be and what I should desire. The same as my
family.

As T began to understand the dynamics of patriarchy and capitalism,
1 started scarching for an alternative that spoke to my desires and ideas of
what the world should look like. Communism, Marxism I should sy, was my.
first embrace, but anarchism resonated more with my way of thinking. Since
becomingan anarchist my fighting spirc has sharpened, which brings me to this
Recently, | helped organize and participated in a work strike here at Holman
Maximum Securicy prison and since that time a number of prisoners who were
also instramental in making the strike happen have been placed in solitary
confinement for conspiracy and creating a security threat. I, myself, have been
added to the state’slst as a Security Threat Group (STG) and Iabeled a terrorist,
simply because of my work relating to the work strike. I'm not surpriscd by the
state’s actions in this matter. As a matter of fact, I expected it. We can never
expec the state and its institutions no to retaliate. The state and i insticutions
are the enemy of the people, and especially the enemy of those who fight to
bring about ts demise.

We prisoners, and anarchist prisoners in particular, need all freedom
loving folks’ suppor to combat this ever hungry beast. There isn't much that [
can do from this position but to continue to resist and spread the word that a

11
better world is possible but only if we fight forit. And that anarchism is the only.
alternative for the survival of humanity, wildlife, and the environment.

‘Acchis poine, I would like to give a shout out to all the anarchises/anti-
authoritarians that have given me support and unreleningsolidarity. And know
that you have kept me on point when things were not looking so good for me.
And 1o all the anarchists out there, stay strong and know that one day we will
cun free

“Anarchists would do best to reimagine what becoming powerful
might e like. It would bencfit s to expericnce our power incimately embodied
in spaces where capitalism is being called into question. This means we would
not continue to exist as 2 mere protest movement but rather as criminals
experimenting with ways to survive. We would notice that a similar fabric runs
throughou socicty, connecting us not solely with other predominantly white
social movements, but also to many people who survive without compromise
in this world on fire. We are not individuals acting on our moral impulses; we
are a social force becoming aware of its power. Becoming powerful is a matter
of making our story a place to inhabit ~ making our story material. We dream
i the face of nightmares, not as an escape into an alternative realicy, but as a
weapon to change this one.”

Abolish all prisons!
No compromisc!

12
INTERVIEW %

Could you tell us alitele about yourself?

There’s not much to say about myself, there’s nothing unique about me or my.
situation. I'm a proud Black gay anarchist that sincerely wants to bring about
radical change, and when I say radical, I mean extreme and I don'echink nothing
can be more extreme than the total destruction of this social order, system of
domination or whatever you want to call it

What was life like growing up in Alabama? What sorts of obstacles and
struggles did you have to face?

My life in Alabama, at least the early years of my existence, was beautiful. I
was born and raised in the Black community of Birmingham, Alabama called
Powderly (Westside) and it was rural, dirt roads, hogs, . At about 7 years of
age our house burned to the ground and we relocated to another neighborhood
on the Westside called Westend. It was considered a middle-class neighborhood.
We owned two houses in this neighborhood. Both of my parents worked. But
litde did I know, being so young, that my parents were having problems in their
marriage and financially. Eventually, my parents divorced and we lost the homes.
Me, my sister, and three brothers moved with our mother to the Southside
for about three years and then to the Northside to the housing projects. This
is when I began to have social problems. I was ostracized by the kids in the
projects, but never being a wimp, I never allowed anyone to beat me up without
fighting back. After the kids learned that I would fight back I was accepted as a
peer. That was my biggest obstacle, being accepted or fitting in. In the projects
there was a ot of gay (drag queens) people in my peers’ family, so it was nothing
unusual. The thing was, would you fight. Outside was differen

Could you talk a bit about why you got locked up in the late '80s?

T got locked up in 1986 for the murder of a white guy that wanted to do harm
o me and a friend who was out one night walking. We had our arms around

13
cach other and this guy started fucking with us, calling us fags, niggers, and
all kinds of disrespectful, homophobic and racist shit. When he actacked after
confronting him, I pulled piscol I had on me and shot him. The media tried
o tum it into a racially motivated murder and all kinds of things. I really didn'c
know any of this uncl I had a chance to view my Pre-sentence Investigation
Report (PSI) and this was after [ had already been in prison awhile. I took the
case to trial and received a life sentence and here I am 29 years later sill in
prison because of a homophobic racist. I have no regrets about it

You've talked before about your political development while in prison -
from communism to anarchy. Could you tell us about how that happened
Were there experiences, events, relationships, or writings that pushed you
in the direction of anti-authoritarian action?

Yeah, I became a commaunist in my early years as I've said before, because it
spoke to the oppression of Black, gay, poor people and of course prisoners,
and espoused the idea of creating a world free of these oppressions. I became
a part of the New Afrikan Independence Movement (NAIM) which was very
vocal at the time and it scemed thatall the warriors from the Black Liberation
Movement was part of the NAIM. And they were active in the prisons as far
as legal (lawsuits, lecter, phone campaigns, education) support and visiting
prisoners. And of course, they participated in cultural programs as well in
the prisons here in Alsbama. Also around this time the ABCs had begun to
be visible through their support of “political prisoners/prisoncrs of war” from
the previous decades’ movements (BLA, BPP, UFF, anti-imperialists, WUO,
exc)', so I started recciving literature and newspapers (The Blast, Love & Rage,
Bulldozer, ifth Estate, ctc.) and starced tolearn aboutanarchismand it resonated
with me. Shit, [ was against authority, against oppression and started to sce the
contradictions between statchood (government) and frcedom. Anarchism was/
is alking about doing away with all this, and putting into practice now and not
waiting on the future. And I've been a staunch anarchist since

Does being gay affect your ability to organize and struggle collectively in
prison?

No doubt. First, you have to understand the mindset of prison, which isn'c
much different than on the ourside, just smaller. On the one hand, you have the

1 Black Liberation Army, Black Pancher Parcy, United Freedom Frons, Weacher
Underground Organization

14
belicf that being gay equals weakness, then on the other you have guys putting
up a front as being very macho as a form of defense in a world of predarors
and/or you have guys that are political that are coming from a religio-culrural
nationalist orientation. These last guys mentioned are the guys most likely you'll
be interacting with doing any organizing. And many of them are gang members
and are what s called O.G.s (Original Gangstas), gang members who are not as
active in gang culture as when they were younger but seill has 2 conneetion to it
and are looked up to by younger gang members. All the stigmas on the outside
are magnified, but one can stll work with most of these guys if one has buile
a reputation as being one who will stand up and not take shit from anyone,
pigs or prisoners, and sincere about what they say they are about. They know,
they live around you daily for years. But again, ics a scruggle in and of iselfjust
getting past all the psychological bullshit Aoating around in these guys' head.
You know, they've been told for years that something is wrong with being gay;
non-conforming to traditional gender roles. So, being gay kind of blunts your
voice and efforts. But as an anarchist, I rage on because of my own self-interest in
bringing about disorder on the inside and contributing to the toral annihilation
of prisons and the system that birthed them.

What was it like being a revolutionary prisoner in the ‘905, when much of
the anti-imperialist movement had fallen apart and the anarchist struggle
was only beginning to pull itself out of its multi-decade lull in the US?

To tell you the truth, I was so caught up in bactle in these prisons I was not rally.
focused on the outside happenings. I was preoccupied with trying to build on
the inside. Of course, we were reaching out and felc the decline, but people were
still rying o interact with us. I wasn't xpecting too much out of the burgeoning
anarchist movement since it was obvious that it was in ics infancy.

Have you noticed any changes in the methods and forms of anarchist prison
solidarity since you got locked up?

My experience with anarchist on the outside was not been that extensive, but
from what I've observed, has been anarchist groups such as the ABCF which was
most active around prisons, has been material and emotional support mainly for
those of the old, established movements, organizations of decades past, whom
they classify as political prisoners/POW. That has changed to a large degree,
now you have anarchists who are into the material, emotional support, but also
demos, attacks against prisons, ctc. That's something never saw in the 1990sin

15
the US. It bout becoming accomplices now.

You've expressed criticisms of the Political Prisoner/Prisoner of War (PP/
POW) concept before. Can you elaborate on why you oppose the label and
your experiences with the concept and its proponents?

First, the concept being used by most groups is based on the United Nations
(UN) definition of who and what consticutes a PP/POW; so definitely I have
a problem with that. As a matter of fact, I reject it. The UN s just another
state insticution based on domination and control of populations. Then the
concept as practiced is eltist, discriminatory, and creates celebritis, and really.
just legitimizes the state and itslegal system. The US. has over 2 million bodics
in its warchouses, but only about 100 are considered PP/POWs by the groups.
Ies a joke. It overlooks the men and women who are fighting in these prisons
and suffering because of it. Oh, I've had debates about all this with anarchists.
It caused our correspondence to end. I get a headache talking about it just as [
do religion.

Recent anarchist struggles have had prison as a central focus, both because
of the state’s targeting of anarchists and because of anarchists taking
offensive action against prison socicty. Are there actions or struggles that
have been inspiring to you recently?

The support and solidarity that was shown and given to the Free Alabama
Movement (EAM.) here by anarchists who put on demos around the country,
the June 11th events, the solidarity I've been given in the last year o so, and the
actions carried in solidarity with prisoners and against prison socicty around
the world, the banner drops, the weekly noisc demos in California at the jail is
allinspiring. Il just be glad when I sce that kind of constant stuff going on here
in Alabama.

What are your feclings on the recent anti-
us.

I'm loving the anti-police demos, rebellions. T was listening to the radio a few
nights ago when it came across the air that two pigs had been shot in Ferguson.
Twas so excited that I didn't even go to slecp that night. I'm glad that young,
Black people in Ferguson hadn'c allowed these race pimps to extinguish their
rightcous anger and desire to fight, and inflice recribution on the pigs. I'm

16
thinking that we will see more of these attacks in the near furure, because the
pigs are not stopping murdering Black folks. What choice to we have other than
o fight back? That's two actions of recribution. NY action and the Ferguson
action. There’s more I'm sure I haven't heard of.

In some of your writings, you express an opposition to civilization. Could
you talk about that and how it differs from a critique of the state and capital
alone?

T don'e chink one can separate a critique of the state and capital from a critique
of civilization. Civilization gave birth to the state and capital, which brougheall
kinds of oppressions and tools to manage that oppression such as surveillance,
greed, domination, and all the other shitty things people find logic in doing
t0 cach other and the environment. Civilization is explained away by capiral
as being advancements in efficiency and quality of life, but remember the life
expectancy of a Black male in the US. is about 25 years. He is expected to be.
dead orin prison by 25 years of age. Civilization hascaused adisconnect berween
people and the carch. Civilization has given birth to all kinds of discases; drugs
that don't cure anything but have you buying them to “manage” the discase,

feed cheir greed; pollution; patriarchy; racisms prisons; etc. Civilization s the
ro0t cause of the misery which we term oppression and must be dismantled,

ruthlessly and utcerly destroyed.

How can anarchists build stronger relationships with comrades on the
inside?

Through interaction, listening, becoming accomplices, treating prisoners as
equals and not romanticizing prisoners'sicuations. There’s nothing noble about
beingin prison. Just showing revolutionary solidarity and all that encail. I keep.
sayingchis and will continue to do so: people need to check out Os Cangaceiros,
you know, the group in France during the 705, 80s, 905, to sec how one form of
solidarity looks.

What would you like to sce from U.S. anarchist struggle in the coming

I like o see anarchists becoming more active through building genuine

comradeship, friendships with those of us inside and see more attacks against
prisons, companies, instiutions that erect, sustain, and profic offof peaple being

17
kidnappedand held in prison. Alsol think ics time for anarchists to starebuilding
something for those anarchists that are leaving the prisons through parole, End
of Sentence (E.O.S.), or otherwise. Some of us will be needing housing, clothes,
ete. once out. You know, something we can plug into. Most times we have o
apply at a halfivay house and that' a whole new problem because all the ones I
know of are religious oriented and require one to parcicipate in religious shit.

Struggle in Alabama prisons is heating up. What's going on there currencly?

Well, we just had a national callin day for the distribution of condoms since
STDs scem to be a major problem among prisoners. Then on March 1, 2015, the.
EAM. called for a work strike (shutdown). It asted 3 days and only at prison
(St. Clair). I'm kind of pissed about that. Why only 3 days? It was supposed
0 be indefiniccly. I starced a hunger strike on the 2nd of March to show my
solidarity and didn't get word that it was over unil like the 9¢h or 10th. The
explanation I'm geteing for the shortness of it all is that this was a test run to
show gays what to expec. Shit, we (Holman and St. Clair) just had a shutdown
in January of 2014 and ic lasted 15 days, so the guys know what to expect. But
again, I wasn't there so I don't know, but I suspect that some “reasonable” and
“responsible” prisoners talked “sense” ino the rebels heads and squashed ic.
Here at Holman in the lockup unit guys are protesting the replacing of
hot meals with sack lunches if you have your ray slot open. So, there’s been a lot
of urine and feces thrown, and fires burning The pigs have backed off of thatfor
now, but we're waiting to see what's next. I've come off of my hunger strike.

Anything clse?

Yeah, I chink as we see more struggle on the outside the more you'll see shit
popping off on the inside. Anarchists have to be ready for this and need to be
thinking about what they are willing to contribute to the destruction of the
state by artacking prisons.

Let me back up o the second question you asked. Don' get me wrong,
there was grave injustices inflicted against me while growing up in Alabama.
There was certain sections I wouldn't go through because most likely I would
be arrested, simply for being a Black person. Even in the 1980s there was what
was called “Jew Town?” a street ofstores thatseill had “Whites Only” signs in the
store windows. Buc I felt safe in my hood. Plus, I rally didn't have any reason to
g0 to these place that was antagonistic towards people of color. But you know.
what, when I was about 12 or 13 years old a whole bunch of us kids used to go

18
bike riding through these racist neighborhoods and not one of these bigors said
anything. Oh yeah, they gave us these nasty looks, butshic, we didn't give a fuck.
We were bad asses and did basically whatever.

Now, being gay was something else. I was fucked with through ridicule
by friends and family; but it wasn' like it was with race antagonisms. Although
it was accepted by the folks in my hood to be gay, right next door in the other
hoods was different. People ridiculed, harassed, and even beat up those that
they saw as gay. I've been called many names and had lot of fights growing up.
But you know, I got locked up so young and this was not my first time being
locked up. 1 had been going through the juvenile system for quite a while. So,
Twas saved from a lot of the stuff on the streets. Yeah, jail saved me from the
streets, but not from all the shit that goes on against gay folk while locked up. T
never had witnessed a rape, but I have witnessed crucley. You know, as kids we
ook for all kinds of reasons to put other kids down. We look for differences
and along with the prejudices socicty has put in our head, it not hard for us to
find. This world isso sick that if it doesn'c understand it,can't control i, i tres
to destroy it. And kids are being taught this at home, church, school, just about
everywhere they turn. No wonder there's such a high rate of teenage suicide.

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Prison has swallowed up millions of
people. Those who have been lucky
to survive them have problems with
housing, jobs, and education, among
many other problems stemming from
being held captive by the state. Once
one has been digested by the state into
their prisons, they are forever more
targeted for discrimination and further
oppression by society.

Prisons must be abolished and the only
way to end prisons is to destroy the
state. Reform is the only outcome of
“Prison Movements.” We have to up the
ante. We have to make this muthafucka
ungovernable.