ERIC KING, 2 vegan anarchist, was arrested and charged with an
attempted firebombing of a goverment offcals office in Kansas City,
Missouri in September 2014 in the wake of the Ferguson Uprising.

Eric was charged with throwing a hammer through a window of the
buiding, followed by tw it Moloto cocktails. Smmmememmemmmieint
e ————. 1 v(35 denified 35 3

suspect by local police because he had previously come under suspicion
for anti-govemment and anti-police grafft.

On March 3, 2016, he accepted a non-cooperating plea agreement to
one count of using “explosive materials to commit arson of property used
in or affecting interstate commerce.” On June 28, 2016, he was sentenced
10 ten years, the statutory minimum and maximum for the charge he plead
quity to. Erc has been detained at CCA Leavenworth (Kansas), FCI
Florence (Colorado), and back again. His release date is June 2, 2023,

Write to Eric at:

Eric King #27090045
USP Leavenworth

US. Penitentiary
P.0.BOX 1000
Leavenworth, KS 66048

Leam more about Eric at www.supportericking.org

radicalpaper.tumblr.com

“\While fhere s a
soul in jail, L am

We are not condemned (o live in crime—fear,

W yression, constriction, depression, joblessness,
ot free, i, o, demwn, ffene,
~Bugene N Debs | 1 e e L e e L

world of inconceivable wonder.
“The Action Committee, Walpole Prison,
NEPA News, Apeil/May 1875

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO BE
ANTIFASCIST IN FEDERAL PRISON IN
2019? IT MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU
THINK.

I you picture coming into the feds with your fist swinging,
taking on every racist, swastika wearing trash you see, that is
nota reality. That line of thinking will get us nowhere. Racism
atthe federal level is very real and played out in a very archaic
way. At CCA Leavenworth | pictured going into ANY spot
guns blazing, taking on bigots in a very macho, aggressive,
violent way. At CCA that was actually somewhat doable, even
at Englewood-FCI (low security) it was somewhat a reality
because you could dog them out and clown them for their
ridiculousness...the reality is though, that the higher up in
custody you go and the further west coast you end up, the
more serious the game gets and the less likely you are to be
able to express your own antifascist ideas without facing some
serious backlash.

®
Everything s racially divided here. Where you eat, when you
work out, where you sit, what TV you watch, who cuts your
hair, who you live with, who you play games with. For me this
was super difficult at first because it felt like a betrayal of who
I was. There isn't any bucking this—it's shitty and gross but it's
real and VERY serious. No one is going to make an exception
and disrupt prison order for the one anti-racist. Having good
politics doesn't make you exceptional or above the others.
Being antifascist doesn't make you a teacher, a preacher, a
savior; this horrendous system will not make room for our
differing beliefs. You will hear all day long people bashing
every race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and nationality—
everything that isn't white-American-straight-male. | had to
learn very quickly how to bite my tongue. Calling people out
will get you nowhere but hurt. If your beliefs and views are
known, that provides more weapons for the maggots to use
against you, and some will without a doubt use them. | got
called up for this MANY times. | have the word ANTIFA
tattooed on my face. I've had to leam how to NEVER take the
bait, to keep your ideas to yourself and those you are close
with. At the end of the day bro-ing out does less than taking
conscious action. I've been very lucky that early on some old
heads took a liking to me. It's a very thin line between being
tolerated and being battered. Screaming, “kill whitey!” and
flipping off Trump, expressing yoursel, these small things and
big things will catch you some wreck, meaning these bigots
will beat you off the yard. The other non-racist whites will
NOT risk helping you. The other races won't want to start a

ace war that gets hundreds hurt to help this one person,
Then the folks that get hurt are the folks you are trying to
support. There have been times where my ideas got me in a
1ot of trouble; very many confrontations and disciplining. Wa
must leam how to walk that line of being true to yourself
Without putting yourself o others in a situation where yourre
getting transferred, getting put in the hospital, put n the
secure housing unit, or SHU. We will never end the fascism of
ard within the prison walls and system without dancing in the
ashes of the prisons. You must keep yourself alive and safe, it
s crucialto etum to your loved ones and your communty.

With all that s3id, there are always ways to be you, even if
they are more coy or low-key than you are used t6 or prefer.
Sometimes just not laughing along to some racist bullut or
2greeing with a horrble comment can say more than any
argument or fst could. | have through time found my own way
to fight against the racist PSYOP system mastermindled by the
prison itslf. | have found it s important to constantly be
conscious and consider the consequences for others when
taking actions. In prison, with minimal effort your actions can
starta race war. And your actions hurt the folks that you are
trying to support. Being anti-fascist for me often looks like
respectlully removing myself from any political conversation.
Socalizing and taking classes taught by folks of other races
and allowing that to be a moment to connect and engage in
dialogue. For me standing up can mean teaching yoga that
includes all peopl. Sometimes offeing a jacket or sweater or (1)
raising commissary funds for someone who is openly gay and
being cast out and harassed is a stand that affects the entire
dynamic of the unit. Sometimes it means having the ability to
give basic supplies to non-racist white guys coming in so that
they don't have to take them from the white

supremacists. Sometimes it i playing games with other races.
Or putting my ego and politics away and letting people of
other races vent around me without trying to explain their
anger or emotions to them. Being political and antifa does
not give me space to try to be their teacher. | sit with Muslims
in the library and have my political conversations there (a lot
of whites do not like this). My partner drives up to visits with
people of other races, forming that unity and solidarity. |
recognize a lot of these things may not even be allowed at
other spots, or may not even be a big deal at all, but here
they allow me to make a big stand against the white race
politics. I stil read radical books and zines, but | do it in my
room, where | do MY time, away from people who live on
confrontations, who are addicted to static.

If you put yourself out there verbally, be prepared to stand on
it (fight) because you wil be challenged and if you're lucky itl
be one-on-one. Small things that happen instinctively can get
youin a jam, so it's smart to always be mindful. I've been in
jams for laughing at sunken Navy ships, for watching soccer
with the Mexicans, for letting a Gay-Black cat in my yoga
class...the things that you do by nature may ruffle a lot of

. and the CRIMNALS with him..,
N e 293 ®
feathers, so we need to be prepared to get called into the cell
and defend your actions.

The problems that society faces are magnified in prison.
Racism, homophobia, violence, are all very accepted and
normalized. Being antifascist in prison means putting yourself
in a disruptive position. It can mean some lonely times,
limited friendships, and being isolated and disrespected. How
you carry itis up to every individual person and situation.
Keeping yourself self safe is the number one priority. Doing
your time and being true to yourself.

® @ 6

Prison: More dangerous than prisoners
£2C 9 SHTEMENT ToE CURT

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

)
)
Platatier, )
)
)

case Yo.

) 14-00286-01-CR-t-GAF.
ERIC G. KING, )

Defendant. )

TRANSCRIPT OF SENTENCING HEARING
BEFORE THE HONORABLE GARY A. FENNER
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
JNE 28, 2016
KANSAS CITY, MISSOUR

FOR THE PLAINTIFF:
MR. BATRICK C. EDRARDS
Aspistant United States Attorney
Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse
400 Bast Ninth Street, Floor 5
Kansas City, Missouri 64106

FOR THE DEFENDANT:
MS. CARIE ALLEN
Rasistant Federal Public Defender
818 Grand Avenue, Suite 300
Kansas City, Missouri 64106

Proceedings recorded by mechanical stenography, transcript
produced by computer

KATHERINE A. CALVERT, RMR, CRR
FEDERAL OFFICIAL COURT REPORTER
CHARLES EVANS WHITTAKER COURTHOUSE
400 EAST NINTH STREET
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64106

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THE COURT: AL right. Thank you.

Mr. King, is there anything you'd like to say this
morning?

THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir. There are a few things I
would like to say.

THE COURT: AL right. Ms. Allen, would you scoot
that microphone over so he can sasily speak into it.

Thank you.

|

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THE DEFENDAVT: First I'd like to congratulate the
Court on such a stellar job. Another graffiti homeless person
is off the street. So I'm sure the FBI and Patrick are very
proud of themselves. This is a good picture for the United
States and they needed this. This is a solid win. You do an

amazing Job up the:

This is supposed to be & chance for me to speak. T
didn't speak this entire time. You've held sentencing and
punishment over me, and even now no matter what I say you can
stil1 hold that against me, not let me d things, not recommend
things. That's such a farce. This whole court's a farce.

I stated vhat T did. I'm happy T id it. The
government in this country is disgusting. The vay they treat
poor pepple, the way they treat brown people, the way they
treat everyone that's not in the class of white and male is
atsqusting, patriarchal, filthy racist.

You're all a part of this. From the man over there
who works the same corporation conpany that ran Prime Health
Pro (ph) to you that takes avay freedom and tears apart the
community. You do that thinking that this is justice. This is
no justice in ripping people from their homes. For what?
Breaking a window? Ten years for breaking a window? And the
cop that Killed Freddie Gray got zero? The pecple that killed

Trayvon Martin got zero? It's so horrendous.

And T'm not sorry for vhat 1 did. I'm sorry that T

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ot caught before I could do more things. I would have loved
€0 attack more government buildings and make sure that bubble
Of safety that prosecutors and FBI agents and Judges feel got
shattered so that they stay in their safe pockets Knowing they
can't touch me even though there are consequences to my

actions. Same way we have consequences for our actions. I I

theow a hamer out a window, T get ten years in jail. If you
sentence a first-time offender to life in prison if he sold
meth, you get a clap on the back from the President and a job

for life. And if that's justice, then you're use of Justice is

50 skewed and just horrendously immoral.
Further, this fsn't a victory for the State. This
48n't & win for any of you, any of you on this other side of
the table. It's done nothing but affim my views, affirm my
beliefs that the governnent is just disgusting. Even when T
¥alk in I can't tell my wife I love her. I can't look at her
and smile because, what, I broke a window? That's justice?
That's fair? That's not justice. 'Tnere's no rehabilitation in
that. There's no freedom in that. There's no constitutional

Fights in that. It's Just bullying. It's just the upper clas

saying we're going to keep people who did not agree to our
Fules and then decide not to live by them, we're going to keep
those people shackled up 50 we can live comfortably in our own
14ttle bubbles and we never have to look outside of those

bubbles to realize what's really happening, which this class is

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set up to keep people down, and when people step out of that
Class system, they get punished horrendously, more than any
other country, any other country on earth, the land of the
free. Tt's despicable.

This sentence has brought me closer to the community
I really serve. That's the radical view, the poor commnity.
It's shown me what solidarity means. It's shown me what
£riendship means. It's shown me what love means. It's shown
me what being a real hunan means, not standing by people when
they'xe knocked down, not further knockirg them down, not going
after poor people Lf they want to provide for their families
and not do it the way that the white society thinks is
appropriate. You're disgusting.

Thank you, Your Honor.

THE COURT: Mr. Edvards, do you have anything you
want to say?

MR. EDWARDS: Judge, I don't think I'm going to
dignify any of that with a response: There is a mandatory
sentence in this case. I would ask that the Court impose that
sentence.

mHE CouRs

hank you.
Well, Mr. King, you cbviously have a history of
nental health issues, a history of substance abuse issues of a
significant nature. You are cbviously a sick, deranged,
dangerous person. And I believe that you do fully deserve the

12/12/14 .

lpretrial detention. CCA Leavenworth. Kansas,

I endure my sorrows with my convictions which are stronger
than all of this human vleness.” That quote by revolutionary
Spaniard Durmuti sums up my current existence. Prison i o
disgusting place meant to destroy hope and faciltate despar.
Thankfully | find myself comforted knowing that to be fighter
is to suffer the consequences of revolutionary action, and to
cower as 50 as things begin to suffer s to lose track of what
Iatters most. There is o shame in being locked down for my
alleged crimes. The state at every lovel has been complict
the destruction of the poor working class both at home and
2broad. American workers have forgotten that their fime 1
precious, thei labor glorious. So long have wages and
benefits been cut, so long have the lower class been vilfied
that many forget that they are not “soon to be millionaires
but rather horribly exploited. Classism in the states 1
manifested by the rich and drilled into all of our brains until
instead of disgust against a society that allows is brothers
and sisters to ol for $7 an hour, we have disqust for the
people doing those jobs! How backwards.

e | —————ay¥)]
My life goal even back to the early priestly days has been to
fight for the poor and exploited: both by fighting against
classism, racism, sexism and all oppression. | have witnessed
the state at the highest federal level down to the lowest

meaningless commission act in compliance with corporate
desires against humans, nonhuman animals, and the
environment. To ignore these actions is to put your own boot
on the throat of the oppressed. So | await my trial for
allegedly fighting against that which has always and will
always use its tools to silence dissent and manipulate the
masses. To fight against this government is to do the most
honorable thing a human can do, to sacrifice what you can,
when you can.

I stand behind the comrades in Ferguson, that they may
accomplish the great deed of social revolution over a system
of decades old institutionalized bigotry, and with the anti-
govemment protesters in Mexico, standing up against the US-
backed govemment run on violence and coruption. My only
regret is that | am not able to join in those battles. For me my
fight is on the inside now. Overcoming torturous solitary
conditions and stimulation isolation. | take great solidarity
from those who have come before me in this struggle and
those who continue to show me love and remind me what this
fight is for.

Please continue to support the causes that fight for dignity
and empowerment of the oppressed and exploited over
profit. Please support those who saw injustice and could no
longer continue to struggle in a non-confrontational form,
whose hearts had seen enough suffering to have to defend
and lash out in the only ways they knew how. Thank you to

.
®
everyone who has sent a letter, funds, books, posted on a
website or shown support in anyway. Times like these you find
out who your real friends are and what love really means. My

spirit won't weaken, 20 years or 1 year, | will continue to give
all | have for the liberation movement | cherish more than lfe.

No gods, no masters, no justice, no peace!

\ ( iz

There ought to be no jails; and if it were not for
the fact that the people on the outside are so
&rasping and heartless in their dealings with the
people on the inside, there would be no such
institutions as jail..... The only way in the world
to abolish crime and criminals is to abolish the big
ones and the little ones together. Make fair condi.
tions of life. Give men a chance to live. . .. No-
body would steal if he could get something of his
own some easier way. Nobody will commit bur.
glary when he has a house full. The only way to
cure these conditions is by equality. There should
be no jails. They do not accomplish what they
pretend to accomplish. If you would wipe them
out there would be no more criminals than now.
They terrorize nobody. They are a blot upon any
civilization, and  jail is an evidence of the.lack of
charity of the people on the outside who make the
Jails and fill them with the victims of their greed.

—Clarence Darrow, An Address {0 the Pri.
soners in the Cook County Jail, Chicago,
Illinois—1902

ON DRY SNITCHING

1 had never heard the term “Dry Snitching” before coming to
prison, but the concept s very clear it's indirect tattling. Dry
snitching s telling on someone in an oblique, roundabout
way. That may sound low-key or not a big deal, but trust me
when | say that dry snitching will get you hurt—it is fucking
hell. If you do this, you are ratting.

Let's say you're not supposed to have pillows in your cell and
some pig jams you up, takes your pillow, but no one else’s.

You, feeling indignant and entitled, then bark at the cop, Why
are you taking just mine when everyone has a pillow? You just

iy snitched on everyone. O the cop is looking for a broom
and you innocently inform him, Oh, it's in Joe's room...sounds
like nothing, but who knows what was in that room and you
just sent the cop there.

In the feds we have emailing and phone usages. Both of these
things are always heavily monitored. A slimy and accidental
way to snitch on someone in the feds is to email your family or
friends about something going on here. You aren't officially
telling the cops but you are 100% snitching. Like if you were
hating on someone’s hustle and you emailed your partner that
s0-and-so is hustling back onions or something from the
kitchen. That dude would get hit for that guaranteed. Ratting.
‘That can seem harmless and just sharing shit with your family,
but it could get the kitchen dude jammed up. We can always
avoid accidentally dry snitching such as above by MINDING
OUR OWN BUSINESS. Staying in our own lane. This is so
important and crucial in prison. It isn't a game. It can prevent
s0 many potentially ugly situations.

Recently | heard of a prisoner purposely dry snitching and it
broke my heart and made me feel sick to my stomach at the
exact same time. This person apparently felt unsafe with his
cellmate, and thought he was in danger. This fucking sucks
and is an ugly reality of prison. We have all been there. Being
a Political Prisoner doesn’t make you immune to the daily
grime, violence, and ugliness of prison. No one is going to
hand you a pass. We exist and function in the same reality as

Fapeeag

&\

il

everyone else, to think or expect otherwise is classist and
gross. Our friend had a handful of options: he could have
spoken with and maybe caught problems with his cellmate,
could have tried to switch cells, he could have checked in
(checking in is when you go to the cops and say you are
unsafe and are put in Protective Custody in segregation),
whatever. He chose what should have been a non-option.
Either by email or phone our friend hit up his loved ones and
told them in monitored communication that he was in danger
FROM HIS CELLMATE. He did this knowing that the guards
would rescue him. This was not an accident. This wasn't his
first day in prison. That s ratting. He may have never have
taken the stand in a courtroom, but he just put evidence
against his cellmate and got them put under investigation. He
may as well have had a fucking badge on.

Think of the serious implications of doing this. What if that
dude had a weapon or drugs on his property and he got
searched or the room got searched, that is extra YEARS to his
sentencel What if he was close to transferring closer to home,
that would be out of the question now, or if he had a visit
coming up, a child's birthday or something like that. Your
tattling just robbed this person of that chance to be free for
that moment; you just took on the role—no matter how
intentionally—of being the police. Your fear was more
important than oppressing another human. He may as well
have ratted on a comrade or been the person who told the
cops where | was staying when | got arrested. That is how it

W Lmprissnment os it exists 15 & worse
erime than any 08 those commided
by its vickims, for no Single. criminal canbe as
Powerful for evil , or a8 urestrained in s
#xercise, as an organized nation. "

~George Bernard Shaw
felt to me. There is no excuse for this from anyone, let alone
someone that espouses anti-oppression, pro-liberation. Our
fear does not give us permission to snitch. You can be
proactive in your safety without telling on others. No one in
the free world gives a fuck about checking in. By doing this
our friend would've got a safe transfer to an easy yard where
10 one would check his paper work to see what happened,
but if he had got sent to another serious joint, he would have
had tons to answer for. No one needs or wants those
problems. If you believe and live a life of anti-oppression,
anti-authority, etc. etc., you cannot tell on other people to
better your own situation, at least not in my mind.

On the flip side of all of that, while in pre-trial there may be
people who will try and rat on you if they can, hoping to
lessen their own sentence at your expense. This i called
“jumping on someone’s ship,” i.e., “Josh jumped on Noah's
ship” (just to use two random names). This person goes to the
State's attomey and says they will become the State's
evidence against you 5o that they can reduce their sentence.
Itis something | faced at CCA when | was there. When my
plea deal was all but signed my lips got loose and it was
brought to my attention that one of the cats | was cool with
was tying to talk to them people about getting a reduction,
telling them things about me. This made me feel like a fucking
cold chump for letting my guard down, for believing in some
romanticized “convict's code.” There is an inherent desire to
talk to people, to share things, maybe to posture and brag,

But pre-trial we need to be so careful with the information we
choose to share and who we share it with. The pigs will go to
nasty lengths to jam you up, and people get desperate to
shave time off their own sentences. Everyone inside is not our
friend. Sometimes smiles hide fangs.

®
WALKING AS A TOOL

1 walk slowly, always. The state can control where | walk, the
space in which | am confined to walking, the people | have to
walk amongst, and what times | am allowed to walk outside,
but they can never control the speed in which | walk. | choose
always to walk AS SLOW AS FUCKING POSSIBLE. Conscious
walking, my yogi told me it's called. Doctor Joel insisted | do
it, because everything is so fucking fast in prison, everything is
rushed. Every movement, every decision, every thought. It

doesn't have to be. Slow down, feel what you are doing, be
aware of the movements you are making and the muscles you
are using. Understand that by slowing down you are
exercising the ultimate control over your body. The
government wishes they could do this, that they could control
our bodies this way, to contort us into their shape of how a
human should be and should perform.

The COs hate this, | get shit for it EVERYDAY. Today | was
walking down the sidewalk, right in the middle of it on the
way back from breakfast after a really beautiful yoga session.
Walking slowly, VERY SLOWLY. | can hear their lttle golf cart
cruising behind me, getting dangerously close. Then | hear
the swerve onto the dirt and he goes by within about 7 inches
of me. “MOVE YOUR ASS NEXT TIME!" the cop shouts.

Nope. We are only allowed to walk on the sidewalk. We are
restricted from walking on the dirt, so | will not move for your
cart, | will not jump out of the way. Hit me and | win; swerve
and | win. Il move for no cop. When | get close to my unit the

disgusting pig officer asks me: @
“What's your problem?”
“What do you mean?”

“You hurt or something?”

“Nope, just walking.”

"Well next time move it a ltle faster.”

“Is that in the program statement or does it just make you
personally uncomfortable?”

“You think you're clever smart-mouth?”
“Clever enough to make you nervous over walking.

“You're lucky you're not in my uni
“Would you write me up for not moving at your preferred
pace?" “Look dude, walking’s not against the law, it's just
weird.

“So is commenting on someone else’s walking.”

This is our power, to control our bodies and our minds. They
an only limit so much, despite their best efforts. We must
stay constantly conscious of this, their desire to limit us and
their desire to pressure us into conforming our actions and
thoughts to their acceptability. Not fucking happening. This is
our win. Tools can be weapons, not used to attack but to
defend. | can defend against their oppression by owning my
body, just like on the streets, just like anywhere dangerous.
People here think i's weird. | think speed walking because
someone in a shirt is pressuring you to hurry is weird.
Annoying those who think they control you is a feeling that i
unparalleled and one that | crave and succeed in finding on a @

daily basis. We win through self-control.
55 O A

ON BRANDON BAXTER OF THE
CLEVELAND 4

I don't normally write men political prisoners because | have
had bad experiences...but | hear you are safe.

I cannot tell you how many letters | get that open this way.
Stories of unwanted sexual conversation, requests for photos,

and attempts to start relationships. It is not difficult to not
violate women. | do it every day when responding to letters.

e ———————
‘A rowded rvli:e court docket :
is the surest sign that ¥rade

i8 brisk and money flzn{'y. "

7 ~Mar Tuan
A question for men in our community: Why are we being such
creeps? | remember the first time a female comrade called me
out. I was in high school and it was over me being a creep
about a facebook picture. | thought | was being funny or cute
and made a comment that didn't seem out of line to me at all.
She didn't call me out in front of everyone, instead just
replied to my message: “Eric | thought we were friends,

You are making me feel less.” This one sentence stays with
me still today because | never again wanted to ever make
someone feel that way, whether we were comrades, friends,
partners, anything. That sentence changed my entire life
because it was the first chance to hold myself accountable, to
look at myself and see a chance to grow. We didn't have the
language to express what was really happening, | was being a
patriarchal creep, that's the reality. But she knew | was making
her feel less, and that was enough, that should ALWAYS be
enough. That chance to grow didn't end in high school. It
didn't end when | tumed 20 or 30. This is a continual growth,
a continual re-evaluation of what is ok and what isn't, Even
now when my partner lovingly calls me out on being
patriarchal, | listen and take it seriously so that | don't ever
make someone feel “less” ever again. There is no perfection
here, there is no finished product, but there is a desire to
always do better and to always grow.

What | am seeing right now from certain people and parts of
the radical community, the MALE political prisoner

community, makes me absolutely sick to my fucking stomach.
In prison you may find yourself having to do things to survive
that make you feel uncomfortable or gross, and that sucks.
But there is NEVER a reason to hurt, manipulate, e to, bash,
coerce, trick, or in general be greasy to female supporters (or
any supporters really). Being a political prisoner does not
entitle you to be a misogynistic, manipulative piece of shit,
Having support isn't a license to take advantage of people’s
feelings or solidarity, to use them for your own purposes. It
isn't ok in the streets; it isn't ok behind bars. We need to walk
our talk on this issue, at least | do. We need to call out the
people who act this way, or think this is ok.

Brandon from the Cleveland 4 has done all those things listed
above and more, admittedly and purposely. When given the
chance to do the right thing, to be held accountable, not only
did he reject those options but instead he chose to victim
blame. He has done major harm to different women in the
community who tried to support him. And since that is the
case, | want nothing to do with this guy. | don't want to be
associated with him in any way, and that includes being
associated with people who still condone or apologize for
him. If you have romanticized prison to the extent to where
you think this behavior is okay just because he has been
oppressed, then please lose my address.

How we treat each other isn't a game. The women in our
community still have to deal with rampant patriarchy and

T e e

“0ne of the most difficult and one of the most
ignored of our social problens is the problem

of prisons--a problem. ..which can be solved only
through the abolition of prisons. "

--David F. Greenbers, The Problem of Prisons
sexism and still have to deal with being called liars and
exaggerators when they speak up. | bet we all know of a
hushed story about a man in our community who has
problematic behavior towards women. When these behaviors
are silenced it just puts more women in danger of
experiencing them. This isn't the future | want; this isn't what |
want our revolution to look like. I stand with our female
comrades and | know many others do as well. When we see
behavior like this, we need to work on it, and if that isn't seen
25 an option, then we need to smash it out. We need to start
saying these things out loud, and as men t's time for US to
start holding each other accountable and stop relying on
femme folks to do the emotional labor of this

ON INTROSPECTION

If this is my home, it feels broken into
where's my warm welcome?

The family before was beaten and evicted.
Hard to settle in, hard to get cozy.

Ifthis is my home, who's misplaced my dishes?
The silverware is tamnished and rusted,
shelves sit empty, books besieged.

Why are there bars on the windows

and empty bottles in the bin?

This isn't mine,

Tear this house down

It's getting harder to recognize myself, and it isn't only
because of the unkempt facial hair mess or the longer-than-
comfortable-but-fuck-it mop on top. Everyday | evaluate then
re-evaluate my stances, beliefs, and passions. Nothing else to
doin here really. Sometimes | get so bored with myself that |
force my brain to shut off. Other times my views are so
splendidly revolutionary that | swear | wil remember them so
10 need to write them down. Fool. I'm no longer the bubbly
Jokester or even the positive morale booster. It hasn't even
been a year yet. Or maybe | am the jokester but just don't
have anyone to joke with. | steadily keep tuming further and
further inward, caring less and less about the outside world,
minus a select few people and places. Thus | can see how the

outside world views prison/prisoners. Not even out of sight
out of mind, more; never in sight, blinded to sight. All the
more miraculous that there is still some who actually do give
more than just predisposed mime concems towards the plight
of prisoners. The amount of true despair, pain,
disillusionment, confusion & rage behind these walls is earth
shaking, and this is just a federal holding facility! The horrors
that await inside county, state & federal prisons is a nightmare
that society denies its having, a monster it continually sweeps
under the bed hoping the kids never hide under there. It's a
pirate’s treasure chest filled with forgotten and abandoned
souls who have been shown no other way to survive than
through violence. We tell kids to listen to the police, the good
‘guys. So when our kids pull guns and fire hopeless and
senselessly into another, should we not award them with
badges and promations like they've seen their role models
receive? How can we expect to stop things like rape when we.
teach boys that they're strong and in control and that girls
exist just for sex, then use the media to instill that same
worthlessness into young girls so much that they're
brainwashed to believe it? | don't recognize myself anymore
because | used to love calling girls babe & bitch because “It's
a term of endearment.” | would lie to myself. | had no
problem telling someone to “quit being a fag” using the
Eminem definition of detachment. | used to buy Nike shoes,
buy plain black tees, buy fucking everything to form an
identity. Never made anything though, especially not an
impact. Consumer tool, like everyone else. “I'm different,” |

would say to myself, railing molly off the bathroom counter at
a hipster bar. I talk politics while fucked up. | see this is
wrong; | am just doing it ronically.” Moronically, more like.
Everyone loves being a weekend warrior, showing up for the
rally or protest, fuck up some nazis or a brick through a
window or two. Then race home to brag about it on tablets
and social media. The reason | don't recognize myself much
these years is because back then | didn't have a personality of
my own. Like many | just reflected back on what | thought
about being morally, socially & class conscious meant “Am |
doing it ight?” When you look in the mirror and the thing
opposite you is ashamed to look back, or too high, i’s time to
re-evaluate yourself and do it quick. | am proud of who | was
before my arrest and now ater. The mental, social, and
physical changes | began making years ago were beginning to
manifest. Was | still a tad too emotional? Probably. Was | stil
a hypocrite? It's.a human paradox. But my everyday life had
evolved, my relationship with oppressive personality traits
have matured, the way | was living was my views actualized.
That felt good, real good. Everyone can benefit from some
hard evolution. Calling yourself out is hard, yet rewarding, like
most difficult things. Nothing feels better, though, than
knowing you were living life the way you wanted instead of
living the way you thought you should. Lots of improving.
Having people around who share ideas, visions of the future,
and affinity in reality and not just the obscure ideas, helps
make me more honest, more introspective, and more happy.

Keep up the fight,
in deepest solidarity
Eric King () (/) ()
NO STEPS BACK!

Until All Are Free!

MEDICAL HORRORS AT FCI FLORENCE

We would like to say this situation is representative of a
bigger problem within the BOP. There was recent information
that has emerged that shows that the way the BOP is handling
the hiring freeze is to have nurses double as cops. To quote
Nurse Hendicks “l am a guard first and a nurse second,” and
THAT is the problem. In the medical field folks are asked to
do no harm. Meanwhile they are asked to partake in the
psychological torture that prison guards carry out and—here
is the kicker—on the same people they are tasked to keep
alive and healthy. One cannot be in charge of the health of a
person while at the same time the other aspect of their job is
to dehumanize them.

Since | have been at FCI Florence | have seen some real
cruelty and vileness at a level | didn't think was possible,
ugliness that would make your skin crawl. No, it wasn’t from
the gangs or the drug dealers—it was from certain members

of the Medical Team. Specifically R.N. Hendricks. Fuck R.N.
Hendricks.

Imagine walking out of breakfast at 6:30 AM into the freezing
cold mountain air. Once your feet step right outside you see
someone wearing scrubs and a smile, and you assume this is a
helpful caring person. You are sadly mistaken. Within seconds

e g e

I am persuaded that those who devised this system of prison
discipline and those benevolent gentlemen who carry it into
execution o not know what they are doing

--Charles Dickens

B
that person is in your face literally screaming “SPREAD
EMI"—referring to your legs. This person will then proceed to
"pat" you down so aggressively you would be forgiven for
mistaking this pat-down for an assault. That assault quickly
becomes a sexual assault when she forcibly grabs your penis
and balls, forces her hand between your ass cheeks, laughing
horrifically, muttering to herself, “No one is getting past me
today!" This is what lfe is like for many men at FCI Florence.
You may be asking yourself why she is taking this so fucking
personal, that is because she sees herself as a “cop first, nurse
second, so don't try to fuck with mel”—to which one inmate
replied, “that explains the quality of your health care.” When
an inmate tells her to keep her fucking hands off of his dick,
her response is to quip: “Well you shouldn't have come to
prison!” before writing up that inmate for having the audacity
to not want to be sexually assaulted. Is she looking for knives
or escape tools you may ask? Is she doing it to protect herself
and her co-workers? Nope, she is looking for extra milks that
people may smuggle back to supplement their protein intake.
| assure you that no one has ever hid a milk carton in their ass
cheeks. Most prisoners held captive here at the FCI have had
to deal with this sadistic handsy creep on this level, but some
have to deal with her on a much more serious level, and at
that more serious medical level Hendricks gets to really
express her ugliness and hatred towart

mates.

The amount of horrors that she is accountable for is
staggering and hard to put into paragraph form. Inmates with

¢ BE Oy e

NINE PERSPECTIVES FOR

Perspective 1: Imprisonment is morally repre-
hensible and indefensible and must be abolished, In
an enlightened free society, prison cannot endure
or it will prevail. Abolition is a long range goal; an
ideal. The eradication of any oppressive system is
not an easy task. But it is realizable, like the
abolition of slavery or any liberation, so long as
there s the will to engage in the struggle.

Perspective 2: The message of abolition requires
“honest” language and new definitions. Language
is related to power. We do not permit those in
power to control our vocabulary. Using “system
language” to call prisoners “inmates” or punish-
ment “‘treatment,” denies prisoners the reality of
their experience and makes us captives of the old
system. Our own language and definitions em.
Power us to define the prison realistically.

Perspective 3: Abolitionists believe reconcilia-
tion, not Ppunishment, is a proper response to crimi-
nal acts. The present criminal (in)justice systems
focus on someone to punish, caring little about the
criminal’s need or the victim’s loss. The abolitionist
Tesponse seeks to restore both the criminal and the
victim to full humanity, to lives of integrity and
dignity in the community. Abolitionists advocate
the least amount of coercion and intervention in an
individual’s life and the maximum amount of care
and services to all people in the society.

Perspective 4: Abolitionists work with prisoners
but always remain “nonmembers™ of the estab-
lished prison system. Abolitionists learn how to
walk the narrow line between relating to prisoners
inside the system and remaining independent and
“outside” that system. We resist the compelling
psychological pressures to be “accepted” by people
in the prison system. We are willing to risk pressing
for changes that are beneficial to and desired by
prisoners. In relating to those in power, we differ-
entiate between the personhood of system man-

& PRISON ABOLITIONISTS

N agers (which we respect) and their role in perpetu-
ating an oppressive system.

Perspective 5: Abolitionists are “allies” of pri-
soners rather than traditional “helpers.” We have
forged a new definition of what is truly helpful to
the caged, keeping in mind both the prisoner’s
perspective and the requirements of abolition. New
insights into old, culture-laden views of the “help-
ing relationship” strengthen our roles as allies of
prisoners.

Perspective 6: Abolitionists realize that the em-
powerment of prisoners and ex-prisoners is crucial
to prison system change. Most people have the
potential to determine their own needs in terms of
survival, resources and programs. We support self-
determination of prisoners and programs which
place more power in the hands of those directly
affected by the prison experience.

Perspective 7: Abolitionists view power as avail-
able to each of us for challenging and abolishing
the prison system. We believe that citizens are the
source of institutional power. By giving support
to—or withholding support from—specific policies
and practices, patterns of power can be altered.

Perspective 8: Abolitionists believe that crime is
mainly a consequence of the structure of society.
We devote ourselves to a community change
approach. We would drastically limit the role of
the criminal (in)justice systems. We advocate pub-

/ lic solutions to public problems—greater resources

and services for all people. .

Perspective 9: Abolitionists believe that it is
only in a caring community that corporite and
individual redemption can take place. We view the
dominant culture as more in need of “correction”
 the prisoner. The caring communities have yet
built.

)
— T T

People in prison thrive on hope. The despair of a life sentence
is made tolerable by the Hope of change. Tolerable in the senso
of there being some small chance of eventual freedom. But that
hope of change far too often is used as a control device; people
Who support the changes are 00 easily made the system’s tools
for chiseling that control. As an-example, the stress on im.
proved living conditions in prisons loses sight of the reality of
imprisonment. Even a Better Homes and Gardens bedroom, 24
hours a day, 365 days a year for 20 years, is an intolerable
prison.

What is eliminated in prison is choice. What is encouraged is
obedience. Bruno Bettelheim illustrated the result when he
stated “a prisoner had reached the final stage of adjustment to
the camp situation when he had changed his personality so as to
accept as his own the values of the Gestapo.. .. Can one
imagine a greater triumph for any system than this adoption of
its values and behavior by its powerless victims?" Until chojoe
can be freely exercised ‘and caring behavior encouraged, there
can be no meaningful change and the “rehabilitation” of “crim.
nals” will only be a system’s triumph over the values and
behavior of the powerless in our society.

1t s not enough just to endorse a movement, support an issue
or reach out among ourselves, inside and outside prisons, As
abolitionists we must look to the future and examine the jong
term impact of their present reality. We must be creative ang
inquisitive. We must understand our direction and abolition
must be that direction because the entire system of punishment
has failed. Abolition is not a toothache, but a people's right to
erase useless waste of human life, time and money.

This handbook can serve as a beginning, but it must be
perceived as just that, a_ beginning. None of the models cay
work if perceived as an answer to the problems. Diverting lives
from imprisonment and punishment, can only serve as links in 3
chain of change. We cannot afford to lose sight of the unique.
ness of each individual and the needs that filter thru that
uniqueness to-create one human life; we-must. create options

ity.
and equity. —M. Sharon Smolick # AF01850

‘San Prancisco, Calit. 94107
Having jurisdiction over the classifcation of work done by me.
3

Name Addross_

umber, Prison

Clas of Work Do,

atness

I hereby auihorize the agents or representatives of said Union to represent me aod to
et a2 colective bargaining agent in ll matters pertalaiog to rates of pay, hours or
mployment and all other terms aod conditions of incarceration.

Date, Signature

long histories of seizures have regularly had their dosages
reduced by her—without doctors’ permission or knowledge—
leading to ugly, violent seizures. If you make the mistake of
having a seizure on the 2nd tier, you can expect to be carried
down the steps not on a gumey, but by 4 members of staff,
dragging you like a sack of potatoes.

Inmates with cancer have REGULARLY been denied doctor
follow-ups (despite the doctor's request), denied medicine
prescribed by the doctor, and had information continually
withheld by RN. Hendricks. There are countless grievances
against her for ignoring actual doctors' orders, losing medical
inhalers, misplacing medicine, and changing dosages. | know
this because | help type many of these grievances, and every
time my heart aches for my comrades who have to go through
this.

Imagine your brother, father or grandfather has had a doctor
order testing for cancer, only to have RN. Hendricks cancel
the testing. Imagine them needing medicine for some.
disorder, only to have Hendricks change the medicine
completely or deny it all together. This ruins lives. Recently
she had the goons run into the room of an elderly inmate with
colon cancer whom the doctor had ordered to have  walker.
Was she racing in to help him? Fuck no; she was taking the
walker back, despite the inmate having the approval forms on
hand. This is real. This is serious. We have no other medical

recourse. How does R.N. Hendricks justify this? Shouldn’t
have come to prison.

®
Recently an inmate filed a lawsuit against her after he went to
the sick-call window complaining of pain and swelling in his
testicles and she refused him service. He went back every day
and each time she denied him help until it got so swollen they
had to remove the damn thing. This isn't shocking to the
people inside; we see it happen al the fucking time.

Hendricks is a soulless maggot, but she could not do this
without approval or permission from above. She, like every
member of this fascist brigade, answers to higher ups. She
cannot act alone. She is permitted to do this by the
bureaucrats who do not remove her from her post. By their
refusal to act, they are not only allowing it to continue, but
also condoning the behavior, and why wouldn't they? This is
systematic abuse at its finest and this is what the BOP is
masters of. The prison shields, protects, tolerates, and accepts
her behavior and the lteral blood is also on their hands. R.N.
Hendricks is an agent of a system that brutalizes other human
beings, and as long as this system exists it will continue to act
accordingly.

Fuck R.N. Hendricks. Until all are free.

UPDATE:

| feel its important that people know that | was called into the
Lts office by Lt. Estrada and asked whether | had been
sexually assaulted or not. If | said yes | would be placed in
Protective Custody and the police would be called and an
investigation would develop which would lead to me being
shipped. | am not an idiot. If | said yes and then refused to
follow-up that is another shot and | would get disciplined for
that. | was told to sign a piece of paper saying | was never
sexually assautted by Hendricks. It is important to note that |
never said | was, and only pointed out her very aggressive
and questionable behavior. | signed that paper and went to
visit with you.
Today prisoners scill demand medical, recreational,
and educational improvement, but it is increasingly

common for inmates in prisohs to question the legitimacy

Of their incarceration, and to clain that they ace

political prisoners in'an unjust and corrupt political systen.

--Burton M. Atkins and Henry R. Glick
Prisons, Protest, and Folitics

The spirit of the people is stronger than the man's jails
My spirit is stronger than yours.

“-iuey P. Newton

@
] We want to be human beings, we will be treated as human beings!

Most images in tis zine were culled From
Luskad oF “Prisens 1 A Hundbok be Molitorish (1976).
Lastead o8 Pty < L O

T am atthe desk, wnder fhe £l electric
gare of a hundved-watk naked buly, sm‘lb[ina
words on teilet paper.” ~Nyugi wa Thiong'o