“To Struggle

, Means
We're Alive”

prisoners speak out on Ferguson,
Baltimore, and the ongoing
revolt against the police

“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

Introductions

What follows is a series of interviews with and articles by
prisoners on the recent wave of Black-led riots, uprisings.
dircet action, and protest against the police across the U'S,
The conversations and correspondence that resulted in
these picces took place mostly in the spring of 2016, mark-
ing some time since the beginning of the 2014 uprising in
Ferguson, Missouri. Reflecting on the ongoing rebellions
that have reverberated on both sides of prison walls sinc
that summer almost two ye
of these picees feel no le

s ago. the insights and clarity

Thi:

sever

e

ed organically, after trading ideas with
Tve corresponded with off and on as

project e
al pr
part of a North Carolina (anti- prison news bulletin. Folks
wanted their thoughts on #BlackLivesMatter and the re-
cent riots to be amplified on the outside, as well as to have
an avenue to distribute and further these conversations in
their facilities. Afier being immersed in my own way in the
insurgencies of the last two ye
it felt like there was a lack of v

ones

s.albeit as a white person.
ibility of prisoncrs’ own
thoughts on this struggle. especially the analysis of “social”
prisoners who may be actively resisting on the inside but
have little of the recognition or activist ered of known po-
litical prisoncrs.

The folks who contributed to this small publication come
from a varicty of backgrounds, politically. racially, and
otherwisc. They are Black and Brown and white, gay and
ight. The picces have been minimally edited for spell-
ing and grammar but not content, with the hope of p
ing as much as possible the quality of prisonc:
the page. Some contributors have chosen to remain
mous. while others gave their consent to be named. Most
of these prisoncrs are people I've written with for years,
though when word of the publication started spreading, |
began to hear from people I'd never talked to before, and a
couple of these picees reflect that

st

eserv-
" voices on

nor

Thope to be a comrade to those behind bars whenever pos-
sible, but T am not an “ally” to them, or any other hetero-
gencous group for that matter. Rather: as an anarchist I've
tried to represent myself as transparently as possible politi-
cally to those | correspond with, avoiding the dynamic that
comes from passively following leadership and instead at
times engaging in active debates with people. Sometimes

this means actively choosing to work with some pri
rather than others. Though there is absolutely a (construc-
tive, L hope) variety of political viewpoints represented he
my own affinities are likely made cle:

oner

1 should point out that there is an unfortunate shortag
of women prisoners’ voices in this “zine. This is | Iy
due to the proportion of male to female prisoners in North
Carolina facilitics. where men outnumber women roughly
ten to one, though pr

ma

haps it is also representative of the

st

agths and weaknesses of my own relationships, Ce
tainly there is no shortage of rebellious women at NCCIW
or most other women's fhcilities, and there
Carolina women resisting the
1 subjugation at the hands of the state.

is a strong h
r confine

“To Struggle Means We're Al

With recent prison riots and strikes in Texas, Nebraska.
Michigan, and Alabama, and the widespread hunger strikes

that spread through California several years prior: we're liv-
ing in a time when prison struggles are building int
These efforts are primarily being initiated and self-organ-
ized by diverse crews of pri outside of established
activist organizations or networks. Support on the outside

on

has also grown, however. and is eurrently playing a role in
amplifying news of a national prison strike sct for Septem-
ber 9th, the 43th anniversary of the Attica uprising

This surge in activity unfortunately coincides with the
inereased prevalence of reformist and even “abolitionist™
thetoric among politicians and their loyal opposition in
the world of non-profits and esteemed activist o
tions, Whatever their intentions may be. if historical prec-
edent serves, these forces will act 1o pre:
and capitalism by inaugurating new methods of discipline
and social control to replace the old

niza-

rve whiteness

In this contet. 1 hope that thi
ful to comrades

publication can prove
and accomplices on both sides of the wall.

1se-

that futu
control as it
speak to othe

iggle against pri s
1o contain, and that these prisoners’ words
s as they have spoken to me.

ons will be as impossible to

non, NC
Spring 2016

“For freedom we want and will have,
for we have served this cruel land long enuff,
and we are full able to conquer by any means.”

-correspondence between slaves, 18th century

“Those who are locked up
know better than their jailers
the taste of free air.”

-Héléne Cixous

“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

“we are a social force
becoming aware of its power”

ABRRRRY
Lanesboro C1
Pollton, NC

1 first heard about the anti-police uprisings and #Black-
LivesMatter protests from the news and media. What's sad
is that it took Ferguson. Baltimore, Oakland. and Charlotte
and other cities to see what's going on in ou

ities around

the world and what the police are doing to Black people and
Latino’s. Just look at what happened in Durham to Chuy
Huerta. When are we going to realize that change needs
to occur in oursclves and society in this corrupt country
Day by day on the ubjected to

1ews or in our ¢
see or undergo police brutality. racism. diserimination. and
injustice by the same people whose job it is to protect and
serve. Honestly I'm tired of seeing my people get treated
like we're inhuman and outeasts, and naturally its bad in
ause it’s not them that

s we are

e
the prison system. They feel like be

they are doing this to, it don’t matter: The system don't care
about people of color. We're the game to these killers in
black and blue uniforms. They cither destroy us or put us
into Federal, Sate, and County facilitics, or try and deport
the Latino/as,

1 say this because I'm going through all these things at this
time. We got 1o become conscious of what : on, be-
cause Blacks and Lati heing targeted and it’s clear
Iy time for a change, time to destroy the system of this rac.
ist and wicked government, stand up against racism. police
bratality, and injustice, fight the powers that be, and make
change, because if we don't these things will continue to

s goi

oas

happen. As brothers all around the world we need to stand
up and come together and protest for every single man and
woman. They are going to keep killing us and keeping us
in slavery. That's why we need to get all the education and
come together on the inside and outside, because we all
have somebody we love or who loves us. So let’s stop huri-
ing cach other and come together o stop these uniformed
killers on the outside and in' the prison system. That's why
we need the people on the outside. to stand by us and to
come up with plans for the youth and the people that's get-
ting out of this p
tem and are willing to help
themselves.

son sys- .
We need society con-

necting us, not solely
with other predomi-
We need society conneet- nantly while social
ing us. not solely with other - moyements but also
predominantly white social with the many peo-
movements but also with ple who survive with-

the many people who sur- ot compromise in
vive without - compromise it

in this world on fire. We are
not individuals acting on our moral impulses — we are a so-
cial force becoming aware of its power. Becoming powerful
is a matter of making our story a place to inhabit, of making
material. We dream in the face of nightmares, not
as an eseape into an alternative reality but as a weapon to
change this one. Because not only do Black lives matter, and
Latino/as. but all lives matter: So outside world: the people
on the inside of these prisons need your help too, because
we are being killed by black and blue uniforms. Just look
at what happened to Mr. Michacl Kerr at Alexander CI on
31214 We all need help.

our sto

With Love to the world.

ANANNN

6
“To Struggle Means We're

“a sense of everyone
feeling like, ‘about time™

AXANXY
Bertie (1
Windsor, NC

1. How did you first hear about the anti-police uprisings and

BlackLives Vatier protests in Ferguson, Baltimore, Oakland,
and other cities, of 2014-2015; friends and faumily; other prison-
ers, corporate media, and or radical publications?

1 first heard about the anti-police uprisings and #Black-
LivesMatter protests through the media. newspapers
dio.and television. Also it was a discussion that friends and
family were having amongst cach other about the rea
portraal finally being shown about the systemic injustice
within the “justice” system that is built into the thread of
our socity to the point of being a constant perpetuator of
the ills of this socicty by being based on archaic ideals that
T have nothing to do with

about it !

as the persislence 5 o did you reac? What
of the protesters 10 wereyour initial thoughss and
ue the i feclings?

oles

s shocked !

st

My reaction wasn't shock or
ed by the system, ei- disbeliel because Tve been
ther by intimidation ving this reality for the
or pacifying ity of my life. If 1 was

and not be pe

majc
shocked about anything it
was the persistence of the protesters to pu
on the basis of the facts and not be persuaded by the sys-

ue the issues

tem, cither by intimidation or pacifying, to let things go.
I started really paying attention, at first | thought it was
t another movement where it would he more about the
ons/person pushing the movement than the cause the
movement was born out of. So Ill say my initial thoughts

were, “Here we go again with people
the misfortune of othe

& 1o come up off

3. There were and are a lot of contradictory and conflicting cle-
ments o these protests and rebellions. Right-cwing media has used
coded, racist language blaming “thugs” and “criminals”, while
Iefi-wwing media and some activists have also at times decried the
rioting, blaming it on “outside agitators.” Do you have thoughts
on these conflicts over tacticsand siraegy? Do they resonate with
debates going on over resistance inside prisons?

ues it

1 helieve with so many people involved in the
inevitable for there to he conflict on several levels, not only
in ideology but strategy, and personal and group agenda
Excluding those that are involved solely just because and

not for the cause, 1 feel like everyone’s actions can push the
talks into actual steps towards reforms. Throughout history
from all groups of people with differing views on tactics
against government tyranny there has been debate on the
best tactics. so th

is not an issue exclusive 1o our times or

this movement. There was always conflicting thoughts on
strategy on the same objectives, for every Martin Luther
King there was a Malcolm X, every W.E.B. Dubois a Marcus
Garvey, and all their actions shaped and pushed reform in
their times. No change for the better has ever happened

without those two clements. You need the reasonable voice
to convey in an articulate way the demands of the move.
ment. and the muscle to show why its best to listen to the
voice of reason.
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

The commercial and right-wing media is an extension of
the ruling party —as a tool for propaganda they are doing
what they were ereated for, 50 it's nothing new about them
criminalizing everyone and everything that threatens th
views and self-imposed rights 10 their positions in society
1ts all a cointelpro program in progress. I'm pretty su
the British saw the “founding fathers™ as “criminals” and
“thugs” as well. They revolted over taxes and high-priced
tea, much less than the atrocities they commit today against
their own citizens and then call “justice.” Now there’s a hol-
iday a

sund those

thugs™ actions.

4. Were other prisoners talking about these rebellions, and if so,
what kinds of conversations were they having?: Did it stimulate
discussion, organizing, and/or resistance in your facility?

OF course people are in here discussing the rebellions and
cheering the resisters on. Its been a sense of everyone fecl-
ing like “about time.” because those of us who have heen
living through the reality of the semi-covert, organized hos-

tility towards certain groups of socicty to see it aired out
s picked up by those in a better position to resist with

effect gives us a sense of validation and encouragement
It felt as though hefore this nothing we said against these

people would get taken seriously. as if by them being a part
of the system of justice they were incapable of injustice,
and we were all just sore bitter individuals. Now that peo-
ple are coming to realize that it can happen to anyone any-
where for any reason, getting wrongly accused and jailed.
killed by officers walking anywhere or even sitting in you
own home, Ts encouraged guys in here to do their part,
and due to the fact that we arc all convicted felons we know
our limitations in the roles we can play effectively. so we
embrace the radical and militant part where foree may be
needed. Even still, we dise aspects of the move-

1ss othe

ment and encourage that too, but we just don’t want o let
the opposition use our past deeds in a propaganda cam-
paign to discredit the movement as a whole. Our position
ist we want the establishment to realize that they would
ather talk to the “reasonable” organizers than to deal with
us. But yes, its caused us to put aside certain differences at
times in here to stand together in a common cause,

5. Did it feel to you like there was a racial dynamic to how pris-
oners reacted 1o the news of these mostly Black uprisings? Was
there more or less racial unity with regards to anti-police senti-
ment in the prison? Did it scem like white or Latino/a pr
could relate?

isoners

Among the Blacks mostly. but other groups as well, it has
led to an inereased cagerness to learn our history in th

society and world. The interest to learn about the Black
Panthers, the Deacons for Defense, the American Indian
Movement to name a few has rapidly inerc

here study the history of the struggle and are coming to the

ased. Guys in

realization that the past has as much to do with the affair
of today. They are arming themselves with this knowledge
1 choosing the roles that personally resonate with them
1 taking action. Yes there are more radical thoughts and
actions with unity among the prison population across all
racial boundarics in response to the anti-police sentiment.
No matter the race, at this level we all relate to the orches-
trated oppression of the ruling class with th
abusive tactics of the enforcement division of that class. We
all get beat with the same baton, sprayed with the same

aggressive,

mac

and put in the same isolation by the same rules that
are all “anti-us.” Still, there are pockets of division even in
here. with favoritism to certain races depending on the re-
gion of the institution.

10
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

6. What do you think the relationship can or should be between
these anti-police rebellions on the outside and resistance inside
prisons? Is there resistance or organizing going on at your facil-
ity you want to mention or hold up?

1 think society should use the experience of the prison
population to educate themselves about the in-the-trench-
es dirty tactics of the government and police. In order to
justify their crroncous actions in pursuit of their obje
jaw and order”, and to show the public the need
for increasing police pow-

wd overbearing pr
ence, they themselyes cr

tives of

I's tricky conside
ing the very macho
culture of prison life i and erimi
where your im: 1o pursue. How many of

s everything, iheir FBL DEA, and local
which is why we stress vice-squad informants are
that every actually soliciting crime
in order 1o bring down a
crime ring” they orches-
trated at the behest of the
police with the funding to
do it? Is ridiculous. So
rizers should utilize the guys in prison 1o get
ain vital info based on the actual experience of going
through this system at all levels. Not to belittle anyonc’s ex-

als

e

fighter didn’t carry a
weapon, sword, spe
or gun.

yes. the or

perience, cause an i an injustice no matter what,
but there needs to be more communication between what
they deem as the *hardened criminals” cause they can con-

tribute something that a guy that just spends his weekends
in jail for DUIs can't. There needs to be mo
aski

question-

g such as you're doing

At the moment myself and a few othes

organizing
elves to educate and direct some of the energy of the

ou

1"
vounger prison population in a more constructive manner:
We're getting the older ones to pass along the hard learned
lessons theyve earned through experience by creating an

atmosphere that encourages
the sharing of views without To_struggle mean:

reprisal. I's we're alive. When
tricky considering the very the struggle stops it
macho culture of prison lif: means you're dead.
where your image means eve. :

rything, which is why we stress that every warrior: soldicr,
and freedom fighter didn't carry & weapon, sword, spear, o
gun. That's how we will keep pushing, because o struggle
alive. When the struggle stops it means you're

judgement or

means we'
dead.

“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

“there seems to be
little that we can do.

AVNNNY
Harnett C1

Lillington, NC

1. How did you first hear about the anti-police uprisings and

BlackLives Vatier protests in Ferguson, Baltimore, Oakland,
and other cities, of 2014-2015; friends and faumily; other prison-
ers, corporate media, and or radical publications?

I didn’t find out about the anti-police movements and ri-
ots until about a year after they first began because I was

housed at a close-custody facility that had removed the
newspapers and would change the TV stations to keep us
from sceing anything controversial or possibly inciting. |

st learned of it after transferring to a medium custody
camp that still has newspapers and puts the TVs on the
news everyday

2. How did you react? What were your initial thoughts and feel-
ings?

1 was shocked at the police actions and their denials and
attempts to downplay their actions, or to confer blame to
the victims. T have never understood why police arc trained
to shoot people that are simply running away or are

ting but non-violent. And when they do shoot they are

trained only on killshots. There also scems to be at le
two standards on how police — even Black or non-white
police react to white suspects versus non-white suspects

ast

13
for the same types of circumstances. Black teens seem more
apt 1o he shot or manhandled than a white teen of the same
age under the same cireumstances. And such is not limited

to teenagers. The media seems to often imply that even if a
Black man was not guilty of an offense then he must have
done something to contribute to his gett
jured. or killed. cte.

1 shot, or in-

3. There were and are a lot of contradictory and conflicting cle-
ments o these protests and rebellions. Right-cwing media has used
coded, racist language blaming “thugs® and “criminals”, while
Iefi-wwing media and some activists have also at times decried the
rioting, blaming it on “outside agitators.” Do you have thoughts

on these conflicts over tactics and strategy? Do they resonate with
debates going on over resistance inside prisons?

T am by nature a non-violent person. but it seems, at least
partially. that our system of government fails to recognize
oracknowledge peaceful protests and that afc
only way to have society focus on and addres
is through “riot” behavic
.. burning, smashing, ctc.

point, the
the issue

anti-police
Of course these avenues pmlmluhd have one
also often lead to physical seable effect in-
violence and other alterca- the prisons, at
tions. both intentional and st where I've been

accidental (See also Occupy ¢
Wall Street, or the protests '1“ 1d, a "‘I' "l“',‘“l'l"';,
of monetary financial sum- during the height o
mit meetings worldwide. the conlliet our offic-
Socicts became inured 1o ers scemed 1o back

protests after the G0's and s on the petty
70° and is now quickly be-

7

coming likewise inured to
violence (e.g. The recent Belgium terror attack didn't even

14
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

make frontpage news in some papers). These anti-police
protests did have one noticeable effect inside the prisons.
at least where I've been held, and that is that during the
height of the conflict our officers scemed to back off of us
on the petty things. Possibly out of fear of setting off an-

other statewide prison riot? And I even noted some officers
opening dialogue with groups of prisoners on the topic.
almost as if they were conducting some sort of survey.

4. Were other prisoners talking about these rebellions, and if so,
what kinds of conversations were they having? Did it stimulate
discussion, organizing, and/or resistance in your facility?

Prisoners were definitely discussing these rebellions, most-
Iy holding an agreement that the violence was dispropor-

! cs. and feclings of solidarity to-
wards those outside organizations, though falling short of
attempling to organize resistance within the system, 1 think
mostly hecause of the strict prison regulations against such
organizing. Although it should be noted that older prison-
ers took the opport:
about past prisor

tionately .umwl al minol

ity to relate to the younger prisoners
1ce movements (e.g. Black

based resista

and giving first person accounts of previous pris-
on riots. Of course, on the opposite side white power-affili-

ated inmates complained that Blacks were only attempting

ally deserved 1o be shot

10 get special treatment o

5. Did it feel 10 you like there was a racial dynamic 1o how pris-
oners reacted 10 the news of these mostly Black uprisings? Was
there more or less racial unity with regards to anti-police senti-
ment in the prison? Did it seem like white or Latino/a prisoners
could relate?

Which brings us to. yes, there was definitely a pronounced

racial split in how prisoners reacted. Whether that is due

15
to acute taining a front because of belicfs
held by groups they are associated with in prison
to be scen. Though most prisoners scem to feel solidarity
with any expression of anti-police sentiments by free world
ardless of

acism or 1o mai

nains

peoples,

6. What do you think the relationship can or should be between
these anti-police rebellions on the outside and resistance inside
prisons? I5 there resistance or organizing going on at your facil-
ity you want to mention or hold up?

There scems little that we as incarcerated individuals can
do to help outside groups besides a limited first amend-
ment approach. Because of prison regu
tions involving inmate petitions. groups, ete. Howeve

ame is not truc of our free world supporters in that the
tamendment allows them 1o contact and network with
oners as they are comfortable doing, and o

ations and restric-
he

fi
as many pri .
outside supporters have resources that prisoners currently
have little to no access to, such as the internet and legal

There is absolutely no protest activity occurring at Harnett
at this time, largely due to the fact that most of these guys
are afraid to act up for fear of shipping and losing out on

1 of

school assignments and the ability to experience a s
freedom here hecause of the layout and operations, which
allow inmates to socialize regardless of dormitory assign-
ment (ed. note: Harnett CI is a medium custody facility).
There is a freedom of movement here which simply docs

not exist elsewhere, for however much longer it lasts.

16
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

his piece was originally written a year ago, but Saleem was en-
thusiastic about it being used for this project. One Hood United
s a youth movement of imprisoned activists that was inspired by
Hip Hop activist Jasiri X's One Hood Movement in Pittsburgh.
Vore information about One Hood United can be found at wia:
onchoodunited.or,

One Hood United:
Ganging Up on Oppression

by Saleem/One Hood United
542015

here's an urgent need for the New Afiikan and other oppressed
communities 1o develop new ways of viewing and interacting
with “gangs "in our communitics. Rather than look upon some of
our young people as enemies that we should attack and destroy;
we must be mindfid that members of “gangs” are our children
and grandchildren, our brothers, sisters, cousins - members of
our family: We must love them unconditionally: We must protect
them and work 1o help them along rightcous paths. Rather than
trying 10 *rid” our communities of “gangs” we should definitely
11y 10 assist them as they themselves engage in a process of trans-
formation into community groups that ain to combat some of our

real problems,
- Owusu James Yaki Sayles, Let's Gang Up On
Oppression

Baltimore, MD. The amerikkkan police state was on the
ropes in Baltimore as New Afrikan (Black people born in
the U.S. youth took to the streets in a campaign of civil dis-
obedience that forced the ity to charge six “police thugs™
in the bratal murder of 25 year old Freddie Gray. In an

inspiring display of unity. solidanity protests by demonste
tors in Ferguson, New York, Philly, Cincinnati, and Oakland
let the world know that Baltimore was not rumbling alone.
Let’s get it straight, it wasn't President Obama’s specches
or retired NFL linchacker Ray Lewis’s rants that won the
first phase of justice for Freddic: it was the youth and rid-
ers of Baltimorc’s hoods that served notice to the state that
they weren't tolerating police abuse and murd
Had the youth in Baltimore not stepped up and put the city
under brick and torch, the murder of Freddic Gray by the
police would have been written off as “justified” like the
previous murders of unarmed New Afrikan youth in Balti-
more by the police.

anymore.

While the youth were bravely rumbling in the strects de-
manding their life and dignity be respected, another battle
was being waged in the media for the narrative of Baltimore.
Talking heads within the empire’s state-sponsored corpo-
e media were attempting to one up cach other in con-

ra

demnation of Baltimorc’s

Uprising. Sadly. many main- My concern is with
stream Black commentators - the “new Negro™ com-
joined the chorus of con- mentators who were
demnation. I'm not going vouth out
le they were put-
ne for

to waste my time discy

ing the response of main-
stream amerikkka, who in-
stintively believe all New
Afiikan youth are crimi
abuse the police inflict on them. The dz
oursclves with the opinion of racist and conservative white
folks should be over. although unfortunately many New Af-
haven't awoken to this fact. My concer
with the “new Negro™ commentators who were selli
1e for justice.

als.

1 thugs deserving whatever

s of concerning

is

g our
vouth out while they were putting it on the |

18
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

At atime when our youth are ca
il disobedience and fig
called leaders should he declaring unequivoeal support for

rving on the mantle of civ-
hiing injustice in the streets, our so-

the youth. Instead, we sadly he

condemn the youth for venting their
and although the looting and
« unfortunate. let’s put this picture in context. Watch-
chellion from the lens of the media.

d anger at the polic
we

ing the

have thought Baltimore was being bu
ality. according to the Baltimore police.

The

The youth knew what
they were doing and for
the most part who they
were targeting. Many of
the vehicles set ablaze
were eithel rdoned

cars or police vehicles,
or were positioned
. ically "al inter-

s 10 prevent the
police from speeding
through the street

ard many of our misleaders

ightcous and justi-

ou would
ned to the ground
that there

were 15 buildings put
10 the torch during the
vehi-

uprising and 144

cles set on fire. It should

be noted that many of

the buildings sct on
fire were businesses:

no row-houses were set
ablaze. A couple liquor
stores were looted and
burned out. along with
a CVS drugstore. Again.
I'm not even going to

time lamenting

waste

the destruction of a liq-
store in an impoverished and disenfianchised neigh-
1ood. The suspicious fire that destroyed the low income
or home and received a lot of media coverage and con-
demnation happencd miles from the epicenter and perim-
cter of the uprising. There were no erowds or groups of
people pi

stesting on the streets in this section of the city

| riot, the youth knew what

Far from being an out of contr
they were doing and for the most part who they were tar-

19
geting. Many of the vehicles set ablaze were cither aban-

doned cars or police vehicles, or were positioned s
cally at interseetions to prevent the police from speeding
through the strects in da
on CAN. Burning vehieles were also placed at intersections
to keep marauding police out of the neighborhoods. The

cgi-

wgerous convoys, as was shown

vouth were sending a message: they didn’t want an unac-
countable police presence in their territory and they could
control their own neighborhoods.

Our youth are tapping into a lo

¢ history of resistanc
bellion and civil disobedience within our community. The
toreh and fire have long been tools our youth have used
to challenge injustice. The rebellions of New Afrikan com-
munities and cities in 1919 and especially 1968 (following
MLK’s Assassination) arc examples of this legacy. The old
slaves today who continue to lament that we're only burn-

ing our own neighbor-
hoods down need to study g slave upris-
the history of our people. our ancestors
the people they claim 0 torched not only the
represent. During slve plantation butal$o the
uprisings. our ancestors S lave quarters/eab.
torched not only the plan- " Whete they lived
tation but also the “slave Whites on uldnet

quart g
they lived. The whites tand why they
rn their own

couldn’t understand why
they would burn their own oul.
quarters out. The r
they did it is because it wasn't theirs. They didn’t feel a part
of the social contract or socicty at large. For the most part.
it is no different today within impoverished and disenfran-
chised communitics. Today when we burn out and destroy
the neighborhoods we are ved” in. it i

s/cabins’ where

ason

s bee

conta because we

20
“To Struggle Means We're Alive"

know we a
off

not part of this society and have been written

igence of me

who place themselves in hetween
vouth and battalions of riot police in lines of human
s has to be called into question, along with men who
would defend liquor stores from the torch. If you are de-
fending youth from the police then why the hell is your
back to the police? If you are defending the youth, then do

an *bout face and face down the police in a human chain
Itis the youth who must be protected from disproportion-
ate police violenee — from police in body armor and riot
gear who would open fire with smoke canisters. tear g
or riot batons because a protester tosses a water bottle or

rock at them. Although the intentions of the men who form
these human chains are well meaning, the pereeption they
ating is that i is the police they are protecting and
it is our youth who are the problem. The media exploits
this perception. We need the men and women of our com-
munities to stand in solidarity with the youth protesters
and make it clear to the police that disproportionate police
violence against them will not be tolerated. We need strong
men and women defending our youth and we want our
leaders in the streets doing the same. Too often our youth

are cre

are heing led by misleaders more interested in photo-op
politics instead of the actual pursuit of Self Determination,
Freedom and Sovercignty. This is why when we take to the
c not only combating the state but also well
intentioned members of our communitics.

streels we

We are now entering a potential new phase in New Afrikan
vouth insurgeney and we must be prepared for the state’s
counterinsurgeney campaign. which will he waged today by
New Negroes™ and amerikkkan state-sponsored and cor-

porate media outlets. We got a glimpse of the counterin-

21
surgeney campaign in the Baltimore Uprising. In the week
preceding the uprising. the Baltimore Police Department
sensed public opinion was going against them and put
out a false report that the major st wnizations - the
Bloods, Crips. and BGF — had sct aside their diffc
target police. The police hoped to paint themselye

1o

nee

as vie-
tims under fire from dangerous gang members to divert at-
tention from the fundamental issue of police brutality. The
diversion backfired as no police were targeted for murde
izations didn’t

by the street ¢ nizations. The stre

take the bait

et orga

In fact, there was a truce, according to Dr. Heber Brown,

pastor of the Pleasant Hope Baptist Church, who serves

as a mediator with youth organizations. However the truce
was ot about targeting police: it was about halting youth
violence in Baltimore. This is a city that averages five so-
called “Black on Black” murders a week and over two hun-
dred a year: Our leaders must support any truce that dimin-

ishes youth violenee in our neighborhaods.

The youth organizations should be commended for ob-
serving a truce and instead of the community mislead-
1 condemning them they should be

ers isolating them 1 n
embracing them and legitimizing them. The youth should
be commended for taking to the streets in a campaign of
civil disobedience in defense of their communities. The so-

called gangs have shown that they have the power and it
is within their ability, not the police or state, to end the
violence in our communitics. The next step for the youth

is 10 move from

bellion to revolution and to start. put-
ting prog our own neighborhood
Street organizations. with the assistance of credible activ-
idors” in the hoods

ams in place that scey

ists. should sta
for the people that «

1 establishing “safe co

rom street vio-

wsure their protection

22
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

lence “drug free” playgrounds and streets, as well as “Cop
Watch” programs. They should consider adopting the code
of conduet for gang memb: ted by the late Tupac
Shakur (available at: hitp:/wwwassatashakurc

forum/901 I-code-thug-life.html). They should also
designate credible activ-
ad former

advoc:

gforum

streel \uulll or-

tions “in Balti- Ly

today are walking o, eritorial disputes
in the example of the qud personal heefs Thes
streel. organizalions should have procedures
who came together af- in plice o mobilize

ter the 1()()2 ‘\ Rebel- and take the Ilgln into
lion and built a last- the strects to got justice
ing truce between the i insiances of police
Bloods and the Crips, broalty and to mobi-

lize rallies
incarceration and othe

ainst mass

internal threats to our neighbor-

hoods, The youth and street organizations must become, in
the words of Assata Shakur, shields that protect our com-
munities and spears that penetrate its enemies.” They must
also know that the objective of any uprising must be control

over our communities and the liberation of our territory

The strect/youth organizations in Baltimore today arc walk-
ing in the example of the street organizations who came to-
gether after the 1992 LA Rebellion and built a lasting truce
between the Bloods and the Crips. So-called gangs did the

same thing in Watts in 1965 following the Watts Rebellion
The reason police and the state fear gang truces is be

ause

once gangs stop fighting cach other and terrorizing their
hoods” they will wake up to who the real criminals are

and start challenging the state for power over their own
“hoods.” Huey Newton. the founder of the Black Panther
Party. said the Party was born out of the ashes of the Watts

23
wnizations of Baltimore and other
“hoods™ should be encouraged to resurrect the example of
the Black Panthers and Black Liberation Army from the
ashes of Baltimore and to rebuild the New Afrikan Lib

tion Movement. Com,

Rebellion. The street o

des within the kamps should take a
vom the youth of Baltimore and put all set and ter-
orial differences to the side to rebuild and contribute to
anew era in New Afrikan liberation and to join the struggle
in the streets. To make th lity they should get on deck
with the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement's Zet Your Motto
Be Resistance campaign to scize control of our neighbor
hoods available at: hitps: /mxgm.org/let-your-motto-he
-handbook-on-organizing-new-afrikan-and-op-
cli-defense’). They should also
check out The New Afrikan Community Seeurity Protocol
Mandate by Bro. Abdul Olugbala Shakur (available via akil-
ishakur@gmail.com

lesson
i

a

sistanc

pressed-communities-f

At the end of the day, from Ferguson to Baltimore, f
Philly to Oakland, We are: One Hood United!

m

24
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

“we can all relate”

ALY
Warion C1
Warion, NC

1. How did you first hear about the anti-police uprisings and

BlackLives Vatter protests in Ferguson, Baltimore, Oakland,
and other cities, of 2014-2015; friends and faumily; other prison-
ers, corporate media, andor radical publications

You know. coming from the class of the
ate to all the above uprisings ¢ oppression, capi-
talism/imperialism docs not discriminate against onc cer-
tain nationality! As long as the tyrant can exploit us Blacks.
Browns and poor white class we are the same to them! So
when such organizations such as #BlackLivesMatter stand

“prolctariat” you

re becau

1 against these murdering pigs we can all relate, so we
look through newspapers, ete. for the up
fills those with consciousness with pride to know someone
is out there standing up for those who are unable to do
nd those who 1

ings. Because it

s0

unconscious. Being held as a cap-
tive within the gulags of these “razorwire plantations.” ac-
cess to every detail of the marches, riots, and takcovers is
very limited, and if you are conscious then nine out of ten

timies you are going to be housed on a control housing unit,
where you are locked in a cell 24-7 where you only have a

radio with stations controlled and that promote capitalism
imperialism. So without the Zay View paper we would all
be in the dark about the actions taken by the people. But
BayView can only expose so much due to certa
they must follow, being that they a
paper: Whoever is reading this missive: We the conscious

n guidelines
considered a national

in bonda of these Razorwire Planta-

e within the gul

tions need to come together and form a newsletter to bring
awareness to the comrades within these walls, as well as
those who are not. We are silenced by mail censorship.
ited access to organization that can be our voice, because
our lives matter also! We are only limited to what we limit

m-

ourselves to.

2. How did you react? What were your initial thoughts and feel-
ings?

S a vietim of

oppression. repression.and When being a vie-
m. and you hear or lim of oppression,
witness any form of revoltpepression, and fas-
it fills you with joy. pride. ¢ism, and you hear or
and the desire to unite and - ywirness any form of
revolt yourself against any Lo Con TR

form of opp H h
may be facing al the time. JOY pride, and the de-
to unite and

That's why the administra-
of volt yoursell ag
these plantations ty 1o any form of opp
keep those of us who are sion you may be fac-
conscious on lockdown. be- ing al the time.
cause they fear we will unite

with other prison

< when being

fasci

ession you

tion—the “overseers’

and riot. When you love the people,
and you see the oppressed people stand up it makes you so
happy. because they are a reflection of you. So with my fist
in the air @ say this with pride. continuc on and its all power
to the people.

3. There were and are a lot of contradictory and conflicting cle-
ments o these protests and rebellions. Right-cwing media has used
coded, racist language blaming “thugs” and “criminals”, while
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

lefi-wwing media and some activists have also at times decried the
rioting, blaming it on “outside agitators.” Do you have thoughts
on these conflicts over tactics and strategy? Do they resonate with
debates going on over resistance inside prisons?

You sc fables such as these placed on the proletariat sinee
the carly 1400's. When a nationality or a group resists and
revolts against the fascist ideology. they call us savages.

thugs, criminals, etc. Sce the media uses those titles 0

brainwash the public. to make the public helieve what the
protesters and freedom fighters are doing is for their own
personal gain. So if they call us these names then it places
ancgative image scious will not support
the move. For many years the media has been used to the

n us, so the unce

advantage of the capitalist-imperialist. There is not a group
of resistance nowhere right now in the State of North Caro-
lina’s plantations because 90% of these guys suffer from
“Stockholm Syndrome.” The ones that are conscious, they
separate us. It's known facts that the capitalist uses any bad
situation for their advantage.

4. Did it feel 10 you like there was a racial dynamic to how pris-
oners reacted 10 the news of these mostly Black uprisings? Was
there more or less racial unity with regards to anti-police senti-
ment in the prison? Did it seem like white or Latino/a prisoners
could relate?

acism is not an issue. Yes,

See here in NC's plantations,
there are some that are racist and you have so
groups. but they keep to th
docs not matter when it comes to the lower
one class. and we have nothing to lose but our chains. So
regardless of skin color if you are of the lower class you can
relate because we can feel the

s we are all

“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

5. What do you think the relationship can or should be between
these anti-police rebellions on the outside and resistance inside
prisons? Is there resistance or organizing going on at your facil-
ity you want to mention or hold up?

Sckou Odinga stated the USA would have you believe that
Tam a criminal, that we are all eriminals. That just i
Tam a POW and we have an absolute right to fight for o
frecdom. That is a human right. That is not a right you have

Vtsor

to ask or beg for: Like all people that want to be free, what is
necessary to excreise that right is to stand up like a man «
woman and exereise it. If it calls for fighting. then we fight!

g

Tmyself will continue to fight for the people. as well as my-

self, regardless of relationship with those on the other side
of the razorwire. Should there be a relationship? Very much
so. There are many conscious political p
Mumia Abu-Jamal and many more that could give so much
insight to these anti-police groups, because he has fought

oners such as

the fight and sill is fighting. But once we get behind these
walls we are forgotten. Companionship is the basic need
of human nature, for without it man hecomes disturbed
mentally. physically, and emotionally. How can they forget
about us when we are victims of what these organizations

are fighting against!? Before | bring this to an end I would
like 10 mention the United Panther Movement and quote
some words from Kevin Rashid Johnson: “Racism is not
pression. nor the continued cy-
es ereated by the capitalist-imperialist
system. These can only be ended by proletarian socialist
revolution.” As a member of the White Panther organiza-
tion Id like to say this with my fist in the air: Dare to st
gle. dare 1o win!

going 1o go away, nor is r
cles of mounting e

28
“To Struggle Means We're Alive"

Will Anderson is an elder in the Federal system who runs a pris-
on literacy program for and with other prisoners

“going back to basics”

Will Anderson
Federal Correctional Institution-2
Butner, NC'

1. How did you first hear about the anti-police uprisings and

BlackLives Vatier protests in Ferguson, Baltimore, Oakland,
and other cities, of 2014-2015; friends and faumily; other prison-
ers, corporate media, and or radical publications?

Every morning weekdays I wateh CVA news and 7V One
news, and Ronald Martin (Black news mainly) about police
murdering Blacks, protests. BlackLivesMatter movement.

news on sentence disparities and gun laws. Also newspa-
pes
B

Nation of m's Final Call and the Bay View (San

co, CA

anei

My ||.(,..¥1.|\ Kick in 2 How did you reac?
ad Here we oo What were your initial

again, t ey d again.” thonghts and fclings?

Lying. shooling an in-
nocent Black man.

My thoughts kick in and
say. “Here we go again.
the 1. shooting an innocent Black man.
Policemen inventing false reports and fabric
story to justify their action as a cover-up fo
Finally. corruption at its apes as eriminals in a corrupted

political system!

did it again.

ating their own
wrongde

s

3. There were and are a lot of contradictory and conflicting cle-
ments o these protests and rebellions. Right-cwing media has used
coded, racist language blaming “thugs® and “criminals”, while
Iefi-wwing media and some activists have also at times decried the

rioting, blaming it on “outside agitators.” Do you have thoughts
on these conflits over tactics an sty Do hey resonate it

debates going on over resistance inside prisons?

First, let me inform you that at least 85% of federal pr
oners are governme

for snitches and defectors. Being in BOP ove
have seen it all and now am shockproof about what these
so-called fed prisoncrs won't do, or prison officials. It's all
about sceuring and controlling the inmates” hehavior to
their best advantage with behavior modification method
pacification, reward and punishment, divide and conque
tactics, and last. inmate informants. The number one tactic
BOP uses is “divide and conquer” to keep the uneducated
thug: s groups in fear of coming togeth
for any common cause. Racism is understood in BOP by
nationality. religion. gang, and geography (city and statc
location. Finally, most federal prisoncrs done lost contact
with society only to be with incarcerated m
aliy druge, gambling, working in the Uni-

1 assistants, or straight up rats, slang
20 years, |

s, relig

1ds: sex fanta-

sies, homosexy
Con factory, a

s

the newspapers, nor watch the ,L..L\ news or world news
for social enlightenment. The living dead! In most FCI's
federal correction institutions| there is no resistance, only

submission and passivity and gratification
4. Were other prisoners talking about these rebellions, and if'so,

what kinds of conversations were they having?- Did it stimulate
discussion, organizing, and/or resistance in your facility?

30
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

At FCI-Butner we have fow conscious individuals that are
politicized and are concerned about the law and order be-
ing given 1o people of color under white supremacist. privi-
leged society. We have one group, a religious gang, known
as the Nation of Islam with about 8 members that shows
concern at their religious services. We do not have group
discussions or dialoguc about America’s corrupted system,
nor the criminal political injustice system. Normally, we
just follow the news entes At report in the moment,
w its done tomorrow until the frontline. headline break-

ainme

ing news. Finally, there is no resistance here whatever. 1
estimate that we have about 75% m ables, rats.
gove where they not trying to make any
noisc while living in protective custody. The othe

DC prisoners. those in here for medical r

ts. undesi

ment assistant

s here are

sons, and those

about 1o get relcased within 18 months. I have a few old
timers | dialogue with throughout the week about courts.
police corruption, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, terror-
ism and the bombing of innocent people under the pretext
of Islam, from what I gather off the news.

5. Did it feel 10 you like there was a racial dynamic 1o how pris-
oners reacted 10 the news of these mostly Black uprisings? Was
there more or less racial unity with regards to anti-police senti-
ment in the prison? Did it seem like white or Latino/a prisoners
could relate?

Prisoners incarcerated in the Feds are no longer politi-
cized Black. White. Brown, Latino, Mexicans s the BOP
has modificd their thinking to ceasc to think as individ:
with fear, pacification, modification programs, and divide
and conquer tactics that climinate unity among prisoners.
BOP's goal is to keep them dumb, quiet. and obedient.

als.

31
6. What do you think the relationship can or should be between
these anti-police rebellions on the outside and resistance inside
prisons? Is there resistance or organizing going on at your facil-
ity you want to mention or hold up?

There isn't any organization I wish to support or hold up
hi now in the Feds, including the Nation of Islam - talk-

rig
ing loud but saying nothing

about action or resolution
When police kill innocent Real talk,[we need|ed-

people it is warranted by tion, going back
the people 1o e rebel- for prison-
lious. It didu’t just start in ers: reading, studying,
the 2000s. its a reflex go- rech and th
ing back to 1900's through g for themselve
the 80 cle. There can nol ave
be a relationship with po-

liee. Policemen must protect elites and their prope
maintain law and order dealing with the unde
people. What T have pers
that we are back 1o basi
Socially. politieally, and economically.

\d doing nothing to bring

privileged
ved being locked up over 20

1 hope my answers share some light and what time it
! g

Real talk. [we need] edu

prisoners: reading. studying, rescarch and thinking for

themselves as leaders, and not being dumb-followers to be

ation, going back 1o basics fo

manipulated by others” negativity. These street gangs got be
checked bec listic purposc, but death
and destruction both outside and inside prisons. with no

use they serve no re:

T nst the establishment!

al objectives setout ag;

“To Struggle Means We're Alive"

The following prisoner is an organizer with and member of the
NC prison chapter of the New Aftikan Black Panther Party (not
to be confused with the New Black Panther Party). Writings of
that party can be found at rashidmod.com

Ferguson, Baltimore,
New York, Cleveland

AXANXY
Warion C1
Warion, NC

It was a beautiful sight to see the people in Ferguson, Balti-
more. New York. Cleveland. and Philly. along with Oakland.
protest about the recent and ongoing police brutality vie-
As | sal in the day- timizing Black Afrikan
room of a prison indus. men.People of all ethnic
trial complex, my eyes bickarounds came to-
couldn’t hold the héfty &theniobe in solidariy

tears that \ with the beautiful Afe
cars thal were SIream- -, e who was

ing from my eyes, down i 200
my che lice. They sang spiritu
songs. held hands. and chanted slogans of “Hands up, Don't
shoot” and “No Justice No Peace.” As I sat in the dayroom of
a wdustrial complex, my eyes couldn’t hold the hefty
tears that were streaming from my eves. down my cheeks.

son

Anger started to set in. I was supposed to he marching with
my brothers and sisters, protesting and holding up signs. |
was supposed to be on the frontline with them when things
turned ugly. This is what 1 signed up for. A true revolution-
ggle for justice. It's not a sign

ary eries when his people st

of weakness. it’s a sign of love and happiness. Many times
did I think about going on hunger strike to be in solidarity
with my brothe 10 show them, the institution
and the world that T struggle with them. Many times did 1
envision that | avenged the deaths of Michacl Brown, Eric
von Martin. not

s and sisty

Garner: Tamir Rice, Freddy Gray and Tra
to mention the Latino and Afrikan men who died at the
hands of the pigs in my home State of California. Day after
day. I made surc that the TV was stationed on CNN and was
very attentive to every word

rs were ove
turned and many
Then in Ferguson, revolt buildings and po-
broke out. Pigs™ cars were lice ears set ablaze,
overturned and many build- and {m rushed

ings and police carssetablaze. {hrough my ve
and joy rushed through my :

veins. The “revolution had been televised” in Fer
Missouri. When a person or persons, group or nation of
people gets tired of being oppressed constantly by the f

cach reporter

ported

cist government that controls its nation, they revolt. My
people are tired. They are fed up with getting hunted by
the police and living in a community with no jobs. poor
schooling and pove

Some say many cadres of “agent provocateurs” from the
outside “agitated” the people of Ferguson, but it was not
them, it was the police. The police showing up in camou-
Hlage uniforms, driving armored vehicles and carrying big
guns agitated the people. How ean a policeman say that he's
there to protet the community and serve the people wea
ing battle dress uniforms looking like they are ready fo
war? That not only angered the people bul proved 10 the
community that the police were at war with Black people.

34
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

In a New York borough called Staten Island, the same thing
happened to Erie Gamer:. He was murdered by the same
pig who continuously harasses him on those streets. being
a bully and trying to exert his authority. being the

cpres-
nd oppressive pig he was bred 10 be. So what if Eric
Garner was selling a loose cigarette. That did not give that
pig the right to jump on his back and strangle him. That
pig wanted to kill him. On the video that officer used a
chokehold that was deemed “illegal” in the State of New
York. Many people tried to downplay the whole situation by
saying that Eric Garne minal and he was engaged
in criminal activitics prior to his death. Eric Gar
not a eriminal in my eyes, he was a provider for his family
He wasn't selling erack. marijuana or any other drugs. He

sive

was a ¢

er was

wasn'sselling stolen goods, any firearms, just a measly ciga-
rette. If the government of New York would stop criminaliz-
ing Afiikan and Latino men then maybe he could’ve gotten
a better job or a betier hustle. He wouldnt have 1o stand
on the corners of streets selling cigarettes, he couldve heen

making an honest living. The system
the Afrikan man down that it’s ridiculous. T felt his mother
and his wife’s pain, but I couldn’t understand his daugh-
ter: She gets on national teley
peace,and proclaims that her fath
father died in anguish. he died over
she goes on to say that the police are good individuals and
blah blah blah. Well, the good pig just took your father’s
life!

s s0 bent on bringing

ion and says that she wa

One thing for certain. the killing of Black unarmed men
by police continued to happen. It became an epidemic and
spread to cities in every coast. The next cop killing of an
Afiiikan man on the east coast was in South Carolina, then
in Baltimore, Maryland

35
The tragie death of Freddy Gray rocked Baltimore. The see-
ond Afrikan man 10 get murdered by the police in a yea
I knew the police had killed him because | personally wit-
nessed many occasions in Baltimore, where many Afrikan

men were beaten by Balii- .
more’s finest swine. | stayed The Baltimore
in Baltimore, Maryland and volt reminded me
Washington. DC. and know of the Palestir
exactly what those br They threw

go through. When in protest like
Gray's death hecame break- pag PEOCR WA ing

ing news, | wasn’t surprised .
ing i I conflicts.

new. The Baltimore revolt reminded me of the Palestiniai

wse this was nothing POIUC

They threw rocks in protest like the Palestinians during
political conflicts. When the Crips, Black Guerilla Family
and Bloods proposed a truce and decided to unite to go
against our common cnemy. this was beautiful but late. Tn
Los Angeles where ©lived, many Crips and Bloods had al-

ready united and joined political cadres like the New Black
Panther Party. founded years ago by Khalil Muhammad. o
the Republic of New Afrika. I was proud of the brothers
for stz ity with the

ggle

cause and in solida

What I didn’t like about the Baltimore scenc is that the
Afrikan men and women who were in prestigious positions
in the city and state governments complaining about the
onomic problems of Baltimore. These people are

social/c
the Co tors. They
have the position and the authority to propose bills and
send them through legislature to be passed. These people
are community leaders who could form petitions and give
them to the government. Why did they wait until F

gressmen, Councilmen, lawyers and pa

eddy’s

death to compl.

about these problems in Baltimorc?

36
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

They have a Black mayor, Black congressmen. Black dis-
triet attorney, what's the problem? All of these person were
democratically clected. Instead of them trying to capitalize
off of the community. they should've been making formal
requests regarding these
timore suffer inste

sues. They let the people of Bal-
d. Also, when CNNs own Wolf Blitzer
was reporting on the Baltimore revolt, the only subject he
seems 1o care about is the burning of the CVS building.
They talked about the ity destruction as if it couldn’t he
repaired. They talked about the looting and stealing as if
Freddy Gray just didn’t get his life robbed by those erooked
cops. The city can repair those building and many domestic
and foreign investors, but the city can't repair Freddy Gray.
Mike Brown, nor Eric Garner's lives. To me it seems that

Black lives don’t matter but capital
CVS do,

st institutions like the

“I can’t even successfully lie to myself”

LAANYY
Swannanoa (C
Black Mountain NC

I would usually be the fi

st to proclaim, “ALL LIVES MAT-
TER. in my self-deluded effort to eliminate color lines, but
the statistics rise to contradict me. The number of African
s that have fallen vietim to police-related shaot-
and violence so far overshadows all othe
an't even suceessfully lic to myself. In ou

ces com-

society that lives
ism, African-Americans and
Native Americans have been
subject 1o domestic terror-
ism from the dawn of this

1 fear of the ever present threat of terros

power
nd authority have
isted, they |
bused. Po
killing people isn’t
As long as power and au- some new phenom-
thority have existed. they enon with a markel

have been abused. Police froghly cornered by

nation.

Killing people isnt some young and inexperi-
new phenomenon with a . b

enced officers. Tl
market freshly cornered by €

s their culture

voung and inesperienced
officers. This is their cultu
cepted, standard operating procedure. Until the advent of
our new digital age, the system was built on their word ver.
sus ours, with ours not counting for much. Now the tables
efuta-
ned men

and it is 1o a large extent ac-

are turning bec
ble proof that our testimonies I
gunned down in cold blood, to children being appallingly

use technology is providing the
ked. From un:

38
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

abused by officers in their schools —the word of authori
is o longer gospel. While not all officers are evil and there
remain shining exceptions that seck to serve the interested
of their communitics. there is an undeniable problem with

sion or commission.

nization that. by cither omi
in their ranks.

any o

allows for monster

1wish 1 could tell you there were some major discussions
wee in my prisons but [ can't. Ive spent 7 12
years in the midst of a sociological experiment gone hor-
vibly awry. | have met only a precious handful of socially
conscious individuals over the course of my incarceration
Many of these women have never voted and would contin-
ue to do so without knowledge or regard of how many Afri-

or resist

can Americans and wom-
What I want the pub- o fought for the rights

lic to know is how of future gencrations, our
tragically young many - gencrations. What | want
of the women in pris- the public to know is how

on are, Black women lI
. the women. in prison are
especially. Black women | especiall
These girls have been failed by all the social systems, the
public school system, and finally by the criminal justice
system, simply shuffled through from one to the next with
alack of concern that is criminal in itself.

gically young many of

AL NCCIW, which is the la
ison in Raleigh. the

se maximum security women’s
s no cable television and mail

i

and magazines are closely monitored. We were frequently
denicd material that they thought might incite or
and any correspondence they decmed questionable. | like
to think that the lack of interest in any of the revolution-
is stemmed from a simple lack of information.
just what [ like to think.

spire,

ary moveme:

but maybe that’s

39
Vichael Kimble is a 19-year old Black, gay anarchist serving a
life sentence for the murder of a homophobic, racist bigot. He has
a blog and has been an active voice among prisoners at Holman
correctional facility in Atmore, Alabama, where there have re-
cently been several riots, as well as strikes in conjunction with the
Fiee Alabama Movement. You can read more writings from him
at anarchylioe.noblogs.org

Reflections and Reminiscence
on the Murder of Mike Brown

Michael Kimble
Holman CF
Ltmore, AL

While in segregation listening (o the radio news report, it
was reported that a young Black male by the name of Mi-
chacl Brown had been shot

Missouri kop. A blind rage
came upon e, but being in-
segregation, in a single ccll @ KOp
consisting of brick and steel, When
there wasn't much | could gol_ into
do to express my outrage con
adequately. See, 'm an an- them. All
archist who has been locked ['ye seen

down for a long time and

have been the vietim of bru-
tality of kops my entire life.
My first time secing a kop as
achild was when my mother
gol into a physical confron-

nds,
s suffer
from the
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

tation with them. All my life Ive scen my family members.
friends. and strangers suffer brutality from the kops. even
murder: 've never had a positive encounter with the kops.

Anyhow, I waited another hour for the news to come back
on the radio to make sure that | had the details correct. Af-
ter hearing again that Michael Brown was shot. I hollered
through the vent 1o the guys in the cells above me and told

them to turn on the

Asothersgot the news, dio, After a few minutes of
they started beating quictness 1o allow them
on doors, screaming 1o find a news report of

“Fuck 121" and all
kinds of shit. Eventu
ally comrades on the

Mike's
they exp
by ‘stating that someone

murder, like
ressed their r:

me

ge

needed 1o start retaliat-

outside started send-
pusie T i The in against the kops when
15, me reports in they murder one of us.

I on the riots, and
I shared them with

Throughout the night we
chopped it up about our

guys started frustrations with the Black
king the CO* nizations and gangs
out there notretaliating

and only marching. and the family suing the police dep:
ments for monctary damages. when it’s evident that it's no

deterrence to the killing of Black, Brown, and poor whites.

When the riots popped off, the way it was being reported
made me think that just maybe Black folks had had enough
of this bullshit. That this was the heginning of the revolu-
tion. A couple of others here expressed the same sentiment

That finally some pigs were go !
alone. And the guys above me shared my thoughts, but
then we hegan to talk about what it would take other than
taking out some pigs. | won't go into the plans for future

10 do some dying and not

actions we came up with

Anyhow.
door

others got the news, they started heating on
. sercaming “Fuck 121" and all Kinds of shit. Eventu

1s in

ally comrades on the outside started sending me repe
the mail on the aas | shared them with oth,
started attacking the CO's with feces
tactic of warfare i

ots,

and piss. a common
the lockup. Fireballs of paper and cloth-
ng thrown off the top two tie

ing was be

After recciving more literature of what was going on, like
the Nation of Islam and New Black Panther Party telling the
sistas to get off the streets and trying to quell the rioting,
became disheartened because we keep allowing these pov-
crty pimps to turn potent

the same old bullshit refe

ectionary moments into
ection.

As a matter of fact, at this moment [May 2016] we are on
workstrike here at Holman Prison h Alabama, and
just today we had a gang leader state that we ne
the CO's alone and keepy things nonviolent. But he tuned
right around thirty minutes later and held a beatdown on
tother gangmember: No violence against the pigs, but its

ags
&
OK against each other. A pig sent him to our unit, because

since we've been on strike they've cut back on our food
portions, and it was stated that if it keeps up, there was go-

ing to be some actions.

tive methods used in the streets

ed in the prisons. But | can say that the riots in
uson have inspired a lot of the actions in here, because
whenever there’s a planned action Ferguson and Mike
Brown’s murder is mentioned as examples of the oppres
sion that Black folks suffer in the good old USA

E:

“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

The following interview was conducted with Luke O Donovan, a
young white man imprisoned for using a knife to defend himself
against a gang of homophobic attackers during a party in Ar-
lanta, GA. He is due to be released from prison in late July 2016
You can learn more about his case at letlukego.org

“to storm all the bastilles”

Lutke O’Donovan
Washington State Prison
Davishoro, GA

1. How did you first hear about the anti-police uprisings and

BlackLives Vatter protests in Ferguson, Baltimore, Oakland,
and other cities, of 2014-2015; friends and faumily; other prison-
ers, corporate media, and or radical publications?

Yeah, it was friends and family. The day I went in, I think,
st L heard about it on

is the day Ferguson started. And so f
the phone talking to people. and then. maybe even the day
before I went in. But people from St. Louis were sending
me write-ups on stuff that was happening and keeping me
well informed. And 1 was talking to friends.

Was news of that also making it into the facility by radio or TV

Yeah, but it didn’t feel like a big deal at that point. T was
at the county jail then, and it didn’t scem like a big deal
That's when it was first happening, and then 1 guess stuff
happened again after the non-indictment. and I think that's
when it became a really big thing in here [at the state pris-

on

like

s that’s when I started hearing people talk about it.
1 the chow hall and stuff

2. How did you react?

1 was kicking myself that I came to prison just as thi
happening! And then [ was trying to figure out how to take
advantage of it in the situation | was in. And so you know
I was ju ing to-for part of that time I was being
processed in the diagnostic prison. And there was like no
communication out of there, just letters and stuff. The ma-
jor fecling at the time was

just that I was missing out - One refr
on something. Oh, and re-

was

hing thing
bout being in prison
you almosl never
people make

arguments
against militancy or
hard tacties. They
only ever make tacti-
3. There were and are a lot of © cal arguments against

contradictory and conflicting ity and generally not.
elements 1o these protests and

ally wanting to urge people
to act in the situation with
a mindset that it will end,
and with a vision towarc
how we can get the most

m g
out of it while it lasts.

rebellions. Right-wing media has used coded, racist language
blaming “thugs™ and “criminals”, while lefi-wing media and
some activists have also at times decried the rioting, blaming it
on “outside agitators.” Do you have thoughts on these conflicts
over tactics and strategy? Do they resonate with debates going

on over resistance inside prisons?

Yeah. You know. one refreshing thing about being in pri
on is you almost never hear people make moral arguments
d tacties. They only ever make tac-

against militancy or ha

tical a

guments against it,

nd gene

ally not. You're ma

44
“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

likely to hear, “Yeah we can fight back, but we should do
it together™ than, “We shouldn’t fight back.” So that’s nice.
But yeah I do have feelings about these arg

And 1 could s actually th
white people ne
stand up with
in order 10 s
culture of cooper:
tion between us, a
that’s the only |||i"g s in Baltimore as sav-
that will allow us 10 And of cou
beat them. And that areally loaded. clearly
vesonated with a lot
of people I think.

uments. | was
wking today.

membering something
like a chicf of police. [
think during Baltimore,
that “police were the last
line of defense against the
savages”. referring to the

se. that’s,
1

st terminology and has

a st

ng connection 1o a

long racist history. And
that’s the sort of sentiment that | often hear in here. that
“this is how police look at us [Black people].” And unfortu-
nately there’s also the sentiment, that’s probably truc, that
that’s how most white people look at us.

4. Were other prisoners talking about these rebellions, and if so,
what kinds of conversations were they having?: Did it stimulate
wance in your facility? Did
it feel 1o you like there was a racial dynamic to how prisoners
reacted 1o the news of these mostly Black uprisings? Was there
more or less racial unity with regards to anti-police sentiment
in the prison? Did it seem like white or Latino/a prisoners could
relate?

discussion, organizing, and/or res

Definitely. veah. So. 1 kinda went into that with my last an-
swer: but Fll go more into it. It of course stimulated conver-
sation, but here. T think, not in the way your question hopes
for. 1t didn’t stimulate organizing, or i least not that I was
privy to. But it gave me a chance to-— like, I don't know ifit’s

on in gene

just Georgia or 1. like, Ive lived in Atlanta
my whole lfe, which is very different than the rest of Geo
and 1 didn't realize until T came to prison how ‘country’
Georg 1 how racist white peaple in Georgia are. And
like...old school racist. you know?

g

s,

And so. people rightfully assume that if you're white you're
probably racist. So. in way it gave me a good epportunity
to make it elear that Pm not that 10 a lot of people. And
then also to confront racist ideas by using...OK. so. ce
tain white prisoners would be against the riots just because
they were Black people doing it. but then 1 could casily say
to them that Black people are standing up and fighting the
police, and they should be commended for that. You know
because almost everyone in prison hates the police. And
s up with them

I could say that white people need to st
in order to start a culture of cooperation hetween us, and
that’s the only thing that will allow us to beat them. And
that resonated with lot of people I think even more than
the very decply ingrained. ro
were happening

ctive, racist responses that

5. What do you think the relationship can or should be between
these anti-police rebellions on the outside and resistance inside
prisons? I5 there resistance or organizing going on at your facil-
ity you want to mention or hold up?

Yeah. absolutely they should be conneeted. Like. the upr
ings and the riots and stuff are only the beginning. And
these things [police and prison| are so interconneeted that
the son they shouldnt overlap. The sort of. o
ganizational bonds that these riots and upri
the opportunity to form are the necessary precondition to
start sending in what's necessary to agitate and build up.

Like. there’s an underlying level of r

s 10 re

ings give us

sistance in all pr

“To Struggle Means We're Alive”

oners, because prison aceepts and admits that it's at war
with prisoners, whereas society docsn't admit that it's at
war with those within it

OK, so just 1o gel conerete, | th
bonds and the groupings that are be
from uprisings on the outside, during lulls on the outside
these shouldnt be breaking apart but should be trying 1o
spread their organizational tactics. which is really what's
lacking in prison. to the inside. Send literature, differ-

i ent agitational - materials.
If we can start a cul- Eventually there will have
ture of this type of 10 be a level of coordina-
coordination that tion like. in places like
goes beyond the pris- Alabuma and - Califor

on wall, so that peo- a1 probably other prisons
ple on the in Georgia, | know there’s a

. lot of coordination and or-
coordinat

ik it'd be great to sce the
g made and formed

atng
people in “prison, I Go e hunger strikes and

ganization going into a lot

essary precondition So it we can start a culture
1o ake that of this type of coordina-
when we m the tion that goes beyond the
lille, we're storm- prison wall. so that people

1l the bastilles. on the street are coordinat-
ing with people in- prison.

I think that’s the necessary precondition to make sure that

when we storm the bastille, we're storming all the bastilles.
That when there’s a large enough prison revolt, there will
be support on the outside strong enough to actually tear
down these walls.