“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.