Prisoners Speak Out On Current Situation

March 30, 2020 | revcom.us

 

We greatly appreciate receiving these letters from prisoners and encourage prisoners to keep sending us correspondence. The views expressed by the writers of these letters are, of course, their own; and they are not responsible for the views published elsewhere on our site.

“Can you not see how a capitalist-run society makes such emergencies (like this epidemic) even worse!”

To the Comrades at PRLF & Revcom.

It’s times like these where it’s important to further AMP-UP agitation out there in the streets. From what I hear when I get in contact with the world. This epidemic crisis has caused food shortages, there’s a shortage of toilet paper, can foods and other important necessities. It’s getting difficult for stores to meet demand, they might close their doors soon. Slowly and docilely this crisis is causing industry and production to come to a halt. I don't know comrades, but I think that there’s a wave coming, one we must not miss the opportunity to catch.

Of course, I'm not in no way advocating a pre-mature uprising, we might not have enough people and resources on our side for that at the moment. But I am advocating for a further amp-up in agitation. Cause as this crisis gets worse, this fascist government will be too incompetent to handle the crisis properly. People will begin to question the legitimacy of the government. We must harness that and be ready to lead the people. Best believe the reaction of this fascist government will be wild and erratic. Thus, further fertilizing the ground for Revolution.

On another note, I was watching what the reactionaries on Fox news were saying about the situation, and of course, they were praising the president for his little speech on friday. (You know the one where he is getting himself in position to come out as a “Savior” of the country LOL.) But what got my attention the most was when they began praising the corporations (Walmart, CVS, etc.) for how they have been handling and “helping” in the crisis. Then the reactionary (Hannity) began praising the capitalist-market system for being able to handle this situation properly.

To me, it sounded like they were trying to convince themselves. Because when you actually take a look at what’s really going on out there, NO, things are not being handled right as they should. This system of capitalism-imperialism is limiting a lot of things that could be done, that should be done to properly handle a dire situation like this. OK, so the U.S. government is pledging a couple million dollars to combat this crisis, well doesn’t one cruise missile or predator drone cost a couple million, but they got no problem making a bunch of those, money is nowhere near an issue when it comes to making their instruments of death. Yet there’s a lot of people who will go without water, food, toiletries and other essential items under this crisis, either cause they can't afford it or because stores can't meet demand, leaving the fate of a bunch of people in the hands of capital and corporations. It’s what the system of capitalism has dictated for society.

What I'm trying to get at is. The way the reactionaries were praising the corporations and the capitalist market system lets me know that even they have to try hard to convince you and themselves that everything is OK under this system.

The cracks in the system have always been there for everyone to see, this crisis only further exposes them. I know people have to see it. The question is, how will we communists help in leading the people to realize that things don't have to be like this, that there’s another way and that yes we know how to get there and what it takes to get there.

A Revolution and nothing less!

Just thought I'd share that with y'al .Keep up the good fight comrades!

***

Take this Coronavirus situation. How is it being handled in a capitalist society? Capitalist/Imperialist society does not take the well-being of human life serious. Its set up to only care about capital and commodity relations. How is it that under such dire emergencies, stores are running out of water, toilet paper, & food. All that surplus and stores can't meet demand? Is it not profitable enough for them? And why is such relation set up like that anyway? Why must society rely on private corporations (Walmart, CVS, etc.) for such necessities. So basically if you have no money to buy emergency goods, you just fucked. And even if you do have money, its useless since store shelves remain empty since they can't “meet demand” and will instead rather close its doors.

Can you not see how a capitalist-run society make such emergencies (like this epidemic) even worse! A lot of people are going to suffer even worse miseries because the necessities of life are privately owned and produce for capital gain. So the response to this emergency will be under the confines and limited to commodity and capital relations. A capitalist-run society does not care if people are dying or if they will go hungry or without basic life necessities.

Does it not make you angry that that’s the way this society is ran. Does it not concern you that you live in a society that’s set-up not to care for the well being of humans. A few “comforting” words from the “President” is not enough. People are dying and will continue to suffer unless we, as the masses of people take to the streets, stomp-down and demand change, a change in President is not enough. We need an overall change in the way society is organized. We need to do away with this system of capitalism that sees no value in human life.

I understand, disasters happen, epidemics happen, it’s the way of the world. Humans have been battling the elements since forever. The problem lies in how we as a people, respond to it. I know for a fact that, had we been living in a true Socialist Society, a real Communist Society, where the means of production are socially owned. Where the necessities of life are produced for the betterment and well being of humankind and not for profiting! The response to such emergencies as the one we face today would be different. There wouldn't be a price tag on dealing with emergencies, vaccines wouldn't be cost an arm and a leg. Hospital visits won't leave you in debt. Relations in society wouldn't consist of commodity and capital relations. Under communism, it would be OVERstood! that humankind comes first!

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“We must stop the Trump/Pence regime”

I would like to share the following thoughts with Revolution on Donald Trump.

A man fell out of a window on the fortieth floor of a skyscraper, who, as he fell past the tenth floor, waved at a friend and said, “Everything is fine under the Trump/Pence regime.” The same answer was given at each floor… except the ground floor.

Many people think that because their present moment of life contains no tragedy from the Trump/Pence regime, that everything will continue in the same happy state under this lunatic government for them. However, during the last three years the Trump/Pence regime has brought about unmerciful vindictive assaults, with catastrophic consequences to immigrants, Latinos, Black people, Muslims, women, and violence toward LBGT people. Who will be the next group to fall under the disapproval of the Trump/Pence regime?

We must stop the Trump/Pence regime before they are reelected. I believe that Donald Trump is the most dangerous world leader today. He is clearly the United States own little Hitler, without the personality.

Thank you for reading my correspondence!

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“It is basically a matter of time before this virus reaches us”

Dear Comrades,

Allow me to open these few select words extending my most sincere condolences to everyone that has been affected—directly and indirectly—by this horrific pandemic that is ravishing the world at this moment. As i write this letter, i am currently trapped inside the oppressive confines of a torturous segregation chamber where i am relatively safe from this rampant virus at the moment—that is, of course, until covid-19 decides to find its way inside the oppressive bowels of this beast and ravish our bodies because as it stands today, we are currently forced to live on recycled air and in very close quarters. However, just because my immediate circumstances may render me safe at the moment, it doesn’t exclude me—or my fellow comrades for that matter—from the extent of destruction and devastating dark times that covid-19—and the oppressive and corrupt ruling class structure—has inflicted upon the entire population of the world.

In reality, we are actually tormented mentally by the effects of this rampant virus more than the average person should be because we are currently rendered physically incapable of insuring that our families are taking the necessary steps of precaution to protect theirselves against covid-19. Even more importantly, from the looks of the major economic failure and the lack of response from government officials to appropriately address the financial hardships that this virus has put on people living in urban communities, it’s a struggle for me to imagine how the lives of my poor and oppressed peoples will look after this pandemic passes. I personally do not operate in fear, because this flawed way of thinking only tends to lead to a life full of stress. However, i am very much worried about the sanity and well-being of my peoples living throughout these government manufactured ghettos across amerikkka.

The totality of this pandemic is getting out of control and although covid-19 has devastating effects, this is a stark reality that amerikkkans so desperately needed. This virus has knocked amerikkka off its "high-horse"—for the lack of a better term—as it has exposed the underlying workings of this system—a system which operates through racism, oppression, and corruption. A particularly astonishing contradiction of this system it likes to propagate is the belief that it is the greatest country in the world. While the U.S. has the largest economy in the world, why is there a major lack of resources—i.e. medical supplies and the whole health care infrastructure—to alleviate the spread of covid-19 throughout the world? Even more importantly, amerikkka likes to consider itself the "leaders of the world," "Big-Brother," so why is there virtually no cooperation between the "Big Brother" and its "subservient siblings"?

This nation has been exposed and the time is ripe for us to declare our revolution against these corrupt leaders. In order for us to achieve our true liberation from this corrupt system, we need an actual revolution which overthrows this system and replaces it with a radically new and far better one that will allow us to live in a society in which production is actually organized to meet the needs of all peoples—black, brown, yellow, red, and white. This revolution needs to happen now while this beast is tormented with the confusion and destruction of covid-19, and i challenge you brothas and sistas to honestly ask yourselves.

We are heading for turbulent times either way it goes, doing something or not, we are still heading "that way," so to speak, because the system dictates it to be "that way." The reactions of the fascist is but a reaction to the already failing system and the consequences the capitalist-imperialist system brings. So it is better to act and do something about our struggle to change things no matter how hard it may be. And if we fail, the coming generations would know that we tried and the remnants of our attempt will still be there and that alone will encourage them to pick up where we left off, you feel me? To pick up the flag from our dying hand, so to speak, and continue the struggle to emancipate humanity, just as we picked it up from our fallen comrades of the past. So win or lose, it is better to get out there and do something than to do nothing and get ran over.

I appreciate you brothas and sistas for your time and for listening to everything that i had to say. Once again, i appeal to all of you comrades to rise up with arms and unite under the same common goal of being free or being ready to die fighting for the emancipation of all oppressed peoples everywhere.

Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win! All Power to the People!

Your comrade in arms, xxx

p.s. you comrades asked how the corona virus is being approached by prisoners, prison officials and prison guards at my location... well first let’s start with these oppressive prison officials. As i stated earlier in this letter, i am currently being held captive inside the oppressive confines of this torturous segregation chamber and as of now, these corrupt prison officials are not considering anyone to be released from these confines because they are claiming to need the bed space in the general population for prisoners who may need to be quarantined in response to covid-19. So in that sense, we are basically being held indefinitely until either the virus passes or until another prisoner comes to the hole in which they'll take our room in exchange for theirs.

In regards to the prison guards, of course they love to play games just like the majority of these convicts do—some of which are inmates, there’s a big difference. These guards tend to act like they have the virus just to render a response from prisoners in hopes of disturbing our sanity. However, our only security of knowing that these reactionary pigs isn’t infected is because—from what the administration officials are telling us—they are taking every officers temperature before allowing them to enter the facility and if it reads 101°F or higher then they're not allowed inside the compound. However, we all know that this method isn’t sufficient enough to insure the prevention of covid-19 amongst prison because people have been testing positive for the virus without showing any symptoms. So at this point, it is basically a matter of time before this virus reaches us.

In regards to the day to day activities of prison life, everything is basically being ran the same with one exception so far that i am aware of. The "Big wigs" have restricted all visitations inside of Michigan prisons but as a substitute to this crisis, they are allowing everyone to receive two free 5 minute phone calls a week which is a rarity considering the capitalist nature of these tyrants. To receive anything for free from these capitalist bastards is unheard of, however, the oppressiveness in which they clearly operate is still very evident as i am a victim to these very corrosive measures that’s carried out against the nature of my being everyday. Finally, my fellow comrades tend to believe that these walls makes them exempt from this rampant virus but in reality they’re just trying to downplay their fears because often times i hear these same individuals expressing their concerns about this pandemic with their closest confidants.

It’s all about an image behind these walls and gates of oppression and that’s exactly what these inmates—notice my use of this word here—tend to try to portray when we're openly discussing the severity and totality of this horrendous pandemic. Just the fact that these capitalist bastards are giving us free phone calls attests to the severity of this situation, nevertheless all of the school closings, deaths, unemployment claims, etc. that the nation is experiencing right now. But since these things/realities doesn’t immediately effect these brothas, the only thing they tend to say is, "Free phone calls? I hope covid-19 never leaves." This isn’t true for all of the prisoners that’s trapped behind these iron curtains, especially not the comrades that’s associated with the nature of my being—however, the overall state of consciousness of my fellow convicts is disheartening. Nevertheless, i try not to give up on them—because you'll never know who can be redeemed from the deteriorating destruction of psychological warfare that these capitalist-imperialist bastards waged against our people, you know? So i hope these truths allowed you brothas and sistas a glimpse into the daily life of prison during this coronavirus pandemic. I really look forward to hearing from you comrades very soon.

On another note, I’ve asked you comrades for a few materials in my previous letters of which I’ve never received. So in regards to this, i am once again requesting to ascertain the following materials respectfully or at least be provided with a response so i can know if i should be looking forward to receiving these materials or not.

The Constitution for the New Socialist Republic in North America

The New Communism

Science and Revolution

BAsics

Breakthroughs

The "American Crime" feature as i do not have access to revcom.us I would like the complete series of this feature - #1-#100 - please.

Thank you comrades once again for your time and for listening to what i had to say.

Uhuru

This photo is NOT of the authors of these letters. Above: Rikers Island, NY, overwhelmingly poor Black and Latino men who couldn't post bail, and many of them older people with serious health problems. What kind of a criminal system puts people like these behind bars in the first place—and then keeps them locked up in such dangerous conditions even as a deadly pandemic like COVID-19 spreads?!
Photo: AP