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WHO IS a POLITICAL PRISONER? by RON RIDENOUR

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WHO IS a POLITICAL PRISONER? by RON RIDENOUR WHO IS A POLITICAL PRISONER? By RON RIDENOUR RoN REDENouR, a graduate of California State College at Los Angeles, is the former head of the Committee United for Political Prisoners (CUPP). A writer by vocation, Mr. Ridenour has published several articles, short stories and pamphlets. Most recently, he has published "A Man Who Lived Underground, A Critique," a literary criticism on Richard Wrights work by the same title (publishedin PHYLON, Review of Race and Culture, Spring 1970) and "A ffluency's Answer," a short story which has been selected by Houghton and Mifflin as a "Distinctive Short Story" in Best Short Stories, 1970. Currently work- ing on "Who Is a Chicano," Mr. Ridenour hopes to soon add this to the work he has already done in this area, one of which is "The Fire This Time," an exposition and critique of the Watts revolt in 1965. INTRODUCTION does. In addition, we will look into the. phenomenon of racism as applied to HEN MOST AMERICANS think of the W political prisoners, and what should be term "political prisoner" they en- done to eliminate the institution of politi- vision the gallows of medieval times when cal prisoners. Galileo lingered, or the concentration camps of fascist Europe, or perhaps the WHO IS A POLITICAL PRISONER? dungeons of Mexico where the world renowned painter Siguieros dwelled for DURING 1969 there were 7,500,000 ar- "social disillusionment." rests, excluding traffic violations, accord- It would be "un-American" for most ing to the Uniform Crime Reports for the of us to conceive of Americans incarcer- United States by J. Edgar Hoover.' Of ated because they differed with the cur- those 40 persons arrested per 1,000 popu- rent government's thought or the contem- lation, 4,989,700 .were for major felony porary popular opinion. We would think offenses reported to law enforcement so because this is one country which was agencies. The government keeps no pub- conceived in freedom where men die to lic figures on the millions of misdemeanor assure the perpetuation of the Bill of crimes and arrests. Rights at home and, for that matter, die Who are these people arrested? Where to institute "freedom" in foreign lands, do they come from? What reasons are whether or not those countries request is there for these crimes and arrests? or appreciate such "aid." Of those arrested for felonies, 28% However, United States history as well were black and 69% were white. How- as today's reality belie this belief, this ever, the government includes Puerto ardent faith. Ricans and Chicanos as white. In Cali- This government holds people behind fornia, of the 28,462 persons (15% of steel bars because of political opposition the nation's prisoners) in state prisons, 2 to the system. In substantiating this con- 26.4% are black and 13.4 are Chicanos. tention, we will define the term "political prisoner," determine who he or she is, I Hoover, 3. Edgar, "Uniform Crime Reort for the United States," United States Government Printing ascertain where he or she comes from Office, 1970. 2 "California Prisoners 1968," Human Relations Agency, and why he or she develops, and discover Department of Corrections, (Sacramento, California, what happens to him or her and why it 1969). PAGE 18 THE BLACK LAWe JOURNAL PAGE 18THE RLACK LAW JOURNAL It is estimated that those minorities con- institutions be allowed to own and control stitute 15% of the nation's population vast areas for their own uses, which may while comprising 43% of those arrested not be either in the interests of the public and imprisoned. or even related to its concerns? Should Most "criminals" are poor people, some people be able to own products white and non-white. They are usually produced by masses of workers and sell jobless, or underemployed, semi-skilled, them at a profit for their private uses? If "cheap labor," escapees into dope, inno- the collectively produced wealth were cent victims of racist policemen or a spread around where few people (owners white society, and some are political of 76 corporations, for example, which people. control 60% of this economy which in Only eight per cent of the "criminals" turn represents 60% of the world's were arrested for crimes against persons. wealth) 5 could not own so much, then Most "crimes" are against property or robbery, burglary, mugging and related values: 20% were for crimes against crimes would not be necessary and, in property, 49% were against "public de- short order, would vanish. were against Even J. Edgar Hoover, in analyzing cency and order," 11% '3 "morals," and 12% were "all other." the reasons for crime increases, recog- Thus the vast majority, 60% or more, nizes the role that the social structure are persons arrested for alleged crimes plays in determining crime. In his 1969 against morals, decency and order. These report, he gave as reasons for the in- are charges of prostitution, homosexual- creases: "economic status . .attitude ity, disturbing the peace (used extensive- of the public toward law enforcement ly against political people), illegal assem- problems . "6 bly (remember the ghetto and barrio re- bellions and Sproul Hall, etc., etc.), tres- THE MAJORITY of "crimes" in this socie- passing (People's Park), drug charges, ty are results of elitist relationships be- and the like. tween people. A profit oriented economy, (Of the millidns arrested, only a frac- by its very nature, must be exploitative- tion become prisoners in state or federal some must profit from the majority's institutions, and these are only felony labor. Most of us cannot be owners of cases. The latest available figures [De- production, for then there would be no cember 31, 1967] indicate that there one to produce the profit. This economy were 176,000 state prisoners and 19,579 also demands rule by a minority. There- federal prisoners for a national total of fore, the state must assure that laws are 195,679. This represents only one in 37 created and enforced which favor the arests. )4 rulers. Most crimes are committed by the Most crimes, then, can be considered ruled who are acting against the special "political" or cultural. That is, crimes interests of the few, out of the need to where no one is harmed but where con- survive. The bulk of crimes are therefore cepts clash. Thus, trespassing is an act forced upon the actor due to the design against private property, of large land of the capitalist system, which demands holdings and of industry, usually. It's not that most of the people produce luxury a question of invading the use of one's for the few while denying adequate ma- personal property such as a home but terial and spiritual needs for the many. deals with the question of ownership of Unemployment becomes necessary to the means of production. For example, create and maintain, in order to threaten should people in Tucson, Arizona be al- lowed to use the vast lands of the univer- 3 Hoover, op. cit. 4 Ibid. sity there for congregating, for relaxing, 5 Lundberg, Ferdinand, The Rich and the Super-Rich, for living? Should anyone be able to walk (New York, Bantam Books, 1968). Also see Fortune Magazine annual description of who owns what in the on the beach, or anywhere, or should big Summer editions. businessmen and military and church 6 Hoover, op. cit. THE BLACK LAW JOURNAL PAGE 19 THE BLACK LAW JOURNAL PAGE 19 the work force's potential power to erode chiefs across the country openly state 8 the owner's profit. Racism is created and that they wish to "eliminate" the party, used to divide the united might of the it is not difficult to understand the Pan- poor, thereby maximizing the power of thers' cry of "political genocide." Hoover the financiers and industrialists. Subju- coordinates federal and local raids gating women and forcing them to be against their headquarters throughout the servile also enhances the profits. land, usually looking for weapons. Some- Thus, the materially hungry must steal times they find weapons, the same kind to survive, and the spiritually hungry that millions of Americans proudly hang commit anti-social acts because their hu- in their living rooms and dens. Their man needs cannot be met in a property right to bear arms (second amendment oriented state. to the Constitution) is a right denied op- While it is impossible to determine ponents of government policy. In the how many people are arrested or im- past two years, more than 30 Panthers prisoned because of the reasons outlined, have been killed by police warfare. More it is a fair estimate that somewhere than 400 are imprisoned. Clearly the around 90% of the "crimes" committed case can be made that Panthers are not would not be either considered crimes or only political prisoners but prisoners- of would not occur in a people oriented war. The government is conducting an- society (see section entitled, "What is other one of its undeclared wars or police Needed?). actions. We have essentially categorized al- Bobby Seale and Ericka Huggins are most all persons considered criminals in on trial because they are dangerous our society as victims of the elitist socio- thinkers, because they influence people economic-political system of racism and to believe differently from the govern- capitalism. Let us focus in on the politi- ment. They are charged with instructing cal prisoner, that person harassed because peopld to commit a crime, with cofnspir- of his political and social attitudes. There acy to murder. But the confessed mur- are two kinds of "crimes" in this arena: derer, George Sams, is a mental patient 1) exercising certain beliefs and 2) vio- and is viewed as a police agent (or in- lating a specific law suppressing the basic former) by millions of people including "petition,rights of free expression, i.e., assembly, such diverse political figures as Huey etc.
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