Issue 12 Sept. 2006 $ 2.00 At the dawn of Free to prisoners Industrialism, factories were modeled after • ~ ~ pnsons ... ~ 0 ~o(\J .~ J: Q. in its twilight, prisons are modeled after factories. Missouri Prisoners' Labor Union A word from the editors :Cohteots ..... , ~;.. :,.-, . , To )<eep this project sustainable and improve the quality of each issue, we ask our readers to help us out in a few small Editorials 1 Mission Statement ways. Please inform us when your address • The MPLU recognizes the inherent dignity and inalienable rights of changes. This applies to everyone inter- . Letters 2 all members of the human family and the principle that the recognition ested in receiving issues of Off The Hook, but especially to those in prison. Roadblocks to organizing and adherence to said rights is the basis for freedom for all humans and Prison abolition will not be achieved faced by poor blacks 2 requisite to peace in the world. without the active involvement ofthose • The MPLU recognizes and believes that all prisoners are human behind the bars. In order for this newslet­ Youth who are rebelling ter to be a tool for our collective libera­ against society and why 4 beings as well as political prisoners and have a right to be freed from all tion, it is not only necessary that prisoners forms of abuse, oppression, repression, racism, sexism, and slave labor continue to read, think, and write but also Slave-breaking: part one 6 exploitation. discuss with fellow inmates, spread around copies of the newsletter, and send in lists of News 8 • The MPLU recognizes and believes in the people having the right to interested subscribers. govern their own lives and to be free from wage slavery. Most of our readers, as well as our Journalist jailed as grand contributing authors, are men. We would juries target activists 8 • The MPLU is founded upon the principles ofliberty, equality and like Off The Hook to be a valuable resource solidarity and recognizes that such principles are fortified with mutual for women prisoners as well. Incarcerated Missouri executions halted aid, free association and free cooperation. women should consider submitting an arti­ while procedure reviewed 9 cle or compiling a list of people interested • The MPLU recognizes and strongly supports the abolition of all prisons in receiving a copy of the newsletter. We U.S. leads in life sentences everywhere, the abolition of the death penalty, and the ending of the want to reach as many people as possible, for juvenile crimes 10 capitalist system with its false democracy. but we need your help. If you are not in prison and you think Interviews 11 this newsletter is a worthwhile endeavor, Contact Information you should consider making a small dona­ Missouri prisoners MPLU officers Outside supporters tion. Your money will go toward printing protest food quality 11 and mailing costs and will help us reach a Jerome White-Bey # 37479 Off the Hook Editorial Collective wider audience. If you can't send money, Corcoran State Prison, SECC PO box 872 you should consider sharing the newsletter an abusive environment 12 300 E. Pedro Simmons Drive Kirksville, MO 63501 with your friends, coworkers, and family. Charleston, MO 63834 MPLU Support - Europe If you have access to free copies, you could Please send submissions for Off the Hook Patric Dooms help directly distribute the newsletter. Or to: Sheik Mark S. Moore EI #990115 better yet, print your own organ of dissent Eastern Reception Diagnostic Center Leeputstraat 29 and discussion. The Off the Hook Editorial Collective c/o 2727 Highway K 2600 Berchem The Black Unicorn Press This newsletter is edited and published Bonne Terre, MO 63628 Belgium PO Box 872 by the Off the Hook.Editorial Collective. Kirksville, MO 63501 Anythony Rayson We work in solidarity with the MPLU, but Lenard Bradford-Bey # 131806 South Chicago ABC the views expressed in this newsletter do Submissions for Issue 13 should be submit­ Marquette Branch Prison PObox 721 not necessarily reflect our own. This issue ted by December 15. 1960 US 41 South Homewood, IL 60430 contains language and ideas about sexual Marquette, MI 49855 identity that neither we nor the MPLU Kansas Mutual Aid wish to endorse. Any comments our read­ PO box 442438 ers want to make about this subject would Lawrence, KS 66044 be greatly appreciated. - the OtH Editorial Collective -. '.:: .We_an/ planning changes for this news­ prisoners to inspire other communities to '-"Road~I'ocks ~ to organizing mental faculties, so what some can stand lettecWe hope they will begin to transform build a movement capable of providing up to, others can't. What some are ignorant it from five pieces of printed paper into a solidarity and support in times of need. We faced by poor blacks to, others aren't. What some understand, useful tool for prison abolition and social will be reading, discussing, and acting along This is a question that was asked by a others won't. It doesn't take a white-coated liberation. with our imprisoned brothers and sisters. friend who wished to know my view on a scientist to understand that phenomenon. Editorials will become regular features In orde; to turn each issue of Off the particular subject. Please understand that Ignorance can keep an entire ethnic group of Off the Hook . They will give us a chance Hook into an organized tool for prisoner my answer was based on what I've seen and unconsciously oppressed because if they to share our thoughts and ideas and con­ support and prison abolition, we will pose still see. It doesn't reflect the totality of my have no knowledge that there is someplace tribute to the discussion on prison aboli­ a few questions that are related to a specific character. higher than the hole they live in - or know tion. We welcome any feedback, positive topic. We hope these questions will inspire Question: Name (what you can) the but have no idea how to get there - they'll and critical. submissions that will unify the content of characteristics of the poor that affect their never put forth the effort to escape it. We want this newsletter to be a forum each issue. We will still print all submis­ ability to organize. In answering this ques­ 2.) Disoriented, Confused: loss of bear­ for prisoners and abolitionists on the sions that pertain to the topic of prison tion, you will only deal with characteristics ings, displaced from normal position or outside to discuss strategies and tactics for abolition, but a more organized analysis of that describe the characters of poor "black" relationship. Also to cause to lose sense of the prison industrial complex will help all improving prison conditions and abolish­ people. time, place, or identity. ing the prison industrial complex. Prison of us in our efforts to bring about change. My Answer: Explanation: Since the day the first environments inhibit the ability of the Because any political or social move­ slaves were said to have set foot on 1.) Ignorant, unaware, uninformed: incarcerated to organize active resistance, ment must be self-critical to be able to offer Western soil, the process of stripping the destitute of knowledge or education. Also teach cruelty, hostility, and selfishness, and valuable criticism and analysis of society, true identity of blacks, from blacks, has lacking knowledge or comprehension of break the will and spirit of human beings. our next issue will focus inward and address been as efficient and widespread as AIDs, the thing specified. Any act that opposes the prison environ­ the relationship of the Missouri Prison- with similar results. When dealing with ment is worthy of our support, so we are ers' Labor Union to our personal struggles Explanation: Because "poor blacks" lack a group of people who don't have a clue looking for submissions of examples and within the prison industrial complex and its the means of effective currency, the inevita­ who they really are, the will to strive for discussions about group and self-educa­ relationship to the prison abolition move­ ble need to survive - by any means neces­ an alternative to poverty and shame will tion, mutual aid, and acts of resistance ment as a whole. sary - comes into play. And when there is slowly diminish because there is no present in addition to submissions about daily What is the MPLU? What have been its a need to survive - by any means necessary psychological driving force. This results in life in prison. We want your ideas about greatest successes and failures? What forces - because of a lack of money and formal scattered disorganization and a concurrent how to proceed toward a better world and limit the MPLU, and what can be done schooling, the attention isn't placed on form of animosity amongst themselves that accounts of daring successes and ambitious about them? How has the MPLU affected much education about self, worldly events, leads to inevitable loss. failures. politics, and economics or culture or on you on a personal level? How could the From a "poor black's" perspective, the the spread of knowledge from generation 'l1lrough future issues of the newsletter, MPLU better help you take part in prison only identities they have are the ones they to generation. The main objective becomes we hope to offer a catalog of literature. The abolition? allow themselves to have but honestly don't "survive by any means necessary:' literature will help individual prisoners and We ask these questions so we can learn want. Because they've been taken away study groups in their self-education efforts from their answers and make a more There are many organizations and indi­ from their original strength, the essence of and help make their actions as informed organized, better equipped movement.