Prisoners Join Revolutionary Conversation on New Draft Programme

Revolutionary Worker #1154, June 9, 2002, posted at http://rwor.org

Thank you for the subscription to the Revolutionary Worker and the copy of the Draft Programme of the RCP,USA.

I've been studying both the Revolutionary Worker and the Draft Programme. I found them to be very inspirational to me and they will help me to better express myself about my political beliefs through communicating with my fellow "Community Revolution In Progress" and everybody else in the struggle.

In prison the struggle is as in the street. We face oppression and victimization. Some people in here are more comfortable being victimized than actually standing up for themselves. That does not go on throughout the Community Revolution in Progress.

Thanks for the knowledge and inspiration of the Revolutionary Worker and the discipline of the Draft Programme. I will better myself in my understanding and spread the knowledge around to like-minded prisoners.

I do spread around that we the oppressed need to drown our fears, get out of the fantasy of religion and believe that we're all considered equal by the people and face the reality of our "equal" struggle against oppression, brutality and discrimination. The afterlife, one can debate, but whatever we do in life affects the people and the world and that remains. For us to help and support other revolutionary people in their struggle and feed them knowledge. To not fear the enemy and care nothing for death if we have to battle.

Hopefully I will get out of segregation soon. They review us people in seg every six months and depending on our conduct, they decide whether to release us to general population or not. I've been without a case for three years, five months. But that's not good enough for them. I got seg'ed for striking an officer. Hopefully in October 2002 they will let me out of seg. In the meantime I will continue to spread the word about the Revolutionary Worker around here and to my people in the street.

I just received the books you sent me, Lenin's State and Revolution and Mao Tsetung's Selected Readings .

Thank you so very much. Now I can finally study up on Mao's works. I've been so anxious to read his works. I am still in the hole of this prison spreading the word on our goal. We have some good brothers in here. One is a Hispanic who purchases booklets from the Pathfinder catalog. I turned him on to the PRLF and gave him the RCP address so be on the lookout for his letter. He said he wants to join the Party. I have passed the Draft Programme around to 20 fellas since I received it last October. Everyone in here likes the Draft a lot. I want more people to come to the light of what's really going down.

A lot of men are on board with us. I should have been released from Ad-seg (the hole) last January. But still here I sit awaiting a transfer to another prison. Who knows when I'll leave this hole. At least I have all the books you have sent me to keep my mind on the truth. You just don't know how much I appreciate it when I hear from you. You will always have my respect and my brothers' within these walls respect as well. Your knowledge about the truth within these books is what keeps me strong.

If there is anything I can do to better my knowledge on the RCP, please tell me, OK? I want to study the right materials. I still haven't read the Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels. From my understanding that is the beginning of the "movement." Correct? The foundation?

Is there anything I can do for you? Just tell me if there is, all right? When I come into a bit of money I would like to make a donation to the PRLF/RCP. You are very honorable in dedicating your time to the proletariat's struggle. It's good to know we do have a voice. Anything you want to write me, please feel free to do so and I'll quickly respond. I have so much yet to learn. I look forward to hearing from you again, hopefully soon. For now, I'll close, but I wish you and your staff all the support in the world.

Workers of the World Unite!!!

Thank you for giving us convicts some hope.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to write me back. I honestly didn't think that anyone would write me back.

I'm almost finished reading the Draft Programme . Actually I just read the part about "Education." Since that's fresh in my mind can we discuss it? The Draft mentions that you will educate the masses, young and old. But it doesn't say exactly how. Are we to educate ourselves and share our knowledge with our brothers and sisters in the struggle? Is it supposed to work like the domino effect?

The reason why this concerns me the most is because I place a high value on knowledge and I want to share whatever knowledge I have with the brothers and sisters in the struggle. It sickens me to think that we're living in the richest country in the world, but there's people walking the streets hungry and illiterate. I don't want to complain about this. I want to do something about it.

What I've learned from the Draft is that there could be a better world out there and that I have the chance to make a difference. I now know how to fix computers and I plan to take this class where they'll teach me how to build and maintain homes. I won't be certified in what I've learned but I'll be willing to show everyone in the struggle what I've learned.

I won't get out of prison for a few years but I plan to utilize my time and learn all that I can--so that I can share this knowledge with people who would benefit from it and make their lives a little bit better.

I don't want to waste my life in this capitalist system where my life will be empty and unfulfilled.

I want to make a difference and help the struggle.

I recently read my first issues of the RW and I am very impressed. I was transformed from one Bama Industrial Plantation to another maximum security Bama Industrial Plantation, for being a "security hazard."

I wish to receive the RCP Draft Programme as well as books, if possible. See, for the past eight years I have organized inside these pens. I have a well-stocked library that was self-purchased for classes. See revolution must be taught to the youth in these Bama prisons. They must be prepared to serve the people upon their release from these plantations. These pens must be used as "revolutionary training camps," which is exactly what they are.

The pen I was transferred from was into some serious censorship, which is why I was not completely familiar with the Revolutionary Worker . They were extremely racist also, attempting to silence us at every turn. For 10 years I operated under intense physical and psychological oppression. And you know what? That shit is the ultimate in revolutionary training. The harsher the conditions, the stronger the warrior!

We took/take whatever they throw at us and keep fighting-- relentlessly. But it is only a very small number of comrades in the system. If I can give them something true to be a part of, we can put Bama on the map. See, that religion shit is one factor that is damaging as hell to the struggle. They attempt to take the natural aggression - the inclination to "stand up and fight" out of the man; and replace it with some "love your enemy" shit.

I have a life sentence and am a relentless worker. I promise you that the message will be spread. Please put me on the mailing list for the Revolutionary Worker as well as the Draft Programme and the book program.

4-18-02

Less than two hours ago I received from you an article written by Bob Avakian and "Quotations from Mao Tsetung." Thank you! I have looked through the Red Book of Chairman Mao and have been absorbed by his words. I feel a sense of power just by possessing the Red Book. I look forward to lengthy contemplation of each and every quotation. Again, Thank you.

I have received two issues of the Revolutionary Worker. The Revolutionary Worker is extremely helpful to me. It is a source of guidance, encouragement, and strength and keeps my mind focused. I was completely rapturous when I read "Prisoners Join Revolutionary Conversa- tions..." It caught me by surprise. I enjoyed reading the thoughts of other prisoners. The entire section was greatly appreciated and I hope that others were as pleased as I was when reading it. I am positive that the other prisoners were equally grateful. It felt amazing to have a voice that reached past these walls.

I wrote to you my thoughts about part one of the Draft Programme ... I plan on sending a letter concerning part two of the Draft Programme soon.

I have read Bob Avakian's article, "The New Situation and the Great Challenges." I stand strongly behind what Bob Avakian is stating. What the U.S. imperialists are doing must be stopped! It disturbs me to watch the news and see that people support the U.S. imperialists in their blatant and terrifying aggression. The evening news continues to air segments titled, "America Strikes Back" and that, to me, is pure ignorance. I feel sorrow for the families of World Trade Center victims, but I also feel that America has struck back and is now carrying out a separate agenda.

It troubles me that everyone doesn't wake up and demand a stop to "America Strikes Back" and how men and women of America can support a campaign of direct terrorism. I am very relieved when I read articles in the Revolutionary Worker about those Americans (and others) that aren't lulled by whatever kind of spell of ignorance that is cast over America.

The article frustrates me in one sense. Bob Avakian is obviously issuing a wake-up call and encouraging resistance. I get frustrated by the fact that I am in prison instead of on the frontlines. I am sorry.

I have decided to send my thoughts on the Draft Programme in this letter rather than wait. It is important to me that you know I have genuine interest in the literature that is supplied by RCP Publications.

Thank you very much for maintaining correspondence, sending literature and putting my name on the Revolutionary Worker's mailing list.

I have now read part one of the Draft Programme of the RCP,USA four times. I thoroughly enjoy it and will most definitely read it again. I relate to all the topics raised and discussed. Reading it helps to keep myself focused. I am often overwhelmed by the way capitalism uses the commercialization of American culture in order to pacify the masses, especially by using the lavish lifestyle illusion (image) that most of us are hypnotized by.

As a youth, I felt and loathed the force of oppression and have never stopped my personal struggle to break free. The point of our youth constantly being oppressed was brought up in part one. I like that. To help the children of today and tomorrow has become my driving motivation.

A point was brought up in part one that has helped me considerably. It was that the middle class may also suffer by the hands of our oppressor. After giving a lot of thought to this I felt compassion for them and the need to build a tolerance. I used to see them as my enemy and I held contempt for the middle class. I have changed my view to see them as a tool of my oppressor, but even that may not always be true. I know that I must use understanding when I observe the middle class. I am in prison and the people employed, as "correction officers" are perfect subjects for me to study. In doing so, I realize they are molded by the stress and pressure of policies from their superiors that are, at times, forced upon them. So I cannot hold them in contempt, can I? That would be like fighting puppets.

A communist world is what I truly want, mainly because it will show advancement of the human species. But I must admit I have one insecurity when I picture the wonderful society. I am an artist deeply rooted and focused on revolution. I worry that I would be pulled from my love and interest in art by my obligations to the new society, all of humans in general. I know that fear is an effect of ignorance, but it is with me.

I am also an atheist, but find it very hard to live as one. This troubles me very much but I was very inspired to learn that communists are atheists! I would love to see the day when there is a society where superstition is not a way of life and we can find answers to the great "mysteries" of life. I really like to find hope in the vision of the advancement of human intellect by shedding off the hindrance of religious limitations. Thank you. I wonder if you could recommend any books dealing with the topic of being an atheist.

In all, I am pleased to see the Draft Programme shows deep concern for the masses in all respects. Please let me know if I can contribute in any way. I work towards many of the same goals of the RCP, USA and I object to none.

5-1-02

RW #1148 dated April 28, 2002 has an article titled, "No to Unjust War! No to Capitalist Globalization! No to Israeli Occupation!" written by Orpheus and Debbie Lang. I loved it!

I live in prison but as I read the article I felt as though I was at the protest in person, with a raised fist! The article was very, extremely well written, in my opinion, the quotes were perfect.

In an earlier letter to the PRLF I had written that I was upset that too many people accepted or ignored what the U.S. was doing to the world. Well, this article slapped me in the face for saying such things. Thank-you. I should have known better. True human beings are no suckers, we will bring the ruckus!

The article made me proud and assured me that there are many people that will not back Bush and the other greedy bastards. I was inspired to write a poem. It is not my best work, but it relates my feelings and what I saw in the article. If you have contact with Orpheus and Debbie Lang could you let them read the poem and this letter.

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