2005, 16TH DECEMBER
Dear The People,
It was brought to my attention that when Major Nelson came to this pod 12-5-05 to pick-up my grievances, comrade Haramia (Kenneth Foster) jammed her up before she left to discuss with her some of the reasons behind our movement. We had already partially drawn-up “issues” of concern that we felt needed immediate address. Major Nelson said that she would come back before the week was up to pick up these issues. It was a start. So we drew up the rest of the issues for this first round of discussion, and had it prepared for her arrival. And the week cam and went without her arrival. We tried to give her the benefit of a doubt, considering she possibly got caught up in something more important than this protest, as hard as this thought was to swallow. “What can be more important than this protest?!!” Yet, we continued to wait patiently for her to keep her word.
We also knew that our “issues” could no longer be addressed to, merely, Sgt’s and Lt’s (most of the “issues” we’re raising at this point, Sgt’s and Lt’s either have no power over, or they refuse to claim the power they have), we had to aim higher, or else our efforts would be futile. However, Major Nelson wasn’t holding true to her word, and it’s been a week. We debated her sincerity and effectiveness of our tactics. If she was serious, and she should be since the majority of the issues raised are what we’re suppose to have, by policy, anyways, she should have at least had one of her officers notify us of why she couldn’t keep her word, we thought. But the prisoners are the unprincipled ones?!!...A week turned into weeks.
Meanwhile, I received my excessive use of force step-1 grievance back 12-12-05 (one of the 2 grievances Major Nelson picked up from me on 12-5-05), but where was the other grievance I gave her on the property deprivation issue? Though this was the quickest the grievance office ever responded to one of my grievances, I still had a bad feeling about the grievance that wasn’t responded to. I know this system too well! Nevertheless, I will wait to file a step-2 appeal to this step-1 I just got back—they said they didn’t find any excessive use of force; but that’s to be expected; just as being bombarded from all directions is. We’re under attack!
I sleep very lightly. A lot of times, I awaken merely by an officer’s stare. Not that their stare is penetrating, just my senses. They have to be. There’s no telling when these pigs (“officers” who abuse prisoners) will decide to upgrade their repression, and roll the doors on one of us while we sleep, to make a bloody example to the Death Row community- “We will tolerate NO opposition!” I’ve seen it happen before. We try to stay prepared for these things. If I must rest while certain pigs are working, I will jam my cage door. There won’t be any sneaking into my cage to awaken me to a beating. Besides, those of is awake keep our eyes and ears tuned to any movements by these pigs or officers, when they’re walking the runs, who leaves the pod, who fills their spot, etc. We know which ones are on “The Team”, so when they leave and things slow down, we can deduce that they may be suiting up.
Anyway, here it was breakfast time (about 3:00am) on the morning of 12-14-05. I heard bean-slots opening, so I got up, turned on my light, and waited for my tray. The two pigs working this morning! One of these pigs actually reminds me of one. His name is Lovett. He’s about 6ft 2in tall and 350 lbs; wobbles when he walks; swings his arms in a feminine manner; wheezes; sweats profusely; wears a chili-bowl haircut, and talks like he’s drunk- a loud and obnoxious drunk. His co-conspirator (co-worker) was of equal height, but healthy weight, clean cut, with a crisp uniform. Yet, his attitude was also piggish.
Pig Lovett gives me my tray, but refused to feed my neighbor, comrade Simpson. They just flat out refused to feed him! Comrade Simpson could make a fool of himself by asking his oppressors to get him some Rank, knowing they wouldn’t, or…when these pigs came around picking up trays, as soon as they opened my bean-slot, I held it hostage! (Sticking my arm in it) I let Simpson do the speaking. Once Pig Goins (AKA Sgt Goins) came, I relinquished the slot since “Rank” is all we wanted. I should have kept the slot though, I assumed that a pig, Sgt. Goins for crying out loud, one that forced me into a feces infested cage, maliciously sprayed me with gas, and deprived me of all my property, was going to follow policy?!! I was in violation for that. And, holding true to his nature, he also refused to feed comrade Simpson. Sad (shaking head in disgust). I guess this was their “payback” for the comrades involvement in the movement.
This was also a morning prisoners were to turn in commissary order forms. After these pigs pick up all the trays (what they like to call “slop the trays”), they’re to come around and pick up these order forms. Commissary will then be passed out some time 1st shift. Here in the trenches (Level 2 and 3), we’re only allowed to purchase store every 2-weeks; whereas we’re only allowed to purchase $10 worth of stationary (which is usually spent on stamps), 5 small bars of Dial soap, 1 shampoo, 1 deodorant, and 1 tube of toothpaste. I ordered $10 worth of stamps and 5 bars of soap, but something told me that I wouldn’t get my store- my order form would either come up missing or my order would be denied. They had already gotten comrade Simpson on his breakfast. Suppression and repression is our foes chosen weapons; the ancient weapons of oppression.
When the commissary officers came around passing everybody their purchases, they told me mine was denied due to a 30-day commissary restriction I was secretly placed on. Hmmm… I could be labeled a conspiracy theorist, so I’ll let you be the judge. Commissary restriction is one of the possible punishments that results from a disciplinary case conviction. The last disciplinary case I received was for my 12-5-05 sit-in. I had already been to that disciplinary hearing, and received cell-restriction as a punishment (or retaliation, since I shouldn’t have had to protest in the first place.) So, where did this 30-day restriction come from?
Sgt. Brown, one of the few Sgt’s that actually walks to pod…sometimes, was making his rounds when I jammed him up, and explained my situation. He told me to write it all down and that he would “pick it up tomorrow”. I did, and the following is what I prepared: