Editorial Comments
By Ed Mead

Here is another edition of our newsletter. We hope that you find it is a good one. The Prison/Community Alliance is going to be working toward getting rid of this state's parole board and will need all of the help that can be generated. If there is any way you can encourage your loved ones on the outside to attend the next meeting, please do so. Every now and then there comes a time when it is necessary to make a determined effort to overcome the demoralization and cynicism that paralyzes our forward progress. That time is rapidly approaching. If we are to be successful with the initiative campaign we will be needing the assistance of a lot of family members and supporters.

Also printed in this issue, entitled "Creating A More Equal Sentencing System," is an article containing an outline of the proposed legislation we intend to have placed on the 1992 ballot though the initiative process. In our next issue we should have the exact wording that will be used, rather than the general outline contained here. But for now we need input from you on the overall adequacy of this outline. Once we have the proposed bill completed and submitted to the secretary of state for processing, it will be too late to incorporate your comments. So if you are a pre-SRA prisoner in Washington state, and want to voice an opinion with respect to the direction we are moving in, the next two months will be your final opportunity to do so.

The Clallam Bay prison (CBCC) in Washington banned our last issue because of Paul's article on guard brutality at that facility. Paul also received an infraction for so called "lies" contained within the offending article, specifically, that one of the guards had a history of abusing prisoners. Paul has been sentenced to 20 days in the hole and the loss of 30 days good time as a result of this infraction. The finding of guilt is pending administrative appeal, and litigation over the issue is in the process of being drafted. As you can see, being a prison editor carries with it certain risks.

The PLN stands 100 percent behind every word contained in the CBCC article. We have affidavits from about 10 percent of the CBCC population and some staff members regarding the full, accuracy of the facts reported. We will continue to bring you news of importance, including patterns of physical abuse inflicted upon the imprisoned children of the poor. In return, we ask for your continued financial support. Paul and I welcome your submissions of artwork, articles, news items, etc. to the newsletter. We need the criticisms and comments contained in your letters, too. Send such materials directly to us, or to our Florida address if writing directly is a problem. In our last issue we had space for only one letter. We'll try to do better in that regard with future issues, as a lot of people like the letters section of the newsletter. Of course we always need donations of stamps and money from readers in order to continue publishing the PLN, especially since the recent rise in the postage rates. All U.S. readers should mail financial contributions to the Florida address; foreign subscribers are asked to send their donations to the applicable address listed in the box on page two.

Oh, one last thing, be sure to pass this paper on to other comrades when you are finished reading it. Each one teach one.

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