Working
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ki to
t Extend
E t d Democracy
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Volume
2, N
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January
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January
2013
2013

THE PILOT PROGRAM: SECURITY THREAT GROUP – IDENTIFICATION
INTERDICTION, PREVENTION, AND MANAGEMENT

S

ecurity Threat Group (STG) will
institute: new and more aggressive
attacks against “prisoners” and their
families, friends, associates, and communities, who have already been victimized
by our Institutionalized Racist System –
Prison Industrial Complex (IRS-PIC), who
uses just one of many of their institution
policies to persecute, incarcerate, as well
as subjugate prisoners – inside their incarceration in solitary confinement units.
As does government policies subjugate us
“poor class” citizens into ghetto’s, barrio’s,
rural, and urban areas. . .
Security Threat Group in itself is a “racist policy” that will set a new precedent for
attacks against new Afrikans (i.e. blacks),
Mexicans, Latinos, Asians and poor whites
to allow CDCR to implement a classification of our people and communities, by
utilizing Security Threat Group that means
one of us can define all of us, through their
validation system.
We are individuals despite all the hype
around this gang validation nonsense. We
must reject the “Security Threat Group –

CONTENTS
STG Pilot Program ...................1
On The Five Core Demands ....3
Response to STG Plan ............4
Editorial Comments..................7
Letters ......................................8
Pen Pal Initiative ......................10

(The Title Defines its Purpose)
Identification , Interdiction, Prevention and
Management Plan,” it will allow our communities to be further subjugated, persecuted and openly attacked by overzealous public servants or security guards who operate
like Gestapo against poor citizens of this
nation. And those of us held in the Prison
Industrial Complex – subjected to physical
and psychological torture in “Long Term”
isolated solitary confinement units ... the
term Threat Group only means that the validation process is being expanded to where
all prisoners based on a group validation as
a gang can be and will be subjected to what
we already suffer as individuals under the
validation procedures.
Identification of prisoners will mean
what it means now, not only who you are,
but who are your family, friends, and associates and this will not stop and just identification, because it goes into their lives
by way of other agencies; LAPD, OPD,
SFPD, SDPD, Sheriffs, etc. ... This I call
profiling of our people and our communities, by identifying the prisoner as part of
a STG- gang member or associate opens
uup covert/overt investigations against our
ffamily, friends and associates. This is the
ppurpose for the identification making our
ppeople/community suspects in alleged
ggang activity, subjecting us to harassments:
ssearches, investigations,
etc. ... which is the pretext used by CDC
CR-PIC in order to hide their racist intent.
Interdiction – means to destroy, cut-off
oor damage, or to prohibit by decree, authoriitarian implementation: will only familiariize New Afrikans, Latinos, Mexicans and
A
Asians with what they know all to well, an
aauthoritarian presence of a militarized po-

lice state inside our communities. They patrol our communities as if we’re terrorists.
Yet, the prisoner will be the justification for
the purpose of interdiction. Remember they
(CDCR-PBSP officials) have already cut
us off from our family, friends and associates also our communities and when we
are connected to them they use many scare
tactics to destroy, damage or cutoff these
relationships OFF. It’s called interdiction.
Prevention – means to keep from happening or existing, to hold back, hinder,
stop, which means that we (prisoners) will
be suppressed by any means necessary
based on flawed intelligence, though crime
initiatives, and implementing policies to
counter crimes that have not occurred. For
example, prisoners are not allowed “contact visit” in solitary confinement units,
because there is a potential or possibility
for a crime to be committed, CDCR NO
contact visits speculates and assumes that
prisoner’s families, friends and associates
will be an accomplice to criminal activity.
CDCR Policy says NO kissing, not touching, etc. . . while on a contact visit on General Population – (GP). This is what they
mean, when they say Prevention-Instituting Policies that suppresses the growth and
development of prisoners and their families, friends, associates and community,
by cutting off whatever crimes that can be
committed, but to do this is to insinuate
that all our people are criminals, which is
an inherited racist disposition inside the institution of Institutionalized Racism – (IR).
Therefore, we “all” become suspects or
subjected to policies that limit our interaction and movement.
Management; means that act or art of

managing “control,” This is what it’s about
controlling the obsolete “poor class” prisoners, who are only an extension of the obsolete poor class of people out in society,
and by maintaining control over this class
of people they’re able to utilize intimidating acts or practices against the prisoners
toward controlling them.
Death Penalty, Long Term- Solitary
Confinement units, assault weapons, prison
violence, prison oppression, etc. ... toward
maintaining control, this is how they manage prisoners.

The validation system ...
does not mean you have
... broken the law, ... it
only means that you have
been profiled or identified as an alleged “something” by the CDCR
Plan is a method for achieving an objective. Therefore, we all are in danger. The
STG is only a new and more aggressive
Policy that will further subject prisoners to
harsh conditions and the current physical
and psychological torture we exist under
now. I basically just interpreted the title of
this new policy which defines its true purpose/meaning.
We also see that this Pilot Program is
filled with numerous of Job Titles, which is
how CDCR fleeces the California tax payers out of funds. They create unnecessary
positions that are irrelevant and serve no
purpose. . If any one thinks that those of
us held in solitary confinement units, need
to go through gang management programs
at the ages of 40 to 70 plus years, they are
only fooling themselves. There is NO gang
members, or gang bangers in the “short
corridor” only grown men who come into
these institutions at very young ages, who
have educated themselves and many were
never gang members from the get go. What
you have back here are Political Prisoners,
Jail House Lawyers, strong minded influential prisoners who understand the games
Correctional Officers/Officials play and
those of us who did come into these prisons
with a backward mindset, do not adhere to
that gang nonsense anymore. Its “crazy”
to tell us (prisoners) who’ve been in solitary confinement units from 10 to 40 years,
that we got to go through a “step down
program”-SDP in order to get out, when we
been held illegally and subjected to physical and psychological torment throughout
our stay in these torture chambers.
2

The validation system is just that, it does
not mean you have committed a crime, or
broken the law, in any way, it only means
that you have been profiled or identified
as an alleged “something” by the CDCR
under their gang validation system. So to
place you in solitary confinement units and
leave you there for the rest of your natural
life on the validation alone, is inhumane
and criminal against those prisoners subjected to this fate.
The fact that we have been here from
anywhere from 5 to 40 years for no criminal
offenses, no gang offenses, and no violent
offenses, our placement is based on simply
a administrative placement where we are
validated as gang members and associates
and locked up indefinitely on flawed intelligence. Some of this “so call” intelligence
is so ridiculous that one have to wonder are
these intelligent?? gang officers or a bunch
of professional liars who hide behind the
veil of institutionalized racism. . .There is
NO way we (prisoners) should be held in
solitary confinement units- (i.e. Ad-Seg/
SHU) on gang validations, when the average person are anywhere from 40 years
of age to 70 years of age. . . There is NO
GANG MEMBERS back here. This CDCR
knows quite well. . .
The Pilot Program – “A new behavior
based system which will serve to enhance
the existing intelligence based validation
system.”
These words are important to understand
because they basically speak to the re-enforcement of the already intelligence base
validation system that places prisoners in
these solitary confinement units on nonbehavior placement. To say your going to
put prisoners particular alleged STG prisoners in solitary confinement units for their
behavior – now – only means that a wider
pool of prisoners will be locked up because
now, alleged prison gangs, street gangs,
disruptive groups, etc. ... all fall under
STG-Identification, Interdiction, Prevention and Management Plan. ... these are for
the most parts groups who could commit
an offense and be given a determinate sentence of any where from 90 cays to 5 years
in solitary confinement, but they would be
let out when that time is up. This is a just
system because it deals with individual accountability. And no one should be held in
solitary confinement indefinitely even if
they want to be there. Now all these determinate SHU prisoners will fall under this
new-validation system where CDCR officials will utilize the SDP to place people

under a STG I and STG II validation title
holding them inside a program that serve
“no purpose” whatsoever, but to further
torment the prisoners inside a Step Down
Program that offer nothing, but harassment
to those prisoners inside that program.
The STG-SDP –Pilot Program is lacking any real commitment to letting us out
of the solitary confinement units. There
is “too much* bureaucracy” one have to
go through and this is with the same bias,
prejudice and racist prison guards that
held us back here of 22 ½ years without
adequate clothing, adequate food, no educational programs, under severe isolation
from our families, friend, associates and
other prisoners. No natural sunlight, no adequate medical care, etc. ... so, why would
they CDCR/PBSP do tight by us prisoners now????? Their only expanding their “
torture chambers” and if anyone think otherwise is clearly not reading what CDCR
are saying. One thing CDCR is good at is
playing psychological games and tormenting prisoners we all know this first hand
because we seen many go crazy or insane
or mad or loony or mentally ill or catatonic
or illusional or severe depression, etc. ...
because I’ve seen them all here in Pelican
Bay State Prison - Security Housing Units.
. . People have to realize that CDCR/PBSP
– officials have had a lot of success in torturing prisoners into submission into their
debriefing program that is used to frame
and set up prisoners for this mockery of
a system. We continue to reject this PilotProgram it does nothing toward giving us a
gateway out these torture chambers. Their
even saying that NO STG I members who
are influential are never getting out, who
determines who gets out and who stays??
We say “nobody” deserves to be tortured
in solitary confinement units at the hands
of no one. ●
One Love – One Struggle
In solidarity always, Mutope Dugma

Artwork by Michael Russell

Rock

ON THE PBSP-SHU PRISONERS’ 2011 FIVE CORE DEMANDS
To:
CDCR Undersecretary of
Operations, Terri McDonald, PBSP
Warden, Greg Lewis, PBSP Assoc.
Warden, P.T. Lewis
From: Todd Ashker, Arturo Castellaños,
Sitawa Nantambu Jamaa/Dewberry,
Antonio Guillen
Subject: PBSP-SHU PRISONERS 2011
FIVE CORE DEMANDS

O

n behalf of myself and those similarly situated, I request your attention and responsive action, with
respect to the issues stated below relevant
to our 2011 Five Core Demands.
Briefly summarized … it’s been nearly
14 months now since we suspended our
non-violent, peaceful protest hunger strike
actions of July, and Sept.-Oct. 2011, wherein we presented CDCR with our Five Core
Demands for reforms to be made regarding SHU/Ad Seg policies and practices, all
of which your predecessor Scott Kernan,
admitted were reasonable. He made this
admission during our negotiations as well
as when he met with our Mediation Team,
and the public. Mr. Kernan promised that
our Demands would be meaningfully addressed, in substantive ways, in a timely
fashion.
To date, the bulk of our Five Core Demands have not been met in meaningful,
substantive ways, as per our understandings/agreements during July, August, October 2011 negotiations, some of which you
were personally present at (phone conferences).
This lack of good faith effort to meet our
2011 Demands is a big problem and needs
to be rectified in the not so distant future. In
a nut shell, our first Three Core Demands:
#1. individual accountability; #2. Policy/s
on debriefing and denial of inactive status,
and related denial of release from SHU
based on innocuous association and alleged intelligence, without formal charges;
#3. An end to long term-indefinite SHU/
Ad-Seg and related reforms recommended
in 2006 by the Commission On Safety &
Abuse In America’s Prisons -- have not
been met!
The CDCR’s October 11, 2012 STG Pilot Program - Instructional Memo - fails
to meet our first Three Core Demands for
reasons best exemplified in the included
document titled, “Responsive Opposition
To CDCR’s October 11, 2012 STG Pilot
Program.”
Volume 2, Number 1

With respect to our Core Demands #4,
Food/Nutrition, and #5, Programming
Privileges, the following are examples of
problems that continue to be unresolved.
It’s important to remember one of the main
principles relevant to these Demands is that
many of us have been in SHU for administrative reasons for 10 to 40 years. All parties acknowledged during our negotiation
process that many of the restrictions were
redundant and unnecessary in the content
of the promised change in policy/practice
to a system of individual accountability and
focus on humane treatment and conditions
in SHU and Ad Seg Units !!
We would like to point out that although
PBSP-SHU Associate Warden P.T. Smith,
has attempted to work together with us, in
keeping with the above principles, based
on his nearly 30 years of experience in
CDCR and with SHU prisoners. His efforts
are largely futile based on CDCR Headquarters and/or SHU Warden’s non-recognition of the above referenced principles
and continual focus on maintaining SHU
and Ad Seg policies and practices that are
redundant in a system based on individual
accountability!
Below are examples, and in the future we
will provide a more detailed list.
RE Core Demand #4: Food and Nutrition Issues.This issue remains a major
problem at Pelican Bay SP, with small portions of either poorly prepared and/or inedible, rotten food items!!
RE Core Demand #5: Programming and
Privilege Issues.We presented CDCR with
a list of EXAMPLES of reform measures
regarding SHU/Ad Seg program and privilege issues, as follows with notations about
continued lack of meaningful progress.
A) Expand Visiting, regarding amount
of time and adding one day per week. This
hasn’t happened yet, in spite of Scott Kernan’s July/August presentation that extra
time would be permitted when visiting
slots were open. PBSP I.G.I insists on having 3 separate visit slots for SHU in order
to keep Short Corridor prisoners separated
from Long Corridor and C Facility prisoners. This makes extra time impossible here!
There’s no need for 3 visit slots when
visiting is closely monitored by I.C.I. and a
system of individual accountability means
prisoners involved in prohibited actions at
visiting can be sanctioned individually!
Between 1989 and 2006, PBSP SHU had
2 visit slots, and often allowed extra time

when slots were open, especially for visitors coming a long distance!
You can direct PBSP to go back to the 2
slots and permit extra time when slots are
open, or, direct the D facility visiting room
to be re-activated and used on weekends
and holidays !!
B) Allow a weekly phone call--- hasn’t
happened yet !!
C) Allow two (2) annual packages a
year--- hasn’t happened! We had asked, in
the 5 Core Demands, for allowance for one
(1) 30 lb. package of food/beverage items,
and one package of non-food items, such
as sweats, thermals, cosmetics, earbuds,
etc. For those held in SHU and Ad Seg for
more than one year, who are free of any
serious disciplinary notices for 12 months,
these prisoners should be allowed TWO 30
lb. packages of food/beverage items, and 1
package of non-food items -- per year.
D) Expand canteen and package items
allowed. Some new items have been allowed, however, there are more that can be
added!
One of the items that we need as soon as
possible, that CDCR has not given the OK
for, is lotion. We were able to get lotion for
years, but this year it was taken from our
canteen/packages, on the excuse that it was
“not on property matrix”! We need it here
and medical refuses to give it out.
Sweat shorts, so that we have the dignity
of not being paraded about in boxer shorts
while escorted to medical line, or yard.
We are also seeking to be able to buy 2
cases of Top Ramen, and woodless colored
pencils, which could be added to canteen.
E) More TV Channels -- denied by
Warden Lewis! CDCR/PBSP keep falsely
claiming that we have 27 cable channels.
We actually have 3 cable channels and 5
network channels, which is less than all
other SHU units across the state. We’re
asking for 2 or 3 more channels.
F) Allow Hobby Craft items: art paper,
colored pens, small pieces of colored pencils, watercolors, chalk, etc. We have gotten paper, pens, and chalk so far, but many
can’t work with the chalk. We’ve found
that Walkenhorst’s sells “woodless colored
pencils.” See Walkenhorst’s 2012 Fall Catalogue, page 136, item E.
We have asked Pelican Bay staff to notify Walkenhorst’s that SHU prisoners are
allowed to purchase these 12 and 24 sets of
woodless colored pencils for our packages.
Assoc. Warden P.T. Smith tells us that only
3

Sacramento CDCR headquarters can notify
Walkenhorst’s about allowing us to have
items.
Thus, we are asking you to notify
Walkenhorst’s that we are allowed to have
the woodless colored pencils in our packages.
G) Install pull-up and dip bars on SHU
yards—has not happened yet!
H) Additional issues: Warden denied
our request to participate in “charity bake
sales,” stating “Get out of the SHU!” Unfair, and no kind of security risk. And the
PIA mattresses being issued now = NO
mattress at all !!??!!
Again, the above are examples of problematic issues regarding our Five Core Demands. A more detailed list dealing with
issues in Demands #4 and #5 will be forthcoming.
Your time, attention and assistance with
the above is much appreciated. ●
Todd Ashker, Arturo Castellaños, Sitawa
Nantambu Jamaa/Dewberry, Antonio
Guillen
November 28, 2012

PBSP - SHU, Short
Corridor Representatives
Responsive Opposition
to CDCR’s October 11,
2012 STG Pilot Program
December 3, 2012
From Todd Ashker, Arturo Castellaños,
Sitawa Nantambu Jamaa/Dewberry, and
Antonio Guillen
To Whom It May Concern:
he CDCR’s October 11, 2012 Security Treat Group Pilot Program
Instructional Memo IS NOT ACCEPTABLE !! It fails to meet our 2011
Five Core Demands, and is herby rejected
for reasons briefly summarized in the examples below of the problems we have
with the STG Pilot Program, and what the
CDCR needs to do to meet your Demands,
and thereby keep their word !!
See also, our related oppositions to CDCR’s March and June 2012 STG Proposals.
We have repeatedly made clear that the
heart of our first three Core Demands is
the requirement for substantive changes
to SHU and Ad Seg policies and practices,
that must include:
1) An individualized accountability,

T

4

behavior-based system, when it comes to
grounds for placement/ retention in CDCR’s SHU or Ad Seg solitary confinement
cells. This means such cells are reserved
for those prisoners who are charged for
and found guilty of committing a serious,
felonious-type of rule violation, that merits a “determinate” SHU term. Individual
accountability also applies to privilege restrictions when such are abused by an individual. This equates to a demand for an end
to “indeterminate” SHU confinement!
2) Related Demands for an end to progressively punitive SHU and Ad Seg policies and practices for the purpose of coercing prisoners into agreeing to become state
informants: this Demand includes our call
for an end to the “debriefing” policy;
3) A Demand for humane treatment and
conditions in the SHU and Ad Seg units,
with a focus upon meaningful program opportunities and ability to gain privileges,
based on criteria that are realistic and reasonable -- the purpose being, to assist the
prisoners with being able to return to the
general prison population in the shortest
amount of time possible (e.g., the voluntary
participation in SHU programs equates to
meaningful, additional privileges and the
ability to earn good time off one’s sentence
in order to shorten the determinate SHU
term.)
The CDCR’s October 11, 2012 Pilot Program is not responsive to our above summarized demands, as exemplified below:
For more than 25 years the CDCR has
used an alleged “gang management” policy/practice, consisting of placing validated prison gang members and associates
in SHU and Ad Seg solitary confinement
cells - indefinitely, wherein prisoners are
subjected to progressively more punitive
conditions, for the purpose of coercing
them into ‘debriefing’ (becoming a state
informant to gain release from solitary by
providing gang unit staff (IGI) with verifiable information that harms other gang affiliates.
Between 1986 and 1999 the only way
to get out of solitary was to parole, die,
go insane, or debrief. In 1999, in response
to a court ruling, the CDCR came up with
another alleged avenue for SHU release,
wherein a prisoner able to go six (6) years
with zero documented gang activity, can
meet ‘inactive’ gang status and thereby
might be released to general population.
The ‘inactive’ avenue for SHU release has
proven to be a sham!
Notably, most of the prisoners in SHU

for the past 1 to 40 years, based on a ‘current active’ validation, have never been
found guilty of committing an illegal,
gang-related act. We’re talking about decades of indefinite, punitive solitary confinement, based on alleged, current active
gang involvement, consisting of innocent
association/political type activity, and/or
the unsubstantiated allegations of involvement in illegal gang activity by debriefer/
confidential informants, deemed ‘reliable’
by IGI (but no charges were filed!) IGI’s
validations etc., are rubber-stamped by the
Office of Correctional Safety (OCS and/
or SSU): UCC.UCC /committees and all
levels if the 602 Appeals process! [as per
admissions by former PBSP Warden McGrath, during his testimony in the 2009
Lira trial.]
The October 11, 2012 STG Pilot Program claims to ‘change’ the present SHU
policy/practice in the following ways, “…
to provide individual accountability of offenders” (Pilot Program Memo, page 1,
Purpose) based on “A new behavior-based
system, which will serve to enhance the existing intelligence-based validation system.
The implementation of this process will include an STG behavior-based disciplinary
matrix, which will provide for additional
procedural due process safeguards and a
system of individual accountability [page
2, Key Revisions]
However, the truth is that the pilot program fails to change the present policies
and practices at issue - in any substantive
meaningful ways, and, it will actually result in a significant expansion of the numbers of prisoners kept indefinitely in SHU
and Ad Seg solitary confinement torture
cells [the numbers will expand to tens-ofthousands, because the CDCR STG Pilot
Program targets not only prison gang affiliates, but OCS will now target any and all
groups of three (3) or more prisoners who
are deemed to pose a ‘potential’ threat.
[Pilot Prog. Memo, pages 1 and 9]. This
failure to change the present system is also
demonstrated by:
A) The prisoners validated as STG-1
Members (i.e., prison gang members] will
continue to be subject to automatic, indefinite SHU confinement, solely based on the
validation. There is no requirement that a
fomal charge (for Gang related misconduct) be filed, nor any related requirement
for a formal hearing to take place to determine guilt or innocence, as per a preponderance of credible evidence standard, as
required by CDCR’s formal rule violation
Rock

hearing process. One’s only avenue for release from the SHU is to parole; die’ go insane; debrief; or successfully complete the
four (4) year minimum step down program
[Pilot Prog. Memo, Sections 200.2; 500;
600.3; 700; 1200]
Additionally, any/all prisoners validated
as STG affiliates will continue to be placed,
and/or retained, in SHU and Ad Seg solitary confinement cells indefinitely, based
on alleged intelligence indicating: “confirmed STG behavior or activity,” defined
as, “STG behavior which is discovered and
confirmed to have occurred. Confirmation
can be obtained through two processes: 1)
a guilty finding in a STG rule violation
report; and/ or any document that clearly
describes STG behavior or activities incorporated within the validation or ‘continued STG behavior package’, and which
is confirmed by the OCS, Special Agent
assessment, and the STG unit Classification Committee [Pilot Program, attachment
A. STG Definitions at, “Confirmed STG
behavior or activity. See also, definitions
for step down program, Steps 1 and 2, regarding use of intelligence and these steps
housing prisoners based on: influence!]
The above is also supported in the Pilot
Program Memo, at Section 600.3: validated affiliates with confirmed STG behavior,
outside the disciplinary process:
“ a) A STG affiliate determined to
have confirmed STG behavior or intelligence, … which occurred outside
… the formal disciplinary process
shall be documented in a CDCR form
128-B, General Chrono [confidential
chrono, if appropriate.] the behavior or
activity must have occurred within the
last 4 years. Investigators shall establish reliability per CCR Section 3321
when confidential information is used
and shall be recorded within the chrono. This confirmed STG behavior or
activity shall consist of the following:
“Behavior, activity or intelligence
items as indentified in section 600.1:
Validation Source Criteria, totaling at
least 10 additional points and identified subsequent to the validation process. This process shall only be utilized if the circumstances cannot be
otherwise addressed through the disciplinary process … “
Everyone familiar with CDCR/OCSSSU-IGI’s SHU and Ad Seg policies
and practices over the course of the past
10 to 40 years, will recognize the above
referenced Pilot Program. ‘Changes’ to
Volume 2, Number 1

the present policy and practices equate to
NO substantive changes at all.
The facts are: CDCR staff have always
been required to issue rule violation reports
to prisoners who are alleged to have violated a rule, when such is supported by credible evidence. [per CCR, Title 15, Section
3312, et seq.] In spite of this long standing
regulation, most of the prisoners have not
been charged with, nor found guilty of, an
illegal gang related act! We’ve been subjected to decades of SHU isolation based
on the criteria referenced above regarding
‘confirmed STG behavior, outside the disciplinary process.’
With the above in mind, the only ‘change’
to the current policy is: a 4 year review, in
the absence of being found guilty of an
STG related rule violation report, wherein,
“… documented and confirmed STG behavior or activity, totaling at least 10 additional points [over the course of 4 years]
will be cause for continued, indefinite SHU
confinement!; as compared to the present
six (6) year review for consideration of inactive gang status, so long as there is no
documented gang activity [over the course
of 6 years].
The above process will be applied to
those prisoners presently serving an indeterminate SHU term based on their validated status and they, “… shall be afforded
a Departmental Review Board (DRB) hearing, to determine their appropriate placement and/or retention within the SHU/
Step Down Program or potential release to
general population … The DRB will conduct an assessment of the preceding four
(4) years to determine the existence of ongoing STG behavior …” [Pilot Program
Memo, page 3]
Based on all of the above referenced pilot program points, we can expect the DRB
criteria used for their “assessment” of the
preceding four years to determine the existence of on-going STG behavior,” will be
the same criteria used for a six (6) year active/inactive review, with a focus on finding
any alleged ‘documented items of current
behavior or activity occurring within the
past four years -- totaling 10 or more points
[i.e., a ‘continued STG behavior package’
type of assessment] whereupon they will
determine what step one is eligible for in
the Step Down Program.
The DRB will utilize the sections of the
pilot program referenced above because
most of the validated affiliates - in SHU and
Ad Seg for decades - have no STG related
rule violation guilty findings. So they’ll

have to utilize pilot program Section 600.3
(referenced above) because the CDCR/
OCS has no intention of releasing certain
STG affiliates to general prison population [eg, those in PBSP ‘Short Corridor’
who are there based on ‘influence’, which
in turn is based on confidential informant/
debriefers claims and/or IGI’s subjective
opinion, which is impossible to disprove!
See Pilot Program Memo, page 41, re SDP,
Steps 1 and 2, Reference to ‘influence.’]
All of the above referenced pilot program points are NOT ACCEPTABLE !
What it basically boils down to is a
CDCR/OCS sentence enhancement of four
years-to-life for alleged STG behavior
or activity, without a requirement for any
related formal charge(s) or guilt of committing any illegal, gang-related act! Remember, this sentence enhancement can
be applied to STG affiliates for minor noncriminal associational activity. [eg., Pilot
Program Memo, Section 600.2 (a), (b), (c)
and 600.1, Disciplinary Matrix, bottom
four boxes, re: tattoos; roll-call; group exercise; greeting cards and art work; acting
in a leadership role; displaying behavior to
organize and control other inmates, etc!]
being deemed ‘guilty’ of such innocuous
and/or vague activity is cause for a minimum of 4 years of indefinite solitary confinement, unable to earn good time credits
off one’s sentence, in addition to all the additional punitive conditions such confinement entails!
This amounts to a minimum of four (4)
years of subjection to conditions that are
psychologically and physically torturous
to prisoners, and their loved ones on the
outside, for the purpose of coercing them
into becoming state informants via debriefing -- without being formally charged, and/
or for insignificant violation(s) of minor,
associational-type activity!!
The above points exemplify the CDCR/
OCS’ intent to maintain the present status
quo of confining thousands of prisoners
in long term solitary cells, subject to progressively punitive conditions, for coercive
purposes. What is worse is they insist on
doing this in spite of the fact that such practices violate U.S. Constitutional and International laws and treaties, as well as state
law, regarding enhancements/sanctions for
gang-related activity [the applicable Cal.
Penal Code is 186.22, as interpreted by the
Cal. Supreme Court. See for instance, People v. Castenada, 23 Cal. 4th 743 (2000),
the leading case. See also: People v. Moreno, 68 C.A. 4th 1198 (1998), and People v.
5

Gardeley, 14 Cal. 4th 605 (1996), and People v. Gomez, 235 Cal. Rptr. 2d 957, 971].
Again, this is not acceptable, nor is it a
sensible, responsible use of the tax payer’s
money -- to utilize costly SHU and Ad Seg
cells [for an indefinite time period of at
least four years!] for such minor infractions
of CDCR/ OCS’ made up rules. These sorts
of small infractions can be addressed in the
general prison population via progressive
levels of restrictions on various programs
and/or privileges. SHU and Ad Seg cells
are approximately $20,000. Costlier than
general population cells per year!
B) The pilot program memo also claims
the change in policy will provide, “additional layers of procedural due process”
regarding validation(s)/ continued STG
behavior -- and related SHU placement/retention/ Step Down Program issues [Pilot
Program Memo, page 1, Purpose; and Sections 100; and 400 - 800]
For the past 25+ years, many SHU and
Ad Seg prisoners have received CDCR’s
version of ‘procedural due process’ wherein, I.G.I.’s decisions (recommendations)
are automatically upheld by all levels of
review by OCS; Committees; and prisoner
grievance process-602 Appeals. The pilot
program changes nothing, because each
level of review will still be conducted by
CDCR employees who are trained and directed by OCS - SSU - IGI!
Therefore, this part of the pilot program
is NOT ACCEPTABLE !! Real due process requires substantive, as well as procedural aspects, and at least one level of
meaningful review by a neutral third party,
a qualified monitor, who conducts a thorough substantive, procedural review.
C) The pilot program memo claims the
four year (minimum) Step Down Program
(SDP) will provide STG affiliates with a
way to earn release from indefinite solitary
confinement without having to debrief [Pilot Program Memo, Sections 700, et seq.]
CDCR’s SDP is NOT ACCEPTABLE!
Four years is too long and the proposed
programs/privileges for each step are not
realistic, reasonable, or meaningful!!
CDCR presents the SDP as “… an
incentive based multi-step process for
the management of STG affiliates.
This program will assign transition
and monitor inmates who by their behavior have demonstrated the need for
CDCR’s utilization of special strategies for their management. The SDP
shall normally be completed in five
steps and provides a process for in6

mates engaged in STG behavior or activities to demonstrate their ability to
refrain from this type of behavior, preparing them for return to non-segregated housing and eventual release to
the community.” [Pilot Prog. Memo,
Section 700]
Unfortunately, the CDCR pilot program
for an SDP is structured ina way that is demonstrative of their true intent of maintaining, and greatly expanding upon, the current policy/practice of keeping thousands
of prisoners in punitive solitary confinement cells indefinitely, until they die, go
insane, or debrief!
The first 3 ½ years of CDCR’s SDP entails a type of solitary confinement, wherein, the prisoners spend virtually 24 hours a
day alone -- in a cell, on the small-cell yard.
The CDCR states this will be ‘a period of
observation’ during which the prisoner will
be expected to keep his bed made and complete in-cell, self-directed journals, and
earn incentive-based privileges [Pilot Prog.
memo, Sections 700 through 700.5, pages
40 - 50]
This makes No Sense! How can you
‘closely observe’ someone for the purpose
of assessing their behavior or activity, when
they are in a type of solitary confinement
24/7? How does a minimum of 3 ½ years
of doing self-directed journals for basically
trivial and insignificant privileges ‘prepare
them for return to non-segregated housing
and eventual release to the community?
A Step Down Program should be a maximum of eighteen (18) months in duration,
for the purpose of enabling prisoners to
shorten their ‘determinate’ SHU terms. In
today’s SHU and Ad Seg units, and level
4 general population prisons, the prisoners are closely monitored 24/7. Any SDP
needs to be based on realistic, reasonable
adult programming criteria, and meaningful incentives for each step. For example,
Step 1 can be a maximum of 90 days of
basic in-cell type of programming; Step 2
can be a maximum of six (6) months, of
more meaningful, interactive-type of programming, such as small group activities in
cages; small group yard, etc., where observations of prisoners behavior and activities
actually mean something towards assessing one’s potential for successful transition to general population; Step 3 can be
for a maximum of nine (9) months of small
group programming, larger group yard,
dining together; Step 4 can be for monitored status in a general population type of
setting.

The incentives for each step need to be
realistic, and meaningful, for example, the
ability to earn good time credits, regular
phone calls, contact visits, additional packages, canteen, property, etc., beginning at
Step 2. Once in the SDP, sanctions for STG
behavior or activities must be solely based
on a formal charge, and guilty finding, for
a serious rule violation, linked to a STG!
Additionally, the CDCR’s mission priority is founded upon the principle of promoting and protecting public safety, and
the related operation of a reasonably safe
and secure prison system. They presently
have the opportunity to back up these catch
phrases with action, by creating a sensible
program for the purpose of transitioning
the present long term SHU prisoners to a
general population prison environment
in a reasonably safe and secure manner.
Their presence in general population will
enhance the safety and security of the prison system as a whole, which will enable
CDCR to provide prisoners with meaningful rehabilitation type programs, and thereby help prisoners be better prepared for
achieving success upon their parole to the
community. [See, August 12, 2012 Agreement to End Hostilities.]
The CDCR can do this right now, at little
to no cost, via the creation of the MCU
[MAX-B] type program that we detailed
in our March 2012 ‘Counter Proposal’ [See
www.prisonerhunger strike solidarity.
wordpress.com/pelican-bay-human-rightsmovement-short-corridor-collectivescounter-proposal-to-CDCR]
It’s a simple matter, for pilot program
start-up purposes, to review all PBSP-SHU
prisoners files. Those on indefinite SHU
status for validation, who have not been
found guilty of a formally charged, gangrelated offense (a serious RVR), in the
last two (2) years, who are between 3 to 5
years, or less, to their parole date/parole eligibility hearing, are immediately released
to the MCU, on PBSP-B Facility, where
they can still be closely observed while actually interacting with each other and staff,
in a less restrictive, yet still controlled environment! This is a model for success !!
CONCLUSION
It has been more than 13 months since
we agreed to suspend our non-violent,
peaceful protest hunger strike actions, -in response to CDCR’s top administrators
admissions that all of our Five (5) Core
Demands were reasonable, and would be
responded to via substantively meaningful
Rock

changes to the policies and practices at issue!
This has NOT HAPPENED, as summarized in the above examples. [See also: our
related Opposition/ Rejection statements,
responding to CDCR’s March and June
2012 STG proposals.]
To date, the CDCR’s top officials have
acted in bad faith -- including ignoring our
prior opposition points and counter-proposal !!
Therefore, at this point, we request a
face-to-face meeting with the top CDCR
officials, authorized and able to make decisions on the spot, for the purpose of
changing the October 11, 2012 STG Pilot
Program Memo, in ways responsive to our
Five (5) Core Demands, in line with the examples set forth in this document.
This meeting can be in person, or via
video conference in PBSP-SHU.
Let this serve as notice, that failure to
change the Pilot Program in ways that are
responsive to our Five Core Demands,
as exemplified in this document, will be
deemed to be just cause for our collective
resumption of our non-violent, peaceful
protest action(s). ●
Thank you for your Time and Attention
Todd Ashker, Arturo Castellaños,
Sitawa Nantambu Jamaa/Dewberry,
Antonio Guillen
December 3, 2012

ED’S COMMENTS

W

elcome to volume two, issue
number of the Rock newsletter.
This little newsletter is starting
its second year. In 2012 people contributed
$1,091 in cash and 2049 stamps. All but
$500 of that amount came from prisoners.
This is indeed a prisoner-supported publication. Of that amount the newsletter currently has $237 in cash and enough stamps
to put out this issue with a small amount
left over. The money is used for toner for
my laser printer ($154 each, about two
newsletter editions out of each cartridge
of toner) and printer paper (around $50 a
case of ten reams, a little over two reams
are used for each issue). The Rock mailing
list now stands at 243 and is mailed mostly
to SHU prisoners.
For those of you who are new to Rock
let me lay it out for you. I’m a 71 year-old
state-raised ex-con who has served about 35
years behind bars, starting at the age of 13.
I have a long history of prisoner activism.
Volume 2, Number 1

My only income is Social Security, which
ain’t very much. I do this work because….
well, because I’m an idiot. And I’ll continue doing it for as long as you feel this work
is important enough to support with your
donations of stamps and money. For what
it’s worth, I keep a careful record of every
stamp and dollar received and spent. If you
find the information I provide useful, then
keep the stamps and dollars coming in.
The reader should note that there may be
typographical errors in the articles from the
PBSP-SHU reps. These were just received
from the person who typed them. I wanted
to get them out fast so have not proofed
them for corrections.
Now if you have not yet read the letters
section I want you to stop right here and
read the letters before you go any further.
The rest of these comments are responses
to letters critical of my call to desegregate
the prisons. Return here after you’ve read
the letters on pages eight and nine.
First of all I apologize for going off on
an angry tirade. That was impulsive and
immature. And I agree that the first and
second hunger strikes were indeed historic events. You all wrote a well thought
out letters and made many good points. I
especially appreciate your sharing some
of your personal experiences with me and
other Rock readers. You did good. Now let
me try and respond to some of the points
raised in the many letters I’ve received on
this subject (I do not have the space to print
them all), starting with the first one.
While it is true that I have not done time
in the California system, I have pulled
some years inside the walls of the Arizona
State Penitentiary at Florence, which is almost as bad in terms of racial divisions. I
organized the multi-racial Committee to
Safeguard Prisoners’ Rights there. In addition, I get a lot of letters from California
prisoners who tell me what’s going on in
the prisons. And don’t forget, I’ve been an
editor of California Prison Focus for over
a dozen years. While I’m not in there with
you, I nonetheless have a fair idea of what’s
going on.
Your first point seems to be that a lot of
progress has been made, so let’s leave it at
that. Besides, “what you are calling for is
never going to happen.” Actually, the only
concrete thing I asked for a statement on
the subject. And even then I thought that at
most the “fellas” would issue some sort of
a public statement and then go behind my
back and tell prisoners to pay me no mind.
But I doubt there will even be a statement.

Anyway, “never going to happen” is a relative term. When I was young sodomy was
a crime punishable by life imprisonment.
Today gay marriage is legal where I live.
You go on to say that the Agreement to
End Hostilities “is something of even greater importance” than the hunger strikes. As
it happens, today I received a letter from a
prisoner who said: “There was just a racial
riot between the Blacks and Southern Mexicans here in Calipatria.” You see, if you
don’t deal with the root of the problem, if
you don’t deal with the issues that prevent
real prisoner unity, then you’re just pissing
up a rope. Oh you may get some cheap trinkets or other token bribes from the state in
exchange for selling out, but there will be
no real, substantial, or lasting change.
You say I “can’t pick and choose who
should be treated fairly and who shouldn’t.
If you did then what separates you from
our captors?” I don’t pick who gets out and
who doesn’t. I’m an old man with not a lot
of years left to me; I do get to pick how
I want to spend those remaining years. I
am willing to give them to you rather than
spend them sitting on some sunny beach,
but I am only going to give those years
away for something real—something that
will make a significant difference for prisoners, not for weights or additions to the
commissary list.
Lastly, you note that “[w]e can’t push
our beliefs onto you and you shouldn’t
push yours onto us because the truth is that
we don’t want to cell up with other races.”
You may not want cell with someone of another race, but there are those who might
like to, and who should have the freedom
to do so without threats or fear of violence
from their peers. You see, the gang mentality needs to be replaced with a class perspective—that prisoners see themselves
as a strata of the social order rather than
as members of this or that race or region.
I don’t have to tell you that the state uses
those divisions against you. You all in there
are telling me how the state does that day
in and day out, even your letter makes that
case. I am indeed trying to push my beliefs
on you in this regard, but only because the
belief in these racial and regional divisions
is undermining your struggle. You know
damn well it’s true.
My ultimatum was wrong. I apologize to
all who were victimized by my lashing out
like that. I’ll continue to press for what I
think is needed for the success of the long
term struggle, but I’ll try to do it with less
anger and in a more thoughtful way. ●
7

[Note: Names of letter writers will be
withheld unless the author of the letter explicitly approves printing of their name.]
Interracial Celling Will Never Work
Greetings and salutation to all. I send
mine in full. I just received the December
2012 issue of the Rock newsletter and I
must say that it is very informative. I’m a
validated Chicano who is currently housed
in Pelican Bay SHU C Facility, Nine
Block, Cell 106. I am five years into a 25
year sentence so all of these issues and concerns affect me directly and I always do my
best to stay abreast of the current on goings
pertaining to the struggle.
One thing that I noticed is that there is
a lot of information coming mainly from a
few different regions of late but I’ve yet to
see anything from all regions besides the
agreement to end all hostilities. I myself
come from the east side of San Jose around
the Palomar area so I would love to hear
what the PBSP-SHU short corridor representatives have to say from my region. I’m
sure Antonio and George have some words
of wisdom to enlighten us all to their state
of mind in regards to all that has been taking places as well as to what the future has
in store.
Communication has been very limited
since I came back to PBSP-SHU. A lot
has changed since 2006. I try to keep as
many avenues open as possible by receiving MLM Prisons, PHSS, as well as Rock
newsletter and anything else I can get my
hands on. Yet still more often than not I am
left wondering how everyone is doing and
what’s on their mind. I even want to see if
I can obtain my college degree but have no
way of enrolling in the necessary courses
so it’s very frustrating. Hopefully sometimes in the near future someone will strike
up an article or put me on their mailing list
because I am striving to do my part to help
all of the representative’s goals and objectives move forward.
Now in regards to your article titled Editorial 1-12 in the most recent issue of the
Rock. I appreciate all of the help that you
are giving us, as well as your knowledge
and support. However, I believe that you
were out of line on your comments concerning double celling. It was very disrespectful of you to call anyone a dope fiend
and your attitude and tone was unnecessary
8

then what separates you from our
captors?
This struggle is for the masses,
for all solid individuals who deserve to be treated with common
decency and not warehoused
like dogs in a cage. It’s for my
brother-in-law in Tracy who
just got validated and is waiting to come up here. It’s for my
cousin as well as my loved ones
in PBSP Adseg waiting for their
bedspace back here. It’s for my pops serving 25 to life out on the mainline, as well
as for those who remain behind these walls
and for those who will suffer. So that we
can all be judged and treated fairly for our
own individual actions and not because of
what some rat says or because of who we
associate with.
Keep in mind that just as there’s a lot at
stake for us, so too is there a lot at stake for
CDCR. They do not want to see us triumph
and be successful in what we are striving
to accomplish. They would rather see us at
war and focusing on each other instead of
working together. I don’t think that it’s a
coincidence that my door has been opened
twice along with other inmates from a different region within the last year. The first
was immediately after the first hunger
strike in late August of 2011 and it resulted
in a battle with block gun being fired into
the section. As the hunger strike representative said, some feel that certain things
don’t apply to them but it was supposedly an isolated incident so I didn’t hold it
against anybody. I just did what I had to do
and left it at that. I wasn’t even moved out
of my section.
Then again, in May or June of 2012, my
door was popped open with another inmate
from the exact same region supposedly on
accident. Except this time salutations were
exchanged and nothing happened much to
the surprise of the tower. So trust and believe that they are attempting manipulate
situations not only back here but on the
mainline and in the adseg as well. Trying
to create a crack in the agreement. That is
why it is imperative that we stand firm and
remain strong in honoring said agreement
whether you like it or not because that is
what has been figured out. Those with honor and integrity must stand strong against
any attempt by the administration and/or
knuckleheads to bring an end to what has
been set in place.
So you see, Ed, we have enough on our

LETTERS

LETTERS

as well as uncalled for. I understand that
you have good intentions and you mean
well but it’s obvious that you don’t really
fully know the California penal system history and all that goes with it. Because if
you truly did grasp all that it entails then
you would realize that what you’re calling
for is not going to happen.
First and foremost, it was an historic
event for the first rounds of hunger strikes
to take place because something of that
magnitude with all group segments and regions participating together is unheard of.
It just does not happen here in this prison
system. Wars are more the norm. Yet somehow we were able to put our differences to
the side for the greater good and the common goals and objectives that are beneficial to all convicts. A lot of positive things
came out of the hunger strikes and the fuse
was lit in many who would have otherwise
stood by and did nothing, either out of lack
of knowledge and know how or out of lack
of duty and obligation.
Secondly, not only did the hunger strikes
take place but now the “Agreement to End
Hostilities” has been enacted and this is
something of even greater importance.
Never in my life did I think that I would
see the day that such an agreement would
be made. I just didn’t think that it would
happen. This is something that you can’t
help but tip your hat to. I commend the
Short Corridor Collective for their strength
and courage in coming to this mutual understanding. There is a lot at stake here and
the fact that they were able and willing to
put all differences to the side and reach this
agreement speaks volumes as to their character.
In your article you asked if this struggle
is only about releasing the shot callers so
they can go back to business as usual. It
sounds to me as if someone has gotten into
your head and planted seeds and you watered them and allowed them to grow. The
plain and simple answer to your question
is that no, it isn’t about that. Yes, of course
those who have been back here in the SHU
for decades should be the first to be released. But not because of who they are,
instead rather they should be the first to be
released because it is wrong to hold someone in solitary confinement for so long for
nothing other than affiliations. Justice sees
no faces, races, or colors because what’s
right is right and what’s wrong is wrong.
You can’t pick and choose who should be
treated fairly and who shouldn’t. If you did

Rock

plate trying to deal with all of this. The
upcoming hunger strike, the Agreement to
End Hostilities, and trying to get CDCR to
honor the five core demands are the battles
that we must focus out time and energy on.
Not interracial celling because interracial
celling would never work in California,
maybe in another state but not here. There
has been too much bloodshed, sacrifices,
and work that has transpired throughout
the years to expect people to agree to that.
Wars that have been going on since the late
sixties were still continuing on until only
recently when the Agreement to End Hostilities came into effect. So it’s going to be
hard enough to get that to hold let alone
trying to push for interracial celling. We
have to pick and choose our battles and I
feel that you were wrong in trying to push
that on us. We can’t push our beliefs onto
you and you shouldn’t push yours onto us
because the truth is that we don’t want to
cell up with other races.
Hopefully you can see where I’m coming from when I say all that I have and
you can see that it’s wrong to start calling
people out of their name because I’m sure
they wouldn’t do that to you. In closing I
would like to thank you for all of the hard
work and support that you have given all
of us behind these walls as well as to our
families. Please do print this article if you
can as well as my names and number. As I
said, I would really like to hear from Antonia or George and know what they have to
say about all of this. Once again, I send my
love and respect to all those worthy, keep
on pushing.
Carlos Ramirez #P-69993
The Ultimatum Was Wrong
Greeting and salutations. I hope you’re
in great health and high spirits. I’ve enclosed a drawing for the Rock. You know
I’ve found you from the start to be the
bridge between two voices. To have your
own opinions is one thing, but here you are
pushing your own personal politically motivated policies about who inmates should
be cell mates with. There is a divide between races, between groups, and this idea
to have all hostilities between us stop is a
big deal – now to basically say, “Ok, now
move in together with those who have possibly killed a friend.” Come on, that’s a bit
rich to handle. Traditionally its worked in
California to just take one step at a time.
So please, understand our position and the
hellish environment of violence that’s out
there. Be the instrument to help us get t our
Volume 2, Number 1

goals one step at a time. Be that bridge of
communication between us. Be there not to
pass judgment. We are making sense out
of the chaos around us. We respect your
opinions and we can’t change our colors
over night. So with respect, reconsider and
recognize we’re working slowly to bring
peace to all.
Michael O. Russell
Forgotten What Prison is Like?
Real quick, I just want to respond and
give my comments from a “current” prisoners point of view to what you wrote in
the December issue of the Rock about interracial cell living and your threat to “jump
ship” if we don’t accommodate you and
those of like mind.
First off, I must certainly appreciate what
you do not only in this current struggle but
in all the years past (I’ve been incarcerated
a long while and have become familiar with
you, Ed, like old friends). And while I may
not always agree with you, you must know
that no one can ever doubt your zeal. That
said, however, has it been so long that you
have forgotten what prison is like? (and not
just any prison, a California prison). You
speak about inter–racial cell living from
an ideological standpoint as opposed to a
grounded understanding of reality.
And No! I do not speak of “racism.”
This is 2012. Modern America and social
progress has not escaped the prisons as
much as some people and movies would
have you believe. I have absolutely no
problem with, speak to, and get along very
well with Afrikan Americans, Cuacasians,
North, South, Asians…you name it. And to
be honest, sure I could most definitely live
well and fine with some of those friends of
mine. But the reality is that this is prison
and we DO NOT “pick” who we live with.
A blanket policy like that would be pretty
much disastrous.
Inter-racial cell living is NOT like moving in with you well-adjusted suburbanized
neighbor in a four bedroom house where
everyone goes to work in the morning,
don’t see each other all day, obeys all laws,
etc, etc. We can’t just get up and move
when we want or ever spend some time
away during an argument over some petty
thing. We’re stuck. Period. And what about
different sleep hours?
To understand our reality you must think
beyond mere cultural differences. There
are hygiene issues, cleanliness issues, ways
of living that are complete opposites in
some cases, ideological beliefs and mood

swings, different mentalities, etc. Do NOT
envision yourself living with the best of
the best, or even some you are completely
compatible with – but rather take that dirtyass bum off the side of the freeway (cause
it very MIGHT be him), or some big-ass
foo with anger management issues who not
only does not want to cell/live with you
either, but who – having nothing in common with you – has no more love for you
than you have for him. Now imagine a disagreement. And you ARE stuck. NO crying, NO running to the police, and NO asking to leave. You would have to meet any
concerned threat with unchecked force just
to ENSURE your survival. And survival is
any human’s natural instinct. This ain’t no
“dating service” or wonderland. We’re in
PRISON!
While I know you have always included
“SNY” and “PC’s” in your prisoner rights/
reform propaganda, you should remember
that you are also speaking to those of us
who are SOLID. Men (and women) who
DON’T break, take no slight, and DO
FIGHT! Next you’ll be saying that “SNY”
and “GP” should just program together. I
mean if assault is against the laws, the we
should not be attacking rapists and child
molesters, right? WRONG!
Look, all I’m saying is to CONSIDER
the fact that there might be some things
about actually living here (and living in a
cell with someone) that you – and those
who support that position – are missing,
not taking into, or…have just forgotten.
That “ultimatum” was wrong, Ed. And
I say that with the utmost respect for you.
You put those man (and our struggle) on
the spot, putting them on blast, asking them
to speak out on something that has nothing to do with our unified struggle! We
are united! Or can’t you see? I’m here (inside) and I can say without a doubt there
has been a huge leap forward and shift
in prison politics. In fact, your comment
(last month?) about “this won’t last” only
proves to me and everyone listening that
you have no idea how California prisons
work. But you are like a crazy old uncle
who will ALWAYS still be part of the family (smile). Ha ha.
Think about these things…and reconsider. With respect and solidarity,
Marco Perez #P80335
Tehachapi “SHU”
[Ed’s Response: Please read my response to these letters in my Editorial
Comments on page seven.]
9

WOULD YOU LIKE A PEN
PAL?
“A wall is just a wall. It can be broken
down.”
Assata Shakur

P

lease consider participating in a Human Rights Pen Pal Program, a new
project of Prisoners Hunger Strike
Solidarity coalition (PHSS).
The Human Rights Pen Pal program is
an anti-racist, ‘outside the walls’ organizer training program in solidarity with the
human rights of prisoners in California’s
solitary confinement cells. It is specifically intended to support the ongoing work
of PHSS to end solitary confinement and
address the human rights of prisoners in
SHU’s and Ad Segs in California’s prisons.
The program is centered on creating
principled relationships between prisoners
in solitary confinement and supporters outside the walls. It assumes that these developing relationships will lead to a growing
commitment of those ‘outside the walls’ to
work in solidarity with prisoners and your
human rights campaign.

If you would like a human rights pen
pal, please send a note to Sharon Martinas, 2440 16th Street. #275 San Francisco,
CA. 94103. Include your name, ID number
and current ‘address,’ so we can get back
in touch as soon as possible. If you wish,
please include a little bio and why you
would like to participate in a human rights
pen pal program.
The program will begin Sunday January
20, 2013, so please try to get your letter to
us before that date.
The program will be small: only 1213 ‘inside the walls’ and 12 -13 ‘outside
the walls’ participants. We will prioritize
participation by people ‘inside the walls’
working for the human rights of California prisoners who may not be receiving as
much mail from friends and family outside
the walls as they would wish.

More prepared
More informed
More indignant

Ed Mead, Publisher
Rock Newsletter
P.O. Box 47439
Seattle, WA 98146

FIRST CLASS MAIL