A memorandum was in reference to the restrictions of depositors who use JPay. Starting February 5, 2019 only depositors who are identified as approved visitors will be allowed to deposit money via JPay. For their loved ones incarcerated here in NC. This may not seem like a problem to some of you but allow me to explain:
This is another form of repression as well as discrimination. 79% of prisoners incarcerated here in NC have been profiled as members of Security Risk Groups (SRG), formally known as Security Threat Groups. Being profiled as an (SRG) prisoner you face several restriction, some that no human should have to endure. Those who are profiled (SRG) aren’t allowed to receive visits from no one but immediate family members. This consists of mother, father, brother and-or sister [Security Risk Group Policy & Procedure Chapter A, Section B (H) (1)] Children cannot be accompanied by their mother or father to visit a profiled (SRG) prisoner, the child must be accompanied by the prisoner’s immediate family. If there isn’t a healthy relationship between the child’s mother and the prisoner’s immediate family than the child as well as the prisoner are deprived of maintaining a relationship that would ensure familiarity between the child and the parent that is incarcerated.
Furthermore, being profiled as an (SRG) prisoner in NC you’re restricted to only two phone calls a month, that’s if you’re not confined to long-stints of isolation in this case you receive no phone calls at all. Two phone calls a month also destroy any familiarity between a child and the incarcerated (SRG) profiled prisoner [Security Risk Group Policy & Procedure Chapter B Section B, (A) (2).
All incoming and out-going mail is impeded and majority of the time “misplaced” throughout the censorship process. All profile (SRG) prisoners’ mail is sent to the (SRG) officers to be censored for any threat to security. This opens up the door for malicious mischief, profiled prisoners known for their advocacy concerning prisoners’ rights and who have outside support our mail is “misplaced” regularly. [Security Risk Group Policy & Procedure Chapter B, Section A (1) (3)] The specter of Willie Lynch runs rampant throughout the whole (SRG) Policy and Procedures.
The qualifications required to be profiled as an (SRG) prisoner is at the discretion of the same miscreants who patrol these concrete fields daily. There isn’t a professional process that would ensure that prisoners being accused of participating in (SRG) activities receive a professional investigation to determine if the prisoner is or isn’t a member of any (SRG) formation. The smallest things such as having a tattoo of a five point start can get you profiled as an (SRG) prisoner. All it takes is for the “trained” (SRG) officers to say the prisoner is a gang member and its over for you. As Komrade Kevin Rashid Minister of Defense for the New Afrikan Black Panther Party-Prison Chapter pointed out, in his letter “Racial and Political Persecution of Grassroots Black Political Leaders and Activists”, “Typical of the tendency of racists to stereotype groups of people, these official make no distinctions between Black political organizations, and indeed declare that ‘all Black groups that promote dissent’ fit the criteria of a gang or STG, as does any group or organization that critics government and prison practices and policies”
In a previous essay of mine titled “Defeating the Razor-Wire Plantation Hydra” I pointed out that most of these Security Risk Groups were founded on revolutionary ideology, because of the economic, political, and social conditions that the people were subjugated to. These street formations were formed to serve as vigilance committees to protect and uplift their communities. The vision of the Founding Fathers have been lost and we’ve become predators of the prey (oppressed). So are we really real right? Or are we proxies for the enemy?
The aforementioned memorandum claims that this change (only allowing approved visitors to send prisoner’s money) is to ensure that no one is engaging in illicit enterprises such as selling drugs and phones to garner funds. All of which leads to the probability of offender or offender assaults. I’m inclined to disagree, this is another one of the enemy’s tactics to keep us at each other’s neck. Now if you bereave the only means a prisoner has to receive financial support from others beside immediate family, this only engenders robbery and violence amongst ourselves. A lot of us who are profiled (SRG) don’t have immediate family who financially support us. We receive financial support from friends, our child’s mother and some outside activists. So what are these prisoners, myself included going to do?
This restriction is to ensure we stay divided and forces us to work the concrete fields of these razor-wire plantations. Because we’re not going to be provided with the necessities. The average man isn’t going to go without, so he is left with two choices, work for pennies a day or oppress and rob your own people. This restriction doesn’t have our or our families well-being in mind, it’s all for the betterment of the plantation.
These (SRG) policies and procedures must be redressed, not only does it serve as an instrument to destroy family values, but it will also cause us to be divided and conquered. These acts of repression shouldn’t be tolerated at all. We the prisoners have the strength in numbers, we the prisoners are responsible for our own liberation, these acts of repression aren’t unbeknownst it being done right in front of our faces and the enemy is questioning what are we going to do about it? If we don’t do anything we are cowards!!
It would be politically and strategically advantageous for us to boycott all canteen items as well as the union supply packages offered four times a year. The aforementioned restrictions are an impasse that’s surmountable, the next one may not be. If we lay down and accept this, I can put my word on it more restrictions will follow. The Komrade Bennu Hannibal Ra-Sun of the Free Alabama Movement, founded the Redistribute the Pain Campaign which is a nationwide boycott campaign that boycotts collect phone calls, canteen and incentive package purchases, during the months of February, April, June, Black August, October and December. This is a form of economic warfare that’s necessary in these times of war.
Furthermore, those of us housed on Special Housing Units (SHU, I-Can, Supermax) we should boycott the little canteen privileges that is offered to us. Buying the fragrance oils, the stamps and limited items should cease. Only purchase the amount of things needed. Those who study law, research should be done to see if these restrictions violate any laws on rights. Komrades I’m entreating that y’all wake up! This added restriction will not only impede (SRG) profiled prisoners from receiving money to purchase the necessities, but also will impede us from making phone calls to our family members and friends as well. No money equals no phone time. The enemy was conscious that implementing this added restriction would bring upon us great difficulties. The enemy is distributing the pain, we must redistribute it, apply the pressure economically as well as physically. Before I conclude this I would like to salute the Komrade Randy Watterson I see the work you putting in for the prison class here in NC. Hope to hear from you soon. As Komrade George Jackson stated “If one accepts revolution they must accept all that it implies: repression, counter-terrorism, days filled with work, prison, and funerals”.
White Panther Organization – NC Branch
Joseph “Shine White” Stewart