History of Socialism Inside. How conscious brothers survive behind the walls.

Prior to the opening of Corcoran and pelican bay S.H.U.'s, akina sisi had a system that allowed it to provide for conscious brothers. No brother within it's sphere of influence went without the basics. If a brother smoked, he had tobacco, if he drank coffee, he had coffee. If a conscious brother needed soap, toothpaste, deodorant, stamps, paper or envelopes, he had it. Most received the basics and more. If a conscious brother was hungry, he was fed. Through this system akina sisi purchased meat, eggs, cheese, tuna, peanut butter, jelly, bread, and other items available on the prison black market. We purchased tennis shoes, sweat pants, gym shorts, sox, etc. for brothers without exercise gear. akina sisi made sure that every conscious brother had a TV, radio or both. We even sponsored events such as black august celebration spreads, provided packages and a host of other extras, all of which was possible because akina sisi had an economic plan we believed in and followed. The plan worked partly because of belief, partly because of merit. It's mention here is important in that it met the need for which it was called forth, because it produced a surplus which exceeded the need, because it provided a sense of what is possible and because it provided akina sisi a sense of how to go about it. The system that allowed akina sisi to meet the needs of conscious brothers was a 10 to 20 % draw tax, a percentage split on ventures it initiated or where brothers were involved and whatever contributions relatives, friends and supporters gave. The system as far as it went worked fine, but there were flaws inherent in it and over time the flaws became cracks and the cracks became gaps. Inevitably we were unable to bridge the divide. This slice of history and economy was pretty much the same from kamp to kamp as regards the draw tax. The taxes were not overseen with any specific control, authority or interest. It was sectional. Each month a conscious brother was required to donate from his canteen draw. Change being ever with us, the system collapsed, in part because it did not have an over reaching central authority which promulgated a centralized economic regimen. It collapsed because no serious consideration or effort was directed towards centrally collecting, holding, disseminating as needed the funds taken in. Conscious brothers changed over the past 15 years, from two to three buildings within a kamp with concentrations of conscious brothers sufficient to cover the basic needs of akina sisi, to lockup kamps with twenty buildings and the intent of isolating conscious brothers. The divide between what had been and what is was so great that the old system fell into the expanse. Though the system collapsed it left dentations upon which to build a newer, stronger structure. It's phoenix rising is our first priority. We are critically assessing our relations. We are cataloging our discoveries. We are promulgating our findings to arm conscious brothers with a sense of what has been as well as a sense of what could be. Our view has long been " we deserve economic stability capable of empowering us ". History has taught us " no one (save ourselves) is going to give us such a stability ". We know and are here sharing, that it is up to us to call such economic stability forth by our commitment, consciousness and work ethic. We must be determined to have it. We must make ourselves aware of how to build it. All we need to do is get involved on whatever individual level we choose, take control of our resources and give our labor to erect it .If for some reason we cannot see this and suffer because of it, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Our history teaches that we have had success where we planned for it. We had success, when how we planned to succeed had merit. Most important, it teaches, we have had success because conscious brothers have given their support to akina sisi's plans. This is a view into the mindset and determination of akina sisi to remain strong in spite of the ever-growing technology specifically designed to break the spirit of all who choose to remain standing firm. In the struggle for the freedom of all oppressed and enslaved people, the mind is the first battlefield on which conscious choices lead to the isolation principled convictions bring. Though it is understood intellectually that support for those who fight for freedom won't come in a flood of people tripping over themselves to help, total abandonment is not expected. In the face of all, there are many who have been standing firm within the prison industrial complex's S.H.U.'s for more than Thirty years. One must understand, this treatment is for the crime of being conscious and working daily to spread that spirit to all who would be free. Without the support of like minds in the minimum security section called society, all who dare to struggle will ever be subject to the whim of those who cage them. The spirit to resist will continue to burn within the walls of American prison kamps, but it should not burn alone. Supporting the efforts of conscious brothers in the simple way outlined above touches many. Though

the state has increased it's strangle hold by creating ever more elaborate methods of torture and isolation, still must we bend our will to the task of fighting that oppression in any way we can however small or large. At the present things are at such a point that 35 dollars must be shared with several people for up to ninety days at a time. An individual can only receive one package a year from friends or family. This package can only be thirty pounds and of course everything is restricted and subject to being sent back to the sender. Along with this message is a partial list of names of brothers who in the long years they have been held captive, have never given up or forgotten the struggle for freedom because of the harshness and isolation of that captivity. Supporting these brothers is of critical importance and greatly felt by all those inside and out who dare to struggle and dare to win. Long live the spirit of freedom fighters past and present! sisi na damu ni etu jicho! shaka at-thinnin chairman black august organizing committee