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Hearing on Solitary Confinement: seeking compassion in the capitol
September 1, 2011
Denise, Marilyn, Anna and I, with Harriett at the wheel, left West Oakland BART in the second carpool wave for Sacramento Tuesday, Aug. 23, at 9:30 a.m. to attend a pre-rally for the historic California Assembly Hearing on Solitary Confinement.
Pelican Bay threatens hunger strikers
August 24, 2011
It is a historical truth that repression breeds resistance, which is why we prisoners at Pelican Bay State Prison’s SHU/CMU units took the initiative to come together and go on a hunger strike in order to say to our oppressors that …
Hunger strike updates: Legislative hearing on Pelican Bay SHU tomorrow in Sacramento
August 22, 2011
The Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity coalition will hold a press conference Tuesday, Aug. 23, 11:00 a.m. at the California Capitol Building in Sacramento where families of prisoners, community members and activists from around California will converge to rally and participate …
George Jackson: Forty years ago they shot him down
August 21, 2011
The 21st of August marks the 40th anniversary of the execution of George Lester Jackson. Many of the strategies and tactics that he and his fellow comrades employed in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s were used by prisoners at Pelican Bay, Corcoran and other California prisons in the recent hunger strikes.
Supermax prisons: 21st century asylums
August 20, 2011
Everybody out Tuesday, Aug. 23, for the rally at 11:30 a.m. on the South Steps of the State Assembly Building, Sacramento, then for Assemblyman Tom Ammiano’s hearing on the Pelican Bay SHU at 1:30 p.m. Car pools leave from West Oakland BART at 9:30 a.m. Join the Day of Action to support the historic prisoner-led hunger strike protesting torture in California’s prisons. Support the families of hunger strikers testifying on conditions in the SHU and amplify the voices of thousands of prisoners across California. The hunger strike exposed for three weeks the carefully planned and executed barbarism of life in supermax America.
Facebook caves to the prison-industrial complex
August 19, 2011
In a decision setting back prisoners’ rights and helping to advance the interests of prison bureaucrats and their guard union allies, Facebook announced plans to work with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to shut down pages set up for prisoners.
Building a movement to end solitary confinement, against imprisonment
August 8, 2011
After hunger strike leaders reached an agreement last week with the CDCR to end the hunger strike that swept across California’s prison system, prisoners have started to transition to eating food again. Their concerns include not wanting fellow prisoners to die.
Wanda’s Picks for August 2011
August 4, 2011
How well indeed the creator saw fit to have the Muslim population worldwide join the hunger strike started by brothers in the Security Housing Unit (SHU) at Pelican Bay July 1, which continues in other California prisons, including I heard at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF).
A hunger striker’s journal, Part 4: From ghetto life to prison mentality
July 29, 2011
Whenever the subject of ghettos is mentioned, our first inclination is to focus on Afrikan and Latino communities. However, historically, the word “ghetto” came about as a result of Jewish sections in European cities designated as poor slum areas. The Jews formed a minority group based on their economic and social plight, rooted in religion and racial discrimination.
Hunger strikes and national protests continue
July 22, 2011
The historic prisoner hunger strike led by 11 now “shrunken” but alive Pelican Bay Prison inmates advocating human rights, peace and justice continues at several prisons, according to officials, prisoners’ families and prisoner attorney Marilyn McMahon. Hunger strikers’ families and supporters will rally in Sacramento again Monday, noon-4 p.m.
Isolation, indeterminate sentences used to extract confessions at California supermax prisons
July 22, 2011
Adding to Kevin Gosztola’s recent coverage of the hunger strike at Pelican Bay prison … I want to look more closely at one of the prisoner’s demands, in particular their call for the abolition of the “debriefing process.”
Repression breeds resistance!
July 20, 2011
Reaching at least 6,600 prisoners across 13 prisons, this massive and inspiring act of solidarity and people power across prison-manufactured and exacerbated racial and geographic lines has dumb-founded the CDCR (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation).
A hunger striker’s journal, Part 3: Who is watching the guards?
July 19, 2011
Richard Johnson, a prisoner who recently suffered a heart attack due to a blocked artery in his heart, is among the hunger strikers at Pelican Bay. Since the beginning of the strike, he has been taken off three of his daily meds; medical staff say they may be adverse to his health when taken on an empty stomach. He has been submitting a series of articles throughout his time on strike to educate potential supporters about the prison experience.
Nevada prisoner Ikemba to California hunger strikers: I am with you
July 15, 2011
As always, a souljah’s greeting to the Bay View. I wish that I could think of more words to inspire the people out there to take a closer look, to watch the watchers, understand the tremendous damage being done in the misuse and corruption of the court system and prisons etc.
A Pelican Bay hunger striker’s journal, Parts 1 and 2
July 13, 2011
Richard Wembe Johnson, a prisoner who recently suffered a heart attack due to a blocked artery in his heart, is among the hunger strikers at Pelican Bay.He is submitting a series of articles throughout his time on strike to educate potential supporters about the prison experience.
Strike updates: Stop prison torture at Pelican Bay
July 12, 2011
Support for the hunger strike grows with solidarity actions across the U.S. and Canada this past weekend.
A series of noise demonstrations outside jails, detention centers and prisons occurred internationally in St. Louis, New York City, Oakland, Los Angeles, Montreal and Kitchener, Ontario.
Action update: California admits 6,600 prisoners are on hunger strike
July 10, 2011
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reports that as of Friday, July 8, at least 6,600 prisoners in at least 13 of the state’s prisons have joined the hunger strike initiated at Pelican Bay on July 1. Push the state to negotiate with prisoners at Pelican Bay and immediately implement their demands.
No justice, no food, no 4th of July celebration
July 4, 2011
It has been 83 hours since I last chewed on anything. I stand with all my brothers still on hunger strike inside the SHUs at Pelican Bay and Corcoran and on the mainlines in Centinela and Folsom and all other prisoners throughout California and the nation in solidarity with the hunger strike.
Hunger strike in the supermax: Pelican Bay prisoners protest conditions in solitary confinement
July 2, 2011
As Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day, inmates in solitary confinement at California’s Pelican Bay State Prison are standing up for their rights in the only way they can – by going on a hunger strike.
Perpetrators and enablers of torture in the U.S.
November 1, 2009
During the past 25 years I’ve spent a lot of time with survivors of torture, men and women enduring long term solitary confinement in California’s prisons. The single way offered to earn their way out is to tell departmental gang investigators everything they know about gang membership and activities. The prisoners call it “snitch, parole or die.”