Thank you for the birthday wishes. Any donations for me are greatly appreciated, as I’m hoping to expand prisoner support and radicalization and consciousness to prisoners not listed on sites. The distinction between political, social, and politicized prisoners doesn’t serve us, but instead further reinforces class distinctions and the idea that there are those who “deserve support.” In theory, this distinction would garner international attention and solidarity, and even recognition from the UN, but in practice, it’s arbitrary at best, counterrevolutionary at worst.
Inside, people adopt a view that the things I do, the principled stances I take in resistance, is because I’m an “activist” or a “political prisoner,” which only serves to further remove them from the realm of that action or thinking. And believing they are somehow less worthy of that love and care and support, especially with the state at work trying to emphasize are our conditions are our own, without interrogating the systems at work that created the conditions and circumstances.
Lots of people don’t know that people do care about us and oppression and see this as part of our larger struggle against the state. So I’m going to use whatever is donated to me to get books sent to guys in here to study with me, and subscriptions to things like the PLN, The Abolitionist, Opening Statements, and such. I’d also like to get them Certain Days calendar to rope them into the larger movement and break this slave mentality. As Assata says, to break the slave mentality you must be acutely aware that you are a slave.
So that’ll be the direction I’m heading, and I’d ask if you can or want to give more — of course, depending on your capacity — I’d like to be a conduit to match good people inside with good people outside for group and individual study of political theory and such. To me, I don’t believe support should be gatekept because your charges shouldn’t dictate your support, outside of things like being a sex offender or a rat. But that’s my personal barrier. Not intending to leave people who are harmful or hold oppressive or harmful oppressive ideologies around things like sex, gender, or race. Just as important, though, I don’t want to link someone with an individual in here who only sees prisoners for political entities and not whole people. To care about prisoner support and solidarity, it’s about showing up and building relationships. Because people don’t change paradigms by reading the most current theory or prominent theory but by immersion exposure and relationships built.
So if you’re interested in such relationship building and have the capacity for group and individual study and support, please message the accounts for more information.
Love, rage, and solidarity
Malik
You can donate here: bit.ly/free-malik