Excerpts

SELECTED BY OJORE LUTALO

From Comrade George: An Investigation Into the Life, Political Thought, and Assassination of George Jackson by Eric Mann

“Prisoners constantly blame people on the outside streets for being fuck-ups, unserious tourists, and jive-ass phonies who claim to be interested in the prisoners’ struggle, raise their hopes, and then let them down. A lot of this is sadly true. But many ‘prisoners’ aren’t facing why this situation exists. Since the late ‘1960’s’ the prisons have been
turning out a steady stream of brothers and sisters who were dedicated revolutionary fighters inside the walls, but who were unable to function effectively when they got out. Why is that?” (pages 196-7)

“There is very little waiting for the prisoners when they get out in the streets. Much is the fault of people who have never been in prison, who just aren’t providing jobs, housing, close friendships, and ongoing political work for prisoners to come out into. But change has to start somewhere and history shows us that the most oppressed have to organize
themselves and help lead the struggle”

“Ex-prisoners must start keeping the promises they make to the sisters and brothers they leave behind. But why doesn’t that happen???” (page 199)

From a position paper “Function Fuckin: Phone Sex and Prison Marriages: The Effects of Incarceration on Black Male-Female Relationships” by Jennifer E. Smith

“But whatever the reason for establishment of outside-inside bonds women are the heart-and-soul frontliners of prisoner support projects, while male ex-convicts, who number in the hundreds of thousands, are by comparison virtually invisible in the prison reform movement! Much of the black male prison reform advocacy primarily takes place behind prison bars! Shamefully, these actions amount to nothing more than pro-Black Revolutionary rhetoric which halts abruptly upon the individual’s release from prison. Hence, the basis for most activism occurring among the prison population is not that of addressing community-based concerns, but rather ‘equates’ to macho posturing, which makes survival in the belly of the beast possible. As Darrell Limbocher writes, prison is ‘a place (where) most or all friendships are shallow…and you know it.’ A deeper look into this statement may offer insight on why the ‘thousands’ of men released from prison each day never turn back to offer assistance to those still incarcerated!”

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