Introduction to Issue 13

Issue 13: Summer 2009

Control units * On the politics of release * Black August * News * Political prisoner profiles * and more!

Welcome everyone, to issue 13 of 4strugglemag. This is our 5th year of publishing this voice of u.s. political prisoners. We are getting more feedback, information and insight from readers — keep it up and join in the ongoing discussions.

I’m pleased to be back, actively involved in this issue, after my drawn out transfer last winter from the Mass state prison system to the federal BOP system. While I was in transit, the outside comrades did a good job putting out issue 12.

This issue, 13, has a lot of really important information and good words for you. We begin with a section on prison repression and revolutionary prisoners. Dan McGowan’s article on CMUs is must reading about a new type of control unit. Also in that section, check out Bellicose Kemet’s piece on why revolutionary minded prisoners too often give up the struggle when they get released. We are initiating an ongoing discussion on this question and my response is the opening of this dialog.

Since this issue is coming out in mid-summer 09, the second section is on Black August, its meaning and significance. Section three is great reading. We are printing legendary Black revolutionary and long time political prisoner Sundiata Acoli’s entire updated short book – “History of the New African Prison Struggle”. Read, learn, and save this section.

Throughout this issue, you’ll find grey boxes with useful information and updates. We are also, sadly, informing our readers of the passing of a good comrade, Dr. Alan Berkman, who was a political prisoner in the 1980s and 90s.

In order to keep the mailing costs of hard copies of 4SM somewhat in check, we are limiting the issue to 52 pages. Contributions to help mail and production costs are always welcome folks. We already have some great articles for issue 14 (out this Fall, in Nov.), including responses to the Dialectical and Historical Materialism piece from issue 11, and a statement from Jericho Movement founder Jalil Muntaqim, on the u.s. political prisoners support movement. Send in your thoughts on any of our articles or discussions and you might see your words printed in #14 also. See you in November.

Freedom Is A Constant Struggle!
Jaan Laaman, editor