3-15-13

Note: The following below I wrote to the editor of a newsletter called "Rock". It concerns an ongoing talk and debate of if and when prisoners in California can become cellies. Prisons in California have always been real "racial" and feuds of different nations or as most call "races" have being ongoing and even deadly at times. However with the hunger strike that was conducted in July 2011 the "races" have joined forces (or trying to) to alleviate the torture in the SHUs, the pain, suffering and ongoing oppression pickle suits ("guards") dish out to us on a daily basis. Great strides have been made to come together. I continued the debate with the article below.

WHAT BEEF? [originally written on 1-16-13]

I'd like to further Cacalotl Cordova's comments in the letter section of Rock Vol. 2# 2 (1). By the way, kudos for him on his work. In Vol. 1. #12 a lot was said on the issue of different nationalities living together (cellies). As it's the special on the menu I'd like to get in on it.

People pointed out that different ways, customs and "standards" will hamper or be a burden to the integration. Valid points, it's true that different nations or to speak of us prisoners in California we tribes have different ways and not to mention of what was said earlier. However, what I don't or didn't hear is that wrongs from the past or injustices, not to say of the killings of the state (U.$), police and their cronies . Discussing with someone he stated this more elegantly. Was it the Afrikans that took 1/2 of Mexico? No! Was it the Afrikans that through murder, deceit and encroachment "coerced" the signing of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo? No! Again, now was it the Mexicans that went to [some text missing] sun-up till sun-down? No!

There's no basis for our tribal warfare that not only kills us but imprisons us on a massive scale which leaves our loved ones, women and people vulnerable to the real threat and predator! No doubt the First Nation Indians didn't do nothing to us Mexicans or Afrikans. This is not to say that "oh, it's the white man's fault", but I'll be damned if that ain't the perpetrator and instigator of our problems. But as sharp divisions and sides were chosen concessions were given to join "them".

It seems that some prisoners are not willing or can't fathom the thought of living with another "race". Some hurts have been brought through tribal warfare, friends and loved ones were lost. Nothing can bring them back.

These wrongs committed by another "tribe" will not be easily overlooked. How ironic that cops kills us by the thousands! Yet, we easily forgive that, don't we? Who can honestly say that watching someone get killed by the police, which was from another "tribe", and didn't know them, and vowed to avenge their death? Petty differences is what I see. We got to overlook and see beyond petty differences. These guards and prisoncrats got us literally fighting and killing each other over a piece of the yard. On the streets it's the same thing! It shouldn't be forced as Arturo Castellanos stated. But the thought that it's not right or wrong to live with a person of another nationality should be eliminated. It shouldn't be a smooth transition, bumps and even ditches would appear but can we now get in the car and on the road?

Notes: Rock Newsletter vol 2 #2
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