The Last Few Weeks

August and now the first week in September 2013 have been crazy. First the ADX Special Housing Unit was relocated from one unit to another for the third time in nine months. One thing this caused was that now SHU inmates have more access to one another to communicate in a group setting. Naturally the inmates aired their mutual grievances against prison administrators with one another and soon thereafter began the rebellion.

One inmate took an overdose of 200 pills and was placed in restraints, bound hand and foot, in chains. He's been like that for 2 weeks, unable to shower, shave, use the toilet or perform basic human functions.

This past Saturday another inmate broke the desk of his walls and broke out the window before breaking the fire sprinkler. He's been in restraints ever since.

Two days ago an inmate smeared feces all over his body, was extracted from his cell by a use of force team, and he too is now in restraints. The night before that an inmate in the so-called "Control Unit" broke

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happens to be world famous. She felt using the public moniker assigned this infamous character was a security threat. Of course, this is a bogus justification used by an enemy of the First Amendment and I am consulting my lawyers on how to sue this censor of free speech but my point is this, why do these prison staff feel even for a second that such ignorant, petty harassment will invoke (or rather provoke) any response except swift rebellion or legal action to gain a measure of accountability? Is it not human nature to seek to be free? Is it not normal to seek to express oneself unrestrained? Since when did individualism and dissent become dirty character traits? I am not fool enough to break my desk or incite violence against myself by prison guards but I am no less resilient nor less willing to make my displeasure known. Rehabilitation may not be the mission of a prison but neither is censorship, cruelty and callous disregard for the dignity of all men.

- Jeremy Pinson
9/5/13