Dear PE,
Hey. I'm writing to just add a few things that I feel were left out of the article entitled "U.S. Trains 1000's of Mexican Officers' in the last issue." It's a good thing the School of the Americas is finally being made aware to the community, but I think some background is necessary.
The SOA is a United States Government-funded training program for Latin American and Caribbean Military officers located in Ft. Benning, GA. It's designed to educate them in the virtues of democratic civilian control over the military. Supporters of the SOA (largely unaware of what it really teaches, or quasi-dictators themselves) insist that it instills professionalism and strengthens fragile democracies (yet not one of the ten SOA graduates who became head of state was democratically elected!).
A few of the interrogation techniques which are taught at the SOA are torture, execution, blackmail and arresting relatives of those being questioned. The students are taught combat skills, counter insurgency operations, sniper fire, military intelligence, commando tactics and psychological operations. The SOA (and therefore the US) is responsible for producing the leaders and soldiers who have brutally suppressed their own people and murdered 1000's of indigenous and poor in Latin America. Protests by civilians worsen the abuse, as is exemplified by the situation in Chiapas and Guerrero, Mexico.
The most important thing that was left out-The SOA needs to be CLOSED! The US is not encouraging anything but human rights abuses and western supremacy.
Congressional Senator Durbin (IL) introduced the first bill to close the SOA (S-980). Call the capitol switchboard @ (202) 456-1111 and urge you senators to cosponsor S-980, or fax or write...anything.
For more info., contact SOA watch / PO Box 3330 / Columbus, GA / 31903 or www.soaw.org
The mistake is thinking that the problems concerning militarism in Latin America are not the fault of the US government.
In Solidarity, peace and anarchy,
Sera/Never Revere Zine / PO Box 1648 / Grand Central Stn. / NYC, NY / 10163
Hello Profane Existence,
My name's Ivan. I live in the middle of a grey desert called Bulgaria. My native town Gabrovo is a place where nothing happens. There are lots of grey people with stony minds who don't care if they live in deep shits or not. I have some true friends who keep me sane in this mad society and that's all (of course my parents too).
I decided to write you when I read an issue of yours with a scene report from Bulgaria. A long time ago I was trying to find your address but in vain - PE is almost apocrypha?
Although that this report was written a year ago there are no changes for good. I'm afraid that the things cannot change at all. There are the same politicians with the same promises. The communists gave up power but those who came became the same stupid faces on the TV. say us that the things are going better but there are only cosmetic alterations. Hardened people can't understand that they have to break out the chains of indifference by their own. We need to bring down the walls of stupidity and stagnation to eradicate our vices, the vices of society. The mean souls are the main past of our society. They assimilate the people who fight for a better future. I have read a lot of articles and reports about actions against the hypocrisy and the corruptions of major companies but there's nothing similar here. Everybody says that life is going harder and harder but there's no unity among people to overcome the difficulties. There are a few people who think my way in our town. There are few in Bulgaria. And everyday I'm thinking if there's a use of fighting. If there's a use of society at all?!?
But I promised myself never to give up, to fight to show my anger to the society.
And only the music keeps my fight alive. The power of punk/hard core keeps my mind sharp. But in our little town there are no concerts of punk bands 'cause almost no one is interested. The first punk band in Gabrovo UZZU doesn't exist anymore. Only Keepsake, close friends of mine, are trying to show that punx not dead. But they're too young and they haven't got enough money to buy a good suitable instruments. So they're playing on antiques. Me and two other pals were going to make a band. We played two or three times without a rehearsal of some kind of anarcho noise madness, but now we haven't enough time to play because of the continue of our graduation in the university.
There are lots of concerts in our capital city Sofia and Varna. Of some kind of a hardcore crew exists there. The gigs are really cool. I was in Varna for a festival last summer. I didn't know anyone there but I had a good time with the music, I really enjoyed it. I first heard about the H.C. ideas and straight edge there. They were talking about friendship and loyalty and against hypocrisy. But when I went into the pogo, some of the guys there started to laugh at me. Why? I was just wearing a T-shirt of Misfits and checked trousers. What was the difference among us? I felt myself very unpleasant and went out. They talk about a lack of hypocrisy yes, but not only in words. Although this little 'accident' now I have good friends in Varna.
Another passion of mine is drawing. It's very soothing when I'm alone with the pencil or the brush and the white sheet of paper. My friends think that I'm good in drawing. There is something of me . I made it sometime ago and it's not a special thing, but I hope you'll like it.
That's all for now in my head.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you! Be strong!
Ivan
P.S. Excuse me if my English is very bad!
P.P.S. The little picture expresses everything in my mind completely
Ivan Peev Raykov / 1 Peter Mihov Str. / Gabrovo 5300 / Bulgaria
PE,
It's said that a person at "Ground Zero" never sees a bomb explode. Did anyone notice when women's status was gradually updated from property...to...sex object? All this was happening under the pretense of equality and sexual liberation. Women are constantly degraded such that most people no longer notice. A boy was talking about his discomfort seeing male full-frontal nudity, saying it make him feel less dignified. When a girl (myself) posed the question "How do you think girls feel whenever they see a movie, or a Sports Illustrated, or even a soap commercial?". He responded with this: "So? Girls should be used to that by now." Would you want to raise a child, teaching her she can live up to her highest aspirations, trying to give her a sense of dignity and self-respect, and know that everyday she is exposed to confidence-destroying stereotypes? Even in the "enlightened" period in which we live, women are evaluated by the size of their breasts and their firmness elsewhere. Intellect is intimidating in our culture if it is found in a woman, as though it's a threat to her womanhood. Will her breasts shrink if she's analytical? Will she become frigid if she develops a passion for knowledge? Sexuality is nothing to fear, but so often it is used as a tool for sexism. Passion and nudity could, in theory, be used to demonstrate emotion and artistic intent; but somehow, I am offended by the image of chesty bleach-blondes pathetically groaning "more...". There are more subtle instances on everyday television, though. For an example, a Nair commercial shows a woman's legs (soft, smooth - I'm impressed), and a man caressing them, reaching almost into her too-short shorts. She slaps him playfully away and they both have a good laugh. Ha. These kinds of images seem to gradually build up the general idea that a woman's body is for touching. Female genitals are among the most popular things in America today, and girls know it. So often, they are pressured - not necessarily coerced - into beginning sexual relationships for which they are not ready. From then on, they tend not to have respect for the sexual process, or for the sanctity of their own body. Young women should not develop with the belief that they were created for someone else. The most important thing we can do is respect ourselves, male and female. If a man has enough dignity to respect a woman, she is more likely to do it herself. Also, resist sexism in whatever way it presents itself, but do so with integrity. If you are a bad representative for a cause, the cause loses its appeal to others. Personal boycotts of materials or companies are an easy way to start. And another thing: have compassion for girls who unwittingly submit to the mold. As for those who use themselves as 'tools', disregard them, and tell them exactly what you think. Hopefully everyone can be encouraged in some way to participate in the breaking down of barriers and establishment of mutual respect - for equality, similarities, and differences.
Chelsea Lepley / Des Moines, LA
PE,
First of all, thank you for the free subscription to prisoners program.
Now a moment on violence.
Having once been a violent and hateful person, I have given a lot of thought to this subject. And my conclusion is that violence is destructive, at both ends.
I once read in PE about roundups of a certain group of characters (anarcho-punx) by the police in Europe somewhere. The police there used small acts of violence as an excuse to pick up these "suspicious" characters and interrogate them. This is a tactic that has been used by police (of all types) for many years; and from what I have read, it proliferated under the Gestapo terror, and has since been adopted by all police. But let's look at the difference between the Gestapo and the common "peace officer" of today. The Gestapo were a militant terror and made no attempts to hide this, so "the people" did not support their actions; ultimately, they failed because of this. And then we have the peace officer of today which uses the same tactic of it's ancestors, but has the support and approval of the general public (or at least of those who are involved enough to make a difference). The reason they have this support is because, firstly, they hide behind the title of "peace," and violence is the antithesis of peace. But, most importantly, there is enough evidence of roguish violence (pointless and ineffective, I might add) in the street to give them reason to harass, roundup, and /or arrest certain characters under the pretense of "suspicion". The average mediocre citizen supports this violation, and will even tolerate their own homes being mistakenly raided under this pretense as long as they know that "those rogues" are being silently plucked from the street and introduced to the process of human-disynthesis using this tactic. Your acts of violence strengthen the grips of the police; the long arm gets longer.
When people sense pestilence they tend to naturally respond with violence; usually not even knowing the source of the pestilence, and so lash out at whatever threat is directly in front of them. Of course, we know the chief source of this pestilence we sense is the government (all existing governments); but, we have to stop and question if our behavior, our actions are working to effectively change the present condition, or are we merely acting out in revenge. We, like the animal, respond in violence when threatened or trapped (and we are this); but, we are separated from the animal by the utilization of our minds, our conscious ability to make sound and complex decisions. It is natural to respond in violence under the conditions we live in, but is it logical to rely on basic animal instincts when fighting an intellectual war? It is more difficult and time consuming to fight an intellectual war (which is what this is) - to read and study (to expand your mind which is one of the main rights we are fighting for) and be involved in the right places. It is good for morale to have shows and gatherings and so forth, but it is also extremely pertinent for a cause to have people involved in "enemy territory". It is only logical that if your present methods and tactics are not effective and prolific, then you should study and adopt some of your enemy's agencies of battle. This is where the intellectual war begins: you are not stealing their measures exactly as they are, but are considering the thought behind them, their effectiveness in what area, and how you can manipulate and reconstruct them for your own use. Something like the police do when they use petty violence against you.
However, this cannot be achieved by being completely separated from society and deemed as an outcast - a bad product. People's minds do change and your example of living life is greater than any propaganda or other means of systematic persuasion. This is difficult because you have to stand firm in your convictions under the temptations of the bourgeois coterie, working beside them while all the while working against them. This is a true counterculture; insidiousness is a most powerful tactic! But, open violence is more convenient and offers immediate gratification (like drugs) for the average angry pseudo - radical with mere revenge in his/her heart; and so we have a movement that is subdued by what seems to be teenage angst, rather than proliferating as a philosophy of life.
I will close with a question: what are your motives behind your actions? If you claim that your cause and your beliefs are right and theirs' wrong, then you have to be terribly honest with yourself and study your deepest motives behind your behavior, your actions. This is what we are fighting for - the Truth; it is the only thing worth fighting for. And it is critical that in the heart of every soldier this truth burns hotter than any destructive desire towards revenge, hate, or violence. It cannot work otherwise.
Zachery E. Wyche #703414 / Rt. 1 Box 1000 / Navasota, TX / 77869
Profane,
Revolutionary love and greetings! Hope all is well...My name is Christoper Lee Plummer. Most of the PE readers know my story by now (thanx much to PE itself) and I'm thankful for all the support and assistance...
I am writing for quite a few reasons but the biggest is to praise all you fucks that reached out to me or picked up a pen/phone on my behalf during this recent crisis... so you know the BATF investigation has ended, and the federal grand jury Has Not indicted me. Thanx much to you...
Lots of stuff going on these daze... working on the TX prisoners @ lending library, cell-one, and attempting to organize a national antifascist prisoner network. (for prisoners who are interested and can write me directly do so, otherwise, write to me in care of "Break the Chains / PO Box 5144 / San Lois Obispo, CA / 93403). This something that has not been done before and we will need a lot of support, hard work, and luck to make it work. If your interested by all means get in touch.
By my being placed in ad-seg last year the lending library suffered a lot. I'm hoping to get it all worked out so that any TX inmate can be a part of it. But again it's mostly $ problems that keep that from happening. I'm housed in a 7x9 cell 24/7 now not allowed human contact, yet 'outside' 1 hour per week... completely crazy... a friend was told recently by TDCJ officials that I am considered to be 'highly dangerous' and 'known for disruptive beliefs'... So they can continue to justify holding me in this tiny box at my last classification hearing they told me, "Your continued involvement in radical politics gives us enough reason to hold you in AD-seg till your release", which is 2009.
I am the only political prisoner (that I know of!) in the USA who has deep roots in the punk movement and considers it a primary source of inspiration for my own involvement in @ politics and Action! I am asking folks to Please, Please, get out there and support (actively) what you say you support. Put your time and energy into this. And when you hear about a demo or march, go to it whether it is for @ prisoners or Palastinian prisoners.
Punk has been slagged for years. Folks say it's not a viable revolutionary movement. It may not be. But it can be. And that's where it needs to head. Part of that is to support other revolutionary movements other ideas and cultures. Revolution is about real change and we can't be effectively fighting for that kind of change if we are isolated and entrenched in our own ghetto.
On another note, Break the Chains is putting our a benefit CD on my behalf. The funds made off of that CD will be used to cover my legal expenses and to continue various @ projects in the prisons. I urge you to take part in this.
Another benefit CD in the idea phase is for the 'United Anarchist Front" the U@F is the 'group' I founded in the late 80's using the ALF as a model. Complete direct action orientation. The CD's profits would be used to disperse U@F ideas, literature and set up an 'office' of sorts. If you are in a band and are interested in this, or want to support @ causes in general, Please contact me.
The book I've been 'working' on for about a year is slowly taking form. But it's hard to write in this environment. I am looking for a zine to do a column in, but it has to be the right one (I wrote something for most everyone who asks).
OK folks, please struggle on, and I will do the same...much love
Refuse, Resist, Exist!
Christopher Lee Plummer / C77345 / Rt 2 Box 4400 / Gatesville, TX / 76547
PS. All you nazi-racist ass prisoners who get PE 'just to have something to read', I just want to say a big Fuck You!
(Bands get in touch, so we can interview ya for a zine or something!)
Dear Profane Existence,
We have just recently acquired a place for punk shows, an all ages club of you will, and we were just wondering if you could put the word out for us, spread the word. We would love any bands to come and play (the obvious exclusions of course being- oh I'm not even gonna say it). We don't have a phone yet but we will soon- please write back and get bands to write us if you can. We can call you if you give us a #.
The Headquarters c/o Agency/PO Box 18688/Asheville/NC/28814
Hey all anarcho punks!
If you haven't heard through the grapevine, in Amarillo TX. last December Brian Deneke a local punk was murdered by jocks. I was there so i know the true whole story. A jock ran him over with a fucking car after he was beaten with clubs and bats. There were approx. 30-45 jocks attacking six punks and skins. Anyway to get to the bigger picture, the assholes trial is coming up soon. On August 16 to be exact. We have support coming from Austin TX, Denver CO, and Albuquerque NM, travelers from everywhere, and people from the national gathering. We need all the support we can get because, that's right, we are most likely going to, you know, cause a lot of trouble if the jock doesn't get convicted, or even gets probation. If you do want to come down there will be plenty of places to stay, and plenty of help for those who need it.
Thanks, the Amarillo punk scene (yes there really is one and it kicks ass!)
Sent via: E.G. Smith Press Distribution, P.O. Box 532, Dayton, OH 45401-0532 http://www.infinet.com/~egsmith
To whom it may concern,
My name is Brian Jolly and on April 3, 1998, I wrote you a letter requesting your PE mag and I finally received it a couple of days ago. I was vacationing at the Camp Hill Correctional Facility when I sent the letter but now I'm at SCI Smithfield. They weren't too happy with the magazine on the review committee but they finally approved it. When they gave it to me, they had such a look of disgust on their faces. The officer mumbled "Here's your damn magazine", and I knew right away what it was so I pulled it out right in front of him which pissed him off. It was great! He told me that if he caught me passing it to anybody or even out of my cell that he would take it. I never thought a simple mag could be so enjoyable and I hadn't even read it yet! I'd love to receive more but no matter what, I'll never get rid of this copy. You guys put out one hell of a mag and I hope you keep up the great work!
Loyal Fan / Brian Jolly
PE and readers,
I know six dollars is a measly thing to get pissed off about, but I must write about Rotten Propaganda Records and warn everyone not to order records directly from their Pittsburgh PO box. I ordered one copy each of the Discord and Broken 7"s on their label and have gone almost a year without hearing anything from them personally (despite haven written and called numerous times).
I personally know Dave (Aus Rotten, Rotten Prop.) received my cash because he told me during a phone conversation I had with him - last summer! When I asked what was up, he said something to the effect of "Someone else does the mailorder" for Rotten Propaganda.
Well, Dave, I guess you'd better can whoever that "somebody else" is because they sure take a long fuckin' time to get a couple of lousy 7"s in the mail! Like I said, I feel lame about getting so zapped about six lousy beans, but I want to warn people about Rotten Propaganda's lame mailorder. Either get their releases at a show or a shop cause their mailorder leaves a lot to be desired!
Love, Doug / Urban Arms zine & distro / PO Box 19275 / Cincinnati, OH / 45219-0275
Greetings brothers and sisters of the resistance movement!
I am a POW in the state of Washington in the maximum unit at Walla Walla, also known as, Concrete Mama. I want to send out a report on how we're being treated here in Washington State, but first let me say that, PE, what you're doing for our people is great! No one does it better!
Now, let me raise the issue at hand. As you're probably not aware, in May of 1996, the state of Washington passed a law allowing prison officials of every corrections center across the state (this includes pre-release and work release) to remove 35% of all money recieved by the inmates that's 35¢ on the dollar! As you know, we're made to pull slave labor, working six hours a day and only receiving 80¢ for it and now those of us who are fortunate enough to have outside support truly cherish whatever we get.
So let me get to the heart of the issue; under federal law that covers this whole nation, embezzlement is a serious crime! Not only is it a crime it's a greedy move by this Nazi government to get everything they can!
Numerous inmates, family attorneys and outside agencies have filed a class action law suit, but still every hard earned dollar that my friends and family send me, gets taxed by 35%! Oh, but don't think we've just been passive about the whole situation, because we haven't!
Right now I'm in this maximum unit for my part in a group demonstration and inciting a riot right after they removed the first 35%. So far I have acquired a little over a $1000 dollar debt, how?
Well let me explain; every time I receive a money order and it gets taxed I destroy the cell I'm in, sometimes I get out and destroy the whole pod and have even taken hostages (the pigs of course) but I haven't hurt anyone and won't either because this is how I look at it; if they're going to take my money, then I will give them something to spend it on!
So let me sum everything up by saying this, anyone out here even remotely interested in this crisis needs to contact me and I will send any or all info on this, case proceedings, letters of opinion, etc. Or contact the Civil liberties Union and they will. Even better, contact our home bases of info at "Prison Legal News" the address is at the bottom of page #48 in PE #35. Whatever you do, please raise the issue. This is the lowest of the low and must be stopped.
You're comrade W Chains
Jesse Schrock #732728 / W.X.P. IMU / 1313 N. 13th Ave. / Walla Walla, WA / 99362
Hello,
We're a couple of concerned folk-Brian Foss of My Fat Ass records, and John Persak of the Puget Sound I.W.W.. We are putting out a music compilation (mostly punk bands, but other stuff too) to support the I.W.W. (the industrial workers of the world, the 'wobbles'). We're looking for pro-labor/working class bands to contribute new recordings of old labor songs, or new songs about more recent or current labor struggles. Moral Crux has already agreed to cover "Stickin to the Union (you can't scare me)".
The idea is to revive and remember the history of unions, and how workers (that's you and us) have used them to fight the corporations and even the government. The schools don't teach us much about it, and our history is left out of most books, and so it is up to us to teach each other about it. There is a lot going on now that the TV and papers don't want us to know about, such as the General Strikes in Paris, in Ontario, and in a lot of other places. Unions worldwide are growing again, and folks are standing up to the boss a lot more these days. It would be good if bands wanted to contribute songs about modern events, too.
We want to release the compilation on vinyl and CD, and include a zine insert that gives ideas on what people have done in the past when unions were more radical, and what we can do now to win the same kinds of struggles. This way, we have good music to listen to and also an answer, or at least a direction, on what to do about a shitty job. Also, we want to promote the I.W.W., because it is a union that directly challenges the corporate structure and bases struggle on collective rank and file DIY unionism, instead of depending on self righteous 'leaders', bureaucrats, lawyers, and government agencies to do the word for us. Many people still think that the I.W.W. is 'dead', when in fact it is growing in spite of the overall decrease of AFL/CIO union members in the U.S.. Traditionally, the I.W.W. has always represented the DIY ethic in the labor movement, and has always been an independent union.
If you are in a band, call us or write us if you want to have a part. Obviously, we will probably get more submissions that there is room, but everyone will get props, as will anyone else who helps in any way - a damned long thank you list. The bands that end up on the record will get a copy for each band member. As far as the money goes - once the costs are covered, all profits will go to the Puget Sound I.W.W. to build locals and help workers organize.
Please tell your friends about the benefit record. Thanks and solidarity.
Brian Foss c/o My Fat Ass / PO Box 45133 / Seattle, WA / 98145-0133
John Persak, Branch Sec / Tres, Puget Sound IWW / PO Box 4814 / Seattle, WA / 98104
Dear friends,
My name is Erwan. I'm an Indonesian currently doing some time in Australia.
I've a small project. A tape compilation, benefit for Indonesian/East Timor political struggle.
I wish for political punk bands (h/c, power violence, crust, etc) to contribute to my benefit project. Punks from developing/ third world are especially encourage to contribute.
All monies will go to Action in solidarity with Indonesian & E. Timor (ASIET). It's an organization providing information (uncensored news) of Indonesian political struggle and also provides support for political prisoners and dissidents.
Please if anybody has any queries regarding this project, do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks a lot.
Erwan / Unit 12 / 6-8 Pinewood Ave / Kardinya / WA 6163, Australia