Tag: Solidarity

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Untitled Poem by Eric King

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art found here http://xxdiexdiexdie.deviantart.com/art/oppression-27779608

I think I see it, clearer

they want us to live life in fear

not feeling that kind of life

broken into our minds

robbery mask on tight

to steal our sense of humanity

the guns are locked & loaded

and they’ve handed them over

made us into hunters

where do we go from here?

We pretend we’re still human

have brains we refuse to use them

is peace really a blade sharpened

or a face stomped in?

I remember how it used to feel

to smile and mean it

it still sitting in my mind

if I can keep it safe and sound

then through this maze I can be found

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“About Capitalism” a poem by Eric King

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These walls

silent as the dark & lost

haunting as a ghost

these walls

will fucking crush us all

if we ever give up hope

these walls

steal inches by the hour

pressing down & smashing joy

these walls

will gladly break us all

if we ever give them the power

these walls

snap shots of decaying minds

cold and without mercy

block out the sun, in case it shines

shocks out the dark in case it’s night

these walls

will kill us all

if we dont have the will to bear it

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“I refuse to make a habit” a poem by Eric King

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I refuse to make a habit

of being oppressed or oppressive

to wear chains and pretend

they’re bracelets

nothing orange is stylish

these meals aren’t gifts

and these captors aren’t our pals

don’t give a fuck how their day is

or if they’re breathing

that pepper spray isn’t cologne

these beatings aren’t for show

the fire got put out in our cans

but the power is in our hands

till they rob the air we breathe

i’ll stand on the side of action

lessons learned today

mental weakness overcome today

will make a better me tomorrow

for refusing to be broken

and refusing to make a habit

of being oppressed

or of being oppressive

such will keep me free

no matter what they bring

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Urgent Action Needed Now: Don’t Let CCA Censor Eric King’s Mail!

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As folks know, Eric’s mail is being censored and political letters and
literature are being rejected. It is important to keep the pressure on
CCA Leavenworth to stop censoring Eric’s mail.

According to Warden Isaac Johnston, it is up to the guards to use
discretion in deciding which groups can be labeled as hate groups and
have their correspondence rejected. This means that mailroom employees
can use their own political ideology to decide what mail to allow and
what to block.

Unfortunately, due to CCA being a for-profit contractor, they are not
held by the same rules as state and federal prisons. Yet there is a very
short list of regulations that CCA has to follow in regards to mail and
one is that both incoming and outgoing mail must be held for no longer
than 24 hours.

Since being incarcerated, Eric has had both incoming and outgoing mail
held for way longer than is dictated according to the “Performance-Based
Detention Standards.” On September 15th, for example, the mailroom gave
Eric a large batch of mail that had been held for well over 24 hours.

If you write Eric, you can help by taking action in the following ways:

1) When you get mail from Eric, please check both the date the letter
was written and the postmark on the letter. If there is more than a
24-hour difference, please email us at erickingsupportcrew(a)riseup.net
with either a photo or quick note of the date on the letter and the
postmark date. This can help Eric document these violations and allow
him to file grievances for them as they occur.

2) Next, please take a second to let the staff at CCA Leavenworth and
CCA corporate know that they are violating the “Performance-Based
Detention Standards.”

a. Warden Isaac Johnston: 913.680.6801
b. Assistant to the Warden: 913.680.6804
c. Mailroom (ask for the manager of the mailroom): 913.680.6808
d. Call CCA Corporate and let them know what CCA Leavenworth is up to:
1.800.624.2931

Feel free to leave a message if they do not answer. If you feel
comfortable and want to have a conversation, you can even leave a
call-back number.

In your message, state how long Eric’s outgoing letter was held before
being sent to you. Inform them that “Performance-Based Detention
Standard” number (G.3.5) says, “Excluding weekends and holidays or
emergency situations, incoming and outgoing letters are held for no more
than 24-hour hold.”

Help us tell CCA that we won’t stand for Eric’s incoming mail being
censored based on his political ideology or for him to be targeted by
his mail being held for more than 24 hours.

Lastly, we want to remind folks that Eric being pre-trial puts him in an
especially sensitive position. Any piece of literature he receives,
whether it is rejected or not, may be used against him come sentencing.

Love and Solidarity

EK Defense Committee

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Urgent update regarding Eric King’s mail being rejected!

Urgent update regarding Eric King’s mail being rejected!

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The CCA Leavenworth mailroom has been blocking some of Eric’s incoming mail, censoring publications for ridiculous reasons (or for no stated reason at all), and even blocking some of his outgoing mail. 

Recently, a book about the Black Panthers was rejected because the prison evidently considers them a “hate group.” Around that same time, right­wing Christian literature with homophobic rhetoric made it through to another prisoner. Eric is clearly being targeted for his political beliefs and interests.

If you have been writing to Eric and have not heard back from him, it is very possible that he has not received your letters or you have not received his. The prison (and the state apparatus of which it is a part) is trying to isolate Eric from his supporters. We can’t let them do this.

Please help by: 

* Writing Eric so many letters! Please flood the prison with mail/letters/cards/love. This can serve the dual purpose of overwhelming the prison mailroom and helping Eric remember that he’s not alone. Keep track of what you sent to Eric and when you sent it so you can check with him later or call the prison to inquire about why your mail was blocked.

You can write to him at:

Eric King
27090045
CCA Leavenworth
100 Highway Terrace
Leavenworth, KS 66048

* Checking the support site often. If this harassment continues, we will be taking other measures to ensure this censorship stops immediately. CCA has been sued in the past for censoring mail and violating prisoners’ constitutional rights, so they know as well as we do that what they’re doing is wrong.

Please spread the word and help put the spotlight on CCA’s draconian mailroom practices. Prisons greatly prefer to function outside the public eye where they can torture, abuse, neglect and isolate prisoners without consequences. Don’t let them get away with that this time. Send Eric a letter or card today!

 

For a world without cages!

Love and Solidarity,

EK Defense Committee

 

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“We Forget” a poem by Eric King

Hometown heroes forget we exist within morality

the person shooting up was once someone’s everything

cuddly kids call the president a primate, cause they hate his pigment

not racist if it’s politics just more social biggots

one pump of blood away from being a fleeting memory

once pump and pull away from an unwanted family

villains in our lives aren’t just symbols they’re existing

placing more importance on critical moments

instead of having joy in simply loving

rascal radicals ditching ethics and street battles

rather duplicate love w/bubble gum flavored capsules

loving all life in 8 hour segmants

then rushing off to the bathroom to get in line for seconds

as soon as the crash begins re-up or we’re all dead

every moment sober is a moment to forget

born with so much privilege we’ve forgotten how to live

all our positivity is wrapped with foil in the fridge

road splits to decency but we’ll never cross that bridge

can’t fight the state when our hands shake too much to make a fist

one more bump to get us going + we’ll swear life is bliss

creating all our drama so we created this

to be happy in this moment to recall what love is

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Support shirts are in!!

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Support Eric King T-Shirts are Here!

We’re excited to announce that the Eric King support t-shirts are in!
Show your solidarity by ordering one today! We’re asking for a $20
donation per shirt. All proceeds go to EK’s support, including
commissary and phone calls.

To order a shirt, donate online at https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/0yoZc
and then email us at erickingsupportcrew(A)riseup.net with your shirt
size (S, M, L, XL) and mailing address. You can also email us to get
a mailing address for donations by check or money order.

In other good news, EK is out of solitary confinement! He now has
greater access to recreation, is able to be social once more, and has
been reunited with a friend who is also serving time there. Send him a
letter or card to help him celebrate this change in his conditions and
to let him know he’s not forgotten!

Eric King
#27090045
CCA Leavenworth
100 Highway Terrace
Leavenworth, KS 66048

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Eric’s birthday is coming up!! (August 2nd)

Eric King

Eric’s 29th birthday is coming up on August 2nd! If anyone wants to send him some love and solidarity there are a few ways;

Send a card or write a letter:
Eric King
27090045
CCA Leavenworth
100 Highway Terrace
Leavenworth, KS 66048

Eric’s amazon wishlist is here (or send him a book that is a favorite of yours )
http://www.amazon.com/registry/giftlist/OEWNQ9RMQGZR

Drop a small amount into his fundraiser ($5-$10 adds up fast)
http://fnd.us/c/0yoZc/sh/a4jVK6

If you want to put money on his books directly:
(Eric’s number is 2162883)
Instructions for Depositing Money into Inmate Trust via Western Union
1. You can send money via Western Union by using the Internet, by phone or by a Walk-in
Cash Payment. The website for internet is http://www.westernunion.com/corrections. The
phone number for phone quick collect is 1-800-634-3422 FREE.
2. To send money via a Western Union Walk-In Cash Payment Location the following is a
sample of a quick collect form.

westernunion

(A) Love and Solidarity!

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Update On Solitary Confinement 7-14-2015

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Was able to visit Eric this last week! He is still working  through  some medical things but is feeling  strong and in good spirits! This month marks 6 months being held in solitary confinement. He had a reclassification hearing to determine if he could  leave the hole but it was decided that he will remain on “life” status which means he will remain there for the duration of his time at CCA Leavenworth.  The support  he receives from comrades has been irreplaceable in keeping  him strong! Eric wants to express his gratitude for all the amazing letters and books that folks have sent him.

In solidarity  ( A )