https://themilitant.com/2019/07/20/victory-over-ban-in-kansas-prisons-boosts-militant-fight-in-florida/
Victory over ban in Kansas prisons boosts ???Militant??? fight in Florida
??By Seth Galinsky
Vol. 83/No. 27
July 29, 2019
Kansas state prison officials overturned their ban on the Militant?? July
5. This victory gives a boost to the fight against censorship in
Florida, the only?? prison system in the country that is systematically
banning the Militant, in violation of the constitutional rights of the
paper and its subscribers behind bars.
The Florida prison system???s Literature Review Committee informed the
Militant?? July 10 that it has upheld the ban on five impounded issues of
the paper. They gave no reason for doing so.
That same day, Union Correctional prison officials impounded yet another
issue of the Militant, simply for having an article about the fight
against censorship. The warden checked the box on their impoundment form
claiming the article ???depicts, describes or encourages activities which
may lead to the use of physical violence or group disruption.???
???Prisoners want to be able to read material of their own choosing, to
think for themselves, to be part of the world, to educate themselves.
Most working people support this right, it strengthens the unity of the
working class,??? said Militant?? editor John Studer. ???The absolutely false
allegation that reading about the prison???s decision to censor news about
their ongoing censorship could lead to violence is just an excuse the
prison officials use to try to isolate and break the spirit of our
brothers and sisters behind bars.???
The Militant?? will appeal the latest ban and fight all efforts to censor
the paper.
The Prison Ministry of?? Riverside Church in New York City sent a letter
to the Florida Department of Corrections July 16. It said the bans were
???part of a troubling pattern by Florida prison officials to silence the
Militant. Each confiscation represents an assault on the United States
Constitution and on all those who care about freedom of thought, inquiry
and expression.???
The letter notes that censorship of issues of the paper gives the
impression that ???Florida prison officials were offended by criticisms of
the prison system.???
Kansas victory
The Militant?? hadn???t known its subscribers in Kansas prisons were being
denied the paper until the end of May, when Newsweek magazine reported
that Books to Prisoners and the Human Rights Defense Center had obtained
and made public a list of 7,000 books and periodicals banned there.
Eight issues of the Militant?? were on the list, but Kansas officials had
never informed the paper.
The Militant?? wrote to one of its Kansas prisoner subscribers to find
out if he had received any issues. Soon after, Kansas officials sent the
Militant?? official notification it had banned three issues.
Fight prison censorship!The socialist newsweekly???s lawyer, David
Goldstein, sent a letter informing Kansas officials that the paper would
appeal all the bans. Douglas Burris, corrections manager, Risk
Management of the Kansas Department of Corrections, replied that the??
central office reviewed and has ???determined that these issues did not
present a direct threat to KDOC operation. The censorships have been
overturned.???
The Militant?? is calling on its readers to use the victory in Kansas to
win more support for overturning Florida prison officials??? ongoing
censorship.
The National Coalition Against Censorship, Amnesty International USA,
the National Lawyers Guild, and the American Civil Liberties Union of
Florida, as well as Riverside Church Prison Ministry have sent letters
to the Literature Review Committee calling on it to overturn the bans.
Many Militant?? readers in Florida prisons are following the fight
closely. ???Thanks for the effort you are making to try to make sure we
receive your newspaper which brings us a lot of important information
about what is happening in the world,??? one Florida prisoner-subscriber
wrote July 11.
Readers of the Militant?? can help. Get co-workers to sign a letter or
petition. Talk to your church group, your local union officials. The
more letters that are sent to Florida prison officials, the greater the
possibility of winning.
In This Issue
Front Page Articles ???SWP campaigns among coal miners, workers in Kentucky
??????Fight for amnesty for immigrants in the US!???
???New stage in bakery???s fight against Oberlin ???racism??? smear
???Amazon warehouse workers protest against speedup and harassment
???Victory over ban in Kansas prisons boosts ???Militant??? fight in Florida
???US, British rulers step up threats against Tehran - US hands off!
Feature Articles ???Divisions wrack Democrats as race-baiting charges fly
Also In This Issue ???SWP calls for workers control of production, safety
at PG&E
???Telecom bosses on trial for driving workers to suicide
???Socialist Workers Party champions desegregation fight
???Walmart???s attendance policy shows need for a union
Editorials ???Ruling is gain for working class
On the Picket Line ???17,000 workers strike Walmart in Chile over wages,
job security
???London train cleaners join 48-hour work stoppage
???California grocery workers rally for wage raise, more work hours
Books of the Month ???Debs: ???Our hearts are with the Bolsheviki in Russia???
25, 50 and 75 years ago
Letters
?? Copyright 2019 The Militant?? -?? 306 W. 37th Street, 13th floor -?? New
York, NY 10018?? -?? themilitant@xxxxxx
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Voltaire
??? Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.
???
??? Voltaire,
