Dear, Maddy and the rest of the organization

Here are my answers to your letter of October 1, 2021.

1. I work as a Barber. I enjoy my work because I work for the population. 

2. Without the prison slavery the government would not be able to incarcerate as many people as they do now. They could not force people to work. They would have to pay them a fair wage and not pennies.

3. In short, I'm a slave.

4. I would like to assist the campaign in any manner that I can.

5. I’m not sure if any listens to prison radio, due to the fact that tables they give us only picks up a few station.

Sincerely,
David S.

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LETTER 2

To Whom it May Concern: 

Before I respond to the questions you requested I consider, I would like to bring you up to date on my present situation.

Since the last time I have written, I moved because I refused to work in the kitchen at the [redacted] Unit, at the [redacted] Complex in [redacted], Arizona. Let me give you some background on Arizona work policies. In Arizona if you request a work assignment they will give you one. It may not be the one you requested but it’s somewhere to start. I have been working for most of my time because I needed the money. Around 2020, I received a substantial amount of money that I no longer need to work but I continued to because I liked my job as a barber. In March of 2022 I was transferred from the old [redacted] complex to the [redacted] complex in [redacted], Arizona. Initially I requested a work assignment but due to the amount of fellows on the unit, after 6 months of no reply for employment I decided to retire because I decided it would be wrong to take a job from another who might need it more. So, in June of 2023, I received a memo from the W.I.P.P. (work incentive pay program) C.O telling me because of the facility needs I was going to be assigned to the [redacted] kitchen as a kitchen helper at the rate of .10¢ per hour. Now, at my past job I received .45¢ per hour. Now, you need to understand this: To do this job you must show up 1 hour in advanced to get stripped-up(get naked) and then transferred to that unit. I did not want to do this. So, I explained this to the C.O. and he stated putting me on report for not going. I explained to him that because of my age and my past work in kitchen’s I should get a pass and, a younger fellow should get the job. Well, to come to a close, because I did refuse to work I was transferred to the [redacted] complex in [redacted], Arizona, in retaliation. So, now I’m retired once more but now I am classified as non-duty. A doctor at the [redacted] complex removed my work status after I was having a medical issue and did not put a return to find duty date on my work status.

I personally do not work at this time but when I last worked I was payed .10¢ per hour. No, it was not enough to support myself. My job prior to my last I made .45¢ per hour and it covered my basic need and some wants but I also hustled by running a store for a 30 to 35 per cent return plus initial. No, I do not think corporations should be able to use prison labor. But they do. At my complex we have Swif Trucking, Hickman’s Egg Ranch, Continonial Tiro, and Sun Country Trailers. Corporations need to pay us what they would pay a worker on the street, and provide the same working conditions and labor rights. But in here, they don’t.

The exception to the 13th lets me know that they do not give a damn about me or my safety. They just use us, and then disregard us. If the 13th was ended, prison would not be profitable for the state or, a corporation, any company, They would have to deal with working, labor rights, and wages. If there was an end to the 13th at my age I’m not sure, I would like to do something constructive but it all depends on what I would be allowed to do? It’s like we were talking among my veteran friends. If the U.S was at war would we go back into the service to free up younger men and women to serve in front line duties? It all depends on what we would do and what we would get out of it. When we were younger we followed orders, now we want to know why. It’s like when I was in the Army, I jumped out of planes now, I don’t think so!

I hope this will help you to help us. If there is anything else you would like to ask, just do it. I will either answer or not (smirk)

Sincerely Yours,

David S.