Transcript
"You bitched up!" a nazi wanna-be named "T-Ball" spat at me, right after he threw a tumbler full of his shit and piss on me through the many holes of my cell front. I was surprised because "solid ass woods" in general population are not supposed to handle business like that. But as you read on, hypocrisy is rampant in this place. "T-Ball" was a pod porter. And that night he was let out to work. The officer in the control room is supposed to stay in the control room to supervise all the porters' and to close the porter's cell door so his celly can't walk out. That night, the officer left the control room, leaving "T-Ball's" cell door wide open. So for two hours I'm a sitting duck. My only defense to the constant bombardment of shit, piss, boiling water, darts, and mop bucket water is a blanket. My shoulders screamed from holding it up like a shield that whole time. And by utilizing a thin piece of plastic, "T-Ball" was able to open the little trap doors on several cells and had other inmates supply him and his celly with boiling water. It didn't matter what I said. All the profanities I screamed at them. The feeble attempts I made to throw on them back. It didn't matter that I brought up the fact that a week earlier they could have jumped me out in the recreation cage and they were bitches for not doing so. Also the fact that they are supposed to wait until we go to rec or class and handle me good and proper. It didn't matter. I was now a "piece of shit" in everyone's eyes. Even the other races had no love for me. Even my "homie" who once told me that he loved me and he had my back no matter what, was no longer talking to me. I was labelled "no good" because I was told to beat up my celly and send him on his way, and I refused to do so. Why was my celly "no good?" They wouldn't tell me. All I know is that one minute I'm tattooing my celly, and the next thing I know our pod porter gives me a note from "T-Ball" saying I have to smash out my celly because "family" said so. And if I didn't do it, I could "walk in the same shoes" as my celly. At first I was going to do as I was told. Then I started to think about it, and I told myself fuck that shit, I'm not a mindless herd-animal. I'm nobody's puppet. The "family" (Aryan Brotherhood and their associates) can kiss my ass. Not to mention that "T-Ball" and his celly "Newschool" were reclassed to go to a lower security yard where they would have more freedom. So of course they wanted me to do their dirty work. So I write them back and I basically tell them to go fuck themselves. I also take it a step further - I tell my celly what was going on. I was hoping my celly stand his ground and we would wage war against these guys, but he requested protective custody and left me to the wolves. Maybe I should have smashed him out. I knew there was going to be consequences for what I did and didn't do. I just didn't realize how treacherous and scandalous it was about to get. Two days after my celly leaves, I have rec with my pod and the next pod over, where the slimy "T-Ball" and his ilk lay their heads. I thought I was going to get jumped but I went to rec anyway. They didn't do shit to me. They asked me questions, but that was it. But when rec is over and I go back to my cell, I see a familiar face. It was a white boy I used to be cool with. We used to work out together and talk, but now he was waiting for me in my cell with my adapter in a sock and tells me "we gotta get it in." I wanted to tell him that countless white boys like him, he was just being used to do someone else's dirty work because they didn't want to get in trouble. And that wanting to earn his "white pride" tattoo by beating up a white boy for not beating up another white boy was absurd. But it wouldn't do any good. So instead, I said "let's go bitch" and I rush him. He hits me upside my head one good time, but other than that the fight was all me. At least up to the point the C.O.s (correction officers) tazed us. After the fight, we get taken out facedown on gurneys to medical, and from there we go to S.S.U.'s office (special security unit) to be interviewed, separately. They asked me what was the fight for and I tell them it was just a personal issue between me and him, even though they knew it was obviously a hit. They ended up making me sign a waiver stating that I was not in fear for my life and I was good to go back to general population. I was moved to pod 3 (there are 6 pods) with a different set of people, and the puppet boy I fought is sent back to his original pod (pod 5.) And since there are only two pods taken out to rec in a single session, I wouldn't run into him or "T-Ball" again. When I get to my new pod, I notice something is off. It turns out, prior to the fight, "T-Ball" launched a smut campaign. Telling everyone (64 people total, plus 64 people on the other side) that I was no good and if I came back to smash me out. But my neighbors, who were white boys, saw that I was being done dirty. They actually tried helping me "clean up" the situation. We went to rec and they didn't make a move on me. They even talked to the other races in our pod, told them I was all good, that I had just had some dudes hating on me. There was actually some hope. But that ended after a week. Out of nowhere, I get told to roll up, that I was moving to pod 5. Why was I getting moved? Apparently somebody wanted me moved. What's crazy is the dude I fought, and the two dudes who told him to do it, "T-Ball" and "Newschool," are all in pod 5. S.S.U. is a group of officers who are the gang task force of sorts in the Arizona prison system. Now I've heard of S.S.U. doing shady shit all the time. That's nothing new. But this was my first time being a victim of their corruption. Two days after I was showered with all that foulness, they moved "Newschool" to a different yard. And two days after that, they moved "T-Ball" to the other side of the hallway. One rec day, the same S.S.U. officer who interviewed me after the fight comes to my door and tells me that he couldn't let me go to rec because he knew there was going to be problems and it was a mistake that I was in that pod and I was going to get moved soon, so I didn't even get my change to get at puppet boy and make him pay. They let everyone go to rec except me. Now I knew they all thought I was too scared to go to rec, but honestly they assassinated my character so bad that I didn't give a shit anymore. Because if they can't whoop you, intimidate you, or make you their puppet, then they will spread lies and smut you up. When they came back from rec, puppet boy's celly walked up to my door and tells me that he was impressed that I stuck around and that I seemed like a "decent peckerwood," but it wasn't going to do me any good to stick around. The call was made official, I was "no good." And it wouldn't matter who I fought or stabbed, the end result would be the same. So I spent the rest of the night coming to grips about the whole thing. When I finally accepted it I rolled my stuff up and left two days later. I washed my hands of it all. So now I'm in a part of the facility known as "all bad," where dudes like me who are in hot water live, whether they deserve it or not. But it's all good. It's a lot better over here. I can be my own man and just do my time... At least for now. In the Arizona state prison system, at least on the surface, it boils down to race. The Mexican Americans, Mexican Nationals, black, white, and native Americans. But there are also subdivisions of these races, or "cars." The blacks usually divide themselves by street gangs, like bloods and crips. For the white boys you got skinheads and peckerwoods. (usually just called "woods.") And the native Americans are split into two different gangs. One is the "Dane" (duh-nay) and the other is the "Warrior Society." The Mexican Americans are loyal to the AZ "Mexican Mafia," but you also have another sect called "Trigger 13" who are not a threat inside prison but have a strong foothold in the streets. The white boys follow orders set in place by the AZ Aryan Brotherhood, and the Mexican Nationals' "Big Homies" are the "Border Brothers," and even though they are their own people, they still have to pay drug taxes to the Mexican Mafia. The Aryan Brotherhood and the Mexican Mafia, like in California, are allied here in the Arizona prisons. It's crazy that the masses are still in fear of these "Big Homies" because virtually all patch holding inmates that are incarcerated are in mandatory lockdown in the max security, "Security Threat Group" section (STG.) But they still manage to get their orders out by utilizing the mail or other means. Each gang has at least one underling on each yard throughout Arizona that runs things for them. These "Big Homies" in training get the dope sold, run stores (loaning of store with interest), run poker tables and football pools, and any other money making schemes and sends the "Big Homies" their cut through the people on the streets. They also dish out discipline whether it be having their soldiers beat people up or stab people for breaking the rules. They also have the power to call race wars or start riots. And when some poor fool that happens to be on the "Big Homies" hit list, it's time for the puppet to earn his patch. And if he succeeds in killing the target, he earns his patch. But he also gets slammed down with the other STG validated "Big Homies." See what a guy can accomplish if he only believes in himself? Enjoy that slammed down life "Big Homie" you earned it! Everyone in here is in everybody else's business. You are forced into a set of rules and a racial mentality as soon as you come here. Your life doesn't belong to you. It's like being in prison within prison. There is so much gossip and slander, it's like a violent high school where the majority is trying to be one of the cool kids. Inmates only cell up with members of the same race. The only exceptions being Mexican Americans, Mexican Nationals, and native Americans can cell up with each other too. In the chow hall and on the rec field every rave has its own set of tables. In the chow hall, the tables are treated like countries. C.O.'s and members of other races can't cross into another race's section. If that were to happen, it would be seen as an invasion and a war could pop off. Each pod has a "head" or a spokesperson for each race. Usually each building has a "head" as well. And every yard has a "head." The pod "heads" act as leaders and go-betweens to "maintain peace" amongst their race and members of different races. For example, a white inmate owes a Mexican inmate money and the Mexican is tired of waiting. The Mexican will go to his "head" and that "head" will bring the issue to the white inmate's "head." After that, a few things can happen. Discipline can be brought to the inmate, like a "chin check," (letting another man punch you in the face.) Or you can be forced to fight one of the pods "soldiers." The inmate can be put on "shine." "Shine" is a psychological, degrading measure which requires everyone, other races too, to treat you like you don't exist. No one can talk to you. You sit at your own table in the chow hall, and you have nothing coming from anyone. If you owe money for dope or a store bill you have not paid, you can be put on "blocks" which means you can't buy anymore dope or store anything out. If the guys' debt is severe enough to be labelled "no good" or it's a combination of things that ultimately lead to this call, he could be beaten up by two or more people or stabbed. But ultimately the call to get a guy smashed or stabbed is up [to] the "head" of the yard, the "Big Homie" in training. Every inmate, at least if you're white, Mexican, or native American is required to have their "paperwork." They must have their court papers, police reports, police interview, plea agreements, etc. If you don't have your paperwork to prove you're not a rat or a child molester or any other kind of sex offender, then you will be treated as "no good" and will be dealt with as such. There are rules. The universal ones are pay your bills, don't cross into another race's table, no stealing from inmates, don't kick a guy while he's down, don't use weapons on dudes that are "all good," and if you're "in the mix," you have to pay your taxes or "yard cut." Also, despite popular belief, there is no homosexuality allowed of any kind. The "woodpile" (white inmates) have some of the most ridiculous rules. Like no smoking after other races, don't let other races sit on your bed, don't accept cooked food (canteen) from other races, (but you can cook for other races.) If you're trying to buy dope or store canteen out, go to the white boys first. Some old school guys will even frown on having the "B.E.T." channel programmed on your TV and will tell you to program it off. And there is of course certain peer pressures unique to the "woodpile." Like embracing (at least a little) white supremacy. Like no breeding outside your own race and despising whites who do, hating blacks, and an unquestionable loyalty to the Aryan Brotherhood. So an impressionable, gullible youngster will look at these tyrants (AB) as heroes instead of the villains that they are, and themselves will want to become a part of this "cause." Whether it be beating the shit out of other white boys that break the rules to earn their ink, and/or buying dope from people they claim to hate (other races,) and then turn around to sell the dope to their own people for a profit. Oh, and don't forget to pay your taxes to your "heroes" Mr. White Power. Imagine yourself on the rec yard playing a game of poker and you notice your "fellow wood" with a swastika on his arm. You ask him how he earned that swastika. He tells you he smashed out some "piece of shit." You ask him what made that dude a "piece of shit" and he tells you he was "no good" because he was a dope fiend who couldn't pay his bills. Ok Mr. Nazi Guy, riddle me this. If you're a white man who's about white power and you supposedly love "our people," and you want to protect "our people," and advance "our people," why did you let that white man buy dope from other races? Why did you let him buy dope from you? Why did you let him do dope in the first place? Everything about these delusional Hitler wannabes stinks of hypocrisy. They literally wear the hypocrisy on their skin with nazi tattoos they earned from attacking the people they claim to love and protect! Oh you hate blacks huh? You weren't saying that when you were sharing the same syringe to shoot up your dope. Oh you say "fuck cops" huh? You weren't saying that when you paid one of them to bring you in that cell phone. "Snitches get stitches" huh? You weren't saying that when you were snitching out your competitors. Or when you were keeping S.S.U. in the loop to stay on the yard. (This is a common practice believe it or nor. It's not seen as snitching.) And the other races have similar programs. But the whites and the Mexican Americans are by far the worst. Nobody realizes that the politics that the inmates created to "maintain the peace" is actually doing the exact opposite. It's a never ending cycle. A dude who is a "solid ass wood" one day is declared "no good" the next day. How can this go on? How come this shit hasn't completely imploded by now? I just want to scream from the middle of the yard, "you don't have to do what the tyrants say! You don't have to live in fear! It could be different! It could be better! Rise up and make the change for the better!" But all that would do is get me sent to the hospital or killed. And I don't want to become somebody's ink. Is there any hope that things can change? Thanks to a federal mandate, the answer is yes. Like I said before, the Arizona prison system is so racially segregated, even prison officials and administration follow the inmates lead. Prison policy does not allow racial mixing of cell mates (excluding exceptions mentioned before.) That is all going to change, thanks to two inmates who wanted to be cellies but couldn't because policy forbade it. A long running lawsuit has finally been won. By 2021, the entire prison system (besides STG validated/STG stepdown) has to be integrated. Race will no longer play a role in celling inmates together (unless the inmate is so racist and incorrigible celling him up with another race would cause a violent incident.) Inmates who comply will be rewarded with incentives like more yard time, more job and programming opportunities, video game access of some kind, and consequences for non-compliance, is rumored to be loss of privileges like no property, no store, and being on lockdown. This is huge. This is the catalyst that is hopefully going to put an end to the tyranny. There are several reasons why. When the inmates are racially segregated, they are easier to control and manipulate. If inmates are not segregated, the "Big Homies" will lose power, control, and influence, and once those are gone the money goes too. Racial segregation is the root of the "Big Homies" power. Everything that comes after is able to exist because of this reality. If you were to end this, the "Big Homies" power would disappear, and these "Big Homies" know this. So of course, by signing this agreement to integrate, you will be declared "no good." It's the same jacket as a protective custody inmate in their eyes. But this is a good thing! Here's why. By making it law to not comply with this mandate, these tyrants have sealed their fate. When an inmate signs this agreement, he will eventually be transferred to an integrated yard with other compliant inmates. So how is a guy going to feel the wrath of the "Big Homies?" The old law is going to die. On these yards, nobody is around to follow the old law or enforce it. They are free. Not to mention all the P.C. (protective custody) rejects bouncing around from yard to yard. (P.C. is not easy to obtain, most if not almost all inmates are denied this P.C. status and simply thrown back to the wolves.) Between them, the integrated inmates, the cliques popping up in the power vacuum on these integrated yards, and the integrated inmates coming straight from reception who are new to prison, will be the nails that seal the racist political coffin. And one day, the inmates who have been actual victims of the old law will actually run into their old tormentors. Now who's outnumbered? The tables have turned. Say hello to the new "pieces of shit." I've talked to C.O.'s and inmates alike who have been on these integrated yards. There are three facilities that have been fully integrated. There is no politics, no racial bullshit. Nobody runs anybody. You can associate with anyone you want. You can be your own man. You can simply do your time, free from the tyrants' power. It doesn't surprise me that the "Big Homies" think they are stronger than a federal mandate. It also doesn't surprise me that instead of taking the fight to the administration, they want to beat up ourselves. That's the [memo?]. If the C.O.s try to put another race in your cell, you have to fight him immediately. That's more proof on how much these "Big Homies" care about us. So think about all the inmates slammed down in their cells dealing with all the consequences for not integrating. They are miserable, and starting to realize that it's all a bunch of bullshit. Not to mention that all the golden carrots being dangled in front of them to make them comply. And the "Big Homies" have nothing to offer but misery and threats of violence. The ship is sinking folks! So what difference does it make if you jump off now or wait until it's fully submerged in water? I'm hopeful for the future. I've signed the agreement to integrate. It's still a little early, but I'm sure I'll be able to walk the yard and simply do my time.
