Letters keep going to the Florida Department of Corrections Literature Review Committee urging it to overturn the ban imposed by Jackson Correctional Institution authorities in Malone on Militant issue no. 17 at the end of April.
This impoundment violates prisoners’ basic constitutional rights to read newspapers and political literature of their choice, and freedom of the press, the right of the Militant and other publications to reach their subscribers behind bars. The fact that the fight has dragged on for over four months makes it worse.
The banned issue of the Militant contained an article reprinting the opening chapter of Pathfinder’s latest book, The Fight Against Jew-Hatred and Pogroms in the Imperialist Epoch: Stakes for the International Working Class. Prison authorities particularly objected to one of the photos, an Associated Press picture widely printed in papers in Florida and worldwide. It shows the body of a Jewish man murdered by Hamas during the Nazi-like group’s Oct. 7 pogrom against Jews in Israel being driven around Gaza City to cheers by Islamist thugs and their supporters.
Jackson authorities wrote, “Picture shows dead person being paraded around on a motorcycle. Magazine depict hatred toward a specific race.” They then claimed the photo and, for unspecified reasons, the whole newspaper, are “dangerously inflammatory,” encouraging “riot, insurrection, rebellion” and “organized prison protest.”
The Literature Review Committee initially upheld the impoundment at a July 18 meeting, but did not consider the Militant’s appeal or give any reason for their decision. Library Services Administrator Saritza Legault informed Militant attorney David Goldstein of this decision Aug. 21. She wrote that “the Publisher’s Appeal and all of the associated letters of support” would be reviewed at the committee’s meeting Aug. 29. Since then neither Goldstein nor the Militant have heard anything further.
“With respect to what happened with the Jackson Correctional Institution and the confiscation of Militant issue no. 17,” one prisoner in Florida wrote to the Militant, “I don’t see anything in the photo that could cause disturbances inside Florida prison.
“The majority of Muslims in the prisons are Sunnis loyal to the teachings of the Koran. The Koran condemns any act of terrorism and what happened on Oct. 7,” he wrote. “I join with the thousands of people who are against the Oct. 7 pogrom and who are against terrorism and who really follow Islam.”
Other workers behind bars in Florida prisons have sent letters to the committee opposing the ban. There are 118 Militant subscribers in Florida state prisons.
Since the Militant issue was impounded, dozens of organizations and individuals have sent letters urging that the ban be reversed. They include the American Civil Liberties Union in Florida and nationally, Amnesty International, PEN America, Florida Press Association, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and many others.
Email to Saritza.Legault@fdc.myflorida.com, with copies to themilitant@mac.com.