I don’t care if I am now held in prison because I stood a just or unjust trial, or because my charges were cooked inside a department of the Greek police; not even if some mass media, like zougla, espresso, and so forth, were in a hurry for their next edition, and thus wrote whatever they—or better yet the cops—wanted without substantiating their assertions in any way. I don’t care because I neither acknowledge, nor respect any law or court, let alone those ‘people’ who enforce laws on us and take care of their implementation and propagation (from the most apathetic cop to the president of the republic). Especially since their only aim is to preserve social inequality, thereby the rich to remain rich and the poor to either become their slaves or at least unable to disrupt this kind of balance. Whoever understands this binary system (oppressor-oppressed) can explain almost everything that occurs at the political-economic level.
That’s also how I get why prison exists, therefore why I am now in prison. Prison exists for two reasons. Firstly, to be a fear production factory for those that stand outside its walls, so that they never dare to break any frame specified by the law —claiming either more tangible goods and comforts, or more liberties (what can be seen as basic difference between criminal and political prisoners); secondly, to deliver revenge and isolation against those who were not afraid but rather dared to seek something better for themselves or their social class. Any other reason put forward to justify prison’s existence—for example, that is intended for bloodthirsty murderers, lunatic rapists, and so on—is merely used for its moral acceptance by society. After all, if this wasn’t just an excuse for the likes of such offenders, one single prison would suffice rather than dozens we have nowadays.
In closing this first letter of mine from prison, which is addressed to my comrades, I’d like to suggest that every struggle of ours against authority, law and prisons should have their total abolition as its main goal, and not their reform or improvement into something more fair or humane —because this would mean we accept their character and only disagree on specific details. So, let’s show them that what we want is everything by limiting conversation with them to arsons, looting and clashes —unless someone believes we are more likely to win what we want if we ask for it politely.
A burnt building is vandalism
Many burnt buildings are revolution
S.M., Trikala prisons, March 2012
http://en.contrainfo.espiv.net/2012/06/01/trikala-greece-letter-of-prison-inmate-s-m/