I am the absent big brother in my family. Having been in prison 40 years, my younger siblings have suffered the anguish of my absence, not being there for them at crucial times in their lives. For the most part, they understand my absence, understand the political nature of my incarceration. So, sinceI am the big brother in my family, I certainly don’t need a Big Brother, nor does my family.

Unfortunately, President Obama does not believe that, and like former President Bill Clinton andGeorge Bush, he has signed into law a bill that will severely undermine and erode democratic civil liberties. When Clinton was in office, in “...1985 Clinton administration Crime Bill effectively caused the criminalization of poverty, ensuring the poor, unemployed, and homeless were likely to suffer the penalties of incarceration, essentially feeding the prison industrial complex.” (quote from Pg.291, WeAre Our Own Liberators). However, President Obama took this dynamic a huge step forward, more on that in a minute.“

On May 9, 2007, President Bush issued National Security Presidential Directive 51 titled, “NationalContinuity Policy.” In it, he instructs the Secretary of Homeland Security to coordinate with private sector owners and operators of critical infrastructure, as appropriate, in order to provide for the delivery of essential services during an emergency. This policy (Presidential decree) federalized anFBI program of deputizing corporate business representatives, under the auspices of InfraGuard, as citizen-spies for the FBI and Homeland Security in preparation for the implementation of martial law.”(Pg. 296, Liberators). Correspondingly, it should be noted, on 12/30/11, the New York Times reported in “Court Upholds Law That Protects Companies Aiding U.S. Surveillance,” that the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, “... upheld the constitutionality of a federal law that grants immunity to telecommunications companies that assist the federal government in conducting surveillance ofAmerican citizens.” In essence, AT&T, Sprint, Nextel and Verizon Communications are using their mobile phone services to maintain federal surveillance of U.S. citizens for the federal government, with immunity.

Most recently, it was reported that Mayor Bloomberg of NYC is permitting infra-red cameras to be posted on street corners to effectively “x-ray” pedestrians to determine if any are carrying weapons from their body heat. Not unlike what is at airports, these high-tech surveillance cameras are being placed on city streets.

Now, when President Obama recently signed into law the “2012 National Defense Authorization Act,”he virtually ensured the most brutal and repressive segment of the prison industrial complex grows.Under this new law, the U.S. government allows the military to detain any American citizen“suspected” of being a “terrorist” without trial; for U.S. citizens difficult to apprehend to target them for summary execution, i.e., assassination; to arrest U.S. citizens video recording police actions; allow the police to use GPS devices to track the movement of thousands of people suspected of criminal activity; and permit police/military use of aerial surveillance drones to covertly monitor U.S. citizens.

When all of these corporate/government legal maneuvers are considered in their collective operations, the only conclusion we can make is the police state is here, and the prison industrial complex is the last rung in state repression. It is obvious that Big Brother has plans for the family ofU.S. citizens that ultimately put everyone in jeopardy of losing their freedom. As a Cointelpro/Newkill victim, this is something I know from first hand experience!So, Family, let’s get organized to challenge telecommunication corporations, city governments, andPresidential decrees that severely deny civil liberties and support the advent of fascism.

In fierce struggle,

Jalil A. Muntaqim

1/23/12