CALL OF SUPPORT FOR JOSEPH ‘’SHINE WHITE’’ STEWART (2024) By Kevin ‘’Rashid’’ Johnson

WHO IS JOSEPH STEWART?

Joseph ‘’Shine White’’ Stewart has suffered many years of brutal oppression at the hands of North Carolina prison officials because of his tireless work as an imprisoned revolutionary anti-racist and anti-imperialist.

He is a political prisoner whose political development and activities occurred during his imprisonment as a social prisoner and former street tribe member.

At present he serves as national spokesperson for the Revolutionary Intercommunal White Panther Organization (RIWPO), an arm of the Revolutionary Intercommunal Black Panther Party (RIBPP) (many of his political writings can be read at http://rashidmod.com). In this role he has been at the head of efforts to educate and raise the political consciousness of white prisoners in particular, and to counter the miseducation of whites with reactionary views that divide and play whites and Blacks and other people of color against each other as part of the divide and conquer strategies of the ruling class. He has also raised his voice in opposition against abuses of other prisoners by officials.

LOSS OF SUPPORT

Shine once had a substantial outside support network consisting if a broad base of people who originally supported Keith Washington, a man previously supported widely as a prisoner activist, but who was later exposed by the San Francisco Bay View as an informant. In fact Keith had helped Shine build his support network.

When Keith was exposed Shine denounced him, even as many of the people in their mutual support network continued to work with Keith. Shine rejected this position and separated himself from these people. As a result he suffered a serious blow to his outside support base. At the same time people in Shine’s organizational circles also fell through in supporting or even communicating with him.

This loss of support happened at just the time that prison officials intensified their repression against Shine.

OPPRESSION OF SHINE

At North Carolina’s Bertie Correctional Center Shine exposed prisoner suicides which prompted media investigations. These investigations resulted in the warden’s exposure and indictment for embezzlement. In retaliation for this officials had Shine transferred to NC’s supermax prison and thrown in solitary confinement, under the pretext of falsely naming him as an accomplice to the murder of a Comrade of his in a cellblock that he wasn’t even housed in. He remains in solitary confinement.

At the NC supermax unit his property was destroyed and he was left on strip cell status with no personal property for nearly a month. He’d also been attacked and beaten by guards.

Then in March 2023 he tested positive for hepatitis C and hyperthyroidism. His liver had been badly damaged from the untreated hepatitis. He also believes he may have thyroid cancer. Officials refuse him treatment and testing for these conditions and he has no means of compelling their cooperation.

We are calling on as many people as possible to (1) join Shine’s outside support network by contacting him and extending support, and (2) contact North Carolina prison officials and demand his release from solitary confinement and that he be given all needed treatment and testing for his hepatitis and possible thyroid cancer.

Shine can be contracted at:

Joseph Stewartgov
0802041
Granville Correctional Institution
PO Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

Dare to Struggle Dare to Win!
All Power to the People!

We are calling for a sustained email and telephine zap on Shine’s behalf. Emails and phone complaints should be directed to the following officials:

Todd Ishee – Secretary of NC DAC: Todd.ishee@dac.nc.gov

For calls, contact through Executive Assistant Bridgette Morris-McLawhorn: 919-707-8643

Brande Harris – Chief Deputy Secretary of Operations: brandeshawn.harris@dac.nc.gov

Peter Buchholtz – Deputy Secretary of Operations:

919-944-7612
peter.buchholtz@dac.nc.gov

Heracio Haywood – Central Region Director

919-733-0800
heracio.haywood@dac.nc.gov