Prisoners Near Death As 1,700 California Inmates Continue Hunger Strike To Protest Appalling Conditions | ThinkProgress Interesting article, I thought. As reprehensible as the crimes of some of these inmates may seem to us or society at large, I believe we as a nation nevertheless have the obligation to observe basic human rights when dealing with our convicted criminals. It's called a justice system, not a revenge system, yanowatimean?
If they want better conditions, they should work for them. Refusing to eat isn't going to make the conditions better.
I don't know man ^^ 200 dudes forced to live in a gym? 50 guys using the same toilet? If your gonna put these guys in prison, you gotta at least give them basic necessities. The real problem looks to be the overpopulation of the CA prisons.
actually if they hold out to the point that they look like jews in a concentration camp the ENTIRE country will be like WTF?! you may think "its just some fucking prisoners" but, they have family members, friends and other people they know. prison conditions can be pretty fucking bad, not to mention we all know we dont lock up everyone who deserves it.
I didn't put them in prison, but I think if people are going to imprison aggressors, the prisoners should be made to pay their own way or at least part of their way. Forcing the victims to pay for their aggressor's food, shelter, health care, etc. (through taxation) is not something I endorse. The real problem is the drug war. Eh, the US has done way worse things than this (just in the last 10 years). Don't count on the entire country actually caring about this. Obviously. I still don't think the victims should be made to pay so that their aggressors can live healthy lives. Of course many of the people in there don't deserve to be imprisoned mostly because of the drug laws and they don't deserve any of this. I just don't like how the victims are made to pay so that their aggressor can live a reasonably healthy life. There are children, all around the world, starving. Why do US tax dollars go to feeding homicidal maniacs?
"'No one wants to die,' James Crawford, a prisoner serving a life sentence for murder and robbery, said in a statement provided by a coalition of prisoners’ rights groups. 'Yet under this current system of what amounts to intense torture, what choice do we have? If one is to die, it will be on our own terms." Uhm.....anyone else notice a problem with this quote? So convicted murderers get to choose on what terms they die, but their victims don't? Awesome. Pelican Bay isn't for petty criminals, it's a Supermax prison that houses the worst of the worst. If they didn't want to live in a tiny cell with no windows, they shouldn't have murdered people in the first place (or whatever heinous crime of which they were convicted).
I don't think it's "just some fucking prisoners," I think it's just the scum of the scum of the earth. You know who else had family members and friends? The people murdered by the fucks in Pelican Bay. Again, if they didn't want to waste away their lives in prison, they shouldn't have committed the crimes in the first place. It's cliche, but if you can't do the time, don't do the crime.
^^ it's not just pelican bay, it's happening across different prisons in ca. .... one prison not too far from me has like 1000+ inmates participating in the strike, and it's a medium to low security facility.... i guess they also had a hunger strike ealier this year too at the same prison.... guess it didn't work too well
I feel ya on the issue of tax dollars going to help homicidal maniacs like those housed in Pelican Bay. The problem I have with the apalling prison conditions has naught to do with any compassion for the scum of the earth housed in these prisons, and everything to do with human rights. The U.S. is, theoretically, supposed to ensure basic human rights for all it's citizens, even if they are murdering scumbags. To make an exception for prisoners like these opens the door to other possible human rights abuses. From my perspective, a society that wants to call itself civilized must observe those kinds of human rights for all.(I.E system of justice not vengeance) I mean, come on, it's not like these guys are asking for 5 star-hotel treatment here.
Its important to define what you think basic human rights are. I'd say .... Food, Shelter, Bed, And shower. Its supposed to be appalling. To match the appalling crimes they commit. I do have more sympathy for appalling conditions that non violent offenders have to endure.
Ok, time to rant a little (you are warned); If we want to improve prisons, all it takes is to stop tossing pot smokers in there, while letting out the violent criminals. Tons of savings..but that is only a start. More room, more $ to spend on security, ensuring the violent ones can't practice their dirty deeds....raping other prisoners, gangbanging continues behind bars...even gang leaders can run things while in prison due to having contact to the outside...cut access, they can serve time with out having contact with their gangs. Seriously...if not for the overwhelming number of pot smokers in prison, there would be enough room...as for conditions..those whiny fucks should look at Turkish prison systems....we coddle our violent types, baby their asses, give them education, medical care, good food and *GASP* cable/satellite tv, internet access....so, how the FUCK are they living in poor conditions compared to hardworking honest people living in poverty????...Time to stop, let them be PUNISHED for preying on others. It isn't revenge, it is PUNISHMENT. Priorities, free the pot smokers, remove the day care crap and if the prisoner wants to EARN privileges, they can have that opportunity, or rot in their cells. This is for the violent types, murderers, rapist, armed robbers. For the white collar criminals, some hard labor camps seem fitting, vs club-fed with private apartments. let the white collar types learn a lesson that it isn't nice to fuck over the blue collar types. Child molesters...FUCK THEM, just use the guillotine, don't allow them to live. Politicians, caught selling out the public they work for to line their pockets with money...hang them. now a big problem, enacting any of the above...a corrupt system, it will sell freedoms and privileges to those that can pay...sad but true, it's already happening, has been for centuries. No easy 'fix', but the one thing that can be done, without fear of it causing others harm, is let the little Johny's and Susie's out of prison for having some pot...that alone will save the prison system more than enough to secure the violent types. making the prison system better overnight.
-Eight Amendment, U.S. Constitution I know its not as cool or flashy as say the 1st or 2nd Amendment, but this seems pretty cut-and-dry to me. I hate to say it, but our bill of rights extends to all criminals including those housed in Pelican Bay or those in a low level joint.
Wow, no shit, I had no idea this kind of protest was going on! Thanks for posting this! This goes in hand with this news report [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vcGha-7qHU]High Court to California: Cut Prison Inmates - YouTube[/ame] CA Ordered to Reduce Prison Overcrowding by Supreme Court; Guv Says Realignment Vital Computer errors allow violent California prisoners to be released unsupervised
What more can be said than this war on drugs has been an utter failure.. Its a shame that violent offenders are getting out early because there no more room to lock up drug offenders..Drugs are a social problem not a criminal problem.. I'd like to see some numbers on the cost of the war on drugs..
If i were the warden of that prison, i'd start grilling steaks and blowing the tasty steak smell around the prison. hunger strike solved..