Tens of thousands of prisoners on strike in Georgia since last Thursday. - Polidicks

Georgia as in the state, not the country. [url]http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/41235/the-largest-prison-strike-in-american-history-goes-ignored-by-us-media/[/url] [quote]Inmates in ten Georgia prisons, Baldwin, Hancock, Hays, Macon, Smith and Telfair State Prisons, to name a few, went on strike last Thursday to protest their treatment and demand their human rights. According to an article by Facing South, Department of Corrections have been nervous about deteriorating conditions in Georgia’s prisons since early 2010. Wardens started triple bunking prisoners in response to budget cuts—squeezing three prisoners into cells intended for one. Prison officials have kept a watchful eye out for prisoners meaning to riot, for prisoners’ rights lawyers to litigate, or both. Poor conditions and substandard medical care are also on the inmates’ list of demands. However, the jailed’s main gripe seems to center on landing recognition as workers entitled to fair pay. As it goes, prisoners in Georgia are forced to work without pay for their labor—seemingly a violation of the 13th Amendment, which prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude. For months the prisoners had apparently used cell phones to get in touch with inmates from other prisons, organizing a non-violent strike. The outcome began the morning of Dec. 9—by Dec. 13 the GDC issued a statement that four prisons were completely on strike. An interview with one of the strike leaders revealed that every group of inmates in the prison had been working together. “They want to break up the unity we have here,” said an anonymous strike leader in an interview with the Black Agenda Report. “We have the Crips and the Bloods, we have the Muslims, we have the head Mexicans, and we have the Aryans all with a peaceful understanding, all on common ground.” The largest prison strike in American history seems like a topic ripe for the press, however there was no mention of it anywhere in mainstream media. Smaller outlets like Black Agenda Report and Facing South (Institute for Southern Studies) have been covering the strike since day one. Perhaps there was a larger hand at play—one that did not want the deplorable conditions of the Georgia prison system to surface. If Wikileaks has taught us anything, it is that the revolution will be televised. The prisoners demands: [b]A LIVING WAGE FOR WORK: In violation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude, the DOC demands prisoners work for free. EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: For the great majority of prisoners, the DOC denies all opportunities for education beyond the GED, despite the benefit to both prisoners and society. DECENT HEALTH CARE: In violation of the 8th Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishments, the DOC denies adequate medical care to prisoners, charges excessive fees for the most minimal care and is responsible for extraordinary pain and suffering. AN END TO CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENTS: In further violation of the 8th Amendment, the DOC is responsible for cruel prisoner punishments for minor infractions of rules. DECENT LIVING CONDITIONS: Georgia prisoners are confined in over-crowded, substandard conditions, with little heat in winter and oppressive heat in summer. NUTRITIONAL MEALS: Vegetables and fruit are in short supply in DOC facilities while starches and fatty foods are plentiful. VOCATIONAL AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES: The DOC has stripped its facilities of all opportunities for skills training, self-improvement and proper exercise. ACCESS TO FAMILIES: The DOC has disconnected thousands of prisoners from their families by imposing excessive telephone charges and innumerable barriers to visitation. JUST PAROLE DECISIONS: The Parole Board capriciously and regularly denies parole to the majority of prisoners despite evidence of eligibility.[/b][/quote] inb4 prisoners have no rights

Why should prisoners get paid? They aren't free anyway and they committed a crime and have to serve their time for it.

[QUOTE=bravehat;26782254]Why should prisoners get paid? They aren't free anyway and they committed a crime and have to serve their time for it.[/QUOTE] gee i dunno, maybe a little something called the constitution

If you deprive somebody of their rights you take what the people paying for your living space are generous enough to give you and don't protest for more.

These demands seem like completely reasonable things.

[QUOTE=teh pirate;26782337]If you deprive somebody of their rights you take what the people paying for your living space are generous enough to give you and don't protest for more.[/QUOTE] because all criminals are serial rapists

I'm from Macon, and yes, they prisoners get treated like shit. Glad they're attempting to do something about it.

[QUOTE=Lazor;26782302]gee i dunno, maybe a little something called the constitution[/QUOTE] You committed a crime against another human, why should you retain your rights after that? You are punished for a crime, you should not be allowed to make any money or receive education in prison, these are the prices you pay for breaking the law, why change prison from a prison to a long stay hotel?

[QUOTE=bravehat;26782473]You committed a crime against another human, why should you retain your rights after that? You are punished for a crime, you should not be allowed to make any money or receive education in prison, these are the prices you pay for breaking the law, why change prison from a prison to a long stay hotel?[/QUOTE] hi i'm bravehat and i don't know how rights works and i also think all prisoners are terrible, murdering thieves

[QUOTE=Lazor;26782400]because all criminals are serial rapists[/QUOTE] if you are in prison long enough to feel the need to protest about not having something you probably did something bad

[QUOTE=bravehat;26782473]You committed a crime against another human, why should you retain your rights after that? You are punished for a crime, you should not be allowed to make any money or receive education in prison, these are the prices you pay for breaking the law, why change prison from a prison to a long stay hotel?[/QUOTE] Possession of drugs is a crime against who exactly?

Hi I'm bravehat, and I think that the OP is butthurt asshole who can't realise I'm simply saying if you commit a crime you know the consequences and these include temporary removal of your rights. :downs: Had this discussion the other day and since I have a migraine right now after two shots of Absinthe and red bul I can officially I will eat a child before I can be fucked with this debate again. [editline]18th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=Ryder1337;26782542]Possession of drugs is a crime against who exactly?[/QUOTE] Some things shouldn't be a crime, for fuck sake straw men all up in this bitch.

[QUOTE=bravehat;26782473]You committed a crime against another human, why should you retain your rights after that? You are punished for a crime, you should not be allowed to make any money or receive education in prison, these are the prices you pay for breaking the law, why change prison from a prison to a long stay hotel?[/QUOTE] Because then, with an education, psychological help, and a real second chance at life, a prisoner won't reoffend. We then not only save money in the long-term, but we end up helping people rise above their criminality and return to society as functional members. How you can see any of that as a negative thing is completely beyond me.

[QUOTE=Kagrenak;26782639]Because then, with an education, psychological help, and a real second chance at life, a prisoner won't reoffend. We then not only save money in the long-term, but we end up helping people rise above their criminality and return to society as functional members. How you can see any of that as a negative thing is completely beyond me.[/QUOTE] Education to stop re offence is fine, I just don't see why being in prison should mean free education though. Frankly tonight I can't be fucked with debate, I've said my piece, I'll be lurking and occasionally chipping in but that's it.

[QUOTE=bravehat;26782576] Some things shouldn't be a crime, for fuck sake straw men all up in this bitch.[/QUOTE] But those things ARE crimes, and the people in prison because of that fact fall under your statement.

Kinda cool seeing something like this going on in my home state. Not much happens here. Their demands sound pretty damn reasonable too.

[QUOTE=bravehat;26782684]Education to stop re offence is fine, I just don't see why being in prison should mean free education though. Frankly tonight I can't be fucked with debate, I've said my piece, I'll be lurking and occasionally chipping in but that's it.[/QUOTE] Education should be a basic right anyway. I'm not saying it should have to be cheaper, though; but they should get it for a fair rate and have a fair wage that they earn from whatever job they do that their tuition can be deducted from.

[quote]why change prison from a prison to a long stay hotel[/quote] yeah, getting paid a reasonable amount or even anything at all for labor means it's like a luxury hotel

[QUOTE=Kagrenak;26782716]Education should be a basic right anyway. I'm not saying it should have to be cheaper, though; but they should get it for a fair rate and have a fair wage that they earn from whatever job they do that their tuition can be deducted from.[/QUOTE] Better idea, instead of making money and using said money to pay for education, they want the education then they work for it. And education is great, but if you commit a crime for example murder, why the fuck should that person deserve it? Fair enough for some unfortunate wanker who got caught with a couple of joints, shame that's a crime really, but that's besides the point, you commit a drastic crime, you should have your rights stripped away. And before all the angry folk show up I'm going back to lurking.

have you ever been to prison, op?

[QUOTE=bravehat;26782809]Better idea, instead of making money and using said money to pay for education, they want the education then they work for it. And education is great, but if you commit a crime for example murder, why the fuck should that person deserve it? Fair enough for some unfortunate wanker who got caught with a couple of joints, shame that's a crime really, but that's besides the point, you commit a drastic crime, you should have your rights stripped away. And before all the angry folk show up I'm going back to lurking.[/QUOTE] you don't know how rights work seriously, you can't just "take them away". they aren't rights if they can be taken away rehabilitation is a much better at reducing crime than a prison, especially when the prison is essentially full of slave labor that corporations like to make a quick buck off of

You know, bravehat, a lot of prisoners who DID commit serious crimes like rape and murder were either under the influence or insane, and especially for the former, that isn't really fair to be treated like shit because you weren't sane when you commited those crimes. Besides, they are human beings too, and like Ryder said, there are a lot of crimes that DON'T harm other people. Yet those people are treated like shit too. You're saying that just because they didn't follow the law they should have no rights? I don't see that in either the amendments or the constitution. In fact, I see quite the opposite; regardless of whether they broke the law or not, they still have rights as a human being.

I'm from Georgia and I'd hate to live in this state without proper heating and air conditioning. It's brutally warm in the summer, and (Who knew) extremely cold with swift winds in the winter.

[QUOTE=bravehat;26782254]Why should prisoners get paid? They aren't free anyway and they committed a crime and have to serve their time for it.[/QUOTE] Yeah they get paid through being given bed and board and being fed.

Every time i see Georgia in the news, i get confused and have to find out if they mean the state of the country.

[QUOTE=bravehat;26782473]You committed a crime against another human, why should you retain your rights after that? You are punished for a crime, you should not be allowed to make any money or receive education in prison, these are the prices you pay for breaking the law, why change prison from a prison to a long stay hotel?[/QUOTE] guys don't take this guy seriously lol

[QUOTE=Mr.Thorn;26783159]Yeah they get paid through being given bed and board and being fed.[/QUOTE] oh i guess slaves in the 1800s were getting paid after all then [editline]18th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=mysteryman;26783218]Every time i see Georgia in the news, i get confused and have to find out if they mean the state of the country.[/QUOTE] the russian invasion was pretty brutal

The things those guys ask for seem preety reasonable to me.

Double standards. Double standards everywhere.

These seem like reasonable things, I don't see why they aren't standard in the first place. [editline]18th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=bravehat;26782809]Better idea, instead of making money and using said money to pay for education, they want the education then they work for it. And education is great, but if you commit a crime for example murder, why the fuck should that person deserve it? Fair enough for some unfortunate wanker who got caught with a couple of joints, shame that's a crime really, but that's besides the point, you commit a drastic crime, you should have your rights stripped away. And before all the angry folk show up I'm going back to lurking.[/QUOTE] If they're going to get out of prison they might as well make themselves useful. Not everyone is in for murder.