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May 31, 2004
Prison Rape Is Still A Joke
You've heard the jokes. About Martha Stewart, Michael Jackson and all the other famous people who may be heading to prison. A beefy cellmate will bring them a 'dose of reality'. We know the joke, we're Americans. It's all about prison rape. So why was everyone so shocked that poorly disciplined American soldiers would humiliate prisoners of war? Humiliation is what Americans expect to happen to prisoners, especially sexual humiliation.
Bob Herbert finally breaks the barrier for mentioning the sort of ugliness that goes on in American prisons.
On Oct. 23, 1996, officers from the Tactical Squad of the Georgia Department of Corrections raided the inmates' living quarters at Dooly State Prison, a medium-security facility in Unadilla, Ga. This was part of a series of brutal shakedowns at prisons around the state that were designed to show the prisoners that a new and tougher regime was in charge.What followed, according to the lawsuit, was simply sick. Officers opened cell doors and ordered the inmates, all males, to run outside and strip. With female prison staff members looking on, and at times laughing, several inmates were subjected to extensive and wholly unnecessary body cavity searches. The inmates were ordered to lift their genitals, to squat, to bend over and display themselves, etc
Most African Americans have no use for Minister Louis Farrakhan or his Nation of Islam. There are several reasons for this. However, if you are in prison, membership in the Nation is a man's best defense against rape. That's where many converts come from. Taking some of the traditional conservative roles of male and female roles of Islam as their basis, the NOI is especially adamant and forward thinking in establishing this defense. Outside of the typical denunciations, it would be interesting to see what those deep inside the Nation of Islam's prison programs have been saying about Abu Ghraib.
Posted by mbowen at May 31, 2004 09:40 AM
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Comments
My year and a half in prison was spent hanging with the NOI. Those men were straight up, solid, and treated you like a man. Folks think prison rape is just part of the punishment for going to prison. Yeah right. I wish they could watch a prison rape. Real carefully. Don't back out of me now. Keep them eyes wide open and watch a man get is soul ripped to shreds.
Then tell me if he can become a productive member of society after that.
Posted by: S-Train at May 31, 2004 10:43 AM
It's interesting, I never have nor ever will forgive Bill Lockyer for his comment on Prison Rape. I find it unbelievable that we expect people to be fully functional after prison if that is what is going to happen there. Often it seems like prison makes people worse and not better, and the whole issue I imagine is a large part of it, and for some unknown reason, Republicans won't mention it, nor will Democrats, but I can't imagine anyone seriously decrying a candidate who says they think prison rape should be stopped.
Posted by: Joel B. at May 31, 2004 10:58 AM
S-Train,
You mentioned being a former criminal, but I had no idea you did time in prison. I'm sure it gives you a unique perspective on life (an understatement, I know). We need more men like you out here to show how lives are changed for the better after that experience.
Posted by: La Shawn Barber at May 31, 2004 05:03 PM