"We routinely treat prisoners in the United States like animals.
We brutalize and degrade them, both men and women....Very few
Americans have raised their voices in opposition to our shameful
prison policies. And I'm convinced that's primarily because the
inmates are viewed as less than human."
 —
Bob Herbert / "America's Abu Ghraibs", The New York Times, May 2004
For more than a year we held a weekly vigil in downtown Albany, New York
as a way to make people aware of prisoner abuse inside U.S. prisons and in
order to demonstrate the need to speak and act against it.
We did not stand vigil to debate who should or should not be in prison, or
to measure the depravity of the crimes committed by those who are in prison.
We feel strongly that no person should receive inhumane and brutal treatment
no matter what his or her crime, and that when prison officials abuse
prisoners in their charge they commit a crime—a crime that is condoned by
both the silence of their colleagues and the apathy of the American public.
As we stood vigil we were periodically reminded of the dangerous support prisoner
abuse has, and of the hateful resentment held toward prisoners. Some boasted of
a vengeful hate, directed not at the crime, but solely at the criminal. This
sentiment is both prevalent and popular. It mirrors the crime it abhors, as well
as the abuse it fosters and applauds. It demonstrates prisoner abuse cannot be
tolerated in a civilized society, and we counter it with the surety and strength
of love.
As we stood vigil we were reminded of the support our message has. This support
was shown in the fleeting "thumbs up" gestures, smiles, and words of encouragement.
But few stood with us.
Our nation's language seldom contains the word "prison" or "prisoner"; it contains
"correctional facility" and "inmate". Our speech rarely speaks of rehabilitation—
it is focused entirely on punishment. The loss of liberty is not seen as punishment
enough—it must be a brutal, damaging, debilitating punishment.
We wonder if most Americans consciously choose not to learn and not to see the
systematic abuse and neglect that is carried out in their name?
We ask everyone to endorse our petition to Congress, which seeks an investigation and
end to the abuse and neglect of Federal prisoners. We believe such an investigation is
crucial and that its results will affect prisons at the State level. We also seek help
from the legal community to challenge the prison grievance system in both Federal and
State prisons which fails to protect the incarcerated against abuse and neglect.
Politicians appear to be terrified of being "soft on crime", so they do not even
examine the prison system. Those of us who are not running for public office should not
be frozen by fear. The voice of blind vengeance is not afraid to speak, but the voice of
love and reason is reticent and afraid. Prisoner abuse is not contained behind walls and
barbed wire—it affects all of us. And it is a reflection of who we are—unless
and until we stand against it.
Rosalind Burbank Joseph
PO Box 3841
Albany, NY 12203
· from a U.S. prisoner | U.S. Penitentiary
· from a prisoner's family | Albuquerque, NM
· from a prisoner's family | England, UK
|
