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December 12, 2010
Prisoners in Georgia coordinate (unprecedented?) strike
Though it may not be unprecedented, this news via the New York Times about a prisoner strike in Georgia is certainly remarkable. Here are the basics:
In a protest apparently assembled largely through a network of banned cellphones, inmates across at least six prisons in Georgia have been on strike since Thursday, calling for better conditions and compensation, several inmates and an outside advocate said.
Inmates have refused to leave their cells or perform their jobs, in a demonstration that seems to transcend racial and gang factions that do not often cooperate. “Their general rage found a home among them — common ground — and they set aside their differences to make an incredible statement,” said Elaine Brown, a former Black Panther leader who has taken up the inmates’ cause. She said that different factions’ leaders recruited members to participate, but the movement lacks a definitive torchbearer.
Ms. Brown said thousands of inmates were participating in the strike. The Georgia Department of Corrections could not be reached for comment Saturday night.
“We’re not coming out until something is done. We’re not going to work until something is done,” said one inmate at Rogers State Prison in Reidsville. He refused to give his name because he was speaking on a banned cellphone. Several inmates, who used cellphones to call The Times from their cells, said they found out about the protest from text messages and did not know whether specific individuals were behind it....
Ms. Brown, who lives in Oakland, Calif., said she planned to gather legal and advocacy groups on Monday to help coordinate a strategy for the inmates.
Chief among the prisoners’ demands is that they be compensated for jailhouse labor. They are also demanding better educational opportunities, nutrition, and access to their families.
December 12, 2010 at 05:58 PM | Permalink
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Comments
I take it this is classic, "inmates running the asylum?" LMFAO
Posted by: ihate2fly | Dec 12, 2010 8:41:44 PM
personally i've never understood why they keep workign their rears off anyway. The state now requires them to serve 85 to 100% of thier time. The budgets are cut to bone as far as inmate programs. Mean while the amount of the labor the prisoners perform to keep the prisons operating NOT to mention the billions they bring in the state via leased out work gangs and the assorted PRIDE industries where they are glorified slave labor is just unreal.
they do the same amout of time if they work their asses off or sit in their cell! so why not just sit. Then force the govt to pay REAL employees to perform all that labor.
Might also help reduce prisons. Since if the govt can no longer force the inmates to perform all that FREE labor they turn around and SELL they have no incentive to keep filling up those beds.
Posted by: rodsmith | Dec 12, 2010 8:59:51 PM
This is a great blog - I admire the efforts and the consistency and I will certainly keep following the blog. I did not find a 'contact me' menu but as I see the blog is for students and academics that are dealing with EU law. As a PhD student having a thesis on the ECJ case-law I am in need of a list of all cases where the Court interpreted the EU legislation in a way that it produced law by itself altering the status quo with its ruling.
Posted by: VigRX Plus | Dec 13, 2010 3:40:29 AM
Thanks for posting this, John. We've actually decided to start the voting early next week -- probably Tuesday. So stay tuned, folks! We've got some great nominations in and we think you'll be pleased (and amused, in some cases)
Posted by: Vimax | Dec 13, 2010 3:41:18 AM
Relevant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwT6CisM0mU
Posted by: NickS - student | Dec 13, 2010 7:55:15 AM