'This is slavery': U.S. inmates strike in what activists call one of the biggest prison protests in

[TexasTowelie]

'This is slavery': U.S. inmates strike in what activists call one of the biggest prison protests in modern history

In his 29 years in prison, David Bonner has mopped floors, cooked hot dogs in the cafeteria and, most recently, cut sheets of aluminum into Alabama license plates.

The last job paid $2 a day — enough to buy a bar of soap at the commissary or make a short phone call.

"This is slavery," said Bonner, who is 51 and serving a life sentence for murder. "We're forced to work these jobs and we get barely anything.”

He was speaking on a mobile phone smuggled into his 8-by-12 foot cell in Alabama’s Holman Correctional Facility, where he and dozens of other inmates were on strike.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-prison-strike-snap-story.html

[bravenak]

1. All prisoners should strike immediately in solidarity

I bet they notice if that happens. And yes it is the only legal slavery left

[icymist]

2. How would you coordinate that?

I don't mean disrespect, but that would be the first obstacle to overcome. Godspeed.

[bravenak]

5. I think that we should let inmates have internet if they are not likely to use the computer

To commit crimes. But honestly, if one prison does it and gets alot of news coverage calling for a national strike, more prisoners will follow suit. Kinda like sit ins at diners, shit like that spreads because fighting oppression is the right thing to do.

[Feeling the Bern]

3. Loophole in the 13th amendment makes this possible.

[bravenak]

4. Possible yes

But damn, we should know better as a society and fix tha shit

[Ligyron]

6. Couldn't agree more.

Check out how they handle crime and punishment in the Scandinavian countries.

Much more civilized and much more successful.

Better yet, improve the conditions that produce lives of crime in the first place.

and end that bullshit War on Drugs nonsense too - 'cause that's a big part of why so many folks are in jail to begin with.

[bravenak]

7. This is a damn good post

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. Yes. Plus, studies show that surer shorter sentences work better.

If you actually solve crimes better and are more sure to give a sentence, though it be shorter or much shorter, it deters crime better.

Criminals don't like being caught. With the current system, they learn that they can commit lots of crimes and not get caught. So they commit more. Then they get caught and put away for a longish stretch so that when they come out they don't have social or employment skills so they commit more crimes. And don't get caught.

Tough on crime should mean solving more crimes, not more time.

Put money into solving crimes and convicting and take money out of the prison-industrial complex. Unfortunately, prison guard unions have a lot of political clout and some here automatically endorse any union no matter what, just because it is a union.

[Feeling the Bern]

10. Agree, but it will take another constitutional amendment.

[LuvNewcastle]

8. No one in this country should make less

than minimum wage. There's a reason they call it the minimum. It's legal to pay waitstaff less than minimum wage only because their tips bring up the average per hour rate higher than the minimum. If for some reason they still don't make enough, the employer has to make up the difference. Same for those working on commission. Prisoners might not have the rights of free people, but they should be covered by minimum wage laws. Everyone, free or incarcerated, citizen or non-citizen, should be at minimum making the minimum wage.