Rosalind Nelson wrote:
>
> Yes, the crisis nursery does important work and the 4th Day Project sounds
> particularly worthwhile. For that reason, I don't think it's terribly good
> idea to protest this particular event.
>
> But whoever planned this is showing breathtakingly bad taste and
> insensitivity. People end up in jail for a variety of reasons. Sometimes
> they have done truly bad things, more often they were just a nuisance or in
> the wrong place at the wrong time. An arrest is often a misfortune for the
> family and friends of the person arrested, for example, if the family is
> dependant on the income from that person's job or if someone has to
> scramble to find care for the person's children. Sometimes people are
> beaten or otherwise physically mistreated by the police when they are
> arrested or after they've been brought downtown.
>
> The website also includes pictures of an attractive woman with her shapely
> bare legs in irons and handcuffs dangling from one wrist. Fetish stuff.
> Very sexy. And nonconsensual on the part of the intended clientel of the
> jail.
>
> Rosalind Nelson
With all respect, Rosalind, I couldn't disagree more with your first
point. I think that it's an outstanding idea to protest this event.
And I could not agree more with your second point. I don't care who
the beneficiaries may be of this upscale gala, this whole scheme is in
shockingly bad taste. What have we come to as a society, when the
opening of a jail is seen as an opportunity for such a self-indulgent
social extravaganza? A jail is a terrible thing. Whenever someone goes
to jail, something is wrong - very wrong. The fact that many, or even
most, of the people who go to jail probably deserve to go to jail does
not for one moment minimize the terrible tragedy that each
incarceration represents. Every time someone has to go to jail, lives
are damaged. People suffer, and it is seldom only the arrested person
who suffers. Families suffer, children who are dependent upon the
offender suffer, parents who once had dreams for the future of the
offender suffer, spouses who have woven their lives into the life of
the offender suffer, the victims of the offender have suffered by the
commission of the crime - all of society is forever diminished
whenever a human being goes to jail. The fact that a jail is a
necessary thing in our society does not make it any less a terrible
thing.
The idea that the opening of a new jail would be something to
celebrate, something to dress up for and have your "mug shot" taken,
literally nauseates me. I'm physically ill as I write this. What sort
of person would dream up such a thing? Who would go to such a thing?
What sort of a mind would take any joy at all from the opening of a
jail? Does the relief that we finally have a larger jail really
outweigh the sadness that we need a larger jail?
If the people who are planning to shell out 35 or 45 bucks to go to
this event are really that concerned about the programs that are
benefiting from the ticket sales, they have another option. You can
stay home that night. Send a check, but stay home with your families.
Spend the evening together, celebrating amongst yourselves the love
that you feel for one another and the joy that is fostered by such
love and such domestic stability. Spend the evening strengthening the
family bonds that strengthen a society. Spend the evening listening to
your children, speaking to them of values, and silently giving thanks
that they are with you instead of someone whose influence might lead
them toward a different set of values. Instead of "experiencing the...
two-story block(s) of prison cells", as the website promises, give
thanks that you and your loved ones will never truly have to.
If you don't have a family to spend the evening with, invite some
friends over for the evening. Strengthen your friendships, listen to
your friends, support them and dedicate the evening to having a
positive influence in their lives. Use that evening to add another
brick to the foundation upon which a safe, stable society is built,
not to celebrate the building of more walls to confine those who have
violated their trust with that society. If nothing else, just pick up
the phone and call someone you know who might be in need of a warm,
supportive conversation. Call someone who'll be suprised to hear from
you, but whose world will feel like a better place after you've
spoken. Stay home and send a check, for God's sake. And with that
check, send a message - even though it may be a small one - that the
opening of a new jail is not something for any thinking, feeling
person to celebrate.
In utter disgust,
Mark Holtz
Kea'au, Hawaii
Formerly of Downtown Minneapolis, and today very glad to no longer be
living there.
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