Damn straight. The text itself that supposedly abolished slavery, section 1 of the 13th Amendment: If you have to qualify the statement, then you abolished jackshit. Just formally legalized it as...
“Slavery has not been abolished,” said Curtis Davis, who spent more than 25 years at the penitentiary and is now fighting to change state laws that allow for forced labor in prisons. “It is still operating in present tense,” he said. “Nothing has changed.”
Damn straight. The text itself that supposedly abolished slavery, section 1 of the 13th Amendment:
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
If you have to qualify the statement, then you abolished jackshit. Just formally legalized it as criminal punishment.
Great piece of investigative journalism from AP. I'm not sure what I can do aside from advocating to my representatives for prison and police reform. Education is a great first step at least, hopefully this article will help raise awareness.
Slavery was entirely abolished in Oregon just last year. I remember at the time people completely misunderstanding and saying, "what's wrong with Oregon that they only now abolished slavery?"...
Slavery was entirely abolished in Oregon just last year. I remember at the time people completely misunderstanding and saying, "what's wrong with Oregon that they only now abolished slavery?" instead of, "wait, why hasn't every state abolished slavery?"
There are only two reasons I can figure, and that's some people simply don't care and are happy to profit off of slavery, and that some people just get off on cruelty and like the excuse. To say I take a dim view of both types of people is putting it extremely mildly.
The number of people whom handwave away injustice in prison by saying something like "well they shouldn't have done a crime then" is too damn high. Can't wait for the USA to make turning 18 a...
The number of people whom handwave away injustice in prison by saying something like "well they shouldn't have done a crime then" is too damn high.
Can't wait for the USA to make turning 18 a crime, punishable by 5 years in prison.
“The former 19th-century antebellum plantation once was owned by one of the largest slave traders in the U.S. Today, it houses some 3,800 men behind its razor-wire walls, about 65 percent of them...
“The former 19th-century antebellum plantation once was owned by one of the largest slave traders in the U.S. Today, it houses some 3,800 men behind its razor-wire walls, about 65 percent of them Black. Within days of arrival, they typically head to the fields, sometimes using hoes and shovels or picking crops by hand. They initially work for free, but then can earn between 2 cents and 40 cents an hour.”
And it's fed by the corrupt Louisiana court to prison pipeline, which intentionally overworks and underpays the few public defense attorneys there. They're paid virtually nothing and don't even...
And it's fed by the corrupt Louisiana court to prison pipeline, which intentionally overworks and underpays the few public defense attorneys there. They're paid virtually nothing and don't even see clients until the day of trials, subsisting on second jobs and charity.
Carson would like to hire more lawyers, but he hardly has the money for those already on the payroll. When trying to solicit the help of local attorney Anna Ferguson, he initially offered her $1,000 for every 100 cases she accepted, or $10 per case. In January 2015, he cut wages by 10 percent and eliminated travel funds. All of the attorneys in his office hold second, even third, jobs. Carson, too, maintains a private practice, where he spends about 20 percent of his time. “You can’t survive on this salary alone,” said one of the support attorneys.
It's a long article, but well worth the read. It paints a vivid picture of the situation filling the prisons of Louisiana: 85% of defendants use a public defender, and they're intentionally being financially squeezed to prevent effective defense from being mounted, rigging the system in favor of the prosecution in an end run around the constitution.
if the situation is truly as grim as the picture you paint where having a public defender in Louisiana is as good as having nothing at all, then it sounds like the public defenders of Louisiana...
if the situation is truly as grim as the picture you paint where having a public defender in Louisiana is as good as having nothing at all, then it sounds like the public defenders of Louisiana need to go on strike until reforms are implemented. Anything less and things will only continue to get worse.
In a few different episodes of the You're Wrong About podcast they have referenced studies that show tougher policing in the Southern US to specifically feed these systems. Like many have said...
In a few different episodes of the You're Wrong About podcast they have referenced studies that show tougher policing in the Southern US to specifically feed these systems. Like many have said already, slavery isn't dead..it's just using existing laws to make it okay.
It always has been. In history classes we learn that reconstruction was noted for adding laws that turn people into slaves in every way but name. An exemption was explicitly named in the amendment...
It always has been. In history classes we learn that reconstruction was noted for adding laws that turn people into slaves in every way but name. An exemption was explicitly named in the amendment to the federal constitution that allowed for unpaid labor. The only part of slavery that was abolished was the name.
I think an interesting solution would be as such: Any company utilizing prison labor must have the same jobs provided by non-prison labor in close proximity to the prison. Company must pay half...
I think an interesting solution would be as such:
Any company utilizing prison labor must have the same jobs provided by non-prison labor in close proximity to the prison.
Company must pay half the prevalent wage to the prisoner and the other half to the prison (for room and board).
Company provides guaranteed job for prisoner when they are released.
External audits to look at data to ensure prisoners that don't want to work aren't penalized.
Prisoner worker protections enacted that are a subset of federal worker protections (assuming some worker protections may not be able to be applied to prisoners).
Damn straight. The text itself that supposedly abolished slavery, section 1 of the 13th Amendment:
If you have to qualify the statement, then you abolished jackshit. Just formally legalized it as criminal punishment.
Great piece of investigative journalism from AP. I'm not sure what I can do aside from advocating to my representatives for prison and police reform. Education is a great first step at least, hopefully this article will help raise awareness.
Slavery was entirely abolished in Oregon just last year. I remember at the time people completely misunderstanding and saying, "what's wrong with Oregon that they only now abolished slavery?" instead of, "wait, why hasn't every state abolished slavery?"
There are only two reasons I can figure, and that's some people simply don't care and are happy to profit off of slavery, and that some people just get off on cruelty and like the excuse. To say I take a dim view of both types of people is putting it extremely mildly.
The number of people whom handwave away injustice in prison by saying something like "well they shouldn't have done a crime then" is too damn high.
Can't wait for the USA to make turning 18 a crime, punishable by 5 years in prison.
In my experience, people who will earnestly say that are about two logical prompts away from pronouncing some nakedly racist shit.
You're not wrong.
I remember there was a documentary called 13th on Netflix that also goes into this quite a bit, if you're interested in learning more.
“The former 19th-century antebellum plantation once was owned by one of the largest slave traders in the U.S. Today, it houses some 3,800 men behind its razor-wire walls, about 65 percent of them Black. Within days of arrival, they typically head to the fields, sometimes using hoes and shovels or picking crops by hand. They initially work for free, but then can earn between 2 cents and 40 cents an hour.”
And it's fed by the corrupt Louisiana court to prison pipeline, which intentionally overworks and underpays the few public defense attorneys there. They're paid virtually nothing and don't even see clients until the day of trials, subsisting on second jobs and charity.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/06/on-the-defensive/485165/
It's a long article, but well worth the read. It paints a vivid picture of the situation filling the prisons of Louisiana: 85% of defendants use a public defender, and they're intentionally being financially squeezed to prevent effective defense from being mounted, rigging the system in favor of the prosecution in an end run around the constitution.
if the situation is truly as grim as the picture you paint where having a public defender in Louisiana is as good as having nothing at all, then it sounds like the public defenders of Louisiana need to go on strike until reforms are implemented. Anything less and things will only continue to get worse.
In a few different episodes of the You're Wrong About podcast they have referenced studies that show tougher policing in the Southern US to specifically feed these systems. Like many have said already, slavery isn't dead..it's just using existing laws to make it okay.
It always has been. In history classes we learn that reconstruction was noted for adding laws that turn people into slaves in every way but name. An exemption was explicitly named in the amendment to the federal constitution that allowed for unpaid labor. The only part of slavery that was abolished was the name.
Could you imagine if teaching about this history was banned in schools...cough cough
I think an interesting solution would be as such: