11th Sept 04 Good lookin’ out dawgs!
After Jon’s arrest in May 02, we (Jon’s parents) were allowed a 10 minute phone call each week via the British Embassy in Los Angeles. The calls were stopped by the jail last year on a technicality. Last night we picked up the phone and it was Jon’s excited voice. The Embassy had magically reinstated his calls. The timing could not have been better.
He was in receipt of a letter from his sister saying that an article about the blog may be going in The Guardian this week, and he was anxious to know if it went ahead. He was quite amazed and deeply touched when we told him the reaction his journal had caused. We have printed off and posted to him all your emails and comments.
Jon said, “It’s tremendous! I can’t believe this is happening! Hope I don’t get writer’s block! Thank you people everywhere. I’m doing fine. There are 3 more blogs in the post right now, and I will write a response to the New Times article immediately.”
Good lookin’ out dawgs!
I enjoy this blog greatly. Its' well written and thought out.
ReplyDeleteHere's to Jon getting out early on good behavior! I'm sure all that yoga has made you a better person.
ReplyDeleteHope you get your veggie meals soon!
-Queen of Sky
http://diaryofaflightattendant.com
Your blog really disturbed me. (I linked from G2) I cannot say that it was an enjoyable read but it was gripping and well written. I can't say that I am surprised though at the conditions of US jails especially in the South and/or close to the Mexican border. I hope that this media attention will end up with some positive impacts for you and others in your situation.
ReplyDeleteStrangely as I was cleaning up my inbox today - I read the following 'humour' e-mail received a couple days ago. Funny, if I had read it in a timely manner, I would just have scuffed it to more US humour that I don't get. (I am Canadian but used to live in the US. Never 'got' how someone could be in jail for 10 years for marijuana possession but 2 years for rape). Today, I replied to it and pointed out your blog. Hope that sparks something.
Mona
The e-mail:
Subject: FW: Maybe he should be President
If you haven’t heard of this guy before, please read. He’s in Maricopa County AZ. and I think he has the concept of punishment down….
I have heard of this guy before, actually surprised that other sheriffs and law enforcement have not gone in this direction.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio (in Arizona) who created the tent city jail has jail meals down to 40 cents a serving and charges the inmates for them.
He stopped the smoking and porno magazines in the jails.
Took away their weights.
Cut off all but "G" movies.
He started chain gangs so the inmates could do free work on county and city projects.
Then he started chain gangs for women so he wouldn't get sued for discrimination.
He took away cable TV until he found out there was a
federal court order that required cable TV for jails.
So he hooked up the cable TV again only let in the
Disney channel and the weather channel.
When asked why the weather channel he replied, so they will know how hot it's gonna be while they are working on my chain gangs.
He cut off coffee since it has zero nutritional value.
When the inmates complained, he told them, "This isn't the Ritz/Carlton.
If you don't like it, don't come back."
He bought Newt Gingrich' lecture series on videotape that he pipes into the jails.
When asked by a reporter if he had any lecture series by a Democrat, he replied that a democratic lecture series might explain why a lot of the inmates were in his jails in the first place.
More on the Arizona Sheriff:
With temperatures being even hotter than usual in Phoenix (116 degrees just set a new record), the Associated Press reports:
About 2,000 inmates living in a barbed-wire-surrounded tent encampment at the Maricopa County Jail have been given permission to strip down to their government-issued pink boxer shorts.
On Wednesday, hundreds of men wearing boxers were either curled up on their bunk beds or chatted in the tents, which reached 138 degrees inside the week before.
Many were also swathed in wet, pink towels as sweat collected on their chests and dripped down to their pink socks.
"It feels like we are in a furnace," said James Zanzot, an inmate who has lived in the tents for 1 1/2 years. "It's inhumane."
Joe Arpaio, the tough-guy sheriff who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates:
"It's 120 degrees in Iraq and our soldiers are living in tents too, and they have to wear full battle gear, but they didn't commit any crimes, so shut your damned mouths!"
Way to go, Sheriff! Maybe if all prisons were like this one, there would be a lot less crime and/or repeat offenders. Criminals should be punished for their crimes - not live in luxury until it's time for their parole, only to go out and commit another crime so they can get back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy things taxpayers can't afford to have for themselves.
For those of you who are interested in links between harsh prison treatment and reduction in crime and/or recidivism, the following web site link may shed some light on how 'successful'Sherriff Arpaio has been. Phoenix is in Maricopa County the kingdom of the aforementioned officer. Crime has risen steadily and is higher than the national average, God knows why they reelect him, is it pure sadism?
ReplyDeletehttp://phoenix.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm
It's brilliant that this site has caught the attention of so many. I do hope that the support will continue.
ReplyDeleteGod bless. Terry B
I'm a Canadian and I am stunned by the things the U.S.A. is doing to its citizens in the name of law and order. Is there not one newpaper or tv station or politician or law firm or ANYONE who has the cojones to speak out against this crap.
ReplyDeleteThat sheriff should be up on similar charges to the soldiers in the prisons in Iraq. Shame on the U.S.A. for allowing this to go on and utter contempt to the voters who voted for that Sheriff.