I wish I could force you all to click this link and read what Gideon has written about prison.  I wish I could just reprint it here so that when it gets pushed to facebook and goes beyond the choir, you will already be face to face with it and might give it more than a passing glance.

Dear reader, this is not a blawg, its a blog.  I mean it to be accessible and easily understandable because what point is there for me to continue to jump up and down with my comrades in arms if you won’t stand up for yourselves?  I know my rights, I understand the law.  I know, first hand, the terrible things that can happen to people – sometimes when they least expect it.  I don’t need to explain to my fellow lawyers what things mean, they already know.  I am convinced that you, kind citizen, don’t know, because if you did you wouldn’t let it continue to happen.  So I am trying and will continue to try to let you know that bad stuff is happening all around, and maybe open up some doors for you to peek through.

Or, maybe you just really don’t care.  I’m hoping that’s not the case.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying everyone in prison is innocent.  I’m not saying most of them are.  I am not arguing innocence at all.  I’m simply saying take a moment and step back from what you think you know.  Allow your curiosity to take over – suspend disbelief and click on that link.  Yes people deserve to be punished for their transgressions against society, but how much is enough?  How much is too much?
 
I am feeling particularly sorrowful today.  I sat next to a friend while a family member of his was sentenced to 57 years in federal prison.  My heart breaks each time I think of it.  Fifty seven years.  Where will I be in 57 years?  Dead.  My kids will have grandkids.  We might have flying cars, or at least electric ones.  The oil spill might’ve stopped.  And this young man of 28 will be 85. 

Click on the link above.  You might pound your fist and say “serves them right!” but at least you will have a bit more of an understanding what you are arguing for.