"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands." Proverbs 31:13
Saturday, May 21, 2005
An update
Click here if you want to read the 2nd article written in this situation. If it asks you to register or create an account, it's all free! Don't let that hold you back from reading it! The truth is being discovered!
Thank you, Anna! It is sad that you have to get a newspaper involved to get anything done. We really left that as our last resort, hoping it wouldn't come to it and we could get it fixed within the dept. But it didn't work out that way. It was a good thing calling the paper, however, because the journalist is knowledgeable and knew who to contact to get this investigation started. And the truth is coming out that Tommy tried to tell for several years.
About Tommy going back to work, it's not as dangerous as it all sounds. Ever since Tommy has worked there, he has had the respect of the inmates. He treats EVERYONE with respect and doesn't lord his authority over the inmates like many officers do. Because of Tommy's respect towards the inmates (not cursing at them, picking at them, or generally just being mean)the inmates had respect for Tommy. Fellow officers didn't care for Tommy because they found out real quick that Tommy didn't agree with methods of slapping or kicking an inmate or even just cursing at him. So that gave Tommy enemies from his fellow officers. Not all officers are mean there, however, just afraid to speak up against the mean ones. They have a lot to lose, their housing and their jobs if they speak up.
Anyway, we don't consider him returning to work as unsafe. It can't be any more unsafe for him after this is over than it was before. We've already heard that there are staff lining up to back up his stories and willing to come forward now that Tommy has.
Our biggest danger would probably be from readers who are have no sympathy for "inmates". Sometimes these can be victims of crimes, which we can totally sympathize with, but often it's just people who feel inmates are no better than animals and deserve to be treated as animals. But there again, a person could face prosecution for tying up a dog and beating him! So if we had any concerns it would be from readers who are ignorant of the facts. This is not a racial issue, blacks and whites both have been beaten. The issue is that inmates are serving their time for their acts but it doesn't justify individual officers dishing out their own style of punishment according to their own prejudices and opinions. And officers are not made aware of the individual inmate's crimes probably just for this reason - officers and fellow inmates might decide to mete out their own brand of punishment against certain offenders!
The point is, if this were your son, or your brother, or your father, and he were serving time in a prison, how would you want him to be treated in a prison? With respect as a fellow human being or treated with violence determined by individuals according to their own opinions?
No matter what anyone does to land themselves in prison, if we treat him with violence and beatings, then how is our behavior any better than the one incarcerated?
My continued prayers for your husband, and for you and the kids.I thank Him that there still are people who would stand up for what is right rather than look the other way and be in denial when an injustice occurs. May God bless you in a marvelous way!
2 comments:
Thank you, Anna! It is sad that you have to get a newspaper involved to get anything done. We really left that as our last resort, hoping it wouldn't come to it and we could get it fixed within the dept. But it didn't work out that way. It was a good thing calling the paper, however, because the journalist is knowledgeable and knew who to contact to get this investigation started. And the truth is coming out that Tommy tried to tell for several years.
About Tommy going back to work, it's not as dangerous as it all sounds. Ever since Tommy has worked there, he has had the respect of the inmates. He treats EVERYONE with respect and doesn't lord his authority over the inmates like many officers do. Because of Tommy's respect towards the inmates (not cursing at them, picking at them, or generally just being mean)the inmates had respect for Tommy. Fellow officers didn't care for Tommy because they found out real quick that Tommy didn't agree with methods of slapping or kicking an inmate or even just cursing at him. So that gave Tommy enemies from his fellow officers. Not all officers are mean there, however, just afraid to speak up against the mean ones. They have a lot to lose, their housing and their jobs if they speak up.
Anyway, we don't consider him returning to work as unsafe. It can't be any more unsafe for him after this is over than it was before. We've already heard that there are staff lining up to back up his stories and willing to come forward now that Tommy has.
Our biggest danger would probably be from readers who are have no sympathy for "inmates". Sometimes these can be victims of crimes, which we can totally sympathize with, but often it's just people who feel inmates are no better than animals and deserve to be treated as animals. But there again, a person could face prosecution for tying up a dog and beating him! So if we had any concerns it would be from readers who are ignorant of the facts. This is not a racial issue, blacks and whites both have been beaten. The issue is that inmates are serving their time for their acts but it doesn't justify individual officers dishing out their own style of punishment according to their own prejudices and opinions. And officers are not made aware of the individual inmate's crimes probably just for this reason - officers and fellow inmates might decide to mete out their own brand of punishment against certain offenders!
The point is, if this were your son, or your brother, or your father, and he were serving time in a prison, how would you want him to be treated in a prison? With respect as a fellow human being or treated with violence determined by individuals according to their own opinions?
No matter what anyone does to land themselves in prison, if we treat him with violence and beatings, then how is our behavior any better than the one incarcerated?
My continued prayers for your husband, and for you and the kids.I thank Him that there still are people who would stand up for what is right rather than look the other way and be in denial when an injustice occurs. May God bless you in a marvelous way!
In Him,
Secret Pal
Prov 3:5-6
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