Shoshanah.Inwood@oberlin.edu wrote:
> --On Fri, Mar 12, 1999 4:40 PM -0500 "Shoshanah Inwood"
> <ssmi9636@mercury.cc.oberlin.edu> wrote:
>
> > Thank-you Michael for so eloquently explaining Catherine Sneeds program at
> > the San Francisco prison. I believe her program is a model that can be
> > expanded and applied throughout the country.
> >
> > Loren allow me to respond to your comments and expand on my initial
> e-mail:
> My initial e-mail was written in very simplistic terms and ideas for a
> number of reasons. I was looking to gage the responsiveness of participants
> in the field of organic/sustainable agriculture. I am fully aware that just
> stating that prisoners should be put to work on organic farms is an
> idealistic statement that leads to endless questions: such as how many and
> what types of prisoners should be allowed to work on farms and how to ensure
> farmer, community and prisoner safety.
> I was looking to see how receptive people are to this idea especially the
> farmers, where is their level of convertibility at?
>
> All one needs to do is read a newspaper to see how high recidivism rates
> are. This indicates that the present criminal justice system is not
> effective at deterring crime or "rehabilitating" prisoners. You object to
> supporting those who have chosen a "criminal lifestyle", we need to ask why
> have they chosen that life style. And if this is the only means of survival
> they know, then it is logical to conclude that they will return to this
> lifestyle once released from prison unless they are presented with other
> alternatives. I am curious why you think that training prisoners to do farm
> labor is so wrong, especially if it is non-exploitive. By boycotting
> products made by prisoners you deny their existence and their right to be
> productive citizens. People who are in prison have broken the law and
> usually deserve to go to prison. But once they aquire the label of
> "prisoner" do they automatically loose their humanity and all of their
> rights? And I might add that even if an individual is in prison they are
> still an American.
> >
> >> Many programs throughout the country involving prisoners growing
> food(such as Sneed's project in San Francisco) donate a portion of the crop
> to soup kitchens, back to the community from which many of the prisoners
> came from. The prisoners are working to give something back to their
> community and are learning about responsibility and building marketable job
> skills. By working on farms, especially small organic farms prisoners would
> have the opportunity to learn about marketing, accounting and advertising,
> giving them experiences, which can open up worlds to them never before
> known.
> >
> > Why would consumers not be told about who was growing there food? I
> > would think people would appreciate knowing that the food they are buying
> > is also an investment in their community. To reduce the anger and reduce
> the crime rate, isn't this one of the major concerns in almost every city
> and town in America? I have been a member of many different types of co-ops
> and one of their commonalties is to promote and support improving local
> communities: socially, politically and economically. Prison labor would be
> helping local growers to increase their crop yield and their economic
> survival.
>
> The future is a rapidly changing place, everyday we learn more about the
> agri-chemical/life science companies genetically engineered products, along
> with the effects of herbicides and pesticides. The challenge to organic
> farming is to make it more cost effective so that it can be marketed and
> readily available to a greater number of people at a lower cost. Yes this
> is our capitalistic society. These are the confines we must operate within.
> Sometimes you play with the bosses rules in order to win the game
>
> Shoshanah Inwood
> > On Fri, 12 Mar 1999, Loren Muldowney wrote
> >>
> >> -------------------------------------
> >>
> >> I may never stop screaming.
> >>
> >> I specifically boycott all goods made by prison labor, since it is
> >> exploitative of not only of prisoners, but more importantly of those
> >> working people who have NOT turned to crime as a lifestyle.
> >>
> >> The organic agriculture paradigm was created by shunning short-term
> >> economic theory. I don't think this will ever fly, if the consumers
> >> know about it; it would have to be kept from them intentionally. Since
> >> the point of organic marketing is to make full information available to
> >> the consumer, this lovely scenario would be better pursued in the
> >> "conventional" agriculture sphere. I just heard they are cutting the
> >> tails off of dairy cows for "economic" reasons, so probably they
> >> wouldn't bat an eye at this suggestion either.
> >>
> >> Not only that, but some our more sleazy mall stores have been using the
> >> "made in america" marketing, which appeals to those who deliberately
> >> support working non-criminal fellow citizens, to label goods made by
> >> prisoners as "made in america." It is a "solution" which "works" right
> >> at this moment, because many people are simply unaware that it is going
> >> on. Most people currently believe it to be illegal, being so clearly
> >> repugnant a concept.
> >
> >
> >
> >> I can't wait to post this incredible suggestion at the natural foods
> >> coop and see everybody mobilize for the boycott.
> >
>
> >
> >> > Much of the prison population is illiterate, farm work is a learned low
> >> > skill profession that does not require literacy. Individuals would be
> >> > outside growing food which would provide emmence psychological and self
> >> > esteem benefits as well as practical job skills for their futures after
> >> > prison.
> >>
> >> Sounds like a great idea, if you propose that these people should be
> >> taught to grow their own organic food for their own consumption. They
> >> would learn all the skills and improve their diets.
> >>
> >> > What happens when
> >> > they are released? How are they any better off?
> >>
> >> Then when they are released, they will know enough to begin organic
> >> farming, and ride the crest of this wonderful wave of commerce. Surely
> >> that's what you mean?
> >>
> >
> >
> > > > I'm curious if there are any farmers out there, who
> >> > contract out to prisoners, and how open growers are to this idea.
> >>
> >> I suppose we'd all like to know that! Well, here's one more reason to
> >> only buy from people we know personally. So much for the integrity of
> >> commerce.
> >>
> >> Just when I think I can no longer be surprised.....
> >>
> >> Loren Muldowney
> >>
> >
>
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