Protest at Polunsky yesterday [Archive]

Sabine

05-15-2002, 01:42 PM

Dear David and everybody in Texas !

Yes, there is again a protest on Saturday - there will be one on every Saturday in May.

I post here the email from Nancy about the last protest - something went wrong, so it took till today that I got it. You see her frustration ? Exactly my feelings. Everybody thought that May 11 will be the big day, since it was at the same day as a big, big conference against the death penalty in France and since so many people promised us to come ...

yours

Sabine

We had our second May protest for better conditions in front of Polunsky yesterday. We had 20 people there. We had hoped for and actually expected many more. We are trying very hard to make a difference in how men in Polunsky are treated in respect to food and excessive use of force including gassings. We are urging the prison system (including the board) to reconsider their position on TVs and isolation cells which prevent social interaction between prisoners. We are protesting excessive shakedowns, and attitudes of inhumanity.

Some people have come from very long distances to participate in these protests, and for that we are greatful. The problem is that these people can only make it one time and have not all come on the same Saturday. So our numbers have not benefited greatly from their extraordinary efforts.

To add to that problem, people who could easily come, who don't have huge distances to travel, are just not participating and supporting this effort. People have assured us we can depend on them coming, and then they don't show up. Why?

Some people have expressed concern that their loved ones will be retaliated against if they participate, or that they will be denied their visits or punished in some way. Those of us who have participated have been treated no differently, and our loved ones are being treated no worse than they usually are.

The results of non participation are that the prison system will see us as no challenge to the abuse of the people you love. Is this what you are satisfied with? Is it only someone else's fight? Are you not willing to stand for for humane treatment of your loved ones? Are there people reading this message who feel that the prisoners are receiving fair and humane treatment? Let us know!!

We have 2 more Saturday's in May. We have plenty of signs, and we have hand out literature. It is perfectly legal for us to be out there. Please put some starch in your backbones and come out there and help us. If anybody needs directions, please contact me off list.

Thank you.

Nancy