Cruelty is the Point

[Paul in Saudi]

Here is another alarming letter to the editor from Alabama.

Please tell me if my posting of these is unwelcome here. Copyright issues come to mind of course, and so does the danger of provoking political ire.

That being said, here is the latest from the Dothan Eagle of Dothan Alabama.

=================

Over the last several years I've seen a lot of headlines in this venue and others that focus on the plight of Alabama prisons. They discuss overcrowding, underfunding, dangerous conditions, and other woes as if trying to elicit a sympathetic response from the reading public. Perhaps they're trying to move the public to put pressure on public officials over the situation.


Here's a public response to the whole thing: Good job, prison officials. When you've got liberal platforms beating the drum over prison conditions, you're doing it right. Go ahead and make prison even more miserable because there still seems to be a mad dash of crooks begging to get into the system. Crank it up a little more. Older veterans of the US military can help you out with some misery and despair tips.



Seriously, every time I read about poor little convicts I think, "good deal."

Nate Travers

Taylor

 

[Birdjaguar]

Letters to the editor in local US newspapers can be very entertaining. They present a slice of American culture in the unvarnished common tongue.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Here is another alarming letter to the editor from Alabama.

Please tell me if my posting of these is unwelcome here. Copyright issues come to mind of course, and so does the danger of provoking political ire.

That being said, here is the latest from the Dothan Eagle of Dothan Alabama.

=================

Over the last several years I've seen a lot of headlines in this venue and others that focus on the plight of Alabama prisons. They discuss overcrowding, underfunding, dangerous conditions, and other woes as if trying to elicit a sympathetic response from the reading public. Perhaps they're trying to move the public to put pressure on public officials over the situation.


Here's a public response to the whole thing: Good job, prison officials. When you've got liberal platforms beating the drum over prison conditions, you're doing it right. Go ahead and make prison even more miserable because there still seems to be a mad dash of crooks begging to get into the system. Crank it up a little more. Older veterans of the US military can help you out with some misery and despair tips.



Seriously, every time I read about poor little convicts I think, "good deal."

Nate Travers

Taylor

Sorry, but I'm unsure of what you think will make us angry. Some context would be helpful. As for copyright, there are many posts in OT that quote articles and letters from news sources.

 

[Zardnaar]

Opinion letters often reactionary.

1. It's who bothers writing them.
2. Controversy creates cash.

 

[mitsho]

So much to unpack here, but why should I? I am never going to convince Nate Travers anyways…

Still, an honest discussion on the merits of how the juidical system should be run might not be the worst thing. There‘s apparently no consensus on it in society, and that is bad. Might best be to argue financially here, as cheap prisons cost a lot.

 

[Berzerker]

he dont like criminals, maybe he's scarred by a violent crime

or just fled NYC

 

[EnglishEdward]

I take a fairly dim view of editors who publish such letters.

By publishing what is, if not actually hate speech, very close to hate
speech they are, amongst other things, thoroughly discouraging
their readers from contributing balanced and well argued letters.

Sadly this is becoming more commonplace.

I cannot speak for the USA, but many UK newspapers have
started to publish gratuitous insults that serve no useful purpose.

 

[Lexicus]

What a civilized country the US is!