A note: Herman Wallace was released on October 1, 2013 because of advanced liver cancer. The state reindicted him on October 3, but he died the next day a free man. Albert Woodfox was released in February 2016. The Angola 3 were held in solitary confinement for more than 100 years combined, with Woodfox's 43 years of solitary being the longest of any American prisoner.
I spent 29 years in solitary confinement (2010)
11–20 of 265 posts
Re: I spent 29 years in solitary confinement (2010)
#12If being imprisoned and enslaved isn't cruel and unusual punishment, I don't know what is. The constitution doesn't prohibit shit with its useless words in this case.
Slavery was specifically written into the 13th amendment: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
Re: I spent 29 years in solitary confinement (2010)
#13I don't even know how to start. The US present themselves as paragons of freedom, and then they blatantly violate every kind of basic human right.
They also point fingers and lip service democracy globally, while having their bases all around the globe, meddling with sovereign countries abroad, helping topple legitimate governments, and funding / being cozy with all kinds of scum, from Suharto and the Shah, to Pinochet and the saudis (not to mention arming and befriending half of today's militant islamists, including the celebrated in the 80s Taliban).
But that was always their deal: the power plus the hypocrisy and the holier than thou attitude that one affords from being top dog with no one to answer to.
(Of course talking about those in power - the normal people are great, just uninformed about most of those things. Then again, if you live in a huge country with no borders with anybody apart from Canada and Mexico, and with no domestic impact in your life of anything that happens outside (except oil prices), why would anybody care about geography and world affairs?).
Re: I spent 29 years in solitary confinement (2010)
#14The prison system in general, and solitary confinement (and other forms of emotional torture) in particular is a good enough reason in my opinion to dismantle the state and start over. And it's only one of about 4-5 good reasons right now. Let's do it.
...And replace it with what?
Re: I spent 29 years in solitary confinement (2010)
#15Maybe I shouldn't post this online, but this is one of my biggest fears. Just, being trapped somewhere, alone with your thoughts, with nothing to do. After reading The Jaunt by Stephen King, I was on edge for a day or two afterwards.
I fear my mind the most in a situation where it has got nothing to do.
Re: I spent 29 years in solitary confinement (2010)
#16For some more background, Frontline did an episode on solitary confinement:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/solitary-nation/
And if you think solitary confinement is a nightmare, how about putting 2 people in a solitary confinement cell?
"Imagine living in a cell that's smaller than a parking space — with a homicidal roommate."
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2016/03/24/the-deadly-con...
Re: I spent 29 years in solitary confinement (2010)
#17A note: Herman Wallace was released on October 1, 2013 because of advanced liver cancer. The state reindicted him on October 3, but he died the next day a free man. Albert Woodfox was released in February 2016. The Angola 3 were held in solitary confinement for more than 100 years combined, with Woodfox's 43 years of solitary being the longest of any American prisoner.
Anything beyond a few weeks or a month in solitary confinement should be illegal and punishable by law the same as torture.
And with no loopholes for joining many smaller stays to a long big stay.
Re: I spent 29 years in solitary confinement (2010)
#18Maybe I looked crazy walking back and forth like some trapped animal . . . If you see an animal pacing back and forth in a cage, it is generally considered neurotic behaviour and a sign that the cage/enclosure is too small. My point being that it probably did make him slightly crazy and that solitary confinement is psychological torture.
It doesn't make you slightly crazy, people hallucinate in there and they don't come back out the same.
Re: I spent 29 years in solitary confinement (2010)
#19If being imprisoned and enslaved isn't cruel and unusual punishment, I don't know what is. The constitution doesn't prohibit shit with its useless words in this case.
I always found the faith in the revered interpretations of some constitutional document written centuries ago, and the respect for the "Founding Fathers" not as historical figures, but as some kind of guiding lights for today, totally bizarro. Even the name "Founding Fathers" and the way it's thrown around seems quite bizarre for a democracy. It's the people, and the will of the people, that should be respected, not…
The will of the people on 2001-09-12 would be to get rid of jury trials and allow arbitrary searches and seizures. People are emotional and dumb, and sometimes it is helpful to build an intentional slowness into the process. If it's truly the will of the people, you should have no problem getting 2/3 of Congress to agree on it, followed by 3/4 of state legislatures.
Re: I spent 29 years in solitary confinement (2010)
#20I know, right? Worst. Country. Ever. /s