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2006 Soap Box Archives Beyond My Comprehension 04/07/06 There
was a hit song many years ago called Don’t Fence Me In I can’t stand the thought of having to stay in one state, much less in a cell in a prison somewhere. From my point of view there is not enough money in the world to induce me to do something which would require me to give up my freedom. Back in the bad old days I got picked up and taken to jail on three different occasions. I only spent a few hours each time but that was enough for me to know that I never wanted to see the inside of a jail again. One of those times was in Juarez, Mexico and let me tell you folks it’s a helpless feeling to sit in a foreign jail where you don’t have any idea what your rights are, if any. Of course, the charges were very minor and a small fine extricated me from the hands of the law, but it also taught me a very sobering lesson. When you’re locked up you are completely at someone else’s mercy. When, where and how are all decided by them and once you get past your one phone call there’s nothing you can do. I’ve only been in city or county jails for a few hours, I can’t imagine walking through the doors of a prison, knowing that you were going to spend years of your life there. Being in a cell would be bad enough but when you’re not in the cell you have to deal with the prison society, you’re face to face with killers, rapists and all manner of violent criminals. Can you imagine having to deal with that element every day? Why people put their freedom in jeopardy by doing stupid things is more than I can understand. What grudge can make you mad enough, what drug can get you high enough, what amount of money is worth wasting your life looking through bars? And even more amazing is the recidivism ratio, how many people get out of prison only to go back again and again? I guess those people don’t value their freedom as much as I do. And prison is a training ground for those who want to pursue a life of crime. That’s where you meet the real experts, who’ve done it all and know all the tricks and nuances of the criminal life. I know the A.C.L.U. would have a massive coronary for someone even suggesting this, but I believe that we should have segregated prisons. No, I don’t mean segregated by race, but segregated by age and severity of crime committed. Prisons are one of the places I believe in spending a lot more money, hiring enough security personnel to assure the safety of the prisoners and separating the impressionable young ones who can still be salvaged from the hard-core criminals who insist on spending their lives behind bars. Pray for our troops. What do you think? God Bless America Charlie
Daniels
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