The Rag Blog: Signs of a Sick Society

01 November 2007

Signs of a Sick Society

Speaking of depravity, I was at the Williamson County Commissioners Court meeting yesterday [30 October 2007] morning supporting folks who are demanding that the County terminate its contract with the Corrections Corp of America, which operates (for a nice profit) an ICE immigrant prison in Taylor, incarcerating whole families (from new babies on up) who are waiting for their status hearings.

What was really pitiful was that CCA had packed the meeting room with its own employees that it had bussed in. These are mainly black and latino workers who don't want to lose their crappy jobs, and have been brainwashed by their employer about what they're doing. They had homemade signs saying "CCA Keeps Families Together," with photos of happy mothers and kids.

So at the meeting we have the appearance of a few mostly older, middle-class white people opposing the livelihood of a large group of low-income local citizens. Privatized prisons are economic development. How twisted can it get?

Leslie Cunningham

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