cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/11237867
If you want an example, the hellhole prison nicknamed “Angola” (because it’s full of black people haha so funny) is a good case study for why this is slavery and not just prisoners paying their way through prison.
They’re forced to do work or get solitary confinement, make $0.02/hr under inhumane conditions, punish people who get heat stroke, don’t provide shade or fans or clean water (literally, they have to drink dirty water if they don’t use their teeny wages to buy water) or anything, in temperatures that exceed 113°F in Louisiana. They’re forced to water plants with paper cups, pick rotten fruit by hand, weeding by hand, it’s all totally pointless shit an the cruelty is the point.
Why is it supposed to be funny? It’s true that the majority is black and Angola is a nation in Africa, is that embarrassing to blacks? I asked for a source but I looked it up, It does look pretty tough. So you are saying that because of LAs barbaric shit? It does sound really cruel but it doesn’t sound like it’s pointless work, just sounds like AG work. So you want to use this case to abolish any work opportunities for inmates across the US? When I was in prison, I was everything from a janitor to a highway department worker to a rehab program mentor…Hell at one point I raised 3 dogs that are successful service animals now. these jobs supported me with enough money for basic snacks, phone calls and toiletries… They helped keep me alive because I was facing 20 years at 100% and had a lot of suicidal thoughts. Anyways, what I’m trying to say is that no one is going to listen if you are going for the “all or nothing” stance because a lot of work programs do help.
Why is it supposed to be funny? It’s true that the majority is black and Angola is a nation in Africa, is that embarrassing to blacks?
Calling the slave plantation “Angola” to mock the Black people forced to work there is clearly a reference to America’s history of chattel slavery of Black people.
They helped keep me alive because I was facing 20 years at 100% and had a lot of suicidal thoughts.
The heat at the Angola slave plantation literally kills people and causes them to self harm.
Oh did I mention this is a juvenile prison?
Death to America
So you want to use this case to abolish any work opportunities for inmates across the US?
The concept of prison labor isn’t inherently bad, I have nothing against gulags for example.
I want to abolish the ability to profit from it because it incentivised the creation of the largest prison population on Earth. America is literally the worst on Earth, by the numbers, and it’s solely because of the perverse incentive structure created by for-profit prison slave labor.
I also think much of the work is pointless and sadistic makework (like forcing people to water fields with paper cups in extreme heat - how is that supposed to make people not want to kill themselves?) That’s just torture for the fun of the prison guards, not work.
It is kinda funny tbh but you are hyper focused on Angola. You don’t believe juveniles should be punished for rape and murder? So do you do any kind of work or activism against this place or prison labor for profit? Have you ever visited Angola or any prison ? Have you seen these fields? You seem really passionate and I think if you will get your hands dirty then you could help make some significant changes.
