Prison

 Writings

 

Imagine a place that is somewhere between the corner you had to sit in for time out as a child and HELL. This is a very real place, that doesn’t just exist in nightmares and movies. And of all the places you are told you should be afraid of, this place, or moreover, condition should be feared most of all. As of the year 2000, 6.6 million people were held in the clutches of this beast, and the numbers are rising. This is the American prison system. As old as this monstrosity is to the world, no other society has been as cruel as the United States justice system, to its own people. Considering our country was founded on the principle that our government is indebted to the people, not the vice versa, how is it that 3% of the adult population are, by law, “slaves of involuntary servitude”? Because you are now the enemy. With a law to prohibit or restrict everything you do, almost to the extent of governing how you think, people can no longer even be comfortable in their own homes. Chances are that very few people, per capita, in prison are sadistic killers or rapists. No, it is estimated that some 58% of people that are incarcerated are so for drug related crimes. Crimes that, more often than not, have an effect that extends not much beyond the persons choosing to be involved. Our case is not for or against drugs though. With a prison looming virtually around every corner of every city in the United States, it seems that locking people in cages is becoming more of an industry that it is a safeguard. So our goal here is this:     Being that Emerge United was a dream conceived from within the very confines we are speaking of, we are dedicated to allowing people (as prisoners are still people) to tell their story and perhaps shed some light on why so many people are falling victim to their own country. As always we would also love for you to share your opinions and art. Keep hope alive Brothers and Sisters!

Emerge United!

 

This is a space for those who are caught up in the incarceration system to speak about their experiences. It is a space to discuss the injustice of the prison industrial complex and strategies for overcoming that injustice. If someone you love is currently imprisoned please encourage them to use their voice and help them to get it out there. If you have something to say regarding the current state of injustice or ideas about how to improve it please share them here.