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Thousands of Family Members of Inmates, Activists, Organizations, former inmates and other supporters will convene in Washington DC on August 13, 2005. They are taking a stand on behalf of the over two million men and women in state and federal prisons in this country. They are demanding that our elected officials and sentencing commissions take a serious look at the unfair drug laws in this country, the mass incarceration, the thousands of people who have been disenfranchised by having their voting rights taken away from them, physical and medical abuses, the death penalty and so many other issues that have caused prison to be a "billion" dollar industry. We are locking up children in adult prisons and yet, we as a country try to dictate to other countries about the inhumane treatment of their citizens. It is time that the United States of America cleans its own house. It is time for organizations to stop playing political games and actually do the work they say they are doing. The major Civil Rights groups have all been very silent on these issues. Prison has become big business in this country and the taxpayers have been duped into believing it is in their best interest. When we are paying more for prisons than we are for schools then we have a problem. It is time for the ones with something to lose take a stand. They are the family members, the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and children of the men and women incarcerated. Many organizations cannot afford to really "fix" the problem because that would be the end of their funding. They must give the appearance they are doing something and continue to get rich off the very problems they say they are working to correct. We are asking those with a real stake in this area to join us in Washington DC on August 13, 2005 at Lafayette Park. We are voters, consumers, and taxpayers and we are demanding that the powers that be revisit the rigid sentencing laws of this country, abolish all three strikes, Habitual offender and mandatory minimums in this country as it relates to non-violent crimes, abolish the 1996 Welfare Ban in all states, reverse the unfair drug laws that have led to the mass incarceration in this country, set up committees to hold special investigations into abuse in the prison in this country, restore good time and parole in federal prison, supply adequate medical care in all prisons in this country in a timely manner, automatically restore the rights to all felons who have completed their sentences and those on paroles, institute programs that address transition and rehabilitation for formerly incarcerated people so they can become productive members of society, establish a national committee that will address these and other concerns with representatives form all states. We need you to be there to show that you are in support of a system that works for all of us. When the system is not working for all of us, then it is not working at all. For more information go to www.journeyforjustice.org or call 1-334-220-4670, 334-868-0312, 334-834-9592 or e-mail us at firstladytms@aol.com |
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