Helping change Criminal Justice SystemRe: [statecom-discuss] Fwd: No Fees on Offenders

liveinamerica at cctvcambridge.org liveinamerica at cctvcambridge.org
Fri Feb 2 23:07:38 EST 2007 

 Hi grace.How about a 'campaign headquarters' in Cambridge with easy access
 to Beacon Hill among other places and wheelchair accessible.Lloyd




> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com [mailto:Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com]
> Sent: Saturday, February 3, 2007 03:20 AM
> To: statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> Subject: Re: Helping change Criminal Justice SystemRe: [statecom-discuss] Fwd:	No Fees on Offenders
> 
> Bills have not been posted - so trying to get my hands on all the bills with 
> full text in an electronic form is oneo f many tasks that take more time than 
> I seem to have - if anyone wants to help me gather all the bill texts we want 
> - that would be truly awesome.
> 
> Otherwise, Bill, I'll get them to folks as I gather them myself and can put 
> them in osme appropriate form - Thanks all, I know time is frustrating but I 
> really want to encourage people to help.
> 
> there is so very much potential here - who else will step and call the people 
> to action - 
> Action on raising revenues from those who can afford it!
> Action to stop our contribution to global warming while we can!
> Action to bring our troops home now and stop contributing to perpetual war
> Action to insist all our children make it to adulthood
> Reverse our criminal justice system
> Etc.
> 
> Now is one of those moments - who else out there wants to help me in helping 
> us grab it?
> 
> Love, grace
> In a message dated 2/2/07 8:42:43 PM, etwee at earthlink.net writes:
> 
> 
> > Can the bills be posted, so we can all see them?  I realize they may not 
> > have all been assigned numbers yet....
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > >From: Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
> > >Sent: Feb 2, 2007 5:36 PM
> > >To: statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> > >Subject: Helping change Criminal Justice SystemRe: [statecom-discuss] Fwd: 
> > No    Fees on Offenders
> > >
> > >Interesting, Betts - I filed legislation to follow through on my camapgin
> > >issues - especially in areas that seemed to crying out for resolution where
> > >others were not - one was about six bills addressing different aspects of 
> > the
> > >criminal (in)justice system.   Those added to a number of other good bills 
> > being
> > >proposed and a couple more I am trying to get done through the budget 
> > process or
> > >adminstratively could create a systemic shift.
> > >
> > >If you are willing to write press on these and maybe help with fact sheet
> > >devleopment or outreach.networking plans that would be spectacular- let me 
> > konw
> > >what youare up for-
> > >
> > >and anyone else out there with some energy - this could be a VERY impactful
> > >focus - Love, grace
> > >In a message dated 2/2/07 3:11:25 PM, zisk at bu.edu writes:
> > >
> > >
> > >> Here is finally a position with which I can agree wnoleheartedly. Perhaps
> > >> because I know the inmates' dependence on outside support and the poor
> > >> families trying to support them against all odds. I speak from two yr's
> > >> experience having ccordinated the Alternatives to Violence program in
> > >> Norfolk, before Weld shut it down; and alas a four year relationship
> > >> following that, with a man serving a life sentence at Norfolk (okay you
> > >> didnt know this about me). I essentially supported him to the tune of 
> > more
> > >> than $100 a month during those yrs because his family couldnt. (Yes I 
> > still
> > >> care--but relationship ended when the threat of strip searches for me 
> > became
> > >> all pervasive.)  This fee is an outrage because it is levied on those
> > >> families who are quite poor to begin with.
> > >>
> > >> I realize that prisoners rights arent a sexy or urgent topic right now.
> > >> After all, they are behind bars for a reason, etc etc. A few 
> > organizations
> > >> like the Legal Services group and the AFSC are behind this cause (on very
> > >> minimal basis because of budget constraints.)I support those efforts from 
> > a
> > >> budget stretched thin on so many efforts.
> > >>
> > >> I wld like to suggest, in the mildest possible way, that we try very hard 
> > to
> > >> stick to local or regional issues when we take a stand. I would like to
> > >> suggest as well that when our national GPUS has taken a stand on foreign
> > >> policy we support them rather than taking our own stand--unless for 
> > urgent
> > >> reasons we disagree with them.Maybe Elie and Jamie could print a summary 
> > of
> > >> GPUS stands to help us along.
> > >>
> > >> I find plenty to criticize in Mass politics (and I am sure Grace can add
> > >> chapter and verse.) I could name about five issues that I think deserve a
> > >> lot of our attention: the lousy health care program that Romney proposed 
> > is
> > >> one; prisoners rights (and the terrible conditions at MCI Walpole in max
> > >> security) is another. Lack of affordable housing statewide is a third. 
> > And I
> > >> guess my fourth and fifth would have to do with ecology--for example
> > >> overfishing and the resultant deaths (two boats lost lately) because of 
> > the
> > >> pressure to get it fast, regardless of safety. And (#5) the continuing
> > >> pollution of our outmoded plants. I realize all of these are tame issues 
> > in
> > >> comparison with stopping the war or issues about Palestine. But please 
> > note
> > >> that they are all local. We seem to have forgotten that.
> > >>
> > >> Please I dont want to demean anyone working on other issues. But I 
> > urgently
> > >> suggest that we start with local issues. And I urge the AdCom to take a
> > >> stand on prisoners rights just for starters.
> > >>
> > >> I am slowly getting back into shape. I will be glad to help wth drafting 
> > a
> > >> few statements if that will help--I just cant attend mtgs right now. With
> > >> respect--for all that Statecomm has done, and all of the mediating 
> > efforts
> > >> that people like Grace and Jill have tried. I love the GRP and I dont 
> > want
> > >> to leave it. I hope and pray that we can keep on track. And this isnt 
> > meant
> > >> to stifle opinions. I was a proudcarryng member of ACLU long before Mike
> > >> Dukakis was hesitant about admitting his membership. Poor Mike. I am glad 
> > I
> > >> never ran for office) Betts Zisk (the longest statement you will ever 
> > hear
> > >> from me).
> > >>
> > >> -----Original Message-----
> > >> From: statecom-discuss-bounces at green-rainbow.org
> > >> [mailto:statecom-discuss-bounces at green-rainbow.org]On Behalf Of
> > >> Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
> > >> Sent: Friday, February 02, 2007 2:10 PM
> > >> To: statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> > >> Subject: [statecom-discuss] Fwd: No Fees on Offenders
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Wow, the things that happen that ouodn't hear about because you go away!
> > >> See below and then google "Patrick safety fees" if you want to read the
> > >> press
> > >> coverage at the time...
> > >>
> > >> I don't know how much people are following developments with the new
> > >> adminstration but Patrick has pretty consistently proposed regressive
> > >> taxes - this is
> > >> certainly yet another one.
> > >>
> > >> And what is the appeal of another fee on those who get convicted?
> > >> Overwhelming low-income folks, overwhelmingly people of color?   Given 
> > that
> > >> white
> > >> collar crime is rarely prosecuted, this just continues the criminal 
> > justice
> > >> system's bias.
> > >>
> > >> but what I really find staggering is that the only appeal I see here is 
> > the
> > >> right wing tough-on-crime = people of color as criminals subtext.   
> > didn't
> > >> we
> > >> just hear all this outrage when Healey used that angle to try to win an
> > >> election?   But it's okay as the basis of tax/fee policy?
> > >>
> > >> Love, grace
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> statecom-discuss mailing list
> > >> statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> > >> http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/statecom-discuss
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
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> > 
> > 
> > Bill Cunningham
> > _______________________________________________
> > statecom-discuss mailing list
> > statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> > http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/statecom-discuss
> > 
> 
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