Getting It Right - Work Vs. Prison – Prison May Not Be So Bad

Suprisingly, for some people life in prison may be a better life.

I recently received one of those anonymously written essays on the internet that demonstrated some of the fallacies of our lifestyle in these modern days of the early 2000’s. I decided to use it as part of this week’s column.

Work Vs. Prison
Working Conditions
♦ In Prison you spend most of the day in a 10 X 10 cell.
♦ At Work you spend most of the day in a 8 X 8 cubicle.
Food
♦ In Prison you get three meals fully paid for by the government.
♦ At Work you get a break for one meal and you have to pay for it.
Rewards
♦ In Prison you get time off for good behavior.
♦ At Work you get more work for good behavior.
Protection
♦ In Prison the guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.
♦ At Work you must often carry a security card and open all the doors yourself.
Television
♦ In Prison you can watch TV and play games.
♦ At Work you could get fired for watching TV and playing games.
Bathroom
♦ In Prison you get your own toilet.
♦ At Work you must share a bathroom with others, some of whom often do not raise the seat.
Visitors
♦ In Prison they allow your family and friends to visit.
♦ At Work you aren’t supposed to even make personal calls.
Transportation
♦ In Prison all expenses are paid by the taxpayers with no work required on your part.
♦ At Work you pay all of your travel costs to come to work, and they deduct taxes from your check to pay for the cost of prisons
Bars
♦ In Prison you spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get out.
♦ At Work you spend most of your time wanting to get out to go inside bars.
Supervision
♦ In Prison they are called Wardens.
♦ At Work they are called Managers.
Religion
♦ In Prison you can talk about God, and even participate in Bible Studies.
♦ At Work you had better not mention religion or bring a Bible to work if you want to keep your job.

There is something seriously wrong with this situation

This type of thinking and the unfairness of the situation in many instances was first brought home to me when I took a tour of Marianna’s Federal Prison just prior to its opening. We first toured the fine library where inmates could study and even use law books to work on their appeals, then the racquetball courts, the gymnasium, weight lifting area, music room, and cafeteria.

In the cafeteria I asked our tour guide what the meals consisted of and he said that one day a week they have fried chicken, then fish, pasta, beef, vegetables, and other delicious sounding food. We toured their quarters where in a central building with a TV and lounge area in the center of small, neat, surrounding rooms each with a locker and single bed. It was better than my college dorm.

Finally we went to the dental care area. This is where I almost lost control of my emotions. The Dentist proudly displayed his gleaming, new equipment and bragged that while incarcerated the inmates received the finest possible, state of the art, dental care. I immediately thought of all of those hard working young wives I had seen through the years toiling in factories, trying to help her family survive in this difficult world. I remembered several occasions where a beautiful girl’s face was marred when she smiled because she had an ugly, dark hole in one of her teeth. She could not afford to go to the dentist, yet her check was being taxed to provide funds so that these prisoners could get state of the art dental care!!! FAIR?

Just to make you feel relevant to all of this, did you know that I have been told that FCI has numerous cable connections in the complex with HBO and Showtime? That they receive specially installed Spanish cable stations? How many citizens of our county can not afford HBO and Showtime? It is nothing but the best for our poor, mistreated prisoners.

These are examples of liberal, misguided, wasteful bureaucratic and political leadership.

RUDIMENTS – ODDS AND ENDS WORTH MENTIONING:
♦ I saw a feature this morning on TV concerning an audit that was performed on use of Federal credit cards. They found where millions of dollars had been illegally spent through these cards. These instances included one woman who had kept a boyfriend living in a nearby condo for years, spending over $600,000, one who regularly took groups of friends to Ruth Crist Steak Houses for lavish dinners, purchase of expensive clothing and lingerie, unauthorized personal travel to exotic locations, and on and on. It all makes paying your taxes worthwhile, doesn’t it.

♦ I congratulate Hayes Baggett for becoming the new Marianna Police Chief. It was a well run, ethical campaign. Virgil Watson and Don Bland deserve our respect for the manner in which they conducted their campaigns.

♦ My son’s house in Dogwood Heights was robbed this week. (see story) I am thankful that my grandson did not walk in on the robber when he came home from school a couple of hours later. I am also thankful to the Sheriff’s Department for the good work they did in quickly catching the thief. Folks, there are more bad guys floating through our area than ever before. The days of not being alert and security conscious at all times is regretfully over for us….even here in this heaven we call Jackson County.

♦ Did you know that a mocking bird can change its tune 37 times in only five minutes? This is a feat that can only be matched by the most experienced of politicians.

I hope everyone that had an opportunity to vote this week, exercised that right. Remember, the really important votes are looming ahead in August and November. Voter, Prepare Thyself. Do this and you will be "Getting It Right!"