Letter: Legalized slavery still thrives in prisons

Graphic by Lori Deaton

Contrary to the implication that inmates are no longer exploited as forced labor for the country’s benefit [“Over Their Dead Bodies: Local Historians Honor Forgotten Railroad Workers,” Sept. 23, Xpress], folks need know that such legalized slavery thrives.

I’ve served as clergy for tens of thousands of Pagan prisoners nationwide for free since 1995, providing everyone from juvenile and immigrant detainees to people on death row magical guidance and help in securing their religious, medical, legal and civil rights.

An unaccountable superintendent rules each facility like a medieval fiefdom. The vast majority of my charges write that businesses contract with prisons to compel them do everything from booking airlines tickets by phone to making eyeglasses and myriad products for pennies a month. Facilities get their meager money back by charging usurious prices for hygiene items from the commissary like the corrupt “company store” of yore. Working for slave wages leads to black market trading, pervasive in-prison debt, violence and decimated self-worth that often leads to recidivism.

The extent of this shameful racket of profiting off prisoners to enrich corporations, inflate economic productivity numbers and fuel governmental graft is difficult to assess given the penal system’s high rate of staff and inmate reassignment, transfer and turnover.

In 2018, 698 people out of every 100,000 were incarcerated [in the U.S.] — nearly 3 million (source: wikipedia.com). The U.S. continues to imprison more citizens than any other developed nation (“America Still Locks Up More People Than Anywhere Else in the World,” cnn.com, April 2019). History will decry this captive slave market as the national travesty it is.

Citizens should be outraged that inmates are being used to pull the wool over our eyes by artificially bolstering our economy at the expense of free folk desperate for living wage work. Let’s not wait for history’s tsk-tsk to eliminate this expedient practice on moral grounds alone.

— Queen Lady Passion (Dixie Deerman)
Asheville

Editor’s note: The writer notes that she is author of Pagan Prisoner Advocate’s Guide, currently enabling incarcerated witches in 558 unique institutions (see map at: oldenwilde.org/prisons).

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Letters
We want to hear from you! Send your letters and commentary to letters@mountainx.com

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

3 thoughts on “Letter: Legalized slavery still thrives in prisons

  1. BubbaB

    Maybe it would be good if someone actually READ the 13th Amendment – “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted”, so forced labor is still legal.

  2. BubbaB

    The travesty was in the old days when if you were black or poor white you could be convicted by some corrupt judge, DA, and Sheriff for something you didn’t do and then be rented out to plantations or factories and you had no protection whatsoever. And if you were maimed or killed, your family got nothing because you were a convicted felon (no matter how erroneously)

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.