PRISON HUNGER STRIKES

July 18, 2011

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I believe in human rights in every arena. A moral, civilized, society requires those in authority to set an ethical example even when dealing with individuals, like prison inmates, who may have behaved undesirably. In fact,  authorities have a much greater duty to behave morally because their position is only credible if they lead by example. Unfortunately, authorities often do not live up to these important principles. I have been arrested and jailed for short periods, many times, so I know how cruel law enforcement can be to the incarcerated. The inmates, especially those on hunger strike, have my sympathy and support. Everyone deserves to be treated humanely and the demands for which the inmates are hunger striking are not only absolutely reasonable and logical, but essential. Please read more and ask those in charge to fulfill their moral obligations and improve prison conditions.

-Shepard Fairey

 

This is the most significant act of prisoner resistance in 40 years, since the Attica Uprising. By the prison authorities’ own figures, the hunger strike, which began on July 1, has involved 6,600 prisoners at 13 prisons. As of today, many prisoners are continuing the hunger strike at Pelican Bay and other prisons. The hunger strike comes in response to conditions in the Security Housing Units (SHU) of extreme isolation, brutality, deprivation—conditions so severe they violate the US Constitution and international laws on torture. Very significantly, the strike has brought together Black and Latino prisoners who are normally set against each other. They are asserting their own humanity and challenging others to reclaim their humanity by standing with them.

– No human being should be tortured.
– Some of these prisoners are willing to die unless their demands to end inhuman treatment are met.
– The prison authorities are refusing to meet any of the demands

You can read the initial statements from Susan Sarandon, Nawal El Saadawi, William Parker and othersHERE.

To see the 5 core demands of the prisoners, go HERE.

For more information on the hunger strike, go to: Revolution newspaper, orhttp://prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com/