Prisoners' Rights - Sofia Snow - Wisconsin Books to Prisoners - Justseeds - ACLU of Wisconsin

Check out these First Wave and indie spoken word artists from Madison who performed at an art show "Artists Against the Prison Industrial Complex" that was organized by Wisconsin Books to Prisoners in Madison on Jan 30. Wisconsin Books to Prisoners, a project of Rainbow Bookstore, collected and put up over 70 drawings by prisoners that addressed the use of prisons, policing and punishment as a solution to social, political and economic problems. Spoken word artists Sophia Snow, Alida Cardos Whaley, Joe Briggs and Adam Levin all exploded the room with their pieces.

"Artists Against the Prison Industrial Complex" was inspired by 20 printmakers from the Justseeds Radical Artists Cooperative www.justseeds.org who created a portfolio of prints in 2008 in honor of the 10th anniversary of Critical Resistance, a prison abolitionist movement. Twenty posters from the Justseeds, which included prints by Wisconsin artists Nicolas Lampert and Colin Matthes were on display. Other political artists in Wisconsin have also contributed prints to the show. Feel bad you missed it? You've got another opportunity to see the radical work of Justseeds in a new exhibition "Which Side Are You On?" at the UWM Union Art Gallery in Milwaukee. Josh MacPhee one of the founders of Justseeds will give a talk "Then The Walls are Talking: Street Art and Social Movements" about activist printmaking around the world on Monday, March 2nd at 7 PM at the Union Fireside Lounge. For more information about the exhibit and talk call 414-229-3111. There will also be a printmaking workshop with Josh Macphee on Saturday, March 7th from 12:30 - 3:30 pm at the Union Studio Arts and Craft Centre. Fee and registration info: 414-299-5533.




The ACLU of WI is currently engaged in a number of initiatives to restore rights to prisoners in WI. They include:


• Assisting Wisconsin Books to Prisoners to restore the right of prisoners to receive used/donated books from their project. WI is the only state that is denying prisoners free books from book to prisoner projects in the U.S.

• Defending the rights of incarcerated at Taycheedah Womens Prison in Wisconsin. Even though these women may have broken the law, their sentences should not include permanent damage to their health or a shorter life span. Can YOU imagine giving birth with your hands and feet shackled?

• Restore the right to vote to ex-offenders immediately upon release from incarceration. These are our fellow community members, tax payers, neighbors who under current Wisconsin state law are being denied their right to vote for months, years, even their entire lives.

Find out more about the ACLU of Wisconsins initiatives email liberty@aclu-wi.org or visit www.aclu-wi.org or Facebook

Find out more about Wisconsin Book to Prisoners contact Camy Matthay maha@chorus.net or visit www.rainbowbookstore.org/b2p

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

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• Spoken
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[eastariel]

Why all these repeat offenders? Maybe we need walk-in prisons ... you know, a place with all the amenities of prison, yet the inhabitants don't need to commit a crime and clog the courts in order to live there. Plus, they can leave anytime they wish.

The state can donate some land, some garden tools and vegetable seeds so they can grow their own food, and building supplies so they can build themselves simple shelters. And the community can donate them some acceptance and career training.

[Mirovozzrenie100]

Hey Sofia, these people you defend would rape, hurt, and murder you in an instant, yet you're defending them? you people astonish me.

[eastariel]

I was thinking of Bobo,Duke, and Rufus today. They're all dogs I have adopted from the pound who have passed away from old age. Rufus was a puppy when I adopted him, but the others were older dogs. They were great friends and served my family well. They were loyal, grateful, hard working, generous, and loved to please. They were hard working friends.

People who finish their time in a cage, who made crazy mistakes in this crazy world, would be excellent employees -- grateful, loyal, and happy.

[pyramidheadkitten9]

fuck human rights for these bastards.

the moment you choose to murder, rape and steal from another human being, you lose all of your rights. why should the opinions and rights of scum like this be equal to people who are hard working, beneficial members of society?

[blakorean]

of not being thrown around by the system like a puppet,not being able to state my opinions or views as if they dont matter and being punished for what they think is fair becuase they really dont know what its like,everybody knows that the prison system isnt designed to be enjoyable that its sole purpose is to make u suffer but when its starts to go against human rights and laws. it turns into cruel punishment.and nothing is being done to charge these crooked people in the law system,its unfair

[blakorean]

im not trying to encourage anyone to feel sorry for criminals becuase i believe in justice,if a person commits a crime they should e punished,although in my opiniob alot of the sentencing is unfair,but i didnt write the laws and i am not judge,im mjust and average american citizen with a criminal history,whos been in the d.o.c system and have seen what realy goes on to tell the public,and expose alot of the evil inhumane things thats goin on in prisons across america.becuase im sick and tired

[blakorean]

and these thibgs happen everyday 1000 of times all across america these prison systems are breaking thier own prison guidlines and even state laws to manipulate inmates in any way they like but i dont see anybody doin anthing about it.then u got these cocksuckers out here in the street who really dont know what its like to say he deserves it.or people in the law system thats even trying to encourage stricter punishment for criminals all u ppl can suk my dik,

[blakorean]

i commend these artist's for doing what there doing,unless a person as actually bben incarcerated they really dont know what an inmate has to go through,the public doesnt know that the inmates loses all there rights and the evil and ht by you inhumane things that officers inflict on inmates without ever beingcharged for thier crimes,being in the hole and a officer walks right by you and wont u ask for toilet paper and they walk right by you as if u never asked or not being fed

[GuysSeriously]

To hell with your human rights you people make me sick you care more about these criminal scum bags than the victims.

[eastariel]

Judgment via the court system is different than "judge not, lest ye be judged." At times we need to step in, help someone stop hurting others by giving them a little "time out," and give them an education.

How can we teach people not to hurt others by punishing them? Prison should be a place of time out, redirection, and education ... to teach prisoners of fear the sanctity of life through reminding them that they are sacred, also.