E - A Prison Inside

So I got arrested.  58 years old and I’ve never been arrested before.   First time in my life that’s ever happened.  I’ve been lucky so far and that hasn’t changed.   It happened at the Free Speech plaza in downtown Eugene.  I was with 20 other SLEEPS activists protesting for the rights of unhoused citizens in our community when the police told us to leave the plaza.  We refused, intent on standing up for our first amendment rights to peacefully assemble and our right to free speech.  That’s how I ended up in jail and I couldn’t think of a better reason to go to jail other than standing up for the rights of the unhoused and for all our constitutional rights. 

I have to tell you that I got a lot more that I expected, I learned something.  What I learned is that a prison is a dark, sad and ugly place to house human souls.  A place full of unhappy, suffering people and I’m just not talking about the prisoners.  The saddest people in there were the staff.  The prisoners will all get out of there, most sooner than later, but for the poor staff; their sentence is typically much longer.  And saddest of all is that for the staff it's a self-imprisonment.  What could be more depressing than voluntary prison time. 

"A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members."

~ Mahatma Ghandi

That quote has been one of rationales that I’ve used when trying to convince others in my community to consider and care about the plight of the unhoused.  I now think that it also applies to our prisons.  We can do better.  Those unfortunate souls locked in those dark places deserve better.  We would all be better off, if they were treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.  I just spent a night and a day in there.  That was more that enough. 

The good news is that there are several outstanding attorneys working our behalf.  We will have our day in court.