Letter to the editor
Big ups to the staff at CT for calling out AGD on their recent attempt at philanthropy! I agree that no disrespect was intended by their portrayal of jail inmates although, it is in much the same negligent disrespect American sports teams portray Native peoples as mascots. I can assure you that none of my cellmates would take kindly to being misrepresented as a fundraising mascot by people who have no idea of the exploitation taking place via the prison industrial complex. For those of us who made the mistake of committing a crime in the Commonwealth the outlook is particularly bleak due to stiff sentencing guidelines and the absence of parole. Many incarcerated here are victims of their own addiction, locked up for petty drug offenses. The numbers indicate at least someone in your sorority will experience the affects of drug addiction in your lifetime. I guess it hasn’t crossed your mind that recreational drugs like weed can earn you a ticket to the Richmond “Justice” Center. Ever scored a bag and split it with your friends? That’s a felony! Where will your sisters be when the fecal matter hits the rotary device and you find yourself in a real life jail and bail? I’m thankful however that you’ve provided fuel for this conversation which needs more attention. Thanks again to the staff at the CT for providing a forum for speaking out against social injustice such as the prison industrial complex and mass incarceration.
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