[lbo-talk] Angela-a-Day

[Sheldon]

On Fri, Apr 3, 2009 at 12:36 PM, Carrol Cox <cbcox at ilstu.edu> wrote:
>> I've both read her and heard her speak on prisons. That is my point of
> departure for arguing that one benchmark of the appearance of an actual
> left in the u.S. will be that one of its central demands will be for the
> abolition of prisons. There is no way to reform that system, for a
> number of reasons. And prisons create far more crime than they prevent.
> Also abolishing prisons would carry with it the abolition of the war on
> drugs at the same time it would contribute to solving the fiscal
> problems of the states, counties, and municipalities.
>
> Carrol

Ye know, I really have to roll my eyes when I hear some leftists
suggest that we abolish prisons.  Talk about utopianism.  Aside from
agreeing with you about the war on drugs.  Yes, capitalist society may
create and sustain all kinds of social pathologies.  And I don't doubt
that there can be all kinds of measures to treat those social
pathologies, reduce crime and make prisons less neccessary.  However,
there still are going to be evil bastards like this guy who we don't
want walking around free:

 http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090327/ts_alt_afp/uscrimetrial_20090327222940

And what about the counter-revolutionary thugs that try to reverse the
gains of a would-be socialist society?  Unless, you're suggesting that
they just all be executed regardless of their counter-revolutionary
crimes?