[lbo-talk] Prisons and The Left

[John Thornton]

Joseph Catron wrote:
> On Tue, Apr 7, 2009 at 6:15 PM, Sheldon <humanist.observer at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> But lets face it, nobody is going to
>   
>> take a left seriously that proposes that we put thugs like these in
>> luxury resort hotels.
>>     
>
>
> Well, why the hell not? Does keeping him in humbler surroundings actually
> improve anything in the society outside? Does it have a rehabilitative
> effect? So what's the point, other than accentuating all the baser elements
> of bourgeois morality?
>
> As a smarter man than I once asked, "San Quentin, what good do you think you
> do?"
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zgja26eNeY
>
> (If Andie or anyone else posts a defense of retribution as an ideal, I
> promise to read it.)
>   

Perhaps there is something between hell hole and luxury resort that 
might be a better idea?
The idea of incarceration for members of society that pose an immediate 
physical risk to other members of society does not necessitate luxurious 
surroundings any more than abhorrent surroundings does it?
Luxury is subjective. It means better surrounding than those experienced 
by most members of society.
What good would come from putting murderers in luxury surroundings 
rather than simply humane surroundings?
Isn't this kind of a silly idea?
Would it not serve as an enticement if incarceration actually provided 
more comfortable and luxurious surroundings than not being incarcerated?

I too would enjoy reading Andie's retribution defense but I would 
forewarn that having read others his would have to be pretty fucking 
spectacular to be convincing.

John Thornton