The single most powerful piece of writing I have read for a very long time

[On the Left Wing]

This really moved me to tears.
Bound to divide opinion on the death penalty, but this man is to be executed for robbery alone - he did not commit the murder. But that is the law in some US states.
http://seagullnic.wordpress.com/2014/03/05/the-answer-my-friend-is-blowin-in-the-wind/

 

[Mowgli37]

Incredibly moving letter. Shows up how backward some parts of the USA are.

 

[Triggaaar]

Does the US really make a profit on their prisoners?

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Very insightful and articulate. The calmness of it and the underlying acceptance of his own individual situation while discussing the brokenness of the wider picture was very moving.

Tragically, the people most likely to read this and take on its message are unlikely to be decision-making people with the power to make changes.

To be honest, even if you ignore the sections about the details of his own case - which I don't know enough about to comment in-depth - his insights into the system as a whole are very interesting and depressing to read.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Does the US really make a profit on their prisoners?

It would appear so. Do a quick google of 'Investing in US prisons' and you will find many articles from respected sources. Frightening really, a massive conflict of interest.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I don't for a second believe in the death penalty, but reading a couple of other things does put the letter into a bit more perspective.

http://crime.about.com/od/deathrow/ig/Texas-Death-Row-Inmates/Ray-Jasper.htm

 

[Triggaaar]

It would appear so. Do a quick google of 'Investing in US prisons' and you will find many articles from respected sources. Frightening really, a massive conflict of interest.

Ok, tried that. It's not easy to see the answer though. There will be private schemes that make money, but presumably they are subsidised by the government.

That letter was very interesting. The US is pretty ****ed up. I don't have any real idea about how hard their prisoners are worked. My personal view is that prisons shouldn't be anything like the slave labour that Mr Jasper describes, but I do think prisoners should have to do some work. But it's obviously fundamental that you don't get a system that encourages longer sentences for profit (I have no idea if that really happens).

 

[Triggaaar]

I don't for a second believe in the death penalty, but reading a couple of other things does put the letter into a bit more perspective.

http://crime.about.com/od/deathrow/ig/Texas-Death-Row-Inmates/Ray-Jasper.htm

This really moved me to tears.

How about now?

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I don't for a second believe in the death penalty, but reading a couple of other things does put the letter into a bit more perspective.

http://crime.about.com/od/deathrow/ig/Texas-Death-Row-Inmates/Ray-Jasper.htm

It those facts are accurate (which I have no reason to think they aren't) it does indeed add some context to his individual case.

That said, I think his comments of the American system itself are still interesting and eye-opening so glad the letter was shared.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Ummm, the death penalty is abhorrent, imo.

On the link provided it states that he cut the victim's throat from ear to ear, but that it was the stab wounds to the chest made by one of his accomplices that actually killed him. So, I guess that leaves us with the likelihood that Jasper fully intended to kill the victim (why else would you cut someone's throat from ear to ear?), but either bottled it by not applying enough pressure to cut the carotid artery or, for some reason, deliberately didn't apply enough pressure.

It ill behooves Jasper to then complain that he got the death sentence because he didn't actually kill the victim. A certain amount of post rationalisation and post justification going on, methinks.

Not that he, or anyone else, should face the death penalty.

 

[Arrid]

Ummm, the death penalty is abhorrent, imo.

On the link provided it states that he cut the victim's throat from ear to ear, but that it was the stab wounds to the chest made by one of his accomplices that actually killed him. So, I guess that leaves us with the likelihood that Jasper fully intended to kill the victim (why else would you cut someone's throat from ear to ear?), but either bottled it by not applying enough pressure to cut the carotid artery or, for some reason, deliberately didn't apply enough pressure.

It ill behooves Jasper to then complain that he got the death sentence because he didn't actually kill the victim. A certain amount of post rationalisation and post justification going on, methinks.

Not that he, or anyone else, should face the death penalty.

Except paedophiles/child abusers and repeat murderers IMO.

 

[User removed 4]

Incredibly moving letter. Shows up how backward some parts of the USA are.

Yeah , fancy wanting to execute someone who cold bloodedly slit someones throat for a few thousand dollars, how backward eh ?

 

[drew]

Having read the account of the crime, his assertion that he did not kill is, at best, disengenuos. I am not an advocate of the death penalty but >Jasper certainly deserves life.

 

[User removed 4]

Very insightful and articulate. The calmness of it and the underlying acceptance of his own individual situation while discussing the brokenness of the wider picture was very moving.

Tragically, the people most likely to read this and take on its message are unlikely to be decision-making people with the power to make changes.

To be honest, even if you ignore the sections about the details of his own case - which I don't know enough about to comment in-depth - his insights into the system as a whole are very interesting and depressing to read.

Really ? Do you still feel the same way after the revelations of his own case ?

 

[User removed 4]

This really moved me to tears.
Bound to divide opinion on the death penalty, but this man is to be executed for robbery alone - he did not commit the murder. But that is the law in some US states.
http://seagullnic.wordpress.com/2014/03/05/the-answer-my-friend-is-blowin-in-the-wind/

bet you feel a bit silly now ?

 

[Baldseagull]

Ok, tried that. It's not easy to see the answer though. There will be private schemes that make money, but presumably they are subsidised by the government.

That letter was very interesting. The US is pretty ****ed up. I don't have any real idea about how hard their prisoners are worked. My personal view is that prisons shouldn't be anything like the slave labour that Mr Jasper describes, but I do think prisoners should have to do some work. But it's obviously fundamental that you don't get a system that encourages longer sentences for profit (I have no idea if that really happens).

The US also use products produced by inmates to limit the amount of cheap imported products from Mexico, if you use slave labour you can compete with Mexicans.

I don't know if it is true but I have read that in the States, they estimate the prison space required for the future by studying elementary reading test scores, more low scores = more prison space required.

Land of the free, and the Home of the Slave.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Really ? Do you still feel the same way after the revelations of his own case ?

Not so much, no. Happy to admit that. Although I did say I didn't know enough about his own case to comment in-depth.

But I do still find some of his insights interesting and thought-provoking so glad the letter was shared. Even it, as it turns out, the bits about him not committing the murder apparently need to be taken with a healthy pinch of salt.

It is a difficult one. The individual appears to have been responsible for a terrible crime. An awful, premeditated and cold-blood crime which resulted in the death of an innocent person. He deserves to be punished.

But does that mean he is not equally able to offer valid insights into the failures of the American system for other people? I don't think so.

I suppose it is difficult to divorce the message from the messenger in many cases.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Reads like hypocritical bullshit.

Bullshits on about empathy...

Empathy. A rich man would look at a poor man, not with sympathy, feeling sorrow for the unfortunate poverty, but also not with contempt, feeling disdain for the man’s poverish state, but with empathy, which means the rich man would put himself in the poor man’s shoes, feel what the poor man is feeling, and understand what it is to be the poor man.
Empathy breeds proper judgement. Sympathy breeds sorrow. Contempt breeds arrogance. Neither are proper judgements because they’re based on emotions. That’s why two people can look at the same situation and have totally different views. We all feel differently about a lot of things. Empathy gives you an inside view. It doesn’t say ‘If that was me…’, empathy says, ‘That is me.’

But turns up with a knife premeditated and slits another mans throat.

No empathy however is expressed for the victim. Just moaning about how he's been done wrong.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Having now read the letter in context of the background of his case, there does seem an undeniable irony in his comments about empathy considering he slit someone else's throat in order to steal from him.

I have to admit I took the original letter at face value perhaps too readily in terms of the individual's own case. Thanks to the other poster for providing the context of the person's crimes.

Glad the original letter was shared though as it does raise some important issues over the American system as a whole.

 

[Tubby-McFat-Fuc]

I don't for a second believe in the death penalty, but reading a couple of other things does put the letter into a bit more perspective.

http://crime.about.com/od/deathrow/ig/Texas-Death-Row-Inmates/Ray-Jasper.htm

Have to say when reading his letter I wasn't moved to tears at all. Just came across as someone blaming everyone but himself.
After seeing that link, confirmed what I felt reading his letter. Hope he suffers. Have no sympathy at all. If I went out to rob someone armed with a knife and used it on him, I would not expect sympathy from anyone.

He's going to get what he deserves in my opinion.