Which side are you on?
Last week, USA Today ran a hit piece on federal prisoners with the tabloid headline, “Government shutdown: Federal inmates feast on Cornish hens, steak as prison guards labor without pay.” Not to be outdone, The Washington Post followed this up with their own shameful story under the headline, “‘I been eatin like a boss’: Federal prisoners served steak by unpaid guards during shutdown.” The problem here is twofold. First, the shutdown has nothing to do with the food served to federal prisoners and, second, the food descriptions are wildly exaggerated.
So much for USA Today and the Washington Post. —Meanwhile, somewhat closer to what must meanly pass for reality:
“We’re not talking about fancy luxury items here,” Mr. Patton said in a telephone interview.
“We’re talking about being able to converse with your attorney when you haven’t yet been convicted of a crime. We’re talking about being able to see your children or your spouse or your parents.”
“This is the absolute lowest baseline we should expect of a government when it detains people and assumes responsibility for their well-being,” he added.
