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| Credit William Thorpe |
When Virginia Democrats controlled its government from 2017-2021. A number of prison and criminal justice reforms were breathed into existence of which Virginia Department of Corrections [VADOC] use of solitary confinement was a work in progress.
In 2021 Republicans and reactionaries wormed their way into Virginia's political leadership and reacting against, revising and rescinding some of those prison and criminal justice reforms were number one on their list. So the work on reforming and abolishing VADOC's use of solitary confinement ground to a halt under Republican gimmicks, gambits and outright despotism with VADOC given one of those make it look like there is transparency and accountability gambit in the governance process by doing a sham review of the solitary confinement practice. Not only was the process a sham but it was a travesty of Virginia governance, because courts, the rule of law had already told VADOC in a number of court rulings that not only was solitary confinement an unconstitutional, hence extra-judicial act, but it violated the 8th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as a cruel and unusual punishment. So why was taxpayer money wasted on review of a Virginia governmental practice that has been found to be unlawful?
Nonetheless, on December 1, 2022, VADOC gave us the sham review, titled Reports to the General Assembly - RD744 - use of Restorative Housing within state correctional facilities and Juvenile Correctional Centers. So the executive summary of what should be correctly titled VADOC's extra-judicial use of solitaey confinement gave us 3 bloated paragraphs focusing on and I paraphrase, solitary confinement reform activists contacted Virginia prisoners thereby possibly influencing prisoners who are brutalized and dehumanized daily on the fact solitary confinement brutalizes them. Let me just quote what Virginia taxpayers paid for.
" Told VADOC leadership of the situation and an email investigation with jpay was conducted to ensure the incarcerated individuals interviewed were not influenced in their responses based upon the information in both emails from members of the coalition. The investigation revealed that a member of the Virginia Coalition sent (2) separate emails (on the above date) to 28 incarcerated individuals who varied in housing across what appeared to be at least 12 VADOC facilities. Only one incarcerated individual of the 25 interviewed received emails on the dates provided by the member of the Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement." [unquote]
What this RD744 VADOC report underscores is the resurrection of the infernal arguments made by pro-slavers in the context of American chattel slavery that the enslaved black person had to be influenced, incited to recognize that their condition was barbaric, evil, savage and ahumanisitc viz VADOC's RD744 report stating solitary confinement reform activist were investigated to ascertain or find out if they hadn't influenced prisoners, as if prisoners who are being treated unlawfully by VDOC had to be instructed, that VADOC was brutalizing and dehumanizing them. This pathetic reach and spin by VADOC has been the only argument made by people, governments, institutions and religions confronted and challenged on their quintessential mythology of purpose.
So are we surprised that VADOC when called out on the lawlessness of it's solitary confinement practice as a extra-judicial imposition finds refuge among the "influenced/incited" to recognize sophistry? No, we are not. Because it is the emphysemic, wheezing flailing, delusional logic left the administration of evil and solitary confinement is an evil judicial institution and only minds and hearts that see themselves as above the human condition, outside of history, beyond reproach and are above law pretentiously labor as tirelessly as VADOC and its allies are in maintaining it and it is an it that it is no more complicated in its psychology than gratuitous sadism.
Lest we forget what some of the influenced, incited to recognize sophistry is like we are told in the October 31,1868 issue of the Daily Ledger, an Albany, Indiana paper that a judge Carlton expressed his disdain for Republicans in Virginia inciting Negroes with "low-flung" speech.
Then,
Nancy Isenberg in her book White Trash, tells us on pp.184.
"During the election year 1868, the scalawag was accused of inciting blacks, and giving them the idea that they deserved social equality."
Then,
The revisionist and supremacist writer, Alan Brinkley in his book, The Unfinished Nation a Concise History of the American People Vol.1 to 1877 tells us on pp. 80-81.
"Occasionaly a master or mistress would teach slave children to read and write but as the slave system became more firmely entrenched, strong social (and ultimately legal) sanctions developed to discourage such efforts lest literacy encourages slaves to question their stations."
I'm William Thorpe, Virginia exiled me to the Texas prison system. I'm held in solitary confinement at Wainwright unit.
