Life, laughs, love and tears.
After all, they have rights too...
Published on September 5, 2007 By Trudygolightly In Current Events

The inmates in Dakota County, MN. have it soooooooo bad,  my GOD!  Seven days a week,  365 days a year,  they get to have two bologna sandwiches,  along with fruit, like an orange and cookies and chips.   

That's what they get,  5 days a week,  and on weekends they get two meals a day.  Brunch and supper.  They threw a fit claiming it was against their "rights" to have sooo many hours between meals,  as breakfast was at 7,  lunch at noon and brown bag supper at 4:00 p.m.

They complained that they weren't getting enough calories,  probably not enough nutrition,  and meals so far apart on weekends left them hungry.

There was,  for the record,  11 letters of complaint,  received by the Dept. of Corrections since January 2004,  seven about the food. 

Their meals are monitered by a dietician each year,  the Dept. of Corrections said,  and the Dept. of Corrections changed the time between meals on weekends,  and also told the inmates that they're welcome to have cereal in the morning if they want it.  They claimed they weren't aware of that.

They ( the inmates) also have access to vending machines,  and weekly canteens operated by TW Vending,  which offers junk food,  convenience foods by store items on a form,  ramen noodles,  and coffee.

Dear Lord,   maybe if they ( the inmates)  had been out working for a living,  even if it's flipping burgers,  instead of holding people up at gunpoint,  maybe if they had asked for help instead of stealing from someone's garage....they might have the money for better food.

Why should I feel bad if they're eating bologna for supper?  When I was working for a living,  I worked between 9 and 12 hour days to support my son and myself.  If we ate bologna it was because we had a choice, that we'd earned!

 I say LET them eat bologna!  IF they're lucky it might be Oscar Meyer!!

BTW,  the article,  by Frederic Melo,  is in the St. Paul Pioneer Press,  and is far more detailed...at

 http://www.twincities.com/ci_6788922?source=most_emailed


Comments (Page 4)
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on Sep 08, 2007
when was the last time any of you feel good people have invited a homeless person to dinner. don't feel bad neither have i but then i am not a feel good person.
on Sep 08, 2007
when was the last time any of you feel good people have invited a homeless person to dinner. don't feel bad neither have i but then i am not a feel good person.


Interesting how you assume we haven't. I will reiterate that I don't trumpet the things I do, but suffice it to say I actually do things in this area. So speak for yourself, kemosabe!

so what a lot of you feel good people are saying is they should be feed steak and eggs instead.

1 who's going to pay for it.

2 where is the insentive to stay out of jail.


did you know a lot of homeless will get themselves thrown in jail in the winter so they wont freeze.


danielost,

Don't you get a bad taste in your mouth from spewing excrement? That's not what anyone said at all.

on Sep 08, 2007

THIS blog isn't about people receiving welfare,  not about disabled people,  seniors,  poor,  homeless people,  nor even about the INNOCENTS that are wrongly arrested and sitting in jail.  For the sake of clarity,  to those that are too quick to jump the gun and point fingers,  it's about the misfits in life that are in jail,  that are STILL innocent until proven guilty,  EVEN though they have a rap sheet a mile long. 

After having worked from 65 until 2001,  paying taxes myself,  I'm sick and fed up with the scourge of the earth types that cost us millions of dollars to feed,  house, medicate, ( take care of medically) and good Lord knows what else.... I'm talking about the ones that ARE guilty,  and to say it again....Do you feel BAD about these inmates?"   I don't.   Junk food,  one cold meal a meal,   sandwiches, fruit, chips and cookies.  I don't think it's so bad for them,   maybe not great,  however I have no qualms about it.  I sleep at night.  I sleep good.  I keep my nose clean,  so to speak,  if I was stupid enough to choose to break the law,  I"d deserve to be eating whatever the state handed me. 

In spite of what a couple of bloggers have stated,  this blog article isn't about welfare people,  even though they too get assistance from the state.  IF YOU or YOU or YOU want to write an article about that subject,  like it isn't already a dead horse,  then go ahead.

I don't think our system is perfect,  or even good.  I've never liked it that young adults,  older teens, are tossed in with bitter,  hardened criminals.  Seems like there's a need for young  adults to have thier own place to help them get turned around,  while they still have the glimmer of a hope to do so,  before their minds are turned to concrete walls.....last nights' show on cable about prison life showed me just how rough the adult men are,  very unsettling.

I"m appalled that a few bloggers would care more about inmates getting a better meal than they care about children,  old people,  people with crippling conditons like CP,  RA,  stroke victioms...just appalled.  I say that sincerely,  not with sarcasm. 

Looking down my nose on the inmates?  No,  just don't feel bad for the one meal a day that they don't like.  I DO feel bad for the soldiers returning home with no legs,  an arm missing,  those with their minds tortured,  those that come home and then commit suicide...I feel sad for the children that left without moms because the dad stabbed her the night before....no,  no sympathy for the inmates.  I can't empathize with them because I haven't "done time" so to speak. 

I truly didn't think it was necessary to clarify my meaning by saying "IF they're guilty,  then I don't care what they get to eat",   however maybe it WAS needed.  To insinuate,  accuse me of not caring about innocent people,  is ludicrous,  and mostly was used as an excuse to personally attack my character. 

I guess by NOT clarifying it,  you had a chance to attack,  my bad.  NEXT time,  I'll make sure it's perfectly clear whom I care about,  and who I don't give a rats' petutie about. 

It WOULD have been nice had you simply answered the question that was posted...I thought that was the idea of posting to the forum,  to discuss the question posed to the crowd. 

 

 

on Sep 08, 2007
I"m appalled that a few bloggers would care more about inmates getting a better meal than they care about children, old people, people with crippling conditons like CP, RA, stroke victioms...just appalled. I say that sincerely, not with sarcasm.


This one was obviously directed at me, since I don't believe in building mansions and giving millions to the disabled, so I'll field it.

When you make that statement, it is an outright lie. I have plenty of compassion for people. I just don't feel the need to prove it to the likes of you by trotting out my resume. Got it?

ANd as for prisoners, I have already stated, I'm a Constitutionalist. Always have been. From the day I logged on to this site I have made that clear. That means I believe in human RIGHTS, not human PRIVILEGES. There are certain rights that belong to people even when we thoroughly despise their actions. I actually have quite complicated thoughts on prison reform and have stated them before. Not going to rehash them here.

I've answered your question, but it's not a "yes or no" question. Do I "feel bad" for them? Not as much as I feel outraged at our government's abhorrent behaviour to our own people.
on Sep 08, 2007

Reply By: Gideon MacLeishPosted: Saturday, September 08, 2007
And I'll tell you what REALLY set me off, Trudy, was the statement that inmates deserve to be murdered in prison. That you would consider the cold blooded murder of some 18 year old purse snatcher acceptable is so far beyond appalling it's not even funny!

My statement WAS:  Quite frankly,  some of the crimes these people have perpetrated on innocent people,  including children,  are so vile that I don't know why they aren't murdered in the jail, they're fortunate that they live in the good ole USA where we support their asses and more...

and I don't

and I don't know why they aren't beaten or murdered by their fellow inmates...I NEVER said they deserve to be murdered! I said that the crimes they've committed against children are vile, and usually inmates can't stand child molesters and murderers. I"d never advocate it! While snatching the purse of a senior citizen is reprehensible, it sure wouldn't rile up many inmates...don't try to twist my words Gid, I know full well what I"ve said...

Someone critized me and mocked me for stating facts, accusing me of complaining about a free ride, and pretty much what you said about not getting my fair share.


Honestly, Trudy, I've seen you express this attitude MANY times. Granted, you've been a little bit more chipper as of late, but again, looking at a pattern of behaviour over time, I've seen this a LOT.

Nope,  just those two times,  and they were close together in the time dept.  The incident with the dangerous driver was in April two years ago,  and the fish stick thing not long after. 

If you find fault with me for two incidents,  then do you do that with all bloggers??  Two rants about something.......that involved unfair and rude treatment.....do you get on other's bloggers cases?  for complaining about "whatever"  and say that "that is who they are becasue they complain about this or tha??  Or my.....seems like YOU"RE the one judging ME,  for two rants...you've hijacked this far enough Gid.  To start with,  it wasn't YOU that found fault with me was it??  I remember allll too well the incident in question...why DID you bring it up Gid? 

2) Their "hard time" should not include denial of a healthy diet, clean and sanitary conditions, or basic medical care.

I agree completely with you,  have never said otherwise.  MY idea of a healthy diet sure doesn't include chips and cookies,   however....the state says different.  Do you write to congressmen Gid?  I'd love to see a letter to the Dakota county Dept. of Corrections written by you   ....

Reply By: Gideon MacLeishPosted: Friday, September 07, 2007
Instead of going on and on about "how some might be innocent" how about answering the question, presuming the jailed ARE guilty??


I won't presume the jailed are guilty, because that's not how our legal system works, Trudy. Should we have two meals, one for those sentenced and one for those who are not? Sorry, no. There is a right to healthy, nutritious meals.

Gid:  I KNOW that's not how our legal system works,  AND I DIDN'T suggest we have different meals for those sentenced from those not sentenced...I concur,   as does the STATE and their dietician,  they have a right to healthy,  nutritious means. 

I simply posed a question,  "Do you feel BAD for these inmates?"  It's not up to me to decide what they get,  you write as if it was MY fault what they get fed.  I simply said I don't feel bad for them. 

on Sep 08, 2007
Do you write to congressmen Gid?


I have absolutely no political involvement whatsoever, Trudy. I mean, I only ran for state representative because I'm completely ignorant!

Come on, you should KNOW the answer to THAT one.

Or my.....seems like YOU"RE the one judging ME, for two rants...you've hijacked this far enough Gid.


OK, I missed the quote where I said "Trudy's going to Hell for leeching off the system". Can you show me where it is?

You sure use the word "judging" pretty liberally, Trudy. Good gravy!

I'd love to see a letter to the Dakota county Dept. of Corrections written by you ....


If you had any IDEA how many political projects I have on my table at any given time, you would understand why the Dakota Dept. of Corrections is not particularly high on my priority list!

on Sep 08, 2007

When you make that statement, it is an outright lie. I have plenty of compassion for people. I just don't feel the need to prove it to the likes of you by trotting out my resume. Got it?

I don't have to lie,  and the "likes of me?"   then why bother coming onto my blog?  get lost.

This one was obviously directed at me, since I don't believe in building mansions and giving millions to the disabled, so I'll field it.
Reply By: Gideon MacLeish

Sorry to deflate your ego,  but,  it ISN"T directed at YOU,  it's for those that are more concerned with the meals being "tasty"  than caring about other things going on in our country....those that ARE guilty I'd love to see sentenced to do their time in Iraq.....

on Sep 08, 2007

Reply By: danielostPosted: Saturday, September 08, 2007
so what a lot of you feel good people are saying is they should be feed steak and eggs instead.

1 who's going to pay for it.

2 where is the insentive to stay out of jail.


did you know a lot of homeless will get themselves thrown in jail in the winter so they wont freeze.

The good ole taxpayers foot the bill dani,  and to answer your question about ""where is the incentive to stay out of jail?"   Well danilost,  the answer is "Having pride in one's self,  being a good person,  working for a living,  living a clean life ( no drugs or booze)  because drugs can mess up one's brain pretty bad.

ANd yes, I've known that homeless people get themselves tossed in jail so they don't freeze.....

AND YES I've invited homeless people into my own home,  fo a couple of  meals and gave him clothing,  and then while I was at work,  and my husband was sleeping,  the man molested my 8 year old daughter.  It's a long story,  he got arrested by the police,  using his old parking tickets,  and while the legal system was building a case against him,  his boss bailed his foul ass out of jail...

So I doub that I"d invite another homeless one into my home,  unless it was my own sister.  SHE could live with me for the allotted 14 days,  then have to leave or I"d be evicted....

 

on Sep 08, 2007
don't feel bad neither have i but then i am not a feel good person.


So speak for yourself, kemosabe!


i did speak for my self.
on Sep 08, 2007
but i have a good excuse.

i lived on the streets in San Fransisco for almost a year.

and the majority of the people i meet weren't living on the streets because they had to but because they wanted to.


i will not give money to the homeless for the most part because they will take it out of your hand and down to the nearest liqueur store or beer store.


as i said this is an excuse.


and last month i offered to help a guy by filling his car. but he didn't want me to i guess he just wanted the cash. so guess what i thought. perhaps i was wrong but i couldn't find his car anyways and he wouldn't ride with us to his car.
on Sep 09, 2007
I don't think there would be an argument here if this story pertained to a maximum security facility. The problem here is you're talking about people in a county lock up. If you're nasty enough to end up in max. sec., I don't care if you get fed nothing but junk but if you are waiting in lockup, you might be totally innocent. Poor nutrition can lead to many problems, some of which can be hard or impossible to rectify. I agree that any nutritionist that deems bologna and nutritious should be banned from practice.

on Sep 10, 2007
Go up the river to St Cloud, and those clowns in the reformatory eat better than any military member who is aboard a ship while deployed. Jails are another matter altogether. There aren't any Aunt Bees taking biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs to Otis the drunk in any lock up I've ever heard about.
on Sep 10, 2007

Poor nutrition can lead to many problems, some of which can be hard or impossible to rectify. I agree that any nutritionist that deems bologna and nutritious should be banned from practice.

Especially if one is already ill or elderly,  food like bologna and chips isn't good, the dietician that checks the menus yearly must get paid pretty good to ok this kind of a diet.....

According to the article,  other counties aren't feeding the same kind of meals to inmates.....so it sounds like the county gets to decide what the food will be...

 

on Sep 10, 2007

There aren't any Aunt Bees taking biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs to Otis the drunk in any lock up I've ever heard about.

No,  and chances are the inmates are out in a week or less.  I'd be interested in hearing what inamates in St. Cloud get! 

I have information that is pertinent to this article,  facts and such,  however am not allowed to divulge it....

I CAN and will write about what kind of food was served while I cooked in the Eau Claire County jail and also the Chisago County Jail.

 

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