From: ghost_of_morphy@theghostishere.com   
      
   Read again, Critter.  These ladies are receiving certifications.   
      
   On Fri, 07 Nov 2003 23:48:08 GMT, "Critter"  wrote:   
      
   >> I think this is wonderful.  Anything, well, almost anything beats the day   
   >> in, day out monotony of prison life.  A change of scenery is great, and if   
   >> it helps them learn a skill and challenges them abit too, then that's also   
   >> great.   
   >   
   >   
   >It has only one functional purpose today - to keep inmates busy. The very   
   >idea that they will better themselves through gainful employment is a MYTH,   
   >little more than a FANTASY. There are many felons who will find jobs, but   
   >they WILL be bounced around from place to place like pingpong balls, and   
   >many more will simply not find jobs.   
   >   
   >Well, to rephrase, they will "find" plenty of jobs, but they will not   
   >actually get "hired" for any of them regardless of qualifications, abilities   
   >or potential.   
   >   
   >This is corporate policy, and this is law. These policies and attitudes have   
   >gradually crystallized over many many years of wars, unrest, riots, slavery,   
   >etc etc etc. This is probably the origin of many of the silly licensing   
   >requirements as well, such as chauffers licenses, barbers license,   
   >bartenders license, etc. As long as a license is required for these   
   >occupations, they can effectively prohibit you from owning your own   
   >business - forcing you into poverty and hopefully death (evidently).   
   >   
   >I think that it lends a lot of insight into a whole new dimension of   
   >historical attitudes, and how people in the US have practiced capitalism.   
   >There are really 2 sides to the coin. One the one hand you would like to   
   >become as wealthy as possible, but the flip side of the coin is that there   
   >is a tendency to try to drive others deeply into poverty out of spite.   
   >Economists have ignored this phenomena - but it is very real. There is a   
   >clear motivation to prevent ex-cons from ever working again. Economists are   
   >in DENIAL if they do not recognize this cruelty, and it's impact on the   
   >economy. Talk about going to college to get stupid.   
   >   
   >There are hundreds of things which economists look at to guage the health of   
   >the economy. Unemployment claims, profitability, productivity, consumer   
   >confidence, etc etc etc. But, I do not believe that anyone has ever   
   >recognized the phenomena of "employment deprivation" or "advancement   
   >repression" when practiced against millions of people. Certainly people have   
   >complained about it enough with respect to EEOC matters for minorities,   
   >women, etc, but they dont want to admit that it is an important or relevant   
   >metric in macroeconomics. I think that they need to stop lying to   
   >themselves.   
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)