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RICHMOND
The American Civil Liberties Union is demanding that a Virginia jail stop removing biblical passages and other religious material from letters written to inmates.
The ACLU, its state chapter and several other organizations sent a letter Thursday to Rappahannock Regional Jail officials asking that the issue be resolved without litigation.
Anna Williams, whose son was detained at the jail, said officials cut out entire sections of letters she sent to her son that contained Bible verses or religious material. She said the jail cited prohibitions on Internet material and religious material sent from home.
The groups said the policy was unconstitutional and asked that it be changed.
Jail officials said they had not yet seen the letter.
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Probably plans to escape
I'm betting those prisoners are using bible scriptures to communicate plans to escape. I seriously doubt they are studying the bible to repent. Their families are probably making marks over numbers that represent letters of the alphabet. These people are in prison because they are deceitful. I'm sure the warden doesn't put anything past them.
And another thing
I would think the posters who think we are as a nation losing our Christian identity would be outraged that religious material is being withheld from prisoners. Who needs to be saved more than a sinner! And this pervasive notion that Pres. Obama is responsible for all the ills of the world, real and perceived, including the actions of a local sheriff's department, is plain silly.
Constitutional Refresher?
To the last comment.....we have jails to house both sentenced and pre sentenced prisoners. I find it disturbing that anyone thinks due process and civil rights are left at the sally port. To often those who identify themselves as "tough on crime" cry about how the jails are to soft.
Let me ask these people ...when was the last time YOU were incarcerated?
As both a victim of violent crime....and a former deputy I can tell you theres nothing "soft" about being in any of the local jails. However....to strip ANY prisoner pre or post trial....of ALL religous material is and forever will be an atrocity. I certainly don't think inmates should enjoy lavish conditions....but to prohibit religous materials will only make the facility more dangerous for staff and prisoners alike. Those who profess there constitutional prowess and then in the same breath affirm that this type of policy is just need a constitutional refresher.
As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and
So dont go there
When I lived in Bermuda in the 80's, there were a group of liberals trying to get the Bermudian Jail upgraded to more comfortable standards. In all honesty, it was more like a dungeon than a county jail. The Prime Minister at the time, The Honorable John Swann, answered the complainers very simply, "Yes, it is a bad place to be, so don't do anything to cause yourself to stay there". The complainers got the message, as did most Bermudians, stay out of prison, it is not a nice place, and you do not have rights when you are a guest there. I loved the simplicity of his response. Too bad it is missed on so many people.
first state capital buildings...
...and now the jail houses. Like Hussein Obummer said, we are not a country of christians, but a country of citizens. Change you can believe in....LOL