{"id":4090,"date":"2010-12-23T04:05:21","date_gmt":"2010-12-23T04:05:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theredphoenixapl.org\/?p=4090"},"modified":"2010-12-23T04:05:21","modified_gmt":"2010-12-23T04:05:21","slug":"the-largest-prison-strike-in-american-history-goes-ignored-by-us-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redphoenix.news\/es\/2010\/12\/the-largest-prison-strike-in-american-history-goes-ignored-by-us-media\/","title":{"rendered":"The Largest Prison Strike In American History Goes Ignored By US Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

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(Original article here<\/a>)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Today marks the end of a seven-day strike where tens of thousands of inmates in Georgia refused to work or leave their cells until their demands had been met. The odd thing is, that until today, no one had ever heard about this strike.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Inmates in ten Georgia prisons, Baldwin, Hancock, Hays, Macon, Smith and Telfair State Prisons, to name a few, went on strike last Thursday to protest their treatment and demand their human rights.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to an article by Facing South, Department of Corrections have been nervous about deteriorating conditions in Georgia\u2019s prisons since early 2010. Wardens started triple bunking prisoners in response to budget cuts\u2014squeezing three prisoners into cells intended for one. Prison officials have kept a watchful eye out for prisoners meaning to riot, for prisoners\u2019 rights lawyers to litigate, or both.<\/span><\/p>\n

Poor conditions and substandard medical care are also on the inmates\u2019 list of demands. However, the jailed\u2019s main gripe seems to center on landing recognition as workers entitled to fair pay.<\/span><\/p>\n

As it goes, prisoners in Georgia are forced to work without pay for their labor\u2014seemingly a violation of the 13th Amendment, which prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude.<\/span><\/p>\n

For months the prisoners had apparently used cell phones to get in touch with inmates from other prisons, organizing a non-violent strike. The outcome began the morning of Dec. 9\u2014by Dec. 13 the GDC issued a statement that four prisons were completely on strike.<\/span><\/p>\n

An interview with one of the strike leaders revealed that every group of inmates in the prison had been working together. \u201cThey want to break up the unity we have here,\u201d said an anonymous strike leader in an interview with the Black Agenda Report. \u201cWe have the Crips and the Bloods, we have the Muslims, we have the head Mexicans, and we have the Aryans all with a peaceful understanding, all on common ground.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The largest prison strike in American history seems like a topic ripe for the press, however there was no mention of it anywhere in mainstream media. Smaller outlets like Black Agenda Report and Facing South (Institute for Southern Studies) have been covering the strike since day one.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps there was a larger hand at play\u2014one that did not want the deplorable conditions of the Georgia prison system to surface. If Wikileaks has taught us anything, it is that the revolution will be televised.<\/span><\/p>\n

The prisoners demands:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n