Damn.

I happened to stumble upon the Fark thread t'other day. It reminded me why I don't go there anymore.

I kind of like it. Its a modern version of the Scarlet Letter.

I'm always disappointed that lawlessness is so rampant in prisons. The fact that the guards were disciplined not for the tattooing but for releasing the pictures says it all I guess.

When I hit the link, safari quits on me. Happened twice. I managed to see "Katie's Revenge," though. Curious...

I'm always disappointed that lawlessness is so rampant in prisons.

Well, you shouldn't be surprised. They're filled with people who don't obey laws.

the guards were disciplined not for the tattooing but for releasing the pictures

I got the impression it was other prisoners who did the tattooing, not guards.

(pips: it's an article about a prisoner who molested and murdered a 10-year-old girl named Katie. Other prisoners tattooed 'Katie's Revenge' on his forehead)

I had a feeling it was something like that. While I do believe the state has an obligation to protect prisoners, in this case, you're right, it is hard to feel sorry for the bastard.

Basically what jon said: I don't believe someone should be tattooed against his/her will, but I really can't dredge up much sympathy for someone like that.

I won't be surprised if taxpayers end up paying for laser surgery to remove the tattoo.

I won't be surprised if taxpayers end up paying for laser surgery to remove the tattoo.

And so they should.

Well, if the tattoo had said "Murdering Child Molesting Scumbag," I'd say leave it on. It'd serve as a warning. But, hopefully this guy will never leave prison alive.

The murdering molester is reprehensible.

So is vigilantism.

The State's right to imprison him is predicated on idea that the State provides impartial justice and protects its citizens no matter their condition. The State has failed to uphold the social contract in this case, and it doesn't matter that the victim is a reprehensible sicko.

This conditions allowed to prevail in our American prisons -- and indeed winked at whenever we snicker about prison rape -- should affront the conscience of all citizens and all believers in a Just God.

It comes as no surprise that the top torturer at Abu Ghraib learned his trade as a civilian prison guard. It should come as no surprise that American prisons produce not rehabilitation, but instead unleash even more embittered angry ex-cons to prey upon our populace -- because that's what we teach them to be in our law-of-the-jungle prisons.

Every criminal in prison, no mater how vile his crime, is God's unique creation. Every one of them, not matter how depraved, was washed of his sins in the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Every one, no matter how personally disgusting, is when in prison our collective ward. In asserting the right to take away his liberty for breaking our laws, we also assume a responsibility for his well-being while our ward. It is a responsibility we have cavalierly and utter failed at.

We should remember that Jesus of Nazareth, Emma Goldman, Martin Luther King -- all were incarcerated by due process of law. All were prisoners. And ultimately the societies that imprisoned them were judged on their treatment while incarcerated.

And all of us will ultimately be Judged by how we treated or allowed others to treat the least and most vile among us.

Well, you shouldn't be surprised. They're filled with people who don't obey laws.

I'm not surprised, just disappointed that people in the State's care aren't better protected. If a mob dragged a guy off the street and tattooed his head there would be outrage from the community. I think that should still be the case even if the guy is a scumbag and in prison.

I got the impression it was other prisoners who did the tattooing, not guards.

Yes. What I was getting at is there isn't any expectation that the guards will maintain order. Let's say this happened in a high school. The principal and instructor responsible for the kids at the time would be reprimanded and they don't even have security measures to help them out. But it's business as usual in a prison. So ordinary that the overseers aren't punished for letting it happen.

I was just impressed that they got the apostrophe right.

Just a comment about this. Guards cannot be totally responsible for every little thing that goes on or else someone will complain to the Civil Liberties people that their rights are being violated. Tattooing goes on undercover-at night, at free times, etc. Most often the machines are made using motors made from Walkman cassette players and ink from pens. And yeah, child molesters are at the bottom of prison "classes", and this may have been a light version of prison "justice"-some child molesters don't make it out of some prisons. Jeffrey Dahmer was beaten to death for what he had done.
That said, released prisoners, who have served their times, most often return to crime simply because they cannot survive in the "outside" world. They can't get jobs that pay enough to live on, they are often released with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. What happens if they don't have any family to go home to? What is expected to happen to them? How do you live if you are released and have no where to go, no job prospects, no money?
Is this true about all convicts? No, of course not. There are people who will never change. There are also people who have tried to rehabilitate, change their ways, and are constantly thwarted by questions on application forms that ask about criminal history.
After all that, I must say that I hate people who target children, and personally I don't feel sorry for that animal at all.