Feds Remove Religious Texts From Prison Chapel Libraries

By TChris, Section Inmates and Prisons
Posted on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 05:44:33 PM EST
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It's no surprise to learn of decisions within the Bush administration that seem arbitrary. By what standard did the administration decide to remove religious texts from chapel libraries in federal prisons?

Inmate Moshe Milstein told the judge by telephone that the chaplain at Otisville removed about 600 books from the chapel library on Memorial Day, including Harold S. Kushner's best-seller "When Bad Things Happen to Good People," a book that Norman Vincent Peale said was "a book that all humanity needs."

The book ban is supposedly "intended to prevent radical religious texts, specifically Islamic ones, from falling into the hands of violent inmates." What makes an Islamic religious text "radical"? Are there objective standards that the Bureau of Prisons applies equally to all religious texts without regard to the religion they advocate?

"A lot of what we are missing were definitely prayer books or prayer guides and religious laws on the part of the Muslim faith," [inmate Douglas Kelly] said.

In our unitary executive branch, perhaps it's the Decider himself who decides which religious texts are fit for inmates to read.

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Feds Remove Religious Texts From Prison Chapel Libraries | 9 comments (9 topical)

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It seems like a clear ... (none / 0) (#1)
by Sailor on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 06:43:36 PM EST

... violation of the 1st amendment and of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

From TChris' article: The government maintained that that the new rules don't entirely clear the shelves of prison chapel libraries.

WTF!?

Who purchased the books? (none / 0) (#2)
by JSN on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 07:20:19 PM EST

Were they purchased by prisoners, given to the prison to be used
by prisoners or purchased by the prison?

The new rules don't entirely clear the shelves. . (none / 0) (#3)
by naschkatze on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 08:06:08 PM EST

. . . of religious books. So what are we left with? Dobson, Robertson, Falwell, and others of that ilk? It would be interesting to see what was left on the shelves.

Not all terrorists piss off the same way (none / 0) (#5)
by Ellie on Mon Jun 11, 2007 at 01:23:48 AM EST

What makes an Islamic religious text "radical"?

Stuff like that might really piss off guys like domestic theofascist bomber right wing patriot, Eric Rudolph? Nah, that can't be it.

Were he a real danger he'd at least have had a fraction of the Paris Hilton coverage, or a modicum of bellowing over the wurlitzer speculating where his helpmates are that continue to endanger civilians.

Since Rudolph only targeted gay clubs and ob/gyn clinics it's best to chalk that up to youthful indiscretion or a failure to keep a bunt infield or some other Bushian euphemism.

et al (none / 0) (#6)
by jimakaPPJ on Mon Jun 11, 2007 at 07:29:59 AM EST

Oh, I don't know. Teaching jihad? Kill the Jews?

I think this comes down to:

I know it when I see it.

Religious censorship (none / 0) (#7)
by Electa on Mon Jun 11, 2007 at 07:52:14 PM EST

as a former incarcerated individual I'm not surprised that the prison libraries have been stripped of certain religious materials. Prisons have become the recruiting grounds for right wing, fundie religious groups. The library at Alderson was filled with tapes, videos, and literature primarily of evangelic doctrine.

While there I worked in the chapel and one of my assignments was to inventory all visual and audio reference materials in the library...probably in preparation for this latest Bush attack on religious freedom.

Women who practiced Islam were especially targets of religious discrimination being given only an hour to worship vs Christians having a full range of activities 7 days a week and having to wear religious scarves only approved by the Chaplain. Shortly before my release there was talk of discontinuing the Kosher meals. Oh yes, religious discrimination is alive and well in the Feds. and probably in the state prison systems where there's more privitization some owned and operated by right wing Christians.

: Electa (none / 0) (#10)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jun 12, 2007 at 09:42:35 AM EST

It seems rather obvious to me that the state has the right to remove materials from convicted criminal hands that teach radical Islamic concepts.
As this link shows, such material is readily available, so there is no reason to believe that it is not in prison libraries.

sailor (none / 0) (#9)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jun 12, 2007 at 09:35:14 AM EST

Please be factual.

1. I never claimed to know what books had been removed.

In fact, I never claimed that I would remove the books that were removed, or that I wouldn't remove some that weren't.

My comment was simply, I would know when I "see" it. Which is to say, read the contents.

BTW - You may remember that SC justice Stewart once made a similar comment about pornography.

2. I made a comment that assumed the comment I was referring to was about retired generals. I immediately noted that and corrected the comment.

You are aware of that. Now what do people call someone who knowingly makes a statement they know to be false?? Hint. It's your favorite charge and attack word and starts with an "L".

As for your last comment, it is merely another vulgar, uncouth, uneducated attack by you that reflects poorly on who you are. I urge you to try and improve yourself.

: Sailor's comment with the last line insult (none / 0) (#11)
by Jeralyn on Tue Jun 12, 2007 at 11:16:42 AM EST

was deleted. Sailor, please don't violate the site policy with personal attacks and lewd name-calling.