Steve Champion’s Hunger Strike in San Quentin

If you oppose the degrading treatment of prisoners, much less the death penalty, please take a minute to read Steve Champion’s story, as presented by the San Francisco Bay View National Black Newspaper.

You will find reflected in his list of demands an approach to “corrections” that dehumanizes in the extreme—and that can thrive in this country because so many Americans somehow fail to understand that one is dehumanized to the degree that one dehumanizes and because so few Americans know what is happening behind our prison walls.

Steve’s last-resort protest clearly transcends his own situation, as he carries the torch of human rights and dignity for all prisoners—his fellow prisoners on death row, prisoners all over California, and prisoners around the world.

Please heed the Bay View’s call and help Steve’s friends and supporters “flood the San Quentin warden and Corrections spokespersons with calls and emails calling for justice for Steve Champion”:

San Quentin Warden Kevin Chappell, Kevin.Chappell@cdcr.ca.gov or (415) 454-1460

CDCR Press Secretary Jeffrey Callison, Jeffrey.Callison@cdcr.ca.gov

CDCR Deputy Press Secretary Terry Thorton, Terry.Thornton@cdcr.ca.gov

People running the show inside need to know that people outside care, that we are paying attention.

TOM KERR teaches writing and rhetoric at Ithaca College. He can be reached at tkerr@ithaca.edu.

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