WE HAVE AN UPDATE TO THE STORY ABOUT A TENNESSEE JOB TO
JUDGE WHO OFFERED A SENTENCE REDUCTION FOR INMATES
GETTING THIS ACTIVITIES OR BIRTH CONTROL.
JUDGE SAM BEDINGFIELD NOW RESCINDED STANDING ORDER WAS
FIRST ISSUED IN MAINE AND ABOUT WHITE COUNTY AND MISSED WHY
30 DAYS OFF OF THEIR SENTENCES THEY AGREE TO A VASECTOMY.
WOMEN WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE A NET SPLIT IN BIRTH CONTROL AND
PLAN FOR THE SAME REDUCTION.
THE AMERICO CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION APPLAUDED IT.
SAID TO THE INDIVIDUAL FACE WITH THE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES
OF TIME SPENT BEHIND BARS, A CHOICE BETWEEN
STERILIZATION OR CONTRACEPTION IN A REDUCED GEL SENTENCE
IS NOT MUCH OF A CHOICE AT ALL.
THIS COMES FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
THE JUDGES ORDER ACROSS THE CONSTITUTIONAL LINE AND WE
ARE PLEASED THAT HE RESCINDED IT.
FOR HIS PART, BEDINGFIELD TOLD THE TIMES FREE PRESS QUOTE
I WASN'T ON A CRUSADE, ON A MISSION.
I THOUGHT I COULD HELP
A FEW FOLKS, GET THEM THINKING AND PRIMARILY HELP CHILDREN.
HE CITED MEETING WITH THE TENNESSEE REPRESENTATIVES
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THEY WERE SEEKING TO EDUCATE
INMATES ON THE DANGERS OF USING DRUGS WHILE PREGNANT AND HE
WAS ALSO TALKING ABOUT OFFERING FREE CONTRACEPTIVES AND POINTED
TO OTHER LOCAL JUDGES WHO ARE OFFERING SENTENCE REDUCTIONS
IN EXCHANGE FOR THE COMPLETION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.
OBVIOUSLY JACKED UP A WHOLE BUNCH.
WORTH NOTING THOUGH IS ALTHOUGH VASECTOMIES AND BIRTH
CONTROL IMPLANTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE IN EXCHANGE FOR
LESS TIME TO SERVE, INMATES AND WHITE COUNTY CAN STILL
RECEIVE TWO DAYS OF CREDIT ON THEIR SENTENCES IF THEY
SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE A TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH NEONATAL SYNDROME EDUCATION PROGRAM.
THAT SEEMS PRETTY REASONABLE TO ME.
ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT HE CHANGED HIS TUNE?
HE GOT A LOT OF HEAT FOR IT.
I DON'T NOTICE POLITICS BUT I KNOW SOME CONSERVATIVES
LIKE YEAH.
LET'S DO SOME THIS ACTIVITIES.
I THOUGHT YOU AS REAGAN'S BIRTH CONTROL?
WHEN IT IS FOR POOR PEOPLE, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU ARE FOR
BIRTH CONTROL.
ISN'T THAT FUNNY.
IN FACT, PERMANENT BIRTH CONTROL.
THAT IS FUNNY.
IS IT CONSTITUTIONAL?
NO.
HE IS LIKE WELL, IT IS OPTIONAL.
NO, YOU CAN'T SAY THAT YOU'VE COMMITTED A ROBBERY, VII
YEARS BUT YOU CAN TAKE A YEAR OFF IF WE CUT OFF YOUR PINKY.
YOU MIGHT TAKE IT, THE YEAR OF YOUR LIFE IS A BIG DEAL.
NO, WE'RE NOT CUTTING OFF PEOPLE'S PINKIES.
WE'RE
NOT THE TALIBAN.
AND BY THE WAY, FOR ONLY 30 DAYS OFF YOUR SENTENCE.
THAT IS RIDICULOUS.
THAT IS NOTHING.
I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU IF WHITE COUNTY IS A POOR PLACE.
I DIDNíT
HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK IT UP.
YOU KNOW, IN THE 70S THERE WAS A
BIG AMOUNT OF WOMEN OF COLOR WHO GOT HYSTERECTOMYS.
THAT WAS
A BIG THING IN POOR COMMUNITIES.
IT
REMINDED ME OF THIS.
I FEEL LIKE HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF AND IT IS NOT THE
GOOD HISTORY.
I AM OFF FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO HELP PEOPLE WHO
ARE IN PRISON BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A STRONG
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND IF THEY COME FROM POOR PLACES BUT
VASECTOMIES AND IMPLANTS GUYS?
COME ON.
FINALLY, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION AS TO WHY HE IS DOING THIS
AND THE EFFECTS OF IT.
I PERSONALLY SAW THE HEADLINE BACK WHEN THIS FIRST STORY
CAME OUT AND HE HAD ANNOUNCED THIS I THOUGHT, NO, IT'S
PROBABLY FOR RAPE.
I'M STILL AGAINST THAT BECAUSE THAT IS NOT WHAT WE SHOULD
BE DOING FOR PEOPLE THAT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THEM UNIX?
BUT IT TURNS OUT IS NOT PARADE.
VASECTOMIES WHAT THEN?
AND THAT I READ THE PART ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL FOR WOMEN
BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE ON DRUGS AND IT COULD HURT THE BABY.
I'M LIKE OKAY, MAYBE.
ITíS A BIG LEAP THERE
AND THEN I FOUND OUT NO, IT IS ALSO FOR GUYS FOR RANDOM CRIMES.
SO NO, IT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH PROTECTING THE
KIDS ARE PROTECTING WOMEN.
TURNS OUT YOU THOUGHT THESE PEOPLE ARE BUMS AND
SHOULDN'T HAVE KIDS.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE KIDS, THE KIDS BY DEFINITION WILL SUFFER
BECAUSE LOOK AT THESE PEOPLE.
NO.
EVEN IF IT IS NOT BASED ON RACE AND HISTORICALLY, IT HAS BEEN.
AND THIS CASE, I DON'T WANT TO JUDGE TOO HARSH, I DON'T
KNOW THE EXACT CONTOURS OF THE PEOPLE IT APPLIES TO THE
ALMOST CERTAINLY HAS TO DO WITH CLASS.
YEAH, AND HE SORT OF SITES IT RAISES HE WAS LOOKING AT
SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT HEATED INCARCERATED AND HE WAS
TALKING ABOUT WOMEN WHOSE CHILDREN HAD TO BE REMOVED,
DRUG ADDICTION LIKE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT AND WITH
REGARD TO THE MEN, BECAUSE THAT IS SORT OF THE QUESTION HERE.
HE WAS SAYING THAT THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE NOT
SUPPORTING THESE KIDS AND HE DECIDED TO TAKE AN EXTRA STEP.
THAT IS HOW HE QUALIFIED IT ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU KNOW THERE
ARE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO BE OFFERED, THIS IS WAY TOO MUCH.
LAMY SAY ONE LESS THING ABOUT IT I DON'T KNOW WHY AM
BEING SUPPLIED TO THE SKY.
MAYBE HAVING READ HIS STATEMENTS, I AM NOT
POSITIVE THAT HIS BAD INTENT.
HE MIGHT THINK THAT HE IS CONTENT WHICH IS ACTUALLY
HOW A LOT OF STEREOTYPES WORK.
YOU KNOW ACTIVELY THINK I HATE POOR PEOPLE.
BUT HE HAS ASSUMPTIONS BILTON.
WHEN YOU SAY HATE YOUR NEIGHBOR IS A TAX OF EIGHT OR, SO HE
IS REALLY RICH AND HE IS DOING WELL OR WHATEVER BUT HE IS
A SERIOUS CRIMINAL.
HE STOLE WAY MORE HE DID A WHITE-COLLAR CRIME, HE
STOLE WAY MORE THAN THE GUY WHO YOU WANT TO GIVE A VASECTOMY 2.
YOU THINK WE SHOULD NEW TO HIM?
HE WOULD SAY NO, HE IS A GOOD UPSTANDING CITIZEN.
THAT BIASES BUILT INTO HIS HEAD SO WHEN HE SEES A POOR
PERSON, FEMALE OR MALE FOR WHATEVER CRIME HE THINKS
THEY SHOULDN'T BE HAVING KIDS.
EVERYONE THINKS THEY ARE THE GOOD GUY IN THEIR OWN STORY
AND UNFORTUNATELY, HE DOESN'T REALIZE HIS OWN PREJUDICE
IN ASSERTING DOWN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE.