Some things every American should do, once in their lifetimes

[cemab4y]

I believe that every American should do all of these things:

1.-Spend a night in jail
2. Attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. (or equivalent like Narcotics Anonymous)
3. Visit a psychiatric hospital
4. Visit a veterans hospital, and see the cost of freedom
5. Work one day in a soup kitchen or charity cannery .
6. Work one day as an election judge and see democracy up close
7. Visit our nation's capital.
8. visit a housing project, and see the results of 4 generations of welfare.
9. Visit the cities of New Orleans, Las Vegas, and San Francisco.
10. Visit at least 2 national parks (especially if you are an adopted [naturalized] American)
11. Read the US constitution in its entirety


What do you think? I would like to assemble a list with your input.

 

[NY.Light.II]

Not super keen to do jail time. And I would New York to the city list, but I live here so that's just my bias.

 

[MarkR]

Why in the world should I spend a night in jail?

 

[cemab4y]

Why jail: I believe that every American should have an understanding of our criminal justice system. The USA has the highest incarceration rates of any modern nation. And the USA has the highest crime rates of any modern nation. The USA spends an average of $40,000 per inmate per year, to incarcerate a person. (This is more than the cost of an IvyLeague college for one year).

Also, spending one night in jail, will give you an understanding and perspective about freedom that you will not have otherwise.

I was once arrested for driving on a suspended license. (A computer error showed my license to be suspended, when it really was not). I spent a night in jail, and it was an experience I shall not forget.

 

[Glen Cook]

Why in the world should I spend a night in jail?

Indeed. We should debase every American, so they would understand what it is like to be debased? Not sure that is kind or compassionate.

Note, a goal to understand jail conditions--the lack of privacy, the smell, the dehumanization- that is worthwhile in my view.

 

[BroBook]

Now that's radical, but I get it, walking in someone's shoe.

 

[cemab4y]

Two classic novels "Les Miserables", and "The count of Monte Cristo", are about innocent men being incarcerated. A classic book (compiled from a series of magazine articles) called "Black Like Me", described the experiences of a white man (John Howard Griffin) , who disguised himself as a black man, and travelled in the South during the 1950's. These are examples of "verstehen", where a person can experience what another person experiences, by actually stepping into the place of person under study.

Our criminal justice system is broken. No nation on earth incarcerates more people (per capita) than the USA. No nation spends more (per capita), and gets better results. Even our government decided to give non-violent offenders early releases, because the cost of incarceration was not getting the desired results.

 

[drw72]

1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9 (New Orleans), 10, and 11 complete.

I have also seen the poverty levels most Americans can't even imagine while overseas (Served 20 years in the Navy).

It really burns my butt when people complain about poverty and yet have a roof over their head, a TV, and a cell phone. I have seen people living in the remains of buildings and cardboard huts with smiles on their faces because they were thankful to have what little they have. It is my opinion that the majority of Americans take what we have for granted.

 

[drw72]

Why jail: I believe that every American should have an understanding of our criminal justice system. The USA has the highest incarceration rates of any modern nation. And the USA has the highest crime rates of any modern nation. The USA spends an average of $40,000 per inmate per year, to incarcerate a person. (This is more than the cost of an IvyLeague college for one year).

Also, spending one night in jail, will give you an understanding and perspective about freedom that you will not have otherwise.

I was once arrested for driving on a suspended license. (A computer error showed my license to be suspended, when it really was not). I spent a night in jail, and it was an experience I shall not forget.

Another good one is Jury Duty.

I served a few months ago and the Judge who swore us all in gave a very moving 30 minute speech about justice, duty, and our 'trial by jury' system.

One point that sticks in my mind is how many people were upset about spending the day in jury duty. It was taking a day out of their life, they just wanted to get it done and go home. So the judge asked everyone "How would you feel if it was you or a family member on trial and someone who was pissed off and just wanted to get it over with was on your jury?" Most people turned their attitudes around. Of course there were a few that complained the whole time and tried to get out of it.

 

[cemab4y]

I never thought about jury duty. With all my international work, I have never been called. I have lived in a communist dictatorship, and an Islamic kingdom. Neither of these have any of the protections we take for granted with the 4th,5th,6th, and 14th amendments.

You have probably figured out that I have done all of these things. My two wives (I am divorced and re-married, not a polygamist), are both foreigners, and it was a great experience in introducing them to their adopted country. I thought how many native-born have had these experiences?

I want to add one more experience:

Every American should witness a new citizens swearing in ceremony. What a thrill to see people renounce their previous citizenships, mostly in dictatorships and kingdoms. These people walk away from their own "fatherlands", and step up and embrace the Stars and Stripes. From that moment on, FREEDOM is their legacy and birthright. The best part of the oath, is when they say "I renounce all allegiance to any former prince or potentate", many of them are weeping when they say this phrase.

There is an old joke: "Imagine going to trial and being tried by a jury of people who did not even have the intelligence to dodge jury duty!"

 

[Warrior1256]

I would add visit the AASR SJ Temple in D.C.

 

[dfreybur]

I'll remember my times on juries and hope I don't end up on the inside of a cell.

Why that particular list of cities? Might Detroit take the place of New Orleans?

 

[cemab4y]

The cities I listed are three of my favorite. And I listed them because I want my Russian-born wife to see them. Of Course, there are many fine cities in the USA, from sea to shining sea.

 

[rpbrown]

I have done almost all of the list. You can spend time in jail without being arrested. I do prison ministry and have spent a lot of time "behind bars" on city, county, state, and federal levels. Each is different and has its own good and bad points. I think everyone should do some sort of volunteer work at a jail or prison at least once. It will open your eyes to what happens.

 

[cemab4y]

There is an organization called "Angel Tree", which provides Christmas presents for children who have a parent in prison. My father worked for a telephone company that serviced pay phones in county jails. I personally believe that there are people in prison, who could be rehabilitated much more cost-effectively, outside of prison. And present no danger to society. I am hardly a supporter of our current president, but he is spot-on correct in calling for a re-examination of mandatory minimum sentences.

 

[Glen Cook]

I have done almost all of the list. You can spend time in jail without being arrested. I do prison ministry and have spent a lot of time "behind bars" on city, county, state, and federal levels. Each is different and has its own good and bad points. I think everyone should do some sort of volunteer work at a jail or prison at least once. It will open your eyes to what happens.

Indeed, as an attorney I've spent a fair amount of time in jail over three decades. As a military judge, I visited the old Disciplinary Barracks at Ft. Leavenworth. Grim. Very grim.

 

[cemab4y]

Prisons have a certain fascination for me, I guess it comes from my work in law enforcement (as a telecommunications engineer). I lived in Monterey, Califonia , and the prison on Alcatraz was so feared, that other wardens kept a photograph of the island prison on their walls. If a convict was not conforming to regulations the warden would just threaten to send the man to "the rock", and the convict would behave properly, to avoid a transfer.

I have visited the reformatory at LaGrange Kentucky, and many of the guards and staff are freemasons.

I would like to have a tour of the "Supermax" in Florence, Colorado. It has been called a "clean vision of hell".

 

[MarkR]

Why jail: I believe that every American should have an understanding of our criminal justice system. The USA has the highest incarceration rates of any modern nation. And the USA has the highest crime rates of any modern nation. The USA spends an average of $40,000 per inmate per year, to incarcerate a person. (This is more than the cost of an IvyLeague college for one year).

Also, spending one night in jail, will give you an understanding and perspective about freedom that you will not have otherwise.

I was once arrested for driving on a suspended license. (A computer error showed my license to be suspended, when it really was not). I spent a night in jail, and it was an experience I shall not forget.

I was a cop for 25 years. I taught law enforcement at the university level for 17. I have a fairly good understanding of the criminal justice system.

I was in the Army. In basic training I couldn't leave the barracks without permission. My grandmother died while I was in basic, and they wouldn't let me go home for the funeral. I spent a year in Viet Nam. All of those are far worse than spending a night in a lockup. I think I have a pretty good appreciation for freedom.

 

[cemab4y]

I did not mean to say that one night in a city jail would be the ideal instruction. I do believe (in fact I know) that no nation on earth spends more on incarceration, and gets less value for the spending. (Just like the $12,000 hammers the Defense Deparment buys). Even our liberal president is examining the ineffective policy of mandatory minimum sentencing for non-violent offenders.

I too, served on active duty. The time I spent in barracks (including basic training), was not terrible, I was there of my own free will, I volunteered, there was no draft in 1973.

I have just completed ten (10) years of service in Iraq/Afghanistan/Kuwait. I am now a patient in veteran's psychiatric hospital in Baltimore Maryland. I live with veterans who have PTSD, and substance abuse issues. The cost of freedom is high, but Americans have always been willing to pay it.

 

[Warrior1256]

I have visited the reformatory at LaGrange Kentucky, and many of the guards and staff are freemasons.

I retired from the W.V. Division of Corrections after 29 years as a correctional officer.