Ed Fallon's Next Step
By Ed Fallon
Dear Friends,
As I continue to trek across Iowa, I see the face of injustice in both rural and urban communities. Injustice takes many forms, and over the course of the summer, I have written and spoken about many of these injustices. Corporate hog confinements. The abuse of eminent domain. Jobs that don’t pay a livable wage. The lack of access to affordable healthcare. Discrimination against racial and cultural minorities.
All of us – especially candidates and elected officials – need to stand with those who are fighting injustice, regardless of whether or not that injustice appears to affect us directly.
In April of 1963, in a letter he wrote from the Birmingham, Alabama jail, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” That maxim guides me in my work. I am convinced that we will succeed in taking government back for the people only when we build a coalition that unites all whose lives are compromised, often times destroyed, by the varied prongs of injustice.
Some injustices are out there in the open, before us in the media day after day. Others are tucked away in corners and rarely come to public attention. I encountered one such injustice this week during a visit to the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women (ICIW) in Mitchellville.
Christine Lockhart, a lifer, has been at ICIW since she was 18. She has been a model inmate during her 21 years in prison. On Wednesday she was sent to “the hole,” a small segregation cell isolated from the rest of the prison population. She was never told what she had done wrong. When I asked to see her on Thursday, she was brought to my meeting room in handcuffs and shackles. The “offense” turned out to be something so minor as to be ridiculous.
I have visited the hole at ICIW (and two other Iowa prisons) several times. It is the most depressing, dehumanizing living arrangement I have ever seen. Some prisoners end up staying there for weeks, even months at a time. It is my opinion that some day, such units will be deemed cruel and unusual punishment. If every Iowan could inspect one of these segregation units, I believe there would be a clamor for their immediate elimination.
That’s not to say that there are not perhaps legitimate reasons to occasionally remove a threatening inmate from the general prison population. But it is clear to me that the use of lock-up in Iowa’s prisons is being abused, and Christine’s situation was just the most recent reminder.
Oh, and good news: Thanks to my efforts, help from my great staff and cooperation from corrections and prison officials, Christine was released from the hole this afternoon. Thanks for taking the time to read this letter. Let’s continue to do all we can to raise awareness about problems in our criminal justice system and injustice wherever it may appear.
Sincerely,
Ed
UPCOMING EVENTS
Ankeny (PolkCounty). Saturday, August 26th at noon at the Best Western Metro North (133 SE Delaware Avenue). During lunch at the Iowa Farmers Union annual meeting, I’ll receive the Friend of the Family Farmer Award. The meeting runs from 1:00 on Friday until Saturday afternoon. Contact the IFU office at (800) 775-5227 for details and registration information, or the visit their website at www.iafu.org.
Des Moines (PolkCounty). Saturday, August 26th from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Meet the Candidate fundraiser for Dave Loebsack, candidate for Iowa’s Second Congressional District, at Chet Guinn’s historic firehouse, 1041 Day Street. Contact Chet Guinn at (515) 282-8054.
Ames (StoryCounty). Tuesday, August 29th from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Meeting with ISU Democrats in the Memorial Union at IowaStateUniversity (room to be determined). Contact Gavin Aronsen at (515) 681-5163.
Ames (StoryCounty). Tuesday, August 29th from 7:45 – 8:15 p.m. Meeting with StoryCounty Democrats at 600 5th Street. Contact Drew Miller at (515) 451-4509.
Iowa City (JohnsonCounty). Thursday, August 31st at 5:00 p.m. Fundraiser for Chet Culver at the home of Jim Hayes, 1142 E. Court Street. Ed will be speaking, and introducing Chet. Contact the Culver campaign at (515) 288-2287 or carissa@chetculver.com for details.
Millersburg (IowaCounty). Friday, September 1st from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Fundraiser for Chris Montross, candidate for Iowa House. Ed will speak and perform music. Contact Tammy at (319) 642-1233 for details.
Downey (CedarCounty). Sunday, September 3rd from 12:00 – 6:00. “Second Annual Folk Music for Democracy.” Fundraiser for the CedarCounty Democrats at the Secrest Octagonal Barn. Ed will be one of many musicians performing. For details, go to www.iowademocrats.org.
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