Is it an honor to go to jail?

[kentuck]

I have always thought there was something dishonorable and embarrassing about having to go to jail. Maybe because, as a kid, I saw my Dad go to jail so many times I cannot remember. It was embarrassing to visit him in jail. And it was always for drinking, disorderly conduct, and generally raising hell, or some outstanding warrant.

I could never understand those that wanted to be arrested and taken to jail? Of course, those that were marching for a cause at least had a reason. But jail was not something to brag about or to be proud of. Has our society changed in this respect?

[marym625]

1. man I hope not

[Le Taz Hot]

2. I'm looking forward to when I can retire from the Feds

and can be arrested for Civil Disobedience without fear of getting fired. It depends on what the arrest is for but yeah, a Civil Disobedience arrest would be a badge of honor for me.

[juxtaposed]

10. That can be so true

[kentuck]

3. And there was a time when shoplifting was not so common.

It was theft.

Anymore, it's nothing more than something to flash and brag about, it seems.

It's more like a game than anything else.

[Downwinder]

4. It is an educational experience.

But then, so is a heart attack.

[Iggo]

5. More to have survived it than to have gotten yourself put there.

Hard to understand if you've never been, and I damn sure hope you never are.

[Xithras]

6. Depends on why, I suppose

Back in the days when I used to regularly protest and engage in civil disobedience to help shut down old growth redwood logging in Northern California, I was arrested a number of times. Getting arrested certainly wasn't our goal, but it WAS a badge of honor among protesters because it showed that you were serious about the cause and were willing to put your life and freedom on the line to advance it. It was one of the things that differentiated us from the weekend warrior protesters who would drive out from Humboldt or up from SF on the weekends to wave signs, but who refused to engage in actual civil disobedience because getting arrested might make their parents mad, or might look bad on future jobs applications, or <insert one of a million lame excuses here>. Getting arrested wasn't the goal, but it demonstrated that you were the "real deal".

[ck4829]

7. Not an honor, but it's become mundane, it can't be an embarrassment if it happens to 'everybody'

I don't mean EVERYBODY, but this 'honor' comes with having the highest incarceration rate in the world.

[NCTraveler]

8. In instances of civil disobedience I think it can be.

The way I assume you are meaning, never.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. It can be honorable ...

... if you're going to jail because you protested against some social wrong. Or you chained yourself to something worth protecting.

From an old story: Emerson visited Thoreau in jail and asked, “Henry, what are you doing in there?” Thoreau replied, “Waldo, the question is what are you doing out there?”

[geek tragedy]

12. Ha, you beat me to it! nt

[geek tragedy]

11. The famous exchange between Thoreau and Emerson comes to mind.

Emerson, visiting Thoreau who was in jail:

"Henry, what are you doing in there?"

Thoreau's response:

"Waldo, the question is what are you doing out there?"

[Igel]

13. Depends who you are.

For most people, no.

If you're engaged in civil disobedience, it comes with the territory. Some might think it a badge of honor--"Look at me, I'm standing with the oppressed or am willing to pay the price for my views." Some may not. Nowadays most civil disobedience protestors seem to think that civil disobedience should have no penalty--in other words, it's not really "disobedience." Or they should be given a pass and do illegal things but because their goal is just there should be an exception.

I've known kids who considered jail time a badge of honor. It meant that they were bad boys, paid their gang dues or were like the gang members they admired, did something sufficient defiant of authority to be a real "man" or "thug." As long as it wasn't for something stupid like truancy.

[hobbit709]

14. It all depends on what you are going to jail for.

[0rganism]

15. depends greatly on WHY and WHOSE JAIL

e.g. for some engaged in civil disobedience, going to jail may not only be an honor but part of a greater overall plan to hasten social changes.

[KamaAina]

16. As long as you write letters from it

and it's in Birmingham.