Stay Away From ‘Christians-Only’ Prison Scheme, Americans United Tells Officials In Three States

[and-justice-for-all]

May 25, 2010

Church-State Watchdog Group Warns Corrections Departments About Constitutional Dangers Of Proposed Sectarian Facility

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today warned corrections officials in three states not to use public funds to send inmates to a proposed “Christians-only” prison in Oklahoma.

Corrections Concepts, Inc., has proposed building a private prison in Wakita, Okla., that will indoctrinate prisoners in fundamentalist Christianity and will be staffed solely with “born-again” Christians.

The Dallas, Texas-based firm recently announced that discussions are under way with corrections officials in Oklahoma, Kansas and California about signing contracts to house prisoners. In response, attorneys with Americans United wrote to officials in the three states, advising them that using public funds to send inmates to the sectarian facility would likely spark legal action.

Americans United asserts it would be unconstitutional for government to support a prison that indoctrinates inmates in one faith and limits hiring based on religion.

“Taxpayers should never be forced to support religious indoctrination,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “This scheme is fraught with constitutional problems, and no state should subsidize it.”

More: http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2010/05/stay-away-from.html

[tblue]

1. WTH??? K&R. n/t

[Chulanowa]

2. In other words, terrorist training facility

In Oklahoma, no less.

[Hannah Bell]

3. wtf? totally creepy. as well as the for-profit angle = backdoor funding of religious propagandists

& political operatives.

[WillParkinson]

4. I regret saying this....

Oh god.

[OnlinePoker]

5. Would they allow similar concessions to companies that are avowed satanists or atheists?

I highly doubt it. Besides, how will they determine who goes to this prison? Most people breaking the law don't strike me as exactly Christian (or Muslim, Jewish, Sihk, or what have you).

[Scurrilous]

6. K & R

:thumbsup:

[Rectangle]

7. I guess you could say they'd have a "Captive Audience"!! n/t

[Tsiyu]

8. Another fine Faith-Based Initiative

brought to you by the wholesome folks who want to kill everyone who isn't like them.

i can only imagine what sort of hell-holes these prisons would be....

Kudos for Americans United

[Kievan Rus]

9. How is this legal?

[Quantess]

10. Creepy is the word.

[old mark]

11. This is a place for good Christian convicted felons?

Sounds like hell on earth to me....

Probably end up with a lot of politicians in it.

mark