The Register-Guard of Eugene, Ore., reports that Peg Morton, a 73-year-old “peace activist,” has just left prison “after serving a three-month sentence in federal prison for civil disobedience.” Actually, her offense was “trespassing during a protest outside Fort Benning, Ga., last November.” She was sentenced to six months, but the judge let her out early “in deference to her age and health problems, which include a bad back.”

The photo caption accompanying the story says that Morton’s experience behind bars “has persuaded her to advocate for prison reform.” But her account of her prison days doesn’t exactly sound brutal:

Morton said she never feared for her personal safety but often felt intimidated by guards who were verbally abusive or would threaten extra work if she committed a minor infraction, real or perceived. . . .

Morton was initially assigned to clean the bathroom area for 49 women inmates, but then was assigned to landscape duty–a level of physical labor she felt unable to do. After considerable pleading and haggling, she was allowed to return to bathroom duty, she said.

For her troubles, she got all of $5.25–not an hour, or even a day. That was her monthly pay.

Of course, that’s $15.75 over the course of her incarceration–and if the judge hadn’t gone easy on her, she’d have pocketed a cool $31.50. Not bad for someone who was supposed to be paying her debt to society.
—
What Would Visitors Do Without Studies?
“Visitors’ Impression of NYC Confirmed: Most Cab Drivers Are Foreign-Born, Study Says”–headline, Associated Press, July 7

Say What?
“Man Found Guilty of Injuring Woman During Castration”–headline, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 7

They Should Have Ordered It Medium Well
“Two Jailed for Eating Rare Tiger”–headline, Reuters, July 8

This Just In
“U.S. Soldiers Still on Job in Baghdad”–headline, New York Times, July 8

What Would We Do Without Authorities?
“Authorities: Stolen Explosives a Danger in Wrong Hands”–headline, San Jose Mercury News, July 7

(from OpinionJournal)

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