The Wrong Crime?
[When I first posted this tonight I'd forgotten that I'd said similar things in the last post here. I guess that means it's been on my mind more than once? ---or I'm just that dern forgetful these days. Either way I believe it needs repeating so here I am hitting "post!" anyway.]
A couple of weeks ago my granddaughter who just started university this year posted a photo of her sitting on the bed in her dorm before she'd personalized it. The stark plain walls and everything the same bland color reminded me of a cell. (it was much cozier and pretty after she decorated it!) That got me thinking of prisons...
Thinking about prisons made me think about the articles I've seen in recent years about all the features they have these days, some complete with photos. Some of them are rather amazing given the seriousness of some of the crimes the inmates have done to earn their room in one. Some things seem more like what you'd expect in some fancy summer camp and then some! They have television, internet connections to use, a library, exercise courts - sometimes equipment, all sorts of things along with the usual three meals a day, clothing, free medical, prescriptions and dental needs.
I read that to keep a criminal in jail for a year costs between about $22,000 and $47,000 dollars, depending on the prison and how much security. Well--- ! That got me thinking a bit further along
those lines... They get three meals a day, something to sleep on, quiet time with no worries about how they're going to eat tomorrow, can get medical help... Hey! Hmmmm....
Now some might say that being a prisoner is a very crummy life to have. While I'm sure that is true and though some may object to my saying so - most won't understand this or say I've gone a step too
far in the analogy I can tell you that, seriously, living with some of these invisible illnesses sometimes feels like we are prisoners! We are restricted from doing normal things, often can't manage to keep the schedule we desire (symptoms dictate) etc. The illness can be a harsh warden!
But there are some big differences between those prisoners and me. They have a known end date to their incarceration. Some even get out early for good behavior! I don't. While I can do like my grand-daughter and personalize my adobe my MCS Warden still dictates with what and how much. And, well, for those of us who are dependent on some form of disability income it sure doesn't come
anywhere near what is spent on keeping their criminals in a cell----
For many of us are closer akin to living in Arizona's "tent city"... for some of my MCS friends almost literally as their living in tents, or campers or garages somewhere... Some are homeless due to income or should I say the lack thereof? Some of us are but one very short step away from homelessness.
Seems perhaps we have committed the wrong crime? Or live in the wrong place, got ill at the wrong time?
Falling ill is NOT a crime! Is it?
Zona
A couple of weeks ago my granddaughter who just started university this year posted a photo of her sitting on the bed in her dorm before she'd personalized it. The stark plain walls and everything the same bland color reminded me of a cell. (it was much cozier and pretty after she decorated it!) That got me thinking of prisons...
Thinking about prisons made me think about the articles I've seen in recent years about all the features they have these days, some complete with photos. Some of them are rather amazing given the seriousness of some of the crimes the inmates have done to earn their room in one. Some things seem more like what you'd expect in some fancy summer camp and then some! They have television, internet connections to use, a library, exercise courts - sometimes equipment, all sorts of things along with the usual three meals a day, clothing, free medical, prescriptions and dental needs.
I read that to keep a criminal in jail for a year costs between about $22,000 and $47,000 dollars, depending on the prison and how much security. Well--- ! That got me thinking a bit further along
those lines... They get three meals a day, something to sleep on, quiet time with no worries about how they're going to eat tomorrow, can get medical help... Hey! Hmmmm....
Now some might say that being a prisoner is a very crummy life to have. While I'm sure that is true and though some may object to my saying so - most won't understand this or say I've gone a step too
far in the analogy I can tell you that, seriously, living with some of these invisible illnesses sometimes feels like we are prisoners! We are restricted from doing normal things, often can't manage to keep the schedule we desire (symptoms dictate) etc. The illness can be a harsh warden!
But there are some big differences between those prisoners and me. They have a known end date to their incarceration. Some even get out early for good behavior! I don't. While I can do like my grand-daughter and personalize my adobe my MCS Warden still dictates with what and how much. And, well, for those of us who are dependent on some form of disability income it sure doesn't come
anywhere near what is spent on keeping their criminals in a cell----
For many of us are closer akin to living in Arizona's "tent city"... for some of my MCS friends almost literally as their living in tents, or campers or garages somewhere... Some are homeless due to income or should I say the lack thereof? Some of us are but one very short step away from homelessness.
Seems perhaps we have committed the wrong crime? Or live in the wrong place, got ill at the wrong time?
Falling ill is NOT a crime! Is it?
Zona
Labels: budget, CFS, disability income, MCS
posted by Zona at 2:39 AM
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