tell them it was haram for them to break the law in the first place and now must face their punishment and keep their mouth shut... they don't have to eat it
Posted on 11/09/2015 4:55:59 AM PST by HomerBohn
Despite settling a similar case in 2013, the Michigan Department of Corrections is once again being sued by Muslim inmates who claim they were starved during Ramadan.
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast during the daytime and eat at night. Such a practice presents a problem behind bars, where the routine of prison life revolves around a fixed schedule of meals. The MDoC gave Muslim inmates a choice: They could either break their fast and eat, or stay true to their religion and starve. Heard and his colleagues chose the latter but then sued.
After the initial suit, the courts ruled that the inmates’ religious rights could not be violated. However, in the newest legal action the inmates’ lawyers argue that the earlier court order was ignored, and the MDoC continued to deprive their clients of sufficient nutrition repeatedly.
In the original lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan in 2009, Lamont Heard and three other inmates complained they had received less than half the calories prisons are required to feed inmates during their Ramadan fast.
The court in 2013 ruled in favor of the inmates’ constitutional religious rights, awarding them $450 in damages and ordering MDoC to put 2,350 calories on the plaintiffs’ trays during Ramadan. However, the violations continued and the inmates and their new attorney from the Michigan State University’s Civil Rights Clinic filed a supplement to the lawsuit. That supplement will seek $20,000 in damages for each plaintiff, and the case will go before a jury.
According to the complaint, the inmates should have received 352,000 calories during the five weeks of Ramadan, but instead consumed somewhere in the neighborhood of 200,000, causing the prisoners to shed up to seven pounds weekly. In each Ramadan between 2009 and 2012, the plaintiffs were fed as little as 1,000 calories a day, the complaint states. Following the judge’s 2013 order, the MDoC upped the count to 1,900 on good days, according to court documents.
Dan Manville, attorney with MSU Civil Rights Clinic, told Vice that the continued violation stems from incompetence. Previously, the state had dropped an extra scoop of food on the Muslim inmates’ Ramadan dinner trays, but the department changed its policies following 2009 budget cuts.
“It seems like an act of stupidity more than anything,†Manville told Vice.
“I don’t think there was anyone conspiring against them in the head echelon of DOC, but [MDoC bosses] just didn’t understand the reality of what happens in life. You’re supposed to feed prisoners 2,350 calories a day, whether it’s in two meals or three meals.â€
They are in prison for committing crimes. If their so-called 'religion' doesn't fit into our system here, perhaps they should relocate to a muslim country where 'anything goes'.
They should just add some fatback to their gruel.
That’s a pretty interesting way to fast, no eating all day and then stuff yourself full at night. I forgot, they can eat before sunrise.
tell them it was haram for them to break the law in the first place and now must face their punishment and keep their mouth shut... they don't have to eat it
But no, there are no Muslims in Michigan.
Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time. You’ll take what you get and like it.
You’re in PRISON. You don’t make the rules.
Charming that we live in a nation that allows criminals in prison to dictate the rules and sue for changes.
Hey, if they want to ‘fast’ for ramma lamma ding dong, it’ll save some much needed cash for other things. You know like gun “buy backs” or new midnight bball courts. Plus, more bacon for us. Woo Hoo!
BACK THEM THEIR CAKE
This year, I had my first chance to observe this whole Ramadan thing....within a classroom environment. For those who’ve never been around it....you need to observe it.
You have to eat or drink...prior to sun-up. If it’s Jan or Feb....great for you. If it’s Jul or Aug....man, you are screwed. Water in the middle of the day? No. Breakfast? You need to rise around 4:30AM and get the grub down by 5:15 when the sun rises (summer period). No coffee, no water, no liquids all day long.
You end up with grumpy people....very close to aggravation and potential threats. These are people who can’t concentrate by mid-morning, so a class atmosphere is useless.
Toss in the fact that you can’t smoke during daylight hours, and it’s all screwed up for these guys.
Anyone suggesting this to be fixed into a prison system....is just begging for issues. If you don’t like the rules....you should have thought about that prior to getting ‘bad’ and earning prison.
If they changed the rules, would that not be State recognition of religion? If we cannot have the Ten Commandments on public display, I say let them eat cake.
The prison has no authority to force people to eat. If the inmates choose to not eat, by skipping planned meals, then the prison cannot force them to eat.
Hunger strikes happen all the time. It’s no big deal. Let the mohammedans starve if that’s what they want.
Alternately, (and far cheaper) execute all the moslems as they are enemies of this country anyway.
There is no Americans in America— we ar enow a dung bin on the Islamic Street.They claim everywhere a Muslim male sets his foot for Allah.
Screw the “muslimes”. Send them to Sheriff Joe’s jail and they can eat bologna sandwiches. They have no rights demanding what food they get. Eat what you are given or go hungry, PERIOD, END OF STORY.
“And all the lands where the Muslim foot has trod, are Muslim lands forever...”
To include the ISS, if I’m not mistaken...
Thugs should have kept their criminal activity inside a Muslim country.
Just give them bread and water.
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