Your Letters

PM Press

It would take a particularly savvy “insider" to connect the PM Press ad on page 16 of the fall 2009 issue (which lists book titles but no authors) with the article on page 8 (by Vikki Law, author of one of those advertised books), or the interview on page 24 (of Linda Thurston, by me—an excerpt from a different PM book in the ad). In fact, the reviews on pages 30, 31, 32, and 33 are all of books by this new and upcoming publisher! Am I unhappy? Nosiree! But I do hope for those who didn’t make the connection before that they’ll now go to the PM Press website, checkbook in hand, and do some shopping.

Sincerely,
Matt Meyer

Recycle

When you’re finished with your copy of the fall 2009 issue of WIN (vol. 26, no. 4), an issue focused on prisons and the prison industrial complex, please consider sending it to Jail Ministry, which will put those copies to good use with workers and inmates. Please mail copies to:
Jail Ministry, 208 Slocum Ave.,
Syracuse, NY 13204.

Thank you,
paul frazier

Texas

Two obituaries were of Texans (WIN fall 2009). But the articles barely mentioned this state—and nothing negative! Texas reportedly operates the largest state prison system in the United States, on a minuscule third-world budget, and is a Frankenstein monster if ever there was one. What gives?
Bonnie Kerness’ article about control units—where I am—neglected to mention that about half of all control unit prisoners are in Texas. Almost 11,000, according to the last official report I saw. When George Bush was president, I saw all sorts of Texas whitewashes. But now?

Best wishes,
Robert J. Zani