Posted on 06/21/2006 6:45:32 AM PDT by ConservativeStatement
Ross Lawson used to rob and terrorize strangers to support a crack-cocaine habit. Shortly before he was sentenced to life in prison, he found religion.
Born a secular Jew at Broward General Medical Center, he became Orthodox after a Surfside rabbi visited him in jail in 1997. As a member of a more traditional stream of Judaism, Lawson is supposed to eat kosher food and, at certain times, refrain from shaving or cutting his hair.
But state prison authorities have refused to accommodate him, citing, among other things, security risks inherent in beards and the high cost of bringing in prepackaged meals.
Faced with a shaven face and nonkosher food, Lawson, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, is suing the state in the hopes he can change their mind.
(Excerpt) Read more at miami.com ...
Kosher food is OK, the Jews are part of our tradition. Plus, they are civilized. However, no halal food should be provided for the numerous Muslims who are in prison. Muslims inmates should only be given pork.
Wasn't this guys nickname "Mr. Ham and Cheese on Rye" before he found a way to stick this expense on the people?
If he must eat food that differs
from the other prisoners, HE'S
the one to find a relative/friend/
sponsor to supply him with those
needs. How about the Orthodox
Rabbi who converted him to the
"new religion?" If he dicovered
the new faith on his own research,
then he should continue his search
for remedies to his dilemma! All
religions give substitute means of
satisfying the law when the prescribed
method is unattainable! For example,
the Koran says Everyone must go to
Mecca at least once in a lifetime....IF
POSSIBLE! Catholics avoid mean during
Lent on certain days...IF POSSIBLE!
In all cases, Prayer supplants the
spiritual requirement when bodily
needs are curtailed.
Kosher food is halal, though not vice versa.
Instead of suing the state, this guy should be contacting Chabad. They'll make sure he gets plenty of Kosher food - and Judaism.
He should have committed his crimes in New York. He'd have been catered to in the NY State prison system.
My youngest son did prison chaplaincy in Florida, I will ask him if he knows this guy.
Ha ha! Otisville is called the "kosher resort."
Wonderful!
Well, if he had been choosier about his religion, he could have been suing for temple prostitutes instead. ;)
Know many people who do prison ministry.
Many prisoners enter for perks/safety and not for valid reasons.
Many still end up closer to God, despite entering the programs for the wrong reason.
Oh I know it does a lot of good, but a lot of prisoners just sit there and think of ways to make difficult for the people who are in charge of caging them. Wasn't there one religion that was formed that dictated their "Kosher" meal was a steak and baked potato every night? I seem to remember that one, also the one where a guy sued because the peanut butter was chunky and not creamy, was against his civil rights or something. Keep a bunch of relatively smart (some) guys penned up and they think of all kinds of things to harass those in charge.
The loss of 'rights' is what one gives up; having violated rules/laws of society.
The State does not own his spirit. . .so he can siritually commit; while taking comfort that the external rules of his Faith are temporarily; not his decision..
Was he obeying those religious sanctions; in his 'former life'?
ahhh. ..that would be 'spiritually'. . .commit
Right on. Perhaps the desire to live his religion in its fullest sense would be incentive to behave and get paroled as soon as possible.
As an alternative, let his family or his congregation pay the difference between normal prison fare and his kosher diet prepackaged foods. At an extra $5 per day, that's only about $1800 a year so, family and/or congregation, put your money where your mouth is. If he isn't worth your money, then quit trying to increase kosher food business at taxpayer expense.
The same thing goes for Muslim dietary laws. If you don't like American food, quit preying upon Americans.
OTOH. . .does this not go against the Left's determination to implement the 'equal playing field'. Would not these 'special cosiderations; no matter from whom provided; create. . .jealous. ..anatagonisms et al?
(Why do Libs work so hard to reduce all to a common-denominator; while getting themselves exorcised about the 'care' of our prisoners; where life is and should be a common and shared existance; at least as provided by the State).
Am assuming the ACLU will be taking this on; if they have not already. . meantime; who IS paying the legal fees here; for his lawsuits. . .
...nevermind. . .on that one; no doubt it is on 'us'.
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