On Wednesday, the 29th of April, GEO Corporation held its annual shareholders' meeting in Boca Raton, Florida.
A little back story: GEO Corporation, if you don't know, is the largest prison for profit corporation in Florida. A couple of years ago, GEO Corporation thought it would be cool to have a stadium named after them, so they offered Florida Atlantic University (FAU), part of the public university system in Florida, $6 million to name their new stadium the GEO Stadium.
FAU administration said, "Cool! $6 million is a wadda bucks. Bring it on!"
FAU students said, "Not so fast. We kinda think it's not that great to profit from prisoners."
FAU administration said, "There, there. It's okay. We know what's best for you. Don't sweat this one."
FAU students and faculty and community members said, "You know what? It's NOT okay. You making profits by turning our loved ones into criminals is NOT okay. In fact, it's immoral."
Long story short, the students won and the stadium is not named after GEO. We need tons and tons of these victories so ...
Flash forward to two years later and the GEO shareholders' meeting that happened last Wednesday. We gotcher number, GEO. Lots of photos beneath the orange squiggle of justice.
About 8:00 am on April 29th, 2015, approximately 50 people showed up in approximately 8 cars at the Traders Joe's on S. Federal Highway in Boca Raton. Most of the people were wearing red shirts, signifying blood, and most hadn't slept much the night before, having driven from all over Florida to be there.
About 8:30 that same day, the 50 had been joined by about 50 more people who had something to say about how private prisons have fucked them over and why private prisons are immoral. All hundred or so of them started to march up E Camino Real.
By the time we got to Woodstock, we were half a million strong. Okay, not really, but it felt like it given that these are the houses that line E Camino Real.
We made it to the cul-de-sac, where many among us spoke out about their personal experiences with the criminal injustice that had been rendered them by the system that imagines itself just.
Then there was some street theater. I've included the script of it at the end of this diary. I hope you read it, but meanwhile, here's some pics.
Then we marched back to our cars, the ones that some of us had had to sprint to midstream to prevent them from being towed. We had our heads held high marching down the streets of the .001% and maybe they learned something from our being there.
There are certain things that should never be for profit. Imprisoning people is one of them. The Dream Defenders recognize that and are working to right a great wrong in our society. I am proud to know these incredible young people. They give me hope for the future.
I know lots of you groove on what they do, too, and keep sending love. Also, if you're in a position where you could contribute cash to the cause, I'm here to tell you it will be put to good use. Here's the link, if you're willing and able. By the way, it's not a sophisticated link, but it is legitimate. These people are more focused on the cause than fundraising, and I guarantee if you can contribute some funds, it will be well worth it.
If you've read to the end, I thank you. Namaste.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's the script to the street drama:
GEOpoly Action Script
Time Length: 5-10 minutes
(Emcee will have the air of a game show host will guide us through the game of GEOpoly)
Emcee - Welcome to the Boca Resort and Club, where top 1 percenters meet to relax, have brunch, play golf, and occasionally to gamble with the lives, bodies, and work of individuals like us.
Today, within this resort, a frivolous game is being played… a game where only few benefit. GEOpoly! This game has been played in the South since the 1800’s after slavery was “abolished”, and has since then been embraced around the world!
So, are you ready for a game of GEOpoly!? GEOpoly is the Fast-Dealing People Trading Game. Previous editions of this game include SLAVEopoly and the infamous Convict Leasing STATEopoly Game. This family of real-life games has been bringing joy and profit to only a very few families for centuries!! And it will continue to do so as long as it exists. (beat)
What are you waiting for, step right up and let’s play, will you survive GEOpoly??
-Actors will be lined up and each will stand frozen embodying a different character: Shareholders (x3 -- George Zoley, Wells Fargo, Florida State [TEACHER] Unions), also a Prison Guard, a State Representative (i.e Governor, or Lawmaker), a Police Officer, and 3-4 Inmates/detainees.
After a loud SQUADD!!! actors will go into their different roles…
Prison Guard monitors Inmates/Detainees. Every once in a while, Prison Guard will look to the State Rep and will then shift the Inmate to a new task, by force
State Rep converse with Shareholder(s).
While these actions are happening the Emcee will narrate.
Emcee: As you can see the game has already started, notice how the Shareholders are working with the State to ensure prisons stay at maximum occupancy and that inmates are constantly working to meet their bottom line. The Prison Guards oversee the inmates and keep them in line, by any means necessary. Don’t think that the working class is exempt! In this game it takes little to nothing to turn an ordinary law abiding Citizen into an Inmate. And losses, well, in this game losses are a dime a dozen, especially when there are more people like you, and you, and definitely you, to step in and become another pawn of this game!
Watch closely, the shareholders are about to make their next move…
Shareholders start “playing the game” with the large dice. Throwing it, exchanging money, and celebrating.
The Numbers Game:
-- If a 3 comes out Shareholder takes the money he won to the State Rep. he signs a bill. Poster Board is raised: “Time to Lobby”
Emcee: GEO Group uses some of their profits to lobby for unjust laws that serve the Prison Industry.
-- If a 5 comes out a citizen will have an interaction with the Officer that will transform their role from Citizen to Inmate (symbolized by adding an article of clothing, or something similar). Poster Board is raised: “Go to Jail”
Emcee: GEO beds need to be filled out in order for the company to maintain state contracts. Three strike laws, mandatory minimums, and bills like Arizona’s SB 1070 facilitate this.
-- If a 7 comes out, a Shareholder will take money from a GEO Prison, then an inmate will drop as if dead.
Poster Board is raised “Make profits, cut corners!”
Emcee: GEO and the like make sure their business are profitable by cutting the costs of running these prisons and detention centers. Areas that tend to be cut are staff, health, maintenance, and food; all of which contribute to making private prisons even more unhealthy environments.
-- If a 9 comes out, Prison Guard moves inmates/detainees to next GEO Prison
Poster Board is raised: “Criminals have no rights” … or something like this.
Emcee: Once criminalized, inmates and detainees are at the hands of the private prisons. They tend to be punished, abused, and transported wherever their bodies are needed. Whether it is for work or for meeting bed quotas they are used to meet a profit purpose.
-- If a 10 comes out the State and a Shareholder sign to build a new private GEO facility.
Poster Board is raised: “Privatize One More!”
Emcee: Private prison corporations pitch the financial “benefits” of privatization to struggling states. Prison privatization is sold as a solution, but when looked at closer, it masks the issue and creates more problems. Placing profit over human lives will never solve the issue.
CLOSING:
Emcee: As you’ve seen, the game of GEOpoly is not fair or fun one for everyone involved.... We are living in a prison state where the politicians and corporations profit off our people. The politicians purposefully assist to perpetuate the rhetoric that maintains the prison state by passing unjust laws to criminalize, detain and incarcerate individuals of color. The slaveholders in this game, may not know what’s happening behind the GEO doors… but they are putting money into sustaining this industry; and for that we are exposing them and holding them accountable.