that was really intelligent... almost as intelligent as saying, "Get the names and addresses of those who are willing to fund this! That way when we get more and more prisoners, we will know who to send them to, to get more money for a nice place to stay."

Get the last names, and match them to the names of the criminals housed there. The thugs, rapists, murderers, and other miscreants living at Graterford have kids, parents, and grandparents, and those are the protesters.

Brilliant idea! Judging from the fact that opposition to our prison industrial complex is relatively universal, I can imagine some of these convicts may be dumped into your town! I can promise you if you live in area where the average citizen is informed and educated, you'll have plenty of folk who oppose the expansion of prisons!

Thank God we have an education system and the potential for upward social mobility to prevent more people from turning out as ignorant and uninformed as you.

PA should decarcerate because it's been empirically demonstrated that our prison system doesn't work, and only hardens criminals. This isn't even an ideoligical thing; the states that have done been the most successful in reforming our unjust prison system are states that lean republican.

Fun fact, the United States currently has more citizen's incarcerated, than Soviet citizens were incarcerated at the peak of Stalin's reign.

So those who promote the prison industrial complex, and profit from it, aren't scumbags? I have trouble believing your average drug dealer is a more egregious criminal than those who profit off others suffering.

i say bring back the 'Chain Gangs' and let them earn their keep.

Jessica, have you happened to notice where your tax dollars are going? Far more money is going to the military and our illegal occupations than go to help prisoners. Does your tax dollars going to murder women and children in foreign nations anger you as much as money going to assist prisoners?

Hahaha, what? Most people in Graterford aren't there for murders, and therefore aren't guilty of crimes that warrant capital punishment. If you'd like to extend it to a myriad of crimes, feel free...although I'd be willing to bet you'd only want it extended to non-whites who commit those crimes.

Yes, we've had criminals since the beginning of time, and the most egregious of them have always been those who wield the most power. For some reason I doubt the average Graterford resident is Ivan the Terrible.

No "black activists" say it's the white man's fault, although they do point to history to demonstrate that slavery and segregation certainly had a part. Personally, I'm more disgusted by white people like you who would rather scream about black people, than take responsibility for their actions and their history. Why don't you look in the mirror and start criticizing your own? You seem far more tolerant of white crimes than the average black activist is of black crimes.

If you hate child rapists and murderers, and consider them animals, do you also consider US military members animals? They've committed more murders and rapes than everyone in Graterford combined.

@ Sergei MacCarron: was there no thought to your comment? You are comparing Apples to Oranges when comparing crimminals to the U.S. Military. Apparently, you forgot to pay attention in History class to comprehend why the U S Armed Forces defend the very Constitution which provides you with the 'Liberty for Freedom of Speech' to make such ridiculous comments!

Finally some sense.

The Fed Gov destroyed the AA family, inadvertently removed head of household - encouraged out of wedlock multiple births. Our school system is well funded, yet constant complaints. Kids get labeled "advanced" today, so kids/parents/teachers "feel accomlished". The system is cheating our children and tax payers imo, and this better not be by design. People are starting to notice. When was the last time kids were taught about the Constitution and applicable math, instead of about social justice math, orangutans and the forest?! We are not prepping kids for real world, they need to be tougher more independent.

Lee, the constitution is a worthless document written by 13 white supremacists who owned slaves and were complicit in the genocide of the indigenous population. Kids in Norristown unfortunately do get taught about this document, but they aren't given the facts; they're given an idealist interpretation that flies in the face of the historical record.

I'm not sure what planet you live on, but Norristown School Districts teach algebra, geometry, and trig in their math department; I'm not aware of them teaching "social justice math", a term I've never heard before, and am convinced you made up. I dunno what's wrong with learning about orangutans, although I'm not aware of Norristown School District promoting orangutan education above math, social studies, and English. Similarly, a forest is rather useful if you're being taught the natural sciences.

Perhaps instead of screaming about African American's, you should look in the mirror and take some responsibility. You're uneducated and lower class financially because you and your parents failed to be responsible, productive members of society. That's not the fault of black people, it's your own fault. You're in a desperate need of an education, before you have the audacity to criticize the academic standards of others.

OMG! Seriously, we need to help each other as adults get back on track? Don't get me wrong, I am not against helping my fellow man, but seriously - do you really think YOU are going to rehabilitate someone who does not wish to help themself? How about if we start helping our next generation and build more rec centers, build more positive places for our children to spend their Saturday Nights; remember skating rinks, mini golf, and bowling alleys? Get them off the street as children, reinstate a parents rights to dicipline their child - and not be accused of 'assault', maybe you will start leading them towards a productive adulthood. Blame the parents who don't care where their child is, who they are with, or what they are doing. The system does the job the parent neglected to do in the beginning. I raised my child to become a responsible adult! I pay for the shelter and food for child who's parent did not instill values at a young age then kept reinforcing those values. Seriously, at what point do people need to step up and take responsibility for their own actions if someone is always there ready to say 'it's okay Johnny'.

Sergei: if you think the Constitution of the United States of America is, in your words, WORTHLESS; than there are plenty of other countries for you to move to who do not share the same liberties you have now if it were not for those '13 white supremacists who owned slaves and were complicit in the genocide of the indigenous population.'

Concerned neighbor, I have faith in the American people who struggled for civil rights, workers rights, and liberties throughout history. Most of these people were in fact imprisoned and murdered in places like Graterford. Feel free to go the Norristown Public Library and read about the wobblies in the 30's.

I don't have faith in a piece of paper, because I'm not an idealist clown. I recognize that, should someone overstep the boundaries in the constution, the words won't magically spring to life and prevent the violations. It's people struggling and not settling for less that gave us these rights.

If you commit three crimes, you should be executed, cuz you won't change and are a waste of time. Ergo, if you're arrested three times for misdemeanor marijuana offenses, you should be executed. And you're calling the people in Graterford dangerous monsters?

Such a statement underscores how ignorant and uneducated you are. I take it you're mad that the blacks moved to Norristown, but your family was too poor and uneducated to move out. Serious question, is Adolf Hitler a personal hero of yours?

I have no sympathy for uneducated animals like you, and I personally believe what you expressed above demonstrates that if anyone should be put down like a rabid dog, it's you. You're literally frothing at the mouth to execute people. How are you any less savage than the residents of Graterford?

Get an education and you might be able to succeed in life enough that you'll be able to accept responsibility, and stop blaming non-whites for your failures as a person.

Sergei - You sound like a very angry man who happens to be black and educated in our public school system so was unable to pass the exam to enter the military. Don't commit the crime and you won't do the time. I don't care how a person was educated or the enviornment they grew up in - many others have survived it and became successful. They are the ones who do not allow the bitterness and jealousies to rule their lives. Grow up and do something constructive.

Liberty-I'm in fact 100% white, and grew up in a gated community in Blue Bell. I was a product of Wissahickon School District. My family's estate is probably worth more than your entire family's collective wealth. I'm probably worth more than you and your entire family collectively.Dunno how I'm the one sounding "angry", I'm not the one advocating for murder like others in the comments.

The military has among the lowest standards to join, believe me, the average high school drop out in Noth Philadelphia is qualified to serve. You'll find a lot more high school drops out in the service than members of Mensa, I'll tell you that much.

I'm aware you don't care how others think, because you're a simple minded fool who could have used some public education, so you can consider the complexities in the issues we're talking about.

I'm not racist, I in fact have black friends! Thanks for confirming that you are incredibly racist.

There weren't screwed up people twenty years ago? What planet are you living on? The 80's were the most crime ridden years in history. In the 60's and 50's, the national guard had to be deployed because some (white) Americans were so savage and uncivilized, that they blocked four teenagers from entering a desegregated high school. I understand old fools like yourself get nostalgic about "your day", but your day was far more uncivilized and barbaric than mine is. At least today we have enough sense and civility to allow blacks to go to school with white people.

We allow too much and people get off easy? Actually, evidence points to the fact that we have too many criminal offenses, and that we're significantly harder on crime than at any point in history. It's gotten so egregious that Pat Robertson and republicans have been actively speaking out about how "tough on crime, lock em up" is a failed policy. Your anecdotes are cute, but I have no reason to believe any of them.

When did I say criminals should be allowed to rob, or child molesters should get off free? I'm not denying that there are offenses, like child molestation and rape, that are serious and deserve imprisonment.

However, most people in our prisons, including Graterford, aren't there for child molestation, or rape, or murder, so your point is both a strawman argument, and totally irrelevant to the discussion. When people say we have to reanalyze our criminal justice system and recognize tough on crime doesn't work, they're not saying "let rapists get off scot free", they're saying lets analyze what we're calling crimes and decide whether imprisonment is the most effective determent.

I think it's fair to point out that the states that have made the greatest strides in opposing "tough on crime" and fighting for prisoner reform are republican states like Oklahoma.

COULD NOT OF SAID IT BETTER MYSELF SMYRNA-X!!

Haha, so instead of disputing my numbers, you make up some nonsense about how that's only the case because Stalin executed people. A rational person would see that America has more people imprisoned than Soviet citizens under Stalin and go, hm, perhaps our prison and justice system isn't working quite so efficiently. Of course, as a simpleton, such complexity is wasted on you.

The constitution is worthless because words on a piece of paper aren't what give us rights. People struggling for those rights are why we have them; and many of those who struggled were murdered or imprisoned, dating back to Bacon's Rebellion.

My horde of malcontents and losers hide behind it at every opportunity? Well, you are correct in a way, the constitution has generally been used most effectively by upper class white men like class to shield ourselves.

Newsflash: I never said that America was the origins of slavery, so you can stop with the strawman. I'm well aware of the slave economies in Rome and other nations in antiquity. What this has to do with the effects of modern slavery and segregation on the African American community is beyond me, perhaps you can clue me in.

Also, was slavery the only form of oppression that existed in America? What about segregation? The civil rights act isn't even 60 years old. Perhaps you can give me a history lesson on why segregation had no tangible effect on the African American community.

SMYRNA, you are a warped and quite frankly hilarious caripicture of typical dirt poor Norristown white trash. Instead of looking on the inside and recognizing the flaws of you and your family that have caused you to have a crappy, poor life, you'd rather blame black people.

Did you know the United States has more people in prison than every other nation in the world combined? Yet you want more built. How does it feel to basically be asking for a fascist state? Is Hitler one of your role models?

Yes, surely many of the pertinent issues of our time will be solved by discussions on the Norristown patch.

I'm not blaming anyone, I'm talking about history and it's consequences. I apologize if that's too complex for you to grasp.

As for the "people trying to control anything", man, I hope that isn't some sort of Illuminati/Free Mason point.

No we need more rehab centers where the patient does not have the option to check out of before they have gone through the complete rehabilitation process. Oh, I feel good, I feel fine, I don't need to be here, excuse after excuse after excuse! The option should be null and void for rehabilitation of drug and alcohol dependants.

Yeah Bill B! Remind this bitter bitter person we have not seen war on our land because of our armed forces, and the defense they provide us to keep the war of others out of our land. He would be whistling a different tune if we were under constant attack, if he could not walk the streets safely.

Awesome, how many babies and women did you kill?

I'm sorry you're so uneducated that you signed up to kill innocent women and children. I have a great life. How was getting your teeth kicked in by the Viet Namese feel?

R E S P E C T - find out what it means to me!

Bravo M!

Ditto the BRAVO!

Amen,

Haha, if you don't see all the people screaming about the need for prison and to execute criminals as thinly veiled dog whistles about blacks and hispanics, you need to pick up a book.

Haven't we all had enough of people like Sergei? But according to our Constitution, the one he disrespects, he can speak his mind.

How can the US fight a war on terrorism when we are the greatest force for terrorism in the world? Yes, I hate white supremacists like the founding fathers. Why should I love them?

I'm an extremist? You're literally a fascist, if you were in Germany in the 30's you would've voted for Adolf Hitler.

You're uneducated white trash who obviously has never taken a college level course on basic topics involving our governments function. If you had a clue, you wouldn't be spewing talking points that a freshman history major could put down.

Weezee, I've had enough of ignorant white trash in Norristown blaming the blacks and Mexicans for destroying the town, when the truth is it's ignorant white trash like the many posters on here that has destroyed our town.

I speak my mind because I want to speak my mind. I don't do it because of some stupid words on piece of a paper. Hey, let me ask you a question, lets say we start forbidding free speech again, like we did in WW2 and WW1 (where those who vocally opposed the war were imprisoned). What's going to stop our government from overstepping these boundaries? The constitution? Words on a page?

L-O-L.