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In the past we've had occasion to write about Lebanon County,
Pennsylvania.
It's perhaps the most extremely right-wing
and anti-liberty place in the Northeast.
It's certainly the most
oppressively Republican "Nuremberg" in Pennsylvania.
People get raped in the Lebanon County jail. The wretchedly rabid Republican county commissioners think that it's nothing to be concerned about because the victims are only convicts; they deserve it. To those Lebanon extremists raping a man hardly counts as rape at all. Didn't most of these guys commit some minor offense like drunk driving to be in prison? Republican commissioner William Carpenter excused the sexual assaults and said that prisoners "don't need" (he seemed to mean don't deserve) protection from sexual assault. Any how, he said that the guards can't stop it. His Republican crony, Larry Stohler, went along with the justification for the rapes. He didn't seem even slightly concerned. He's a Republican, after all. What do they care about civil rights? Who are these guys? What kind of Nazis put them into positions of authority? What kind of people live in Lebanon County? What's next, gas chambers and ovens? Maybe the Republicans could sell their teeth. Money is all they care about. Dear Republican Commissioners: Rape is a serious felony. By failing to prevent it and by your tacitly condoning it, you are accomplices. If I were there, I'd have you in court and I'd prefer criminal charges. If you fellows aren't willing or able to protect the persons entrusted to your care, then send them home. By any standard it's cruel and unusual punishment. We urge William Carpenter and Larry Stohler to do the decent thing: resign. We urge the victimized prisoners and their loved ones to go to federal court. We urge decent citizens to avoid Lebanon County as if it were the regressive backwater of Republican oppression that it is. "Elections are won...chiefly because You are welcome to use or republish
any of our material.
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