When Freethought Books Project webmaster, Jerry Donnelly, read about a religious prison program in his newspaper, he felt compelled to speak out. “I would like to let readers know there is another way to reach inmates,” he said. Donnelly went on to extol the virtues of the Freethought Books Project, which gives secular, freethinking, and humanist literature to inmates across the US.
“The Freethought Book[s] Project…does not involve indoctrination in the supernatural, but rather the simple opening of the human mind, with its incredible powers of reason and logic, to the amazing natural world that we live in through reading freethought, secular and science-oriented books.”
In short, Donnelly’s letter to the Killeen Daily Herald recommended alternatives to preaching a religious message in prison. “Through this program…prisoners will learn to rely on their own logic, reason and inner strength to become successful, productive members of society.” Keep up the good work, Jerry!
While serving time in the Multnomah County Jail (the ‘Justice Center”), I went to the library and saw a book called “Controversial Essays” by Bertrand Russell. I always enjoyed a good controversy. Then I recalled purchasing a few scattered volumes from this book store across the boulevard where I lived in my early 20s (San Diego). The store was called Controversial Books. Oh, boy! I snatched this one up and slipped it into my stack of novels by James A Michener, himself no friend of theism if I read his words correctly.
Although this eventually led me toward becoming an atheistic activist, what I really could have used at that time was some personal guidance.
The jail and prison libraries are good places to stock a number of well-chosen books. However, because religious inmates like to destroy the literature of their ideological opponents (both religious and atheistic) it is my opinion that Freethought groups wishing to place literature in jails and prisons establish a program wherein certain select members visit periodically and hand out select works (and pamphlets) while they’re there. The Portland Narcotics Anonymous Hospitals and Institutions Committee is frequently lauded for their level of responsibility plus their success both in establishing methods as well as gaining access to institutions which would not even allow state-level H&I volunteers in. Anybody wishing to volunteer in a prison setting does well to visit a business meeting for Portland NA H&I (or any AA or NA H&I Committee) and asking if someone would be willing to provide a few tips in this regard.
Cliff Walker
I hope, be good. I’m waiting to book.