| The Osborne Association's
Executive Director, Elizabeth
Gaynes, on Time's inclusion of Martha Stewart in their
list of 100 influential people
April 14, 2005
Editor of Time Magazine
Dear Editor,
We commend Time Magazine for including Martha Stewart
in this year’s “Time list of men and women
whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the
world.”
Few people in Ms. Stewart’s position of power and
influence have experienced the trauma and isolation of
incarceration, and it is clear from Ms. Stewart’s
own Open Letter to friends written during the 2004 Christmas
holidays from Alderson prison, that she understands the
shortcomings of our criminal justice system, and further
-- its effect on families and society.
Ms. Stewart acknowledged in her letter that many of her
fellow women prisoners “will never have the joy
and wellbeing that you and I experience.” Speaking
with enormous compassion and empathy Ms. Stewart described
many of the women as having “been here for years
– devoid of care, devoid of love, devoid of family.”
Ms. Stewart made her position clear when she issued this
urgent appeal, “I beseech you all to think about
these women – to encourage the American people to
ask for reforms, both in sentencing guidelines, in length
of incarceration for nonviolent first-time offenders,
and for those involved in drug-taking. They would be much
better served in a true rehabilitation center than in
prison where there is no real help, no real programs to
rehabilitate, no programs to educate, no way to be prepared
for life ‘out there’ where each person will
ultimately find herself, many with no skills and no preparation
for living.”
We look forward to Ms. Stewart going forward with her
unique and valuable insight, gained first hand as a prisoner,
to continue to work for alternatives to incarceration
and re-entry programs. With the honor and responsibility
of being one of Time’s top 100, Ms. Stewart has
the opportunity before her to truly transform our society
in this regard.
Our 75-year old nonprofit organization serves more than
7,000 men, women and children affected by incarceration
every year. The United States prison population currently
stands at 2.1 million. It has never been more important
to contribute to this effort than right now.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Gaynes, Executive Director
Osborne Association
www.osborneny.org
An Open Letter from Martha Stewart can be found at http://www.marthatalks.com
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