Texas inmates make masks for first responders

[Ray From Cleveland]

GATESVILLE, Texas (CNN) — Texas prison inmates are making cotton face masks that will be given to first responders for free to alleviate a shortage of medical materials during the coronavirus pandemic, state Sen. John Whitmire said.

Prisoners in a unit at Gatesville Correctional Facility, a women’s prison located about 120 miles south of Dallas, have been producing the masks for about a week and will continue for at least the next week, he said. They expect to produce about 25,000 masks, Whitmire said.

The masks are made from locally grown cotton, rather than synthetic material, so they aren’t of the highest standards, he said.

“They’re not the one you would want in an emergency room, but it sure beats nothing,” Whitmire said.

The prison labor effort comes as top health care officials say there is not enough stockpiled medical protective equipment like masks, gowns and gloves to fulfill the anticipated need of nation’s health care system as it deals with coronavirus.

Texas is not the first state to use prison labor to fight coronavirus. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said two weeks ago that inmates were producing hand sanitizer for the state’s use.

Texas inmates make masks for first responders

Inmates in Texas have a new job. They’re making masks for people on the frontlines for the coronavirus.

fox8.com

Now, can anybody tell me what's wrong with this? While working and even non-working Americans are making sacrifices to combat this problem, shouldn't prison inmates do the same? It's not really a partisan issue, given the former HUD director, now Governor is using the same resource.

Prisoners cost the taxpayer a lot of money, and in most cases, never have to do anything for the free housing, nutrition, healthcare, legal representation for appeals, amenities such as pool rooms, workout rooms, football fields and so on. What if we expanded that requirement to all prisons? Given the fact this is a national, of not a worldwide emergency, shouldn't they contribute to the solution?

 

[JWBooth]

The prison workforce is an arm of the state and the state never takes a break.

 

[Snouter]

It is so bizarre some convicted criminals were let loose on society by low IQ democrat politicians recently. The hilarious irony is the government says only those with the Kung Flu should wear masks to avoid spreading it.

 

[eagle1462010]

I've heard 5 microns or less or they are ineffective.........so while this may look cool...........does it really do a thing.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

I've heard 5 microns or less or they are ineffective.........so while this may look cool...........does it really do a thing.

Like the OP stated, they are not the best in the world, but they are better than nothing if you have no mask at all. But what is wrong with them assembling the good masks? Just ship them the raw material and let them contribute to society to combat this problem like the rest of us.

 

[JoeB131]

Now, can anybody tell me what's wrong with this? While working and even non-working Americans are making sacrifices to combat this problem, shouldn't prison inmates do the same? It's not really a partisan issue, given the former HUD director, now Governor is using the same resource.

Let's see now. Someone who is spending his life in prison because of a cop making something that will save a cop's life.

Nope. Can't see how that could possibly go wrong.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Now, can anybody tell me what's wrong with this? While working and even non-working Americans are making sacrifices to combat this problem, shouldn't prison inmates do the same? It's not really a partisan issue, given the former HUD director, now Governor is using the same resource.

Let's see now. Someone who is spending his life in prison because of a cop making something that will save a cop's life.

Nope. Can't see how that could possibly go wrong.

I don't think face masks are something you can rig without it being noticeable. Plus the fact they probably don't allow inmates to do any work unless it's under supervision.

 

[JoeB131]

I don't think face masks are something you can rig without it being noticeable. Plus the fact they probably don't allow inmates to do any work unless it's under supervision.

Um, yeah, have you met Prison Guards? Not exactly the kind of people I'd want to do QC, but I've worked in manufacturing. Even people who actually WANT to do the work need to be checked.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

I don't think face masks are something you can rig without it being noticeable. Plus the fact they probably don't allow inmates to do any work unless it's under supervision.

Um, yeah, have you met Prison Guards? Not exactly the kind of people I'd want to do QC, but I've worked in manufacturing. Even people who actually WANT to do the work need to be checked.

My former girlfriend was a corrections officer. Yeah, of course I would trust her and anybody like her. We're still friends after all these years, and it's not as easy of a job as some might think. She has a book of stories to tell. In any case, one place I used to deliver to was a company part privately owned and part county owned. They gave mentally retarded people jobs. They'd do assembly work mostly, and got paid per piece. Of course, somebody always had to be there watching over them, and checking out the work before shipment. They did fine.

They depended on private industry to provide that work, so the parts had to be returned in good shape in order to keep the clients. Nobody was obligated to use their services.

 

[basquebromance]

so?

 

[OldLady]

I don't think face masks are something you can rig without it being noticeable. Plus the fact they probably don't allow inmates to do any work unless it's under supervision.

Um, yeah, have you met Prison Guards? Not exactly the kind of people I'd want to do QC, but I've worked in manufacturing. Even people who actually WANT to do the work need to be checked.

Why so negative, Joe? Inmates do a lot of good work in prison shops.

 

[JoeB131]

My former girlfriend was a corrections officer. Yeah, of course I would trust her and anybody like her. We're still friends after all these years, and it's not as easy of a job as some might think. She has a book of stories to tell. In any case, one place I used to deliver to was a company part privately owned and part county owned. They gave mentally retarded people jobs. They'd do assembly work mostly, and got paid per piece. Of course, somebody always had to be there watching over them, and checking out the work before shipment. They did fine.

They depended on private industry to provide that work, so the parts had to be returned in good shape in order to keep the clients. Nobody was obligated to use their services.

I'm sure anything assembled by retards wasn't particularly high quality or performance.

 

[JoeB131]

Why so negative, Joe? Inmates do a lot of good work in prison shops.

Gee, why am I negative about the Prison Industrial Complex. You know, where we lock up millions of people for no good reason to provide cheap labor to greedy corporations.

I can't think of a single reason why that's a bad idea.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

My former girlfriend was a corrections officer. Yeah, of course I would trust her and anybody like her. We're still friends after all these years, and it's not as easy of a job as some might think. She has a book of stories to tell. In any case, one place I used to deliver to was a company part privately owned and part county owned. They gave mentally retarded people jobs. They'd do assembly work mostly, and got paid per piece. Of course, somebody always had to be there watching over them, and checking out the work before shipment. They did fine.

They depended on private industry to provide that work, so the parts had to be returned in good shape in order to keep the clients. Nobody was obligated to use their services.

I'm sure anything assembled by retards wasn't particularly high quality or performance.

They did just fine, like I said, with a lot of supervision. How much quality does putting nuts on bolts involve?

Not all retarded people are the same. They are rated by age equivalence. Some have the intelligence of a four year old, while others have the intelligence of a 12 year old. The lower rated ones do the simplistic jobs. The higher ones did work like installing batteries on circuit boards, or assembling displays for stores. I knew one guy who actually had a drivers license and drove himself there most days.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Why so negative, Joe? Inmates do a lot of good work in prison shops.

Gee, why am I negative about the Prison Industrial Complex. You know, where we lock up millions of people for no good reason to provide cheap labor to greedy corporations.

I can't think of a single reason why that's a bad idea.

What in your opinion is a no good reason? If the implication is we are locking people up for cheap labor, nothing can be further from the truth. It's not like we have too much room in our prisons. Most of our prisons are overcrowded. Judges (like the ones in my city) often find themselves in a bad position because on one hand, they are trying to keep the community safe, and on the other, they are being pressured to not send people to prison because there simply isn't enough room.

 

[JoeB131]

Not all retarded people are the same. They are rated by age equivalence.

That's true.. We just need to watch a Trump Rally to see all the diversity in retards.

 

[JoeB131]

What in your opinion is a no good reason? If the implication is we are locking people up for cheap labor, nothing can be further from the truth. It's not like we have too much room in our prisons. Most of our prisons are overcrowded. Judges (like the ones in my city) often find themselves in a bad position because on one hand, they are trying to keep the community safe, and on the other, they are being pressured to not send people to prison because there simply isn't enough room.

If you aren't a murderer or rapist, you don't belong in prison. Done.

Of course, we have a P-I complex, for making rich people richer... The fact that we don't have enough room doesn't bother the one percenters.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

What in your opinion is a no good reason? If the implication is we are locking people up for cheap labor, nothing can be further from the truth. It's not like we have too much room in our prisons. Most of our prisons are overcrowded. Judges (like the ones in my city) often find themselves in a bad position because on one hand, they are trying to keep the community safe, and on the other, they are being pressured to not send people to prison because there simply isn't enough room.

If you aren't a murderer or rapist, you don't belong in prison. Done.

Of course, we have a P-I complex, for making rich people richer... The fact that we don't have enough room doesn't bother the one percenters.

So if you rob a bank, you don't belong in prison? If you extort money from a person or company, you don't belong in prison? If you shoot somebody in the commission of a crime, and don't kill them, you don't belong in prison? How about beating somebody to near death with a bat? Arson? Conning an 84 year old woman out of her life savings?

Prison work isn't free, in fact, the law states companies must pay at least minimum wage. Work is optional as well. Nobody is forced to work in prison. However prison can get pretty boring, and some have a conscience about repaying their debt to society, so they work if possible. It helps them pass the time.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Not all retarded people are the same. They are rated by age equivalence.

That's true.. We just need to watch a Trump Rally to see all the diversity in retards.

You people on the left keep insulting the other half of the people in this country. Go ahead, it worked out so well for you the last time with Hillary's Deplorable remark.

 

[JoeB131]

You people on the left keep insulting the other half of the people in this country. Go ahead, it worked out so well for you the last time with Hillary's Deplorable remark.

Again, Trump hasn't grown your coalition. Hillary lost because too many people thought she had this in the bag and decided to vote third party. That mistake won't happen again. Especially when the economy is FULLY IN THE SHITTER come November.