Veterans, Formerly Institutionalized and Incarcerated Delegation
Owned By The State!
Even though everyone is technically at the mercy of the state, not everyone has experienced the total loss of basic autonomy that accompanies being directly controlled all hours of every day, or especially what comes after release.
It may not be typical to combine the struggles of veterans, former inmates, and formerly institutionalized people, but the experiences of each group are more similar to each other than they are different.
Society tells us lies about the supposed reform that accompanies being thrown in prison, of being committed to an institution, and the rewards for military service.
We are supposed to believe that people go to prison to be cured of their criminal nature and then to rejoin society, but we know that isn’t the goal. The dehumanization, lack of basic amenities like air conditioning, neglect, abuse, lack of educational resources, lack of community, and isolation are not things meant to heal people. And we know that recidivism is extremely high, and that resources are purposely withheld even from those who have served their time and make it nearly impossible to legally survive with a record.
We are supposed to believe that involuntarily committing someone to an institution is supposed to fix their mental health and allow them to rejoin society and resume work. We also know that we have never been more ill. Nobody is checking in with people who have experienced mental trauma after they are released, and conditions inside the facilities are often not enough to help people in genuine distress. And on top of this, people are expected to pay enormous sums to access basic healthcare, whether preventative or emergency, and the bill for the “services” can cause a second mental health crisis, not unlike the costs former inmates are expected to pay with little access to income in order to stay out of the system.
We are supposed to believe that military service is honorable, that recruits are transformed into the best versions of themselves, and that veterans are honored and cared for after their service is over. For some this may be true, but for thousands of vets, military service is a quick way to destroy your body and your mental health only to be criminally neglected by the state you served once you’re out. Even one veteran denied adequate healthcare, a safe home, or basic dignity is a permanent black mark on any society. And that’s not even to mention unethical orders, opaque leadership, and permanent association with imperialist actions around the world during your service to capitalism and all of its dirty wars.
The common threads are both the inhumane treatment inside the system and the criminal neglect on re-entry to a largely indifferent society. These groups all share common struggles, and what’s worse is the high correlation between all three groups. Veterans are more likely to go to prison or to be committed to an institution involuntarily than many other demographics, and that means thousands of people have experience the ugly face of this system three times over . That must end. We must care for all of us, especially those who have already been denied autonomy. And since the state and the corporations have purposely failed in this mission, we must do it for each other.
Re-Entry Means Dignity and Autonomy
The Veterans, Formerly Institutionalized and Incarcerated Delegation is a co-equal delegation, meaning that it gets one full vote on council business no matter how many or few members it contains.
All local working-class people who are non-active duty veterans, who have been imprisoned, or who have been involuntarily committed to a psychiatric institution are voting members of this delegation. Members will elect their own non-voting leaders, as with the other delegations, to guide and facilitate discussions, as well as to serve as the primary point of contact for the delegation itself.
On all Council issues that primarily concern military and community defense, justice, rehabilitation and punishment, re-entry into society, and mental healthcare, members of this delegation will open, lead, and close discussion. Members of this delegation will also chair any Council committees that are created on these topics, such as the council defense committee.