Cage your rage???
I've blogged before about my disdain for correctional programs that have insulting titles. Well, I've found another winner. In the course of investigating what programs exist in state prisons for fathers, I came across Cage Your Rage, an anger management program for incarcerated offenders.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm quite sure that a good number of criminal offenders have anger issues. Not a doubt in my mind. But for real, cage your rage? Need I comment further???
Comments
Ok, I was all in agreement over the last one (although I don't even remember what it was...), but this one may not be as bad. I'm not saying I don't understand your point, but perhaps you're particularly sensitive b/c it's been such an integral part of your life? I know that people whose lives issues affect SHOULD be sensitive, but all I'm saying is that the person who came up w/ the slogan was probably a marketing guru (or worse) and probably just rhymed cage and rage and thought it was catchy. Furthermore, when I think of "rage" (although I'm not sure I've experienced true rage for a good long while now...) in my own life, the imagery of caging it is very accurate in terms of how I initially visualize how I cope w/ it. Don't know if this makes sense, but it's just my two cents...
Posted by: Sarah (The Other One) | March 5, 2007 05:18 PM
That's interesting Sarah (The Other One). I actually dislike this one more! You may well be right about how the title was chosen, but still. It's just a little bit too much to choose a title with cage in it for people who are actually in, well, cages. Inmates are still people, after all, not animals. Some are people who have done some really, really bad stuff. However, I consider it minimally bad taste and a worst inhumane to use such a title. You're right - I feel strongly about it. Despite the old rhyme about sticks and stones, I do think that words matter and convey to us what we are to believe about ourselves. In this case, I think the metaphor is ill-used.
Posted by: self | March 5, 2007 09:40 PM
We teach an Inside-Out course here at West Virginia University. One of the first parts of class for the outside students (e.g., those whom are not incarcerated) is to tour the facility. They took this group of 12 students on a parade through two housing blocks (it's a medium/minimum security prison, so the housing is military barracks style). As we were leaving, I heard one of the inmates yell out: "Don't feed the men."
Posted by: Corey | March 7, 2007 09:13 AM
Hi Corey - How apt! And how to the point. I think Inside-Out classes sound so great. I would love to be involved in one someday.
Posted by: self | March 7, 2007 02:03 PM