Politics

California uses prisoners to put out fires (and pays them little)

The Oscar statuette is still there, shrouded in ash. All around a pile of rubble and destruction. Los Angeles continues to burn and the death toll now rises to 25. And the next few days could be worse than the previous ones. It is the US meteorological service that raises the alarm: << There will be gusts of up to 120 km/h. Not only do these extreme conditions complicate the fight against ongoing fires, but they will make new fires much more likely>>. The flames did not even spare the villas of Hollywood VIPs, while the police engaged in a real fight to combat the looters. According to the newspaper Los Angeles Timesthree men ended up on trial for stealing objects worth 200 thousand dollars, taking advantage of the evacuation of thousands of people from their homes. However, it is above all political controversy that is flaring up:<< One of the most beautiful areas of the United States is burning. Gavin Newscum (literally Gavin the scum) should resign. It’s all his fault>>, he ruled Donald Trump on the social Truth. According to the president in pectore, the unforgivable mistake of the governor of California would have been to <>, leaving the most affected areas completely dry of water. Newsom has returned the accusations to the sender and points the finger at climate change.

In the last few hours, however, the controversy has shifted to the lack of rescuers; the American conservative front has no doubts, much of the responsibility would fall on Kristin Cowleychief of the Los Angeles fire department, the first woman from the LGBT community to hold such a role. <>, actor James Woods, a fervent Trump supporter, wrote on X. He also thought about giving support to this thesis Elon Musksharing posts from accounts critical of the Democratic administration and obtaining millions of views in just a few hours. But beyond the rainbow policies, California is back in the news for another questionable choice: using over 900 prisoners to put out fires. The decision, reported in much of the Western media, has given rise to many doubts. The main problem? The remuneration of prisoners. In a long in-depth analysis the New York Times showcases how volunteers are paid just ten dollars a day for a full 24-hour shift. Figures far below the minimum wage in California, which stands at 16 dollars an hour, so much so that many cry out for exploitation.

This practice, in reality, is not prohibited and is based on a consensual agreement between the prison facility and the inmates. In short, you participate in the program on a voluntary basis after having satisfied a series of requirements, including physical and mental fitness to carry out intense activities. Furthermore, members cannot have been convicted of rape and other sexual crimes, and above all they must demonstrate that they maintain good conduct even behind bars. Four days of field training is also provided. Yet, the voices of those who see something ethically unacceptable in the program are multiplying, not only due to the low wages but also due to the issue relating to the safety of the participants. As the inmates themselves complain to the New York Times, adequate safety measures are often not guaranteed during interventions, while starting a professional career after the period of imprisonment remains mostly a mirage. With the city of Los Angeles still on its knees, having more manpower is crucial, as weather conditions will only worsen in the coming days. In this sense, California is also paying for years of total oblivion to the green ideology, supported in particular by the liberal elites. The words of the German poet thus come to mind Bertol Brecht: << I who don't live in London, but in Los Angeles, find, meditating on hell, that it must resemble Los Angeles even more. Even in hell, I have no doubt, there are these lush gardens with flowers as big as trees, which however wither quickly if they are not watered with very expensive water>>. Today they sound like a joke.