TDCJ Employees Interview Kinky

Kinky posted 4th out of a 5 person ballot on election night back in November of 2006, but left a permanent mark on Texas politics forever. The Backgate website campaigned for change in the 2006 elections, and will back Kinky again in 2010. After all, who wants a governor that doesn't support state workers ?

 Kinky was gracious enough to take time from his busy schedule to sit down and do an interview with us here at the Backgate Website. We posed some tough questions, and this is how the Kinkster responded.

BG - What are the greatest issues you see facing the Texas Criminal Justice system at this point, and where do you see us in say, 10 years?

Kinky - " The greatest issues facing Texas criminal justice in the future (and the present) are overcrowding and the existence of the death penalty. Overcrowding could be eliminated by common sense. Don’t overload the system with harmless, non-violent doper--rehab them or decriminalize the--get them out of the system and make room for the pedophiles, politicians, and other pernicious vermin who prey on society."

"Abolishing the death penalty will save Texas a fortune, and it may just save our souls as well. Every person of faith knows that vengeance is not our job. Nor should we trust the people who can’t even run a post office to execute people in our name. At the very least, have the courage and decency to DNA test death row. A good Christian (or Jew or Muslim) cannot stand by like George Bush and say he’s certain no innocent person has been killed. Abolish the death penalty and the world will stand up and cheer for Texas and we will move to the head of the class in America where we belong.
Death row inmates have two things in common: most are guilty--but most is not good enough--and, none of them could afford Racehorse Haines. Texas has never executed a rich man."
 
BG- Should Texas build new prisons to deal with the influx of newly sentenced Texas inmates? What are the alternatives ?

Kinky - " No, we should not build new prisons. We should wisely and efficiently populate the prisons we have. De-criminalizing marijuana--not legalizing it--is a position that progressive law enforcement leaders are now leaning toward. Again, it’s not left or right, it’s just common sense."
 
BG- Texas prison officer pay is rated 47th out of the other 50 states as lowest paid. Yet we house more inmates, most being more violent, than any other state in the United States. TDCJ is currently 4,000 officers short, thus creating a dangerous overtime situation where mandatory hours must be worked by staff at dangerous levels. What do you see as being a solution to this issue? What would you do if you were governor?

Kinky - " Prison officers are not alone. Cops, firefighters, teachers, nurses, librarians, etc., who work with people daily and do good on this earth are penalized by Texas instead of given assistance. This state is so very, very rich that this attitude amounts to a pathetic shame on us. Rick Perry has forfeited the trust of the people. He has become little more than a ribbon-cutter. I, as governor, would immediately put salaries and staffing at the level that Texas deserves. We have the money to do this; we simply don’t have the will."
 
BG - For the most part, Governor Rick Perry has been unresponsive to the issues presented to him regarding Texas prison conditions, alternative sentencing, and other important issues. What’s your take?

Kinky - " Don’t look to our politicians and legislators for solutions to our problems. They have become nothing but parasites and in many cases, criminals themselves. Unfortunately, we have no room in the prison system for them. Prison conditions in Texas ought to be state of the art. Alternative sentencing, rehab and education should be emphasized. Violent offenders should not be paroled early, killers should serve life. First time non-violent offenders should be dealt with in a sane, sensible manner that may stand a chance of saving a future for them."
 
"The criminal justice system, like education and health care, needs to be fixed, and the only way to fix these broken down systems is with real leadership from our elected officials. This, sadly, is nowhere to be seen."
 
BG - Will you make a run for the Texas capitol again in the near future? And what’s Kinky Friedman up to these days?

Kinky - " I’m considering running in 2010 as a democrat. We’ve got to get the wooden horse inside the city somehow. We’ve got to elect someone who isn’t corrupted by party, power and greed--an honest broker who cares about the people of Texas."
 
" What’s Kinky Friedman up to? I’m free at last. I’m promoting my new book, You Can Lead a Politician to Water, But You Can’t Make Him Think, and my new cigar company, Kinky Friedman Cigars.  You can go to the websites to find more out about the cigars, keep up to date on my projects or my current schedule - www.kinkyfriedman.com or www.kinkycigars.com   Thank you very much! "