Iraq prison abuses: US prisons conducted illegal strips searches in San Francisco to coerce a civilian population

The abuse isn't "over there." It goes on all the time in America's prison system.

Who is America to talk about exporting American "values"? Control, dehumanization, and humiliate in oreder to intimidate a destic population -- that is terrorism

There should be no suprise why the abuses in Iraq occurred: The same personnel and practices used in the United States were simply brought to light.

Over 16,000 going back to 2000 were stopped, strip searched, and paraded before cameras in Sacramento. The numbers are much higher when we go back to when the abuses are thought to have ramped up in 1984.

Women were told to disrobe, walk on black-foot prints on the ground, and were videotaped in groups. Women were told they had to perform and move around before the cameras. In some cases women were denied personal hygiene and despite mensturating were told to simply stand in each other's menstrual fluid. Flashlights were shined in their private areas.

The 16,000 people illegally strip searched in Sacramento have been awarded a class action status. $15 Million has been set aside, less than $900 per victim.

Police intimidation under the Nazis and at Abu Ghraib

It comes as no surprise to the legal community that misconduct occurred in Iraq. The goal of strip searching people is to subject them to physical humiliation and intimidate them from engaging in lawful protest.

This is a pattern of physical abuse designed to demean, humilitate, and control those who dare speak out against government policies.

The physical torture in Iraq is the same pattern of physical exploitation going on in US prisons all the time.

Atty Merin is leading the legal efforts in N. California. He deserves your support and a note of appreciation for standing up to the fascists in the law enforcement community.

This is only the first of many abuses. Remember, the number is in the 10s of thousands, not one or two. Sacramento strip searches were done on people protesting logging of Red Oaks.

Let us not be surprised to learn why children are being abused in Iraq; the illegal strip search policy is being used in US prisons against children.

Abuses also occurred in Miami-Dade county, Florida.