Prison versus gaol

It was a privilege last night to go to Mobilong "Correctional Facility"/ "Prison"/"Gaol or Jail".

It was another graduation service (the second of the week for me...the first being a University Graduation) but on this occasion for a group of about 20 prisoners in one of the State's prisons.
This is run by Kairos Prison Ministry. An ecumenical endeavour to prisoners, a short course, and weekly contact with those in jails. (we are still having a debate about jail  or gaol) 

The guys who did the course spoke about "what they had learnt" and "how they had changed". In some senses fairly trite questions...and the guys recognise this...but they roll with it.

Some of my observations:
These dot points have grown too long... I hope you read them all

• We had a good conversation in the car on the way home about the way language is used. We had all noted that the,  otherwise, very excellent speaker from the Dept. of Correctional Services used the lingo of her Department.  These were "offenders", and we and they  were told that Kairos was one step towards them getting back on the right track.  This is the language of the Department, I guess, but fairly heavy handed
• My first impression....and this is not the first time I have been in a gaol... as I looked at the security is that:  if this is 'medium and low security'  then what  is high security?  It all looked awful to me
• I was struck by the male membership of the Kairos team and supporters. This is not something that you always experience in the life of the church. It is good to see that  good men think this is valuable ministry
• My friend, Rob, had lured me by the assurance that the guys who would speak would be a  profound experience
• It was indeed,. Groups spoke...and then there was Open Mic ( as a person who does funerals I think this is a big mistake.) But today.......the groups Matthew, Mark, Luke and John....I wonder where those name came from.... and then (sometimes with a little reluctance) from individuals came very interesting reflections
• Most spoke about Forgiveness.  The guys spoke about three things:   How they needed to seek forgiveness.  Well yes!  
• how they needed to forgive...well that's a bit more challenging and complex...they are not only Offenders but are also Victims....some of them were able to even articulate that their families of origin didn't really support and/or love them.    This is bitter stuff. But they needed to forgive... the failures of those who should have done better
• They spoke mainly about the need to forgive themselves .....pretty deep stuff for guys who we may so often think of as hopeless!
• Finally,  and this is not everything I thought,  an APY guy played guitar and  about the Cross. he sang (I am told) in the Pitjantjara language (Were I a producer I would be signing him up today!!)
• I found myself pained, as one who has artistic proclivities, what do you do if you are denied the outlet of your life.   If there is no gyuitar in your room. If you cannot pen the poem that is in your heart (my particular issue)
• I am thankful to shake the hands of those guys...who had to return to lockup

These dot points have grown too long... I hope you read them

Can I be blamed?

While we may bemoan the loss of the ordinary meaning of the word ‘gay’ (and I do) we need to get over it. (see here)

Language changes, probably faster than most of us think. You only have to think of the popular use of such words as ‘cool’ and ‘sick’, to realise that there is not just one casualty. We just have to get over it and move on. This is not ‘political correctness’ it is language moving on.

While we are on about political correctness, too, I want to ask "What is wrong with being 'correct'?

The term is so often used derogatorily that we forget that there is a point in it after all. Why, for instance and in particular, in a society which purports that all people are equal and that gender makes no difference should we refer to people by their gender. Or use, as used to be the custom, the masculine to include the feminine.

We shouldn't say "he" when we mean "he and she" or "she".

Some of this grates. In filling in people's marital status, for example, you are now required to put in "Never validly married"...which is adequately gender neutral...but very clunky.

Thirty years ago an unmarried man wrote "bachelor" and an unmarried woman wrote "spinster".

You can actually see from this example that though technically this terminology is the gender specific alternatives...in reality (popular speak)...bachelor often has the connotation of younger rather than older, and spinster quite the reverse. Spinster often has connotations frigid and unfriendly...again bachelor is sexy and outgoing.

Neither caricature is terribly true or helpful in a legal document. It is certainly not necessary!!!