On September 13, Mary Sue Molnar and Phil Taylor of Texas Voices attended the FACTS (Families Against Committing Texans StandUp!) public awareness event at the capitol in Austin, Texas, to support the families who have a loved in civil commitment at the Littlefield, Texas Civil Commitment Facility. The FACTS group members were able to educate lots of people including legislative staffers. After the rally, some of the members visited the offices of their legislators, and those visits went better than expected. During some of our candid discussions with legislative staffers, we learned that they are aware that the civil commitment center in Littlefield owes an enormous amount of money to local hospitals. The hospitals, doctors, etc. have not been paid for the services they have provided to the residents (inmates) at Littlefield. And there are so many more issues that need to be exposed and addressed.
Mary Sue read this statement of support from NARSOL:
From NARSOL, the National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws, to those who are incarcerated at Littlefield, you are in our hearts and on our minds every day, but on this day especially our thoughts are with you.
We stand with you in full support.
The post-prison incarceration under the guise of treatment called civil commitment is abhorrent, and flies in the face of human and constitutional rights. Its abolishment is one of NARSOL’s goals and something for which we fight.
Stay strong, keep the faith, and keep fighting for the day when this sort of atrocity is wiped from the face of our nation.
The goal of FACTS for the event was for their voices to be heard, and they certainly were!
