Human rights efforts target U.S.

Pioneers in the ever-unfolding new realm of e-advocacy are hoping a national campaign aimed at reforming the nation’s penal system will bring living, breathing bodies to the steps of every state capitol and to every U.S. prison this Saturday.

Even the Prison Reform Unity Project 2000 (www.prup.net) organizers don’t expect to meet those lofty goals, but they are hoping to call attention to the living conditions of America’s prisoners, and to help coalesce a broad spectrum of human rights activists into a more focused campaign.

While PRUP 2000 organizers in some states plan to have representatives at several prisons as well as at their respective statehouses, the Georgia campaign is lagging a bit, says coordinator David Kinnett. Even so, he’s counting on a dedicated group of reformers to meet at Centennial Olympic Park on Saturday at 4 p.m. Simultaneous demonstrations will be held throughout the nation, and at the U.S. embassies in London and Mexico City.

“It’s been pretty slow here so far. Only in the last week or so have we started getting any real response, and now I’m getting swamped with letters and e-mail,” says Kinnett. “If we can only get together and start meeting each other, we’re hoping to raise a stronger voice in Georgia.”