By John Vibes
This week, local businessman Willie Wilson is going to the Cook County Jail with $15,000 to bail out inmates with misdemeanor charges.
“I’m not doing this for political reasons. These are people who are in jail because they can’t come up with $100 or $200 in bail bond money. These aren’t serious criminals — it’s folks who got caught with a small bag of marijuana or who were hungry and stole some food from the store,” Wilson said.
Surprisingly, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is actually supporting Wilson’s plan.
Working with Wilson, the Sheriff has provided him with a list of the inmates who have the best chance of success on the outside.
“If I let you sit there you don’t have a chance to get a good education, get a job, or start your life over,” Wilson said.
“I can’t police them. All I can do is do a good deed and hope for the best. I’m trusting that they’ll make the right decision and understanding the situation,” he said.
“If we can save one out of a thousand, then it’s worth it,” he added.
In addition to getting them out of prison, Wilson will also be donating $200 cash to each inmate to help them get back on their feet.
“I want to bail out some of the men, white, Black and Asian. Some are there because they cannot pay a $50, $100 bond. Some are in jail because they stole food or may have had a fight. I have been giving money away to churches, but now I am paying bail bond money for non-violent people. I am hoping to get as many out of jail until 2017, and we will urge them to get a GED or if they are having substance abuse problems to seek rehab intervention,” Wilson said.
Next, Wilson plans on raising $200,000 for veterans and seniors to help pay their utility bills.
John Vibes is an author and researcher who organizes a number of large events including the Free Your Mind Conference. He also has a publishing company where he offers a censorship free platform for both fiction and non-fiction writers. You can contact him and stay connected to his work at his Facebook page. John is currently battling cancer naturally, without any chemo or radiation, and will be working to help others through his experience, if you wish to contribute to his treatments please donate here. He writes for TheFreeThoughtProject.com, where this article first appeared.
Wonder why our multi-million/ billionaires, especially those w/ political image to maintain, haven’t engaged in similar acts of compassion??
Because they don’t really care like Wilson does. I say good on him for being a decent human being. Funny how it’s those with less who’re more likely to understand and want to help. But Wilson’s one of those who break the generalisation and if more were like him the world could be so much better.
Are you talking about the unholy ones that want us all sick and dying – those billionaires.
holding people on bail is illegal
Put your money into busting the oath of office violators and those who break Constitutional law?
That would stop this revenue generating exercise against people.
If you start firing and jailing appointed and elected officials that violate the law and people, this would do more to heal our national ills than most activity at the local level.
Watch the subpeona of the FBI official by the Congressional over sight committee on live T.V. ?
The mindset this federal cop displayed permeates down to the local level and is evident regarding the prison industrial complex.
Great idea, but if we started jailing all the corrupt politicos and LEOs we’d need to build hundreds of new prisons or put them in the new FEMA camps.
Simple, outsource it to China?
What a great story!
Of course they are supporting it!!! $$$MONEY$$$$$