Alcatraz from inside by Jim Quillen
According to democratic theory the state is for man not man for the state. This theory has been implemented by bills of rights in many national constitutions giving the individual a legal opportunity to redress abuses by his state. In Federal Consti- tutions, however, difficulties have been faced when central au- thority seeks to enforce the standards of the constitution against the legislation and customs of the constituent states. The latter habitually resist, proclaiming the virtues of horne rule and local self-govemment, also supported by democratic theory. Thus the opposition of man versus the state develops into a double op- position of man versus the state and the state versus the super- state. To what extent should the super-state take the part of man demanding respect for human rights, or of the state demand- ing self-govemment, when the two conflict? The failure to solve this problem precipitated the American Civil War and continues to agitate American politics. Should the human right of equal educational opportunities prevail over the State's Right of autonomy in the organization of its schools? The same problem appears in more virulent form in the efforts of the United Nations to promote respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion without intervening in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state.Jim Quillen, who was born in 1919, had a tough life and was frequently in serious trouble by the time he was an adolescent. He first saw the inside of United States Prison Alcatraz Island at the age of twenty-two, when he was shackled at the wrists and condemned to forty-five years in prison. Quillen returned to the island many years later, when it was part of the National Park Service system. Jim Quillen died in 1998 and is survived by his wife, daughter, and granddaughters. He was one of the island's most popular volunteers for numerous years, recounting his narrative as part of the audio tour and sharing his past with tourists interested by his life experiences.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780962520617 |
| ISBN 10 | 0962520616 |
| Title | Alcatraz from inside |
| Author | Jim Quillen |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Atlantic Books |
| Year published | 1992-02-01 |
| Number of pages | 164 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |