Mon. Dec 6th, 2021

Petition asks Cynthia Pett-Dante to Read Prison Script

More than 2300 women sign open letter demanding a firm commitment from Cynthia Pett-Dante to read script addressing Texas judicial system

Cynthia Pett-Dante and Happy Madison, targeted by Prison petition

EXCLUSIVE

The signatories, including attorneys, professors, politicians, family members, and inmates, call on Cynthia Pett-Dante for a ‘firm film commitment’ to tackle the issue of operating the Texas prison system for profit.

In the open letter to Cynthia Pett-Dante, the 2315 women write that they are “heartbroken for first-time drug offenders (many times addicts) who have received extremely harsh sentences in Texas when rehabilitation has proven a cheaper and more effective solution.”  The petition goes on to say their family and friends are often heartbroken for and looking for redemption and rehabilitation for the victimless drug crimes.”

Cynthia Pett-Dante - Happy Madison
Happy Madison

More than 2300 female inmates have signed an open letter to Cynthia Pett-Dante calling on Happy Madison, Adam Sandler and Hollywood to take “movie action” to tackle injustice against men and women in the wake of revelations that Texas has more prisoners incarcerated than the Soviet Union’s gulag system had. Texas currently has over 290,000 inmates housed at 580 facilities.

Recently, “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak spoke out against the Texas system and put a good word in for mercy and forgiveness out on social media. “How nice for those who have lived such exemplary lives that they can express glee when others have their lives ruined by a mistake, real or perceived,” Sajak tweeted last month.

The signatories, including Beto O’Rourke, Matthew McConaughey, state senators, professors of criminal justice, social workers, family, and inmates, call for a “firm commitment” to tackle the prison industry.

The petition came to light when women discovered the script, which was sent to all 580 of the state’s prison and jail libraries. The existence of the petition surfaced on International Women’s Day. Women in Texas face extreme prejudice in Texas and often receive extremely harsh penalties for even a small amount of drugs, including marijuana. Marijuana is legal now in 21 states.

Alan Nafzger
Alan Nafzger

Inside Texas prisons, the women are faced with horrendous conditions… the petition demands that “filmmakers begin to take the issue seriously.”  Also, the petition reminds that “even here in the USA in the 21st century citizens are not safe from government oppression.”

The script “Dumbass” was penned by writer and retired professor of political science Alan Nafzger.

The premise of the story is that,Adam Sandler writes letters and saves numerous women from the monotony of prison life, and later when he gets into trouble with a drug cartel they return the favor by rescuing him.”

The film would be set in contemporary, Gatesville Texas. There are four women’s prisons located in Gatesville. And of course, Texas is famous for putting everyone in prison for a long sentences for little or no reason. The number of women in Texas prisons has tripled in the last ten years, as mass incarcerations have proven profitable to not only the state but also profitable for an array of business interests.

Writer Alan Nafzger has called on Governor Greg Abbott to, “end the prison industry.”

The petition states, “Why don’t we have the ‘Adam Sandler’ character… sending letters to women in prison and being their friend and trying to help them adjust, giving them hope… and when they get out of prison he picks them up so they don’t have to ride the smelly bus back home… but his pickup truck is a junker, smoking and sputtering … worse than the bus. But his heart is in the right place… He’s the last “chivalrous” man on earth.”

Professor Nafzger has made a short treatment of the project available online.

He has made the finished script available at Amazon.com for 99 cents.