Darien Lamen: When asked what he thinks is at the root of the controversy, Victor Pate says, “I believe that they don’t want people who have seen the worst of our system to be a part of changing the system. Because we know from being directly impacted what type of policies–especially as you talk about prisons and jails and criminal justice–should be passed to make it more transformative, more restorative, and more equitable,” Pate says.”They don’t want to hear from us because we could change this miserable system. It’s as simple as that. More here.