If Staying in Prison Were This Fun...

Fiilipino prisoners made the world news headlines last year when they came together to perform their version of "Thriller." In this Cebu stronghold, prisoners are reformed through dance and fun, and every month, they have a YouTube dance video to show to the world.



The videos, however, have become fodder for criticism. Shouldn't prisoners be reformed and not given the chance to have fun, some viewers ask? This Cebu jail houses sex offenders and murderers - so shouldn't they live out a harsh sentence? Shouldn't prisoners be given work to do, work that is productive and economically stimulating, instead of dance moves that amount to mouse clicks and nothing else?

Thanks to the prison's techniques, however, people from all over the world have started visiting the prison, and word has gotten out on the peace-loving methods used to reform the prisoners. In my opinion, even a prisoner is human, and is entitled to have some fun - in fact, being required to dance and having to follow strict steps every single month can be hard work. For people who don't like dancing, it can be humiliating. For those who want to learn things on their own, following specific steps can be constraining. Even fun, it appears, can be its own prison.



Is there a chance that this message could show how nice prisons are, and how crime can be tolerated - and how crime can actually lead to one getting the chance to work out and have fun? Such a speculation might not be too farfetched - but the fact is, the dancers are still in a prison. They may learn dance steps and perform to the applause of a world audience - but they still have to go home to their cells, eat poor food, and be away from their families.

Perhaps the message is compassion for those who are still human, but have strayed.