this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2023
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The co-founder of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX pleaded not guilty to a seven count indictment charging him with wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering.

An attorney for FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried said in federal court Tuesday his client has to subsist on bread, water and peanut butter because the jail he's in isn't accommodating his vegan diet.

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[–] BonfireOvDreams@lemmy.world 64 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (54 children)

He is Vegan. Irrespective of how we feel about what he did, the failure to address his core ethical beliefs is completely unacceptable. This would never occur if his belief was rooted in ideas of a higher being or afterlife. Not that I'm planning on going to jail anytime soon, but the thought that I would not be able to abide by that daily practice of my life would be incredibly distressing. Unless he is doing it for environmental reasons (I don't know) he likely seeks total animal liberation, and you're going to force feed him stolen animal secretions? Coproducts of dead baby cows and beings bred into painful bodies? The alternative is malnutrition? I would highly consider Jainism or Sikhism on this fact alone. Fuck you if you think he should be forced to go against his ethical beliefs.

[–] dezmd@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

his core ethical beliefs is completely unacceptable

his core ethical beliefs

core ethical beliefs

ethical

[–] BonfireOvDreams@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Nobody said the guy is entirely ethical ¯\(ツ)

I don't think being forced to consume death/murder is the answer to him not being ethical with people's funds.

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[–] Brokkr@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (3 children)

That's a very sensationalist way to phrase your point and makes you sound fairly biased in the matter.

In the law, religious belief is a protected class, but dietary choice is not. A reasonable debate could be had about if it should be protected. The prison system nor the court room is the right forum, because it needs to be decided by the legislature.

[–] dragonflyteaparty@lemmy.world 21 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Veganism it's not a simple dietary choice. Depending on how long the person has been vegan, a sudden switch could make them very sick.

[–] Pogbom@lemmy.world 35 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

And let's not pretend that prisons don't regularly disregard inmates dietary restrictions, even the medically necessary ones. It's easy to laugh at this one because 'haha vegan' but it's still atrocious to ignore any dietary restriction, let alone such a common one.

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[–] mightyfoolish@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

It's a lifestyle choice based on moral ramifications. I understand that you're not the legislative but it totally should be a part of the same protected class.

[–] Akasazh@feddit.nl 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think the true argument is that dietary preference is a bit of a slippery slope. One could easily claim that they abide by a diet of only steak, truffles and lobster.

Obviously that is not feasible for a prison kitchen to fulfil. I do agree though that an effort could be made. I'm not sure if religious preference is catered to (no pork f.i.) and I could even see a point of not serving meat at all.

But the bottom line is that you can't let the prisoner make food demands like that and be considered unethical if not fulfilled. Medically there's not really a case here. Water and bread sounds a bit brutal, but it's not likely that he has no choice at all, it's also a bit of an act that his legal team will no doubt will utilise in court to claim 'inhuman circumstances'

[–] dx1@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

It's not a slippery slope. Vegans have a saying, veganism is the moral baseline. Other prisoners who want to eat steak or chicken or hot dogs are being catered to for their preferences even though those actively cause victimization. But somebody wants to not victimize animals with their diet and all of a sudden it's "fuck them". None of you have thought about this at all.

[–] electrogamerman@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

No one is forcing him to do anythig. He has bread and water, or he is supposed to receive a special vegan menu?

[–] dx1@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It's not about the prisoner. Why are you victimizing animals to feed the other prisoners in the first place, but then acting like it's unreasonable not to do it?

[–] BonfireOvDreams@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

He is not supposed to be malnourished. If the option is malnutrition, or disregard of ethical beliefs, I'd argue they actually are forcing him.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Irrespective of how we feel about what he did

What he has been accused of doing. He has not been proven guilty. I’m not saying he’s not guilty but until proven so, whatever happened to “innocent until proven guilty”?

[–] BonfireOvDreams@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Yes earlier in the thread it was very mob like. That's me just placating I suppose. He has not been proven guilty and they're already starving him. Doubly wrong.

[–] pythonoob@programming.dev 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Nah, fuck him.

You can be vegan for good reasons but I feel like he's just doing it to make a show.

[–] CmdrShepard@lemmy.one 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I also think it's for show. Having worked in a jail kitchen, they serve lots of cheap food like beans and rice but also have vegetables and other foods that'd be considered vegan. I suspect what's happening is that he isn't getting gourmet meals like he was previously accustomed to, so he's refusing to eat anything else to gain sympathy points.

[–] snapeyouinhalf@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

Depends on how it’s prepared. There are plenty of things one could add to veg that make them nonvegan, and a lot of us do add those things. Assuming originally vegan foods will be prepared and served in a way that keeps them vegan is a poor assumption. Idk about this guy’s actual diet, but I’ve seen a lot of vegans accidentally breaking their diet by eating something they assume is vegan, and then get sick from it since their bodies aren’t used to it anymore. Not to mention the guilt felt by those who are extremely serious about it.

[–] TheFrirish@jlai.lu 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I agree, only because it's about veganism that there is a supportive reaction. If they were not respecting his Christian/Muslim beliefs for example no one here would bat an eye, especially here.

[–] BonfireOvDreams@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Admittedly if he held a religion that he claimed required meat consumption I would be in favor of not accommodating him. Thankfully, no major religion does this, because as it turns out in trying to seek ethical practice, they all arrive at the idea that abstaining from killing conscious beings is morally good.

[–] TheFrirish@jlai.lu 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I also believe your first comment is correct and the US prison system is quite messed up to say the least. However I'm being very pragmatic here and I'm not going to shed a tear if he personally only has bread and water to eat. if anything it will do him some good. the problem is that this is applied to every person in jail or most jails.

[–] BonfireOvDreams@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Word - My point isn't about this particular guy so much as the precedent to be set for all incarcerated people, and the commentary people have surrounding it.

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