My Mixed Opinions on Alcatraz
We all know Alcatraz, the massive and imposing prison built on an island off the coast of San Francisco. I’ve never really given Alcatraz much thought, and I honestly didn’t even know that it was in San Francisco until I saw it for myself. So, you can imagine my surprise when I’m walking down Pier 39 and every other store is selling Alcatraz themed merch. Despite being abandoned for almost 40 years, Alcatraz is actually a very popular tourist destination, and like every other asshole on the internet I have some thoughts.
Before we get into it, let me set the scene. It’s a beautiful day at Pier 39, tourist traps as far as the eye can see. The stores are all different and yet exactly the same: San Francisco themed knick-knacks, bootleg anime merch, tacky nautical clothing and jewelry, and the aforementioned Alcatraz merch. I never thought an abandoned prison could be so profitable, but the abundance of black and white baby jumpers, “I survived Alcatraz” shirts and signs, and collections of Alcatraz’s most dangerous criminals proved otherwise. All of the merch I saw focused on the danger and eerie mystique of the abandoned prison and its prisoners, marketing it more like a haunted house than a former maximum-security prison. And this didn’t leave a good taste in my mouth.
Who gets to profit off such a violent institution? More importantly, why should anyone be able to profit off a prison at all? I didn’t like how Alcatraz was advertised as a thrill-seeking experience, it felt like a cruel joke towards all the people who had been incarcerated there. I’d still like to have a job in the future, so I’m not going to get too in depth on my thoughts on prisons, but just know that I’m not a huge fan. Though I will say that actually going to Alcatraz did ease some of my original concerns.
Education is a major emphasis of the Alcatraz…experience? Trip? Whatever. There are museum-like placards everywhere describing the prison’s history, as well as a guided audio tour that takes you through the prison’s major building. I missed the audio tour (because I got lost), but from what I heard it seemed quite thorough. Alcatraz is also a national park, hosting a variety of local birds and flora. Additionally, Alcatraz was also home to an Indigenous resistance occupation from 1969 to 1971 (We Hold the Rock - Alcatraz Island (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)).
When we first arrived at Alcatraz, I only cared about the national park portion and the Indigenous history. The national park portion of Alcatraz was actually quite impressive, the flora was diverse and absolutely gorgeous and there were plenty of waterfowl nesting around the facility. As for the Indigenous history, I was thoroughly disappointed. There was hardly any information on the occupation, not around the prison or on the audio tour. Yes, the occupation only lasted just under two years, but I can’t help but feel disappointed in the facility’s lack of effort.
On the one hand, I appreciate Alcatraz’s emphasis on education, historical preservation, and wildlife restoration. On the other hand, I feel like there are parts of the facility’s history, such as the Indigenous occupation in 1969, that aren’t given an equal amount of attention. Additionally, I think it’s exploitative and deceptive to sell merchandise advertising the “danger” of Alcatraz when the facility has been abandoned for over 40 years and a majority of the people sent there were imprisoned for non-violent crimes, such as counterfeiting and tax evasion. So, what’s the conclusion? Prison is bad? Capitalism is ok if it’s for baby seagulls? Bro, I don’t know, you tell me.
