Terry Nichols and the Terrorist Diet

Published on Tuesday, March 31, 2009, by James Norton / Edit Post

Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols has something serious on his mind: Prison food isn’t to his liking. So he’s suing.

Cue outrage in the comments section: “Why don’t the prison guys just order up a couple bales of hay,” “Feed him bread and water only,” “If I were feeding you we’d have a special each day. Rat [du] jour. Ratashimi. Rat Stew,” etc.

Yes, yes, thank you for the insight, Internet tough guys, but is it possible that he has a point?

Nichols’ contention is that he’s “compelled to consume daily those unhealthy dead and refined foods that are abhorrent to plaintiff’s sincerely held religious beliefs causing him physical, mental and spiritual torment, and to sin against God.”

The piece notes:

“Nichols wants 100 percent whole-grain foods, more fresh raw vegetables and fresh fruit, a wheat bran supplement, and digestive bacteria and enzymes. He wrote that his religious beliefs and requests ‘are not absurd, unorthodox, nor costly.’”

Well, is that legitimate to say that diet is intrinsically related to a spiritual belief? Nichols, in his suit, writes that he sincerely believes that God created mankind to consume unrefined whole foods. If you “sincerely believe” that God created mankind to consume only steaks and apple pie, would that hold an equal amount of water? Should a vegan’s prison requests be honored, even if they’re not religiously derived?

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  • i think philosophical beliefs should be accepted. why does someone need to be religious? not everyone subscribes to organized religion. he just wants to follow a diet that works for him and his beliefs and i think should be allowed to to some degree.. it's not like he's asking for organic food. then again, as an inmate there to serve time as punishment, i don't really think people's tax dollars...+READ

    i think philosophical beliefs should be accepted. why does someone need to be religious? not everyone subscribes to organized religion. he just wants to follow a diet that works for him and his beliefs and i think should be allowed to to some degree.. it's not like he's asking for organic food. then again, as an inmate there to serve time as punishment, i don't really think people's tax dollars should go toward fresh fruits and vegetables at prisons. i'm sure prisoners eat better than some hard working people. throw in a few carrot sticks extra then... or maybe he should just change his diet and eat what they're serving him. he's a prisoner and committed a horrible crime, i don't have much sympathy for him.-COLLAPSE

  • Prisons have very complete and detailed rules and regulations about who is entitled to special diets and under what circumstances. If Nichols doesn't meet the criteria, then tough cookies. If he does and he's being denied them, then that would be "unusual" (that is, different from the norm) punishment. Cruel? Cry me a river.

  • I think that the real question would be, does he believe that he was created by God to kill people? If you are going to take away people's right to life and happiness, then you shouldn't expect to keep yours.