Last night, while grappling with some insomnia, I stumbled upon your interview from May 2021 on the "What is Life" podcast. Your opening remarks immediately captivated my attention, primarily due to the parallels between our respective childhood experiences. Your words continued to occupy my thoughts throughout the day today, leading me to find your blog here and happily see that you continue to advance your cause.
I'm a 47-year-old woman who grew up in a situation of extreme domestic violence in upstate New York. My childhood was rough. I share my life journey with a younger brother, and it never ceases to amaze our extended family that he did not end up incarcerated for life given the persistent troubles he had. At times, these difficulties were of his own making, but more often he found himself in a cycle of blame because he was a rough kid and it was easy to point a finger and create a stereotype.
Your insights during the podcast, particularly your mention of the scarcity of caring individuals and the absence of assistance in charting a course away from a pattern of poor decisions, resonated with me. What set my trajectory apart, I believe, was the eventual discovery of individuals who were willing to extend a hand. It was also because I performed very well academically and had decided for myself not to accept the card I had been dealt. It wasn't too late for me, but it could have gone in a very different direction. I empathize with 21 year old you. We are the same age and could have easily been friends if I were in PA instead of NY. My journey has led me to a point of relative well-being, and it heartens me to witness your own transformative journey (minus the whole huge mistake and life imprisonment thing of course). I hope you don't mind my very dry often inappropriate humor.
Anyway, I hope your month is going well and the nice fall weather has arrived to wherever you're currently located. I have so many questions I'd love to ask you, but need to run to a zoom meeting for work. I've been trying to make this comment for hours and keep getting so rudely interrupted by coworkers. So for now, I'll leave you with a Japanese concept that I think you'll appreciate if you hadn't heard of it before.
Kintsugi (金継ぎ, "golden joinery"), also known as kintsukuroi (金繕い, "golden repair") - When the Japanese mend broken objects they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something's suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful. The point is to embrace the imperfect and make the best of what you are experiencing now rather than dwelling on how things might have been better.
Thanks for writing! I finished the transcription for your post. I agree with you, the parole board system isn't working out that well, maybe at some point they'll see where they're going wrong. Learning some buzzwords to get released speaks volumes of how flawed it is.
I hope you're doing well, and please continue to write!
Hi Charles, thanks for your reply. If you don’t mind, I would prefer to corresponding through “The between the bars” site, as we have been doing so far. If you are still interested, I could tell you something about Italy, our culture and language. It can seem a bit weird corresponding on “The between the bars” site since other people can read our conversation but who knows someone wants to join our conversation as well. It would be nice. Regards Alberto Italy
Kelly Just read your blog today And saw your call out to me. It’s nighttime. I’m in the living room typing this. And I am absolutely furious. Livid. Incandescent with rage. How terribly you have been treated. I can’t believe it. As an inmate you are the least of their problems. They have truly problematic psychos in there, why pick on you? Easy target, or was it a slow shift and they got bored? You definitely struck their weak spot with your treatment. Their reaction shows clearly they have blame on their hands. And they need you far away. And as much as that makes you unhappy, it will be for the best. Like I wrote in my last letter to you, there are arseholes everywhere, in jail, in the free world, and they are making new ones everyday. Almost like the Jimmy Stewart film, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, every time a bell rings, an Angel gets its wings. In your case, some no mark gets a badge. There are good officers, I’ve met some great ones. Literal lifesavers. Usually women though. People who want to make a difference. I’m certain they are there waiting in your future. At the least away from that jail you are away from those staff. One of them will eventually snitch on the others, it always happens. Most people these days have a social conscience, or a religious or moral one. I think I posted my last letter to you about ten days ago. I made a photocopy of it. It was about ten waffling pages long, so they will probably give it to you in the Shu to add to your torture!!! I can send it again when you finally make a landing. Seriously, I hope things have eased up when you receive this. I am so worried about you. Thousands of people read these blogs, across the world. You may not be seen, (their loss!). But know that you are heard. Much love. Tenzin. (shh, you know who;)
This report is disturbing on so many levels. It smacks of persecution, an absence of empathy and compassion, and a total disregard for the dignity of the human person. It makes me sad, really sad, and in a way, simply angry. My heart goes out to you as will my prayers. In a perfect world, what we do comes back around to smack us in the face. But this ain't no perfect world. To stand before the final judge and give an account of "those things you did and did not do," the judge will condemn those who inflict suffering for enjoyment, whim, or whimsy without even a hint of repentance. Each of us is accountable. Your account moves me. Besides a powerless man like myself, I hope someone else reads your words and moves in authoritative action.
RSS
Hi Rob,
Last night, while grappling with some insomnia, I stumbled upon your interview from May 2021 on the "What is Life" podcast. Your opening remarks immediately captivated my attention, primarily due to the parallels between our respective childhood experiences. Your words continued to occupy my thoughts throughout the day today, leading me to find your blog here and happily see that you continue to advance your cause.
I'm a 47-year-old woman who grew up in a situation of extreme domestic violence in upstate New York. My childhood was rough. I share my life journey with a younger brother, and it never ceases to amaze our extended family that he did not end up incarcerated for life given the persistent troubles he had. At times, these difficulties were of his own making, but more often he found himself in a cycle of blame because he was a rough kid and it was easy to point a finger and create a stereotype.
Your insights during the podcast, particularly your mention of the scarcity of caring individuals and the absence of assistance in charting a course away from a pattern of poor decisions, resonated with me. What set my trajectory apart, I believe, was the eventual discovery of individuals who were willing to extend a hand. It was also because I performed very well academically and had decided for myself not to accept the card I had been dealt. It wasn't too late for me, but it could have gone in a very different direction. I empathize with 21 year old you. We are the same age and could have easily been friends if I were in PA instead of NY. My journey has led me to a point of relative well-being, and it heartens me to witness your own transformative journey (minus the whole huge mistake and life imprisonment thing of course). I hope you don't mind my very dry often inappropriate humor.
Anyway, I hope your month is going well and the nice fall weather has arrived to wherever you're currently located. I have so many questions I'd love to ask you, but need to run to a zoom meeting for work. I've been trying to make this comment for hours and keep getting so rudely interrupted by coworkers. So for now, I'll leave you with a Japanese concept that I think you'll appreciate if you hadn't heard of it before.
Kintsugi (金継ぎ, "golden joinery"), also known as kintsukuroi (金繕い, "golden repair") - When the Japanese mend broken objects they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something's suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful. The point is to embrace the imperfect and make the best of what you are experiencing now rather than dwelling on how things might have been better.
こんばんは (konbanwa - good evening)
-CJ
PS - I'm not Japanese, just a language nerd.
I hope you're doing well, and please continue to write!
If you don’t mind, I would prefer to corresponding through “The between the bars” site, as we have been doing so far.
If you are still interested, I could tell you something about Italy, our culture and language.
It can seem a bit weird corresponding on “The between the bars” site since other people can read our conversation but who knows someone wants to join our conversation as well. It would be nice.
Regards
Alberto
Italy
Just read your blog today And saw your call out to me.
It’s nighttime. I’m in the living room typing this. And I am absolutely
furious. Livid. Incandescent with rage. How terribly you have been treated. I can’t believe it. As an inmate you are the least of their problems. They have truly problematic psychos in there, why pick on you? Easy target, or was it a slow shift and they got bored? You definitely struck their weak spot with your treatment. Their reaction shows clearly they have blame on their hands. And they need you far away. And as much as that makes you unhappy, it will be for the best. Like I wrote in my last letter to you, there are arseholes everywhere, in jail, in the free world, and they are making new ones everyday. Almost like the Jimmy Stewart film, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, every time a bell rings, an Angel gets its wings. In your case, some no mark gets a badge. There are good officers, I’ve met some great ones. Literal lifesavers. Usually women though. People who want to make a difference. I’m certain they are there waiting in your future.
At the least away from that jail you are away from those staff. One of them will eventually snitch on the others, it always happens. Most people these days have a social conscience, or a religious or moral one.
I think I posted my last letter to you about ten days ago. I made a photocopy of it. It was about ten waffling pages long, so they will probably give it to you in the Shu to add to your torture!!! I can send it again when you finally make a landing.
Seriously, I hope things have eased up when you receive this. I am so worried about you. Thousands of people read these blogs, across the world. You may not be seen, (their loss!). But know that you are heard.
Much love.
Tenzin. (shh, you know who;)
This report is disturbing on so many levels. It smacks of persecution, an absence of empathy and compassion, and a total disregard for the dignity of the human person. It makes me sad, really sad, and in a way, simply angry. My heart goes out to you as will my prayers. In a perfect world, what we do comes back around to smack us in the face. But this ain't no perfect world. To stand before the final judge and give an account of "those things you did and did not do," the judge will condemn those who inflict suffering for enjoyment, whim, or whimsy without even a hint of repentance. Each of us is accountable. Your account moves me. Besides a powerless man like myself, I hope someone else reads your words and moves in authoritative action.
In solidarity, John