Knowledge is power, truth is freedom, compassion is Human
2/5/14: 4pm: Listening to: "Mama I'm coming home" by Ozzie

About 5,000 men, women & children sentenced to die in PA state prisons. I just finished reading a newsletter called "The Liberator", which is published by a website called
www. PAsentencing.com

This is a non-profit organization that has come together in order to help people in their fight for freedom. There truly are different sets of laws for the rich and poort. Then there is another one for people in prison. There is a woman named Jennifer Rhodes #OA8479. She is in a womens prison called Cambridge Springs here in PA. You can probably go to the PAsentencing website and read her story. She is a 55 year old woman who was sentenced to life and has been in prison since 1991. She is on the honor status block for exemplary inmates, she has never been in trouble in prison. She has an associates degree in business management and financial accounting and she has completed the opticianry course. She is a model prisoner. She has worked her entire time in prison. This is a woman who deserves a second chance. But in this state, when you are sentenced to life, you are sentenced to rot here until you die. No matter how much you change your life, no matter how much good you do, no matter how much you still have to contribute to society, you can't. Stories like this make me want to give up hope. This woman is 55 years old, and a model prisoner, yet no one says, lets give her another chance. I understand both sides of this. I have taken a life and I have also had the woman I love more than life taken from this earth. I understand the hate, anger, bitterness, and I also understand the people who have changed and beg for a second chance, but their cries fall on dead ears. Anyone reading this, I ask you to check out this website. I ask you to sign the petition which supports parole for lifers. Remember, they wont be getting out in just a few year. They will do 20, 25, 30 or more years before they are even eligible. That does not mean they will be approved for parole. This is a dream for thousands of men, women and children. There are alot of juvenile lifers here in PA, teenage kids who are sentenced to rot here for 60-70 years until they die. I came here at 21, I am 37 now. I will probably rot in here for another 40+ years. But this doesn't have to happen to everyone. Over half of the human beings in PA state prisons are from Philadelphia. Prison is not about helping anyone or rehabilitating anyone. Look at what Governor Tom Crobett did, he, along with the Philly Mayor, closed 23 schools in Philadelphia. How do you close 23 schools but give $2 billion dollars to the PA dep. of corrections. That's insane.
Tom Corbett lied to Pennsylvania by releasing a statement saying: "For the 3rd consecutive year Tom Corbett increased funding for education and early childhood development, investing 41% of the budget (the most state dollars in the history of this state). The budget promises more than $5.5 billion dollars for basic education funding and $1.6 billion for higher education." But despite that statement, Philadelphia closed 23 schools. This money did not go to education.
I personally have a 7th grade education. The 6th grade was the last grade I completed. By closing schools and building more prisons, you are just asking for these kids to go wrong and end up in here. You're not giving them a chance to learn, grow and have a bright future. PA state senator Daylin Leach was quoted saying, "Anytime we increase funding for the Dept. of corrections more than we increase funding for education, environmental protection, or other programs that help Pennsylvania families, our priorities are out of order."
Pennsylvania has close to 30 state prisons and are building more. They don't let many people go home. I don't have the money to sign up and be a member of this newsletter and the movement but I will voice my opinion on my blog and I hope I can get through to some of you readers.
I ask you this, does everyone sentenced to life in prison deserve to die in here? You have to remember that not everyone who has life, took a life. I personally know a man who never even entered the house. He got life, the one who committed the burglary and murder, he was given 20-40 years because he testified against his co-defendant. He was a 19 year old kid, now he is an old man in his 50's. Not everyone with life deserves to get out, but some do. Give them the chance to prove themselves. Just because you sign the petition doesn't mean anyone will get out. But it's a start, it's a voice. We are a voice and we need to be heard. Stop investing in prisons and start investing in our children. Allow the ones who deserve the 2nd chance to have the opportunity to go home and be with their children. Go to the website and sign the online petition. At least give us a chance to prove ourselves. I've spoken about second chances a few times. I would sell my soul in order to be able to go home and spend the rest of my life with my mother and my 16 year old daughter who desperately needs me, to visit my Justine's grave for the first time. But is that a reality for me? No it's not. But for some deserving lifers it can be. There are about 5,000 of us in here. Surely some of us are worthy of a second chance. Please look into your heart and lend us a bit of compassion. All we ask for is a chance. Let us prove our worth. I'll let you go now with that. Take care, God bless and please sign the petition at:
www.PAsentencing.com

Until next time. Ciao.