FORGIVENESS, EASY OR HARD?

October 24, 2014: 6:20 am: LISTENIN TO: Hold On BY: All That Remains

Good morning everyone,

I sit here thinking, dreaming, wondering and pondering, about many things. Mostly my mom, my daughter and remembering my Justine. Tomorrow will be 13 years since someone took her life. I don't forgive easy, I'd be a liar and a hypocrite if I said it was an easy thing to do.

I was watching CNN and saw an amazing story of forgiveness. I have no names, I didn't have the chance to write it all down. A man somehow shot and killed his roommate, also his best friend. He was convicted of manslaughter in New Hampshire and when released on parole, he went to live with the parents and family of the man he killed. The parents said they know he did not do this on purpose and they loved him and he was now their son. Me personally, I don't know if I could ever show that act of kindness, compassion, mercy and forgiveness. I could never forgive the man who killed Justine. Just like I don't expect forgiveness from my victims family. I've considered reaching out to them but I have decided not to.

So what do you think, can you truly forgive someone, or is that just words people say and don't mean? I have never witnessed a true act of forgiveness in my lifetime so I don't know if it really exists. My home state is pro prisons. Pro luck them up forever. They are still talking on the news and in the papers about the 10 year old boy who punched and strangled a 90 year old woman. They say he should get the death penalty, he should never get out, he cannot be fixed. He's 10, he's not broken. He's damaged, as are all of us in here, but not everyone is broken. Some guys in here have such chips on their shoulders, such attitude problems and such hatred in their bones, they have yet to change. And sure, we all have bad days in here but not everyone is a wasted life. I'm surely not. We can still make a difference. I make a difference in here and I try my best to make a difference in people's lives on the outside. Not easy to do but I have had some success. Right now I am slowly working on a fundraiser to raise money for the Catholic homeless shelter that recently opened and needs help. I can easily help people, show kindness and work hard. But forgiveness, it's not an emotion I understand very well.

Let me go back to earlier this year, a true story from Lumberton, NC. Two men, who are half brothers, were released from prison after doing 30 years for a crime they did not commit. Four men raped and murdered an 11 year old little girl and surely they all deserve the death penalty but they must be the right ones. Henry Lee McCollum was 19 years old and Leon brown was 15 years old. This was in 1983. After the DNA test it was proven that these two men were not the rapists and there are also questions about the district attorney from that case. This D.A. has had over 50% of his convictions overturned on appeal. That number, 50%, that's unheard of. Courts are not pro prisoner. It is extremely hard for a prisoner just to appeal his/her conviction, let alone get out of jail. That's almost impossible.

Henry is now 50 and Leon is now 46 years old. They say they forgive the D.A. for lying on them but do the really forgive or are they just ecstatic to be free? I hope they can forgive because it would take away some of the darkness that we all live in.

Well, I have babbled enough for today. As a final thought, I ask that you check out this website below. I don't know this man but he swears he is innocent of his crime and he is the President of the Pennsylvania Lifers Association, a organization that fights tirelessly for lifers, parole, and for the rights of prisoners. While doing that, they continue to raise $15,000+ a year that is donated to charities. So check out his site and you decide. Google his name, one thing I am not is a liar. I don't even know what this is about but I gave my word to put it on here and I am a man of my word. So go check this out and read Gary Brown's case and you decide if he deserves your help.

I thank you for having the patience to read what I write and I look forward to hearing what you have to say. I am just one voice.

Take care, God bless.

Ciao