First Blog Post

I pondered for 2 days what my first post should say. This blog will not be just about me, it will also serve as my forum to comment on life inside America's supermaximum penitentiary, the justice system, politics, and current events. My interests are just as diverse as my opinions and I hope to be both entertaining and thought provoking.

Some may wonder what a convicted felon and ex gang member could say that people should pay any attention to . My answer: a lot. The deteriorating condition of American prisons, the return to the "hands off" doctrine by our courts, the dysfunction of our politics and the unfairness in our dispensation of justice is a ticking social time bomb.

The most frequent argument against reform is, "Why should we be lenient, why should we coddle our criminals." This argument misses the point. When men are thrown into systems where violence is reaching epidemic levels, conditions are at their worst in 50 years and rehabilitation has been repealed those men re-enter society bitter, dehumanized and no better educated or trained to live a productive life than before they went in. Those men will be the neighbors, coworkers, and family members that reenter society. An issue that must, not should, be addressed.

Recently I sat alone in my cell where 23 hours of every day of my life are wasted, and watched the execution saga in Georgia. I was convinced the Supreme Court would intervene as surely no man could die by state sanctioned murder when 7 of 9 witnessed had recanted. It was not to be, at 11 pm he had been killed. I was disgusted.

Soon thereafter Tea Party people cheered the near 300 executions in Texas, booed a gay service member in Iraq who risks his life for us every day, and suggested a man without health insurance should just die. I am trouble by it all.

My opinion, for what it is worth, is our society grows more extreme, more callous, more heartless with each passing day. America was once viewed as the land where dreams could come true. Today we fight our neighbors as we fight each other. Human life is expendable as a political punchline. Compassion is an antiquated term and no one has the will or the courage to bring about the reform we so desperately need.

In the end we all suffer. A society is judged by how it treats its poor, weak, and helpless. Prisons are filled with the poor, the weak, and the helpless. While society condones the barbaric treatment of so many, its own foundation crumbles. I for one will not suffer in silence.