FREE SPEECH CENTRAL

All Respect is Self Respect...

I am physically confined to prison. In the prison world, "RESPECT" is thrown around a lot...Most times, it is proceeded by the prefix "Dis" - but the term is commonly used regardless of which side of its coin is being called out. I do my best to help the younger guys understand that I have learnt what the REAL meaning of this word (Respect) is in this setting. I believe it is being the best man you can be, taking what you have, and doing as much as you can with your experience and knowledge under the difficulties of your circumstances.

EX: You do not leave the soap wrappers in the shower, not because the guy who cleans the shower, but because of yourself! You do not make loud noises to continuously, disturb your neighbor, again, not because of your neighbor, but because of yourself!

All of the men in these cages come in with not so rosy past and a story to tell but we don not have to let that define the rest of our lives.

It took me years to learn that the respect is SELF-RESPECT. What I mean by this is that when you show your humanity by caring about how you interact with others - you do yourself a great service! This is the Universal Force of (Karma) i.e. what you give is what you get! According to this force (karma) you will attract to you that, which you are, that which you think, that which you see, how you speak, and how you act.

Now, one of the mistaken impressions I had about respect was that I had to feel someone deserve it or had to earn it. This is just not true. Respecting others, even those whom you have a truly hard time understand is the Basic Foundation for Self-Actualization.

If you want RESPECT, you must show RESPECT to all..At all times!

My responsibility as I see it in the Prison World is to do my best to breakaway from Prison Stereotypes. We shape who we are by the way we act. We are defined by our example and the sum total of what we do.

Men of value rise above, they change, learn, grow, and they have SELF-RESPECT.

My future is how I let my choices be guided with mindfulness (i.e. awareness) I know I have the brightest of chances because of this. For these reasons - I respect myself!

All Respect is Self-Respect...

It begins and ends with me! This starts right here, and right NOW!

This "Call To Action" has been posted in prison blocks for years. It was created in the formative years of "Free Speech Central" and continues to be a building block upon which our work to expose the failures of this abusive system are built.

FREE SPEECH CENTRAL

The Voice of the Informed Prisoner!