April 10, 2021 @ OSCI

Hi all!

Haven't written for a bit. Busy time lately doing my paralegal coursework and some pre-release stuff. My mental state is slowly improving but not by much. A lot fighting with these people over the vaccine.

The DOC Spokesperson today in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article said everyone that was 65 year old or older or that has underlying health conditions were a "small portion" of the DOC population and had been vaccinated months ago. That's a blatant lie! I have asthma, hypertension, prediabetes, and obesity and have yet to be offered the vaccine! I know of multiple other individuals across the DOC that haven't been vaccinated this past week.

Just the DOC trying to spin this out. Doesn't change the fact that only 7% of the prison system population has been vaccinated so far (compare this to the State's overall vaccination rate if 30%).

There's too many coincidences for this tone random chance. First, the delay of facemasks, then guards not wearing facemasks and the administration refusing to hold them accountable, no Remdsiver or similar meds to those affected, ceiling positive individuals with those testing negative, and now some serious disparities and outright lies about vaccines.

Well, onto other news from the OSCI. We're a I'll on modified lockdown. Apparently that just means that church services can't be held and regular library is cancelled. It's been a year since our last religious services Not a whole lot else different from what I can see. If anything the Inmate Complaint Review System has only gotten worse with rejections of valid complaints more the norm than actual investigation.

The only good news is that a lit of guys have been getting their stimulus checks. Unfortunately, the canteen ad property companies have been quick to start raising prices. We've had 4 canteen "updates" in just about the same amount of time. Raising prices or reducing the size of the products but keeping the price. Prison profiteers at their best.

Aside from possibly working as a paralegal upon release I'm also looking into starting a food truck or cart. Either way I can be my own boss which will let me succeed on my own merits. Not the whim of one person doing me a "favor" by hiring an ex-con.

I'm tired of relying on the mercy, charity, or fairness of others just to get by. It hasn't served me well in he past. Don't get me wrong, there are genuinely good people out there that would hire me on my merits and not hold my record against me. They're just few and far between. Especially in the small town I'm from.

I'm gonna sign off now to chill out a bit. No good borrowing trouble from the future. Stay safe and sane my friends!

Solidarity,
Tony