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- 2011 What a Mess -

This past year was a real mess. I got stupid and wrote something, airing dirty laundry . . and I paid a hell of a price. The Administration here at UCI (Union Correctional Institution) didn't take kindly to it, and would retaliate. I then did a hungerstrike and then a media interview, and instead of stopping the retaliation it escalated to a whole new level. I was getting set up with lying Fraudulent Disciplinary Reports (DR) in order to keep me on Disciplinary Confinement (DC) and restricted my ability to visit and communicate. They would then take it a step farther, by throwing away my personal mail legal mail, and media mail for over two months. I never dreamed they would go that far, as messing with mail, fraudulent DRs, suspending my visits...and the craziness that I endured for seven months. I had to file a 42 USC Sec. 1983 Civil Rights Complaint in order to stop it. I'm still being denied recreation access to the law library and dealing with jibes from certain people. But I have not let up in standing up for what I believe in, now will I.

I expect more retaliatory unprofessional behavior here in the upcoming weeks, due to the fact that I'm standing up to this Administration, who is misapplying the rules of Chapter 33-601,Sec. 30 Death Row Florida Administrative Codes. Since June 2011 the Administration at UCI has placed ten men in strip cells for minor DRs where men having to go 3 to 5 days in a cell with no mattress, blanket, toilet paper, tooth brushes in extremely cold temperatures. They have to eat with their hands and endure sleepless nights. Cause you can not sleep on cold steel. I was the first to endure this for 5 days. Since then, its gotten out of control.

As you can see I'm outspoken. Either you are for or against human rights. You can not stand on the side line and say "Well this is an atrocity!" and then do nothing ...

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...about it. For when you dare to speak up and speak out against inhuman conditions, you become part of the problem. For silence allows the cycle of abuse to continue. So rather than being part of the solution your silence escalates the problem. I'm trying to be part of the solution...not the problem. I therefore am speaking up and speaking out.

Look, I have more flaws than any 10 men combined. I'm a natural screw up. And no one is harder on me than I am on myself. I try to do the right things in life...and make the right decisions...but more often than not, the decisions turn out to be total disasters..story of my life. But they can't say that I don't try.

My goal is to stand up and fight for what I believe in, to fight for positive change, to find the support that I need an army that will stand with me and support me in this battle for change. I believe in peaceful protest, hunger strikes, letter writing campaigns and that sort of thing. For violence breeds violence, and violent outbreaks in this environment are not the solution. That would give the Administration their justification that their looking for.

Florida death row is a very relaxed, laid back, tranquil atmosphere where the men just want to live and let live. For some unknown reason, within the past two years, and especially 2011...staff has been intentionally trying to escalate problems back here in P-Dorm death row housing, and making things look like something that its not.

For instance the administration here built a deprivation chamber cell P4102 completely closed in and cut off from your fellow man. On December 5, 2011 they were threatening to put a young man in there over a DR. The young man had a lot of mental problems, he tried to commit suicide back on June 18, on December 5, 2011 he successfully took his life to avoid being placed in the deprivation chamber with no...

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...clothes. This death is weighing on my heart. Not everyone can do what I do. I am capable of standing up for those who for one reason or another will not stand up for themselves. Fear is most often what deters them. I however will not allow fear to overcome me. We must stand up and sacrifice ourselves for what we believe in. I am doing all I can. I am but one man, but damn it I want to make a difference!

I've made many many ol' mistakes, and I'm willing to take what is thrown at me, and accept the retaliation, as a form of retribution, for my misgivings in this life.

Yes I suffered this past year of 2011, and I may endure more this year...in fact I expect it, and I accept it with open arms. for through my suffering, I will bring the so badly needed change that I'm looking for. You can stand with me, or you can stand against me. It's your choice.

In peace and love, Ronald W. Clark Hr, AKA The Death Row Poet. December 22, 2011

[Below, Picture of a dove with a star]