Today will be the seventh straight day out of ten that I
work. It’s not as bad as it sounds because I didn’t shed that sort of light on
it. I could have written, I’m only 70% through the awful gauntlet of arduous drudgery
where they plan to kill me at the end, but it wouldn’t be true. I have three
Days off throughout the first three weeks of December. It’s all by design, of
course, because I need money for my upcoming vacation and a variety of holiday
related gifts that I’ve been purchasing over the last month. Truthfully, I’m
not even really that upset about it; I traipse on.
I’d like to take a moment to write a little something to a
man named David Anderson from Lonsdale, MN. After seeing my mom’s letter
to the editor in this morning's Star Tribune I scrolled down a little
further to see what appeared to be the opinion of a republican, definitely a
white republican; a male. Yuck. Anyhow, David writes: “After reading the Star
Tribune’s series about solitary confinement, I scratch my head and ask why?
What is the purpose?
Are we supposed to feel bad for individuals who could not
follow the rules and laws before their freedom was taken away and who, while
incarcerated, still cannot follow the rules or laws? If the article does one
thing, it should be a wake-up call for such people.
I don’t have much empathy for those who somehow find it hard
to adjust when the very basics in life—respect, personal responsibility, and
being law-abiding—are ignored by these individuals. There are consequences.”
Well, Dave, first off, fuck you. You have no idea what it’s
like to find yourself in a place like that for a relatively inconsequential
crime. A crime even the state calls, “victimless.” Furthermore, as I’ve written
in a
previous post, people are routinely thrown in segregation for no fault of
their own, I would know. It’s a terrible place where you are stripped of all
property, clothing, and dignity. I wouldn’t wish it upon… you. Second, your
interpretation of “…the very basics in life…” is a little off. The correct
answer was food, clothing, and shelter. It appears that you may have been
projecting your personal values upon us, the unwitting reader. It’s a good
thing to have morals and a value system, but that’s not for you to impose on
society, incarcerated or not.
Ugh. I didn’t like reading his words. I don’t write about
politics because I don’t know anything about them. For the same reason, I wish
others would keep their voices out of certain arena’s, especially when what
their talking about has no real impact on their lives.
That’s all I’ve got. I have a long day ahead of me, and I
need to get to the gym before I go to work. Until next time...
