posted by Sam Richards
A number of people have asked about our experiences with “lifers” at the prison–what it’s like? can you visit? who are these people? With that in mind Laurie asked one of them to write something that we could put on the blog and have you step inside the mind of someone in prison, take a peek inside the walls.
That said, as you read this you need to recognize that this particular man is quite evolved in his understanding of himself, his past, and his crime. He feels deep regret for the murder he committed and has sought victim-offender reconciliation. There are plenty of men inside of those walls “who should never get out,” is what this man would say. And he would also say that there are others who are not the same people that they were when they first entered through the prison gates.
Read his words. He wrote them for you…for this class. And remember that the world is infinitely more complex than any of us can imagine. This guy never graduated from high school, by the way.
A few years ago, when I was much younger, I saw something that changed my understanding of the world in which I now live. It wasn’t something that I didn’t already know; I just didn’t realize that I knew it. Nor was it something that I didn’t already do; I just didn’t realize how natural it was for me to do it. But seeing it, naked and out in the open in the way it happened, made me realize how amazing this act really was in this environment.
I was sitting on some bleachers with a friend of mine shooting the breeze when I glanced around and noticed two men huddled together. I knew both of these men and it was strange to see that one of them had his arm around the shoulders of the other, who in turn had his head hanging low and appeared to be crying. What made this so unusual was that from what I knew of these men, they hated each other.
I turned to my friend and motioned with my head and asked, “What’s up with those two?” He looked over and replied, “Oh, his son died in a car crash and he can’t get in touch with anyone on the phone.” Without words we both understood why the one man would put aside his hate and provide comfort. It seemed perfectly natural to us.
As we stood up to leave, both of us deliberately chose to walk over to these two men. In passing them, each of us in turn put a hand on the crying man’s shoulder and with a slight squeeze we told him how sorry we were. This, too, was natural for us and didn’t take any thinking in order to make that gesture.
My friend and I are “lifers,” convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to spend the rest of our lives behind bars with no possibility of parole. In fact, you may be surprised to learn that this entire event took place in a prison yard. But to us, it is simply the world in which we live. To us, those two men weren’t strange; the situation wasn’t even that rare. Perhaps unusual to see it so openly, but that just made it more meaningful to us.
Later that night as I lay in my bunk, I couldn’t sleep. I kept seeing those two men and that simple act of compassion made me review my world. How many times have I seen or done similar acts and never really thought about it? You would think that in a place filled with convicted criminals, compassion would be so rare that the sight of it would cause suspicion. But here in this place that most people think is full of “beasts” and “uncaring violent predators,” it is actually rather common.
Here there were two convicts who didn’t like one another sharing this very human moment. One was in pain and the other wasn’t’ going to get anything in return for helping to alleviate his suffering. He was doing something that any thinking, feeling, caring man does for another.
Everyday behind these razor wire topped fences there are little acts of compassion. Sometimes it is stopping to listen to another man complain about his day, even though your day has been just as rotten. Another time it may be letting a man use your phone time so he can speak with his daughter on her birthday. But no matter what the act, it is often done without hesitation and with no expectation of anything in return.
You might not believe men in here are capable of compassion—beneath the surface knowledge of another’s plight…not simple sympathy…but a deep soulful understanding. I’m talking about truly feeling another’s pain and wanting to help. This compassion isn’t reserved for fellow prisoners; it is felt for all who suffer any kind of misfortune anywhere in the world.
I have stood beside men as we discussed with a hitch in our voices, blinking back tears, some horrible disaster in the world. I know how upset and frustrated we all feel that we cannot chip in and help. I’ve stood in line with others to give blood, or helped fill out forms to donate money, even written letters to try and help those in need. It seems that whenever a tragedy occurs there is a rallying of men here to provide whatever we can do.
Even in this dark place of hate and misery, you find compassion. You see human beings helping one another simply because seeing another suffer touches their soul. Such compassion is not a commodity held only for the innocent; it is the heart’s recognition of pain in another and the soul’s demand to provide succor—and to any human being no matter their circumstance.
You may believe prison is filled with the worst of men, and there is some truth to that. But look beyond preconceived ideas and you will find some of the tenets of humanity performed in the most incredibly simply ways and by the most unlikely of individuals for the greatest of reasons – to relieve suffering. And why? Because we all suffer and any relief, no matter how small, is of great relief to us all.
The whole prison issue is controversial. I believe I am caught in between with which side to be on. In one sense, obviously those humans that are sentenced to life are there for a reason. They did something horrible that cannot be forgiven. If I was in the situation where someone had killed a family member of mine, I would want the convicted criminal to be sentenced to life. I would want them to feel as terrible as I did when that happened. I don’t see how I could possibly forgive someone for doing something so wrong and letting them get away with it. But then I have the feelings that people do change over time. People are meant to learn from their mistakes and can change. But I don’t think that is the case for all men and women. That is where a line has to be drawn. People cannot commit crimes and get away with it. How can someone really learn a lesson if they have no punishment? I have never been to jail myself, but I couldn’t imagine what it would be like. I am sure it is horrible and life changing. I couldn’t imagine being locked up all day and night with no one to really talk to or go anywhere. So I am sure it is an unfortunate thing to experience and something no one ever wishes upon them. Maybe going to jail is too unfair. In the back of my mind, I still cannot help but think that these people deserve this. There are so many criminals who murder innocent people. How could one not want punishment for them? The only sympathy I have for inmates is the fact that they really screwed up their life and it’s too late to change it. I don’t think everyone deserves a second chance. There are still murderers who kill, are let out finally, and go right back and commit another crime. How do you explain that? Did they learn their lesson? The answer is obviously not. That’s why we as a country have to have a set of rules. Everyone’s case is unique and different. It’s hard to handle everyone’s situation in the same way. But it is also hard to take the chance that the person will change for the better and should be allowed to be let out. I do agree that the man who wrote that story does have feelings and is remorseful. It is sad that he will have to spend the rest of his life behind bars for one thing he did. As a human, you cannot help but feel bad. But I couldn’t imagine being on the other perspective, meaning having the lost loved one. It’s not fair at all to innocent victims.
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“The inmates are ghosts whose dreams have been murdered,”- Jill John. Somehow this quotes sums up how I thought of inmates. I viewed them as dead bodies simply sitting in a jail cell awaiting their death. I never saw them living lives as we live them. I imagined them lifting weights, doing pushups, showering, maybe reading a holy book, and sleeping. Showing compassion? Sympathy? I didn’t expect. This blog shed a whole new light on the way I view the inmates, it allowed me to take a half-mile walk in their shoes. I visually saw every word he spoke, every scenario he played out and realized that they are able to sympathize with others.
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I have never had any experience with “lifers,” but unfortunately I feel pretty strongly about this issue. I have really tried to open my eyes to the statement that some of these people are “quality people” as Sam or Laurie said in class, but I just can make myself believe it. I cannot get past the fact that these “lifers” did something so terrible that would even require a life sentence. They obviously destroyed a life, and that has caused an entire family, group of friends, and community to have lost someone they care about. I know that some of these people are remorseful, but that does not change the fact that they ruined the lives of so many people. I personally do not care how sorry you are or how well you write a letter, someone is now gone from this earth who did not deserve to be.
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I guess when I think of people in prison I don’t really think twice about it. I just assume that they did something in their life to deserve to be there and that’s where they are…plain and simple. My point of view on people that kill other people is a life for a life. I am not saying that I necessarily support the death penalty because I don’t really think killing somebody is the answer to solve the problem. However I do think that if a person takes somebody else’s life then they should spend the rest of their life in prison having to think about the crime that they committed and how it affected the lives of that person they killed. I understand that people make mistakes and that we should give people another chance but I guess I kind of look at it as the person who dies doesn’t have another chance at life or to make up for anything so why should the person who committed the crime be able to? This letter that the “lifer” wrote really got me thinking though that despite how heartless I may think they are because they could kill another human being, they still are human and they still have lives outside of the jail. Whether it be children or a spouse or just family in general, it makes me sad that they never have the chance to go back to that life that they had outside of the prison walls. I understand where this letter is coming from, that he is trying to make people realize that just because the people in jail for life have killed another human doesn’t mean that they don’t have feelings like you and I. That they do feel hurt and pain and sadness when somebody they are close to dies. That despite the fact that they killed somebody when something happens they act like normal people and feel just like normal people. Just like in the letter that he wrote, that it’s just a natural instinct no matter what to feel remorse for somebody who has lost another person close to them or even that despite how much you may hate somebody, you still feel bad for them and you want to try and comfort them to the best of your ability. I completely understand that people in jail for life feel hurt and remorse and they are just like you and I…and that they made a mistake in their lives that I’m sure a lot of them wish they could take back but sadly it doesn’t work that way and the reality is that they still killed another human being. I guess that’s where I get held up…on the fact that they killed another person and they have to pay for that…as sad as it may seem and sound. I don’t think people should get a second chance even if they do feel bad about it because the person they killed won’t get a second chance and that’s just the way it is.
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This is of great surprise to me. This really goes to show, what Sam was talking about the other day in class, how Christians in America and Muslim-Arabs in Iraq really do not know one another. Each side only saw the negative side of the other. That each side did not really understand the other one because all they have heard were things that were bad. They have actually never talked to anyone on the other side, and all they can do is make radical decisions about the other person. The same thing applies here all we think is that everyone in prison is a lost hope, and that they have no good emotions inside of them. The story that this inmate told was truly amazing. It goes to show that you really need to meet and truly understand someone before you start to make opinions about them. People only make these irrational decisions about inmates because all they know is that they are in there for murder, and the violent things they see on TV of what some inmates do to others. Some prisons might be really violent, but that doesn't mean that you can apply this to all prisons across the United States. Although I can understand that this would happen, because after so many years in the same bunk and same place, you come accustomed to it. Someone that has to spend the rest of their life in jail is going to come to sense with himself. I would like to ask the inmate if you would see this from a relatively new person, that has not spent much time in jail. Although, don't be fooled by this self realization, this person still belongs in jail for what he did. Someones father or mother is dead and you cant bring him back now. It is hard to come to self realization after you only make one mistake in your life that land you in jail for the rest of your life.
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Whenever someone generally thinks about prison they always think of rape, violence, and cell yard brawl. People are raised and socialized to believe that convicted criminals are horrible people that should be ostracized from any and all communities. Everything from television to magazines and newspapers depict “lifers” in a totally negative light. I used to never give sympathy to a convicted felon. I was always thinking, “Hey, they deserved what’s coming to them.” I definitely do not believe that after reading what he wrote. This letter written by the “lifer” totally changed my perception of prisoners and the way they treat each other. I had always imagined it took a real cold human being to kill another, other than an instance of self-defense obviously. After reading this letter, I realized that time spent in prison does work, and people might leave a totally different person. It was great to see that such violent people could share compassion like that. This is strong evidence that people are not innately evil but rather kind hearted. People are simply scared of one another nowadays. If someone that looks “suspicious” walks into a coffee shop, half of the paying customers might leave because they feel uncomfortable. I think this is basically what’s wrong with the world today. Society makes too many judgmental decisions on who is good and who is bad. We all need to develop relationships before making a call. The man who wrote this letter has definitely altered my outlook on life. I now can see that most of the population actually cares about their neighbors and might actually assist them if they need help. If a hardened criminal who has been put away for life can help his sworn enemy get through a tough time, I think we all can make the conscious effort to do the same. This letter also proves that our prison system is generally working. This man admits his sentence has changed him and even though he is stuck there for the rest of his life, he makes concerted efforts to give back to a community he has obviously done great harm to. Though this letter may seem depressing and dark to some, it has actually brightened my day. It awakened me to the realization that there are times that we all can just get along. Overall, I think that this is the most useful piece of information I gained from this class. All of those “mind-blowing” facts and lectures that Sam said he would give do not even compare to the strength of this letter. I thank Sam and Laurie for sharing this great piece of writing with us because I think it will evolve the way we understand the world.
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This article was very interesting to read. When Sam started talking about how him and Laurie go and visit “lifers” and have conversations with them and how they are good guys I was a little taken back. For one I had the stereotype that people in jail aren’t nice, why I thought that I do not know maybe because they have committed the crimes and just weren’t good people. Also I thought this way from a previous experience. During my senior year of high school I took a criminal justice class and together we took a field trip to our county prison. It was definitely and interesting trip. I was scared to go because I didn’t know what to expect. The experience that I had was very different than through my experience of reading this paper. Traveling through the county jail both men and women were getting whistled at and talked to in provocative ways as we went past their jail cells. We were all told to ignore it as most of us did. At one part of the jail we were actually on lock down due to the transporting of a serial killer, which was quite scary. Then we got to a part where the prisoners were just on the loose and not behind the bars and that was scary because we had no idea what they would do. At the end a prisoner told us his story and this guy had a sad story and made it apparent that if disrespected him than he would disrespect us, in which one of the boys in our group did and this prisoner was up in his face. So overall it was a chilling field trip. That’s why I was kind of shocked when Sam mentioned that he and his wife would go all the time and that they were really cool people. As I read the entry it is amazing that they work together in a time of grief. As the man mentioned that there are some prisoners that should be there and not let out, but the ones who have changed and thought about their life, it is definitely interesting to what they have to say. But I definitely believe in doing the time for your crime. I am glad that Sam decided to post this because it can give people a different outlook on prisoners. This has lessoned my fear a little about prisons because not everyone is a horrible person in there. Yes, maybe at the time of their actions they were not thinking clearly but if they, have learned their lesson, look back on it regret what they have done, and are able to show they are compassionate people than good for them. I’m sure that takes a lot. I’m glad to have read this article it was very intriguing.
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The story from the lifer was very interesting. I can say after come reflection that I was really not that surprised that things like that happen in such a interesting place. It is easy after reading a story like this picture it as a calm and peaceful place. Let us not forget he is not including the days that someone uses a shank to stab another inmate or try to harm a guard. Also let us not forget that he didn’t include the days that the person in the cell next to you uses his bed sheets to hang himself.
I never for a second thought ALL of the people in prison were conscious-less. Many people may regret the things that they have done to put them where they are. And yet again many people may not. But just because someone has a moment in their lives where there judgment was skewed does not mean that they wouldn’t be affected by something sad that hurt some one. I have had friends and family in jail, granted none of them were lifers, from what I have experienced being in a place like that where you have little to no freedom. It almost makes you more sensitive to things that would emotionally affect a regular person because they have nothing but time to think about things. Normal people can try and reflect there sadness or grief onto other things… in jail that is undoubtedly a little more difficult because you don’t have complete control of you life. You have some freedom, but ultimately your routine is decided by someone else. Eventually you will be alone in your cell and have the time you need to think about things. Perhaps that why the man who wrote this note sounds so insightful. With life in jail what other options do you have but to thinks about things. its definitely an interesting thought…
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It's amazing how so connected we as a beings can be in which the negativity of someone set off by the emotion of sadness can radiate into our hearts and provide for comfort. These people no matter how violent they may seem to be show us what true compassion is when we on the outside sometimes forget what it means to show others that we feel too. There exist this pressing idea that certain characters who you have and may never meet are spawned from evil, the truth is they feel as well. Just like each one of us don't see what the other feels for certain people makes them no different. The problem is that we only see things through our eyes, unfortunately you couldn't even see into the eyes of your father or mother even if you wanted to because deep down the feelings you possess are different. But there exist this connection between us all that no matter who we "prefer" or feel for in our lives we all feel the sympathy and compassion you would for others. We all just choose a different path to follow and make our own mistakes. Just like us when we got in trouble for doing something bad. Our parents sentenced us to our respective punishment, but does that mean that we are not educated respectable individuals able to show compassion and reason? Do you think any president didn't get into trouble in their past? What makes a criminal so different, besides the fact that their crime was considered "heinous"? Aren't we all at times a little heinous? So does that justify the fact that "they can't show compassion"? The fact that we are exactly like these criminals is an idea that can not be percieved in many. Maybe we took the initiative to refrain from doing something extremely bad, which we like the criminals are so capable of committing. They didn't though. They continued on with doing what I believe most of us have thought of or probably without being caught have already done: murdered. Sometimes there are individuals who deserve there punishment because there are people who were just born evil. But that doesn't mean that there aren't a lot of people who just made the wrong decision and regret it ever since. Unfortunately the label placed by us is automatically stamped on them the moment they commit the crime and the become evil. I bet that most individuals who committed some of these crimes are better people than the majority of the people who are on the outside of the bars. We live with these people who on a daily basis carry evil in their back pocket everywhere they go. You know who I'm talking about, the people who feed on greed and evil in their secret ways, but we still consider them to be the educated respectable people because they have not been caught. They're everywhere. Maybe they should be the ones behind bars.
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Reading this letter from a real “lifer” in prison is a strange experience. For most Americans, we live our day to day lives without thinking about lifetime inmates, prisons, or anything like that. There seems to be such a huge disconnect and we forget sometimes that there can be real people locked up somewhere. I have never known anybody in prison for life, and I have never been affected by anybody who knows a lifer. Yes, its obviously true that at some point in their lives, all these people locked up made a mistake in their lives. Maybe it takes some of them 20 years to realize the magnitude of the things they did, or maybe they are innocent and they are locked up for 20 years before being exonerated. In either case, these are real people, with real feelings, and real friends. Reading this letter also hits me hard because I have never been a supporter of the death penalty. One person falsely executed for a crime he did not commit is one person too many. It all comes down to the fact that these criminals are still human beings. Many of them realize the wrongness of their ways while serving there time, not to mention those who are found to be innocent and are released from prison. While some people deserve to be locked up, not all of them are still truly bad people at heart.
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I am extremely impressed by this man's use of language and the way he expresses himself. It's not that I don't think prisoners can't write well, but for not graduating high school, he comes across as very educated.
His letter brings me back to a question that I've discussed in classes across my years of education: are people innately good or bad? There are so many arguments for each side of the question. If people are innately good, why is there so much hatred? Would racism and sexism, etc. exist if we were good? Part of me believes humans are innately good because of little acts like the one this "lifer" has described. Humans are able to come together when we truly need each other, putting hatred and other hesitations aside. It could possibly be the reason that some of us feel compelled to help others for a living, or maybe not even for a living, but just for periods of time. We feel the need to have children and to fall in love so that we have companions to share our love with and to be happy with. More often than not, we would to anything for those people. We hold doors open for strangers with packages, or a woman with a stroller.
On the other hand, there is a lot of evidence to say that humans are innately bad or evil. Is racism learned or is it something we are born with? It makes me wonder why that little black girl said that white doll was the good one. People can be so ruthless. We murder each other every day, and some are only murdered with words. Hurtful things are said with the purpose of being hurtful. Why would someone who's innately good feel that way or do those things? We judge each other and often feel superior for no reason.
I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to this question. I really feel that some of us are better than others in the "good" department, but that we have both caring and hurtful tendencies. We are able to have evil thoughts and do hurtful actions, and yet love others at the same time. For example, members of the KKK belong to an organization known for hating and discriminating blacks and Jews, yet they love their families and their country. How is this possible?
I think that people need to keep in mind that we will get frustrated with others and some will just plain piss us off, but we are all people, no matter the skin color, religion, etc. Whether you believe in a Christian god or not, the teaching of treating others the way you want to be treated is a great one, and we all need to keep it in mind a little more often.
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This letter was really cool and it was really kind of surprising to me. I know that Sam has always discussed his contact with inmates serving life in prison, but I could never really imagine the meetings. I mean, its really hard to imagine meeting a man who murdered another human being. So when Sam talked about his discussions with lifers it was really hard to even think of them a people. I guess its because most people will never meet a murderer in their lifetime, so imagining even talking to one is pretty tough.
This letter really put a face on the inmate and a mind and a heart. This has to be one of the most unique experiences of this class because I have felt as though I would never be able to relate to or understand a murderer. I think that the media has some role in this image. Whenever there is a show and they interview murderers, they normally sit there with their racist tattoos and say they would kill again and are normally cold. But, after reading this letter I realized that these people probably do not comprise the majority of people serving life in prison. The media just probably picks these people for shock value and to acquire viewers. Movies paint a very similar pictures, and like the media, writers probably do this just for the story line.
They almost seemed like aliens to me. But, after reading this letter, my opinion really changed. I realized he is just like me, he is a person. Seeing the words of a murderer really hit this point home with me. Any person could have written a letter like this, but maybe the situation takes place in a school cafeteria or a dorm. The background information says that this man did not even graduate high school and his letter is eloquent. This showed me that these people are very smart and they could probably be very successful if they were not in jail.
I am sure that not all murderers or prison inmates are like this man. There are surely those who are cold hearted, but I am sure that most of them can change. This man once murdered people and it is nice to know that these people can change. I constantly here people saying how the prison system does not change people and that it is ineffective. But, this guy showed me that maybe there is hope for everyone in prison. If inmates make the most of their unfortunate situation they can become better people and, as evidenced by this man, become eloquent and educated. I am really happy that I got this opportunity to read this letter and take a different perspective on those who are in prison for life. They made a terrible mistake, probably the worst mistake anyone can make. But they are people, just like me.
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I am very intriguied by inmates and I really hope that I get to visit with some in the future. This has actually come to my attention before Sam and Laurie brought it up in class. My friend jokingly posted a “write to an inmate” website on my facebook wall because he said I could “find a lover”. I was interested in checking the website out and I read some of the stories. Most, if not all, were extremely touching. These were real people that I was reading about. They have feelings and families and everything I have. But the what is different about them is that they are in prison for life and they are never coming out and will never experience the things that I will in my future. I couldn’t stop reading their stories and their mistakes. What I found very interesting was that not one of them said they regret what they did or they would change the wrong they did. That did not scare me or make me hate them, but it makes them seem stronger or a better person in a way. Murders and things are definitely not acceptable but when people accept their wrong doings and accept their fate it definitely makes them seem like a good person. They cannot take back what they have done but they are responsible enough to accept their punishment and deal with the consequences. I could not imagine living my life in a jail cell and living knowing what I had done to get myself into that position. I know that not every prisoner is like that but I do feel strongly that most of them are really not that bad. With this article, I actually feel bad for this prisoner whose son died. I don’t know how he is able to go on knowing that he will never see his son again. He was not able to see his son much since he was in prison and now he never will ever again. Prisoners still have feelings and I definitely feel sorry for him. There is nothing he can do and no family he can just run to and talk to and cry with. I think the website that I visited is very good. It is kind of creepy that you can talk to someone who commited a horrible crime but at the same time it gives them some one to talk to because they still deserve the right to talk to people. I have never written to a prisoner yet but I definitely think that it is something I will do in the future when I have time to make frequent emails to someone. Everyone deserves someone to talk to.
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I read this while sitting in a computer lab for class. Try as I might to resist, I found myself tearing up. This letter is one of those things that makes you question your preconceived notions about others. There’s meta-reconsideration within this letter: in seeing the man comforting the other man, the writer reconsidered how he perceived others – making us reconsider how we perceive prisoners. These men aren’t “hardened criminals”, they’re humans who, for the most part, have made bad decisions that have cost them everything.
Popular opinion states that prisoners, particularly murders are evil through and through, that there’s no forgiveness or rehabilitation possible. They’re often considered as less than human – as monsters. I’ll be honest and say I’m not exempt from this. My first reaction is usually revulsion, fear, and loathing. Rarely do I consider them human beings first and foremost. That’s a mistake, a rather huge mistake. While you can’t discount or ignore the fact that they’ve committed a heinous crime against another human being, sometimes an innocent one, you also can’t discount that they’re human beings themselves. Human beings with hopes, dreams, emotions, and all.
It’s incredibly touching that men who hate each other are there for each other in times of extreme hardship. It’s incredibly touching and eye-opening that men who seemingly have no hope offer what hope and compassion they have to each other so easily, that men with no hope of an outside life ever again create for themselves, and each other, a life of their own.
Maybe one of the only ways to truly understand yourself and others is to lose everything. Maybe the only way to be truly compassionate and understanding of others is to first be faced with the utter lack of it yourself. Maybe the only way to truly understand suffering is to first suffer yourself.
Personally, I’m not sure where I stand on the death penalty. I feel that it could be appropriate in extreme cases – Hitler-type individuals, for example. Then again, “ultimate” punishment doesn’t leave anybody better off in the end. There are many ways beyond killing someone to serve punishment, to get retribution for crimes. There are fascinating minds inside of the “inhuman” criminals – fascinating human minds.
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This letter from an incarcerated man made me feel some different feelings. Not knowing the crime he committed or how old he was when he committed it, this letter allows me to feel several emotions. I think it is wonderful such displays of compassion are seen, even in a prison yard. It seems these acts of compassion are maybe more common in a prison yard than in the outside world. Maybe not all of the prisoners understand setting aside personal feelings to consol another, but I feel more of them understand that than those living outside of prison. It is not common to observe strangers in the outside world consoling each other. That is kept between friends and family.
Even though this man is capable of feeling such compassion, seeking reconciliation with those connected to the victim, and having an improved understanding of the world. I do not believe he should be released. I know his release is not the subject of the letter, but he did touch upon it. He said there are some men in prison who should never be allowed out. He said some of the men have really changed though. Even if this is the case, I do not believe there should ever be a chance of release for men like him. I might understand if this man was very young when he committed the act that placed him in prison. The young have intense, passionate feelings and are extremely impressionable. However, I do know that minors convicted of murder are usually only kept in prison until they are around the age of twenty five. Even though this man did not complete high school, it does not seem he was a minor when he committed the murder.
I believe the man should be allowed to have access to some aspects of life. For example, he had access to those who were connected to the victim. Maybe people who are serving out their life in prison should have the opportunity to, say, finish their high school education. I am sure there would be some exceptional high school students who are capable and willing to tutor the inmates. Especially if such an activity would count as volunteer work and could be included on their applications to colleges. More activities that could be available to the inmates are some sort of educational field trips, community service, job programs within the prison, speak at local school districts, etc. The prison would have to select inmates who have reached a mindset not unlike the man who wrote the letter to the class. The prison would have to have a lot of trust in the inmate. Regardless of any understanding an inmate achieves, I do not believe they should ever be released, but they should be given a chance at some sort of life.
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Wow! This letter was very eye opening for me. I will admit I never give any thought to the people in prison. I always just assume they are monsters, always have been and always will be. This man's letter changed my perspective. Yes, he committed a terrible crime, and yes he deserves to be punished, but the way he tries to make a positive out of a bad situation is incredible. This man has just taught me a lesson, this man who has murdered someone, this man who will spend the rest of his life in prison. Just because he maybe in prison does not mean his life is over. Obviously this lifer is learning about life probably more than innocent people do every day because we are so caught up in our busy lives. For him to notice these little gestures and notions of compassion in a place where it so hard for anyone to, to me, is beautiful. I do believe in what this man says and I wish that my mind wasn't corrupted by this one person that unfortunately gave me such a misunderstanding about with regards to people who committed crimes. I want to believe that people can change and maybe it's not that I don't believe it but I just wish that this man who entered me and my mom's life could change as well. I really liked the way this man stated how yes there are some people in the prisons who really deserve to be there and they should be nowhere else, but how he also stated that a lot of the prisoners have big hearts and are good people. I would have never come to that realization on my own. Reading this letter is an experience many other students will not get to have unless they take this class or have a personal relation/ experience with someone in prison. To go to bed not being able to sleep thinking the next day is going to be as worse and the last for the rest of your life would be terrible and unbearable for most. thank you for this letter to make many realize the other side of the fence and to understand where some prisoners who have changed are coming from. One thing I was surprised about though is that he did not mention what he thinks about the person he killed and how the members of their family feel. The guy who wrote this letter has obviously spent a lot of time reflecting not only on his own life and the choices he has made but you can see how this change within his life is allowing him to see life around him completely different.
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Wow this is very interesting and amazing to me. Both times Sam brought up his interactions with the lifers I was so interested in the subject just because I never really thought much about the people in jail for life. When I did think about them, all I believed was that they belonged there. The incredible wrong that they committed in order to end up in the place where they were, I believed was what defined them for the rest of their lives and although some may feel bad for what they did, I took no pity on them, and thought nothing more about them. That is why this letter from a lifer himself is so eye-opening. It proves that the incredible amounts of assumptions we make are just that, assumptions. Sometimes these assumptions are based in fact, however that does not mean that they are always true. We, or most of us, I know I do, go around and judge people wherever we go. Based on looks, actions, labels, etc. and the judgments we make are so often wrong. This one subject that is not even really taught represents so much what this sociology class is about. Putting yourself in the shoes of others and think outside of what you are used to or what society has told us to believe. Although it may be difficult to put yourself in the shoes of a lifer, as you can not imagine committing a crime such as they did, the inmate who wrote the letter relates the world in prison to the world outside of prison, the world in which we live in. Therefore he is doing the job for us. These barbaric inmates who murdered and did things we find unimaginable show the same compassion that people on the outside do. Wow. If they show such compassion then why did they do what they did? Why are they in jail? It brings up a lot of questions that I think are hard to answer.
I also find this letter interesting on a different level which concerns the last sentence Sam wrote in the introduction to this post, that this inmate never graduated high school. So much of our education, math, English, asks us to follow rules and think a certain way to find the correct answer and to earn an A in the class. The way this “uneducated” man is thinking is so high-level. His ideas and thoughts seem so profound, and it is because he is actually thinking. He has no rules to follow in order to get the right answer, he is in jail for life, which of course is an experience that I think would be difficult not to think about.
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I have to be honest, until Sam and Laurie brought up talking to the “lifers” at Rockview, I had never really given thought to people in prison. I am really glad that I had the opportunity to read this letter from a prisoner because it was very eye opening to hear what life is like on the “inside.” I think I would immediately expect many people who are “lifers” to be monsters, horrible people who are locked up for the horrible crimes they have committed. It was really nice to hear the more human side of a prisoner, and while they were capable of committing these crimes, there is a compassionate side to them as well.
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This letter is very touching. I know that for most people the first thing that they think of when it comes to convicted criminals is hate and crime. I’m not going to lie, I’m one of them, but just seeing this letter which comes from a ‘lifer’ just sort of opens my eyes a little bit. It shows that even though these men might have done something they will regret in their life, they are still human beings, and they still care just like everyone else. In my mind, people hating each other in prison can end in some brutal things, but the fact that this one man put aside his feelings towards this man when he was in his time of need is very respectful. It just goes to show you that you can’t judge a man by what he has done in life, but by how he feels now. I am not saying that I condone whatever any of these men have done, but they aren’t just soulless individuals who don’t care about anybody or how they feel. I personally would enjoy meeting one of these lifers. They sound like quality individuals. I will be honest in saying that I would not fear meeting these convicted murderers because of what I have read here today. It also makes me feel that I should also be compassionate to everyone I encounter. If these men can feel for another man’s lose, I can easily do the same for someone who I barely even know. It’s hard to imagine that these men will spend the rest of their lives being bars. I know I wouldn’t be saying this if the people that they murdered were related to me or were friends of mine, but it just seems unfair that people like this are completely left out of society. It seems to me like they have more to give to society than some people that aren’t in prison. In this letter they have showed more compassion than I have in the past at some points, and that just completely changes my outlook on life. If these men can do it, so can I. No more will I see someone who is upset and not offer at least my prayers to them and whatever might have happened to them. If anything has touched me in class this year it is this, it has completely changed my prospective on inmates in general. They aren’t all just a bunch of angry thugs, but human beings that have feelings for others. It’s just a powerful thing to hear about, a man consoling another man even though they hate each other, because of a loss of a family member. I feel for these men and sort of feel bad that they will never leave the confines of those barbed wire fences.
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So what are we supposed to feel after reading this? Sympathy for the "good" people in prison? I feel compassion for them, don't get me wrong, it would suck to be in prison for life. But seriously what are we supposed to get from this 1 letter that there are compassionate moments in prison. The thing that is killing me is how people are on here saying its too bad this guy can't get out he'd do great things in the world. How do you know that, because he wrote a letter about feeling and compassionate moments in prison. How seeing someone suffer touched his soul? He is obviously in there for murder so where was that touching moment in his soul when his victim suffered? Too many people are like awww I feel bad for these now good guys in prison. Talking about how they wish they could do something to help them out. Why not seek out the families of the victims and see if they need some help before the convicts. Sometimes Sam gets people to think so backwards in this class its unreal. Like feel bad for these guys instead of even talking about the victims families. So this guy picks compassion to talk about and tell everyone how there are real good people in jail. So why are these good people in jail for life, why did he pick compassion to write about and not the horror stories or things he may have done as well in prison. It's easy he wanted people to feel bad for lifers in which i won't do. If your guilty of murder and in jail for life and your being good in jail, well congrats to you sorry you didn't figure out that killing people was wrong before you went to jail, but I'm not going to feel bad for you when you took someones life before it was their time. I guess instead of writing a letter to students like me he should have talked about this subject with his understanding and compassionate cell mates. Yes I am also in support of the death penalty. I know Sam tried to change people's minds about how innocent people die and also his electric chair example. Yes it is not perfect and I think should only be used on people that are 100% proven guilty no doubt whatsoever. The one thing though that I was impressed was how well of a letter that man produced. I guess if I wasn't so cold his wording and stories would have had some affect on me like it seemed to have done for everyone else here, but the facts remain the same they murdered someone and are paying their dues. I feel compassion for the families, but not for them. I'm glad to see they can live civilized in prison and that they are making the best of a bad situation. Sometimes you learn the hard way I guess.
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I am so glad that this man reached out to us through his letter. I kept reading it over and over again because I was so intrigued. To be perfectly honest, I had all of the preconceived judgments about people in prison that he was talking about. I just assumed that there was no way any good people could exist in prison. I never but too much thought into it, but if anyone would have asked me what I think about the people in prison, I probably would have just said something along the lines of the them being terrible people. That being said, I feel like the terrible person now for thinking that.
It is so weird to actually sit down and really take a deeper look into what compassion really is. It is displayed so often, but no one really ever thinks about it. I think it’s such a cool thing that people are basically programmed to show empathy and feelings towards other people when they know that it is needed the most. I never really put much thought towards this either, but I feel like a lot of compassionate moments are really overlooked sometimes, and that’s really sad to me. From now on, I want to observe every moment of compassion as possible. I’m also going to really appreciate the compassion that other people show me.
I also think it’s so cool that moments like these take place and are observed in prison. My preconceived and naive judgments about that kind of place also assumed that this never happened. I really needed to realize that just because some people have committed terrible crimes does not mean that they don’t have feelings and are not capable of showing compassion. I think that a lot of other students’ eyes will be opened by this letter too. Letters like this, and any other form of an eye opening experience, needs to occur more often. As upset as I am with myself, I’m really glad that I was able to take something away from this letter.
This has taught me that I really need to take a deeper look into the lives of other people. I don’t think that I’m too big of a judgmental or critical person, but I know that I also need to stop making assumptions. It makes me so sad though that people like this man have obviously changed everything about himself, but still cannot be given a second chance at living his life. I know it would be too difficult to somehow test the lifers and see who can qualify to be released, because it would be way too hard to draw the line, but I just really wish there was something that could be done.
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this story was very interesting. i tought oeople that commited hard acts of crime would be more manly and not have emotiocions if they were able to commit murder. when i think of people who kill i usually think of guys who are big and come from a troubled family home and they are mad at everybody for thier horrible life and want other people to expierence thier pain which i find to be very shelfish. the fact that these people are in prision for the rest of thier life and it makes them change it shows that they are not really the reason behiend thier behavior it was the enviroment that they were raised in and the people who raised them.
the fact that two people who hated each other could come together when someone is in needed. it mnakes it seem as if they are wierd for killing somebody when they could help out a friend that they hated. the fact that they could help oot a friend now after being in prision for years they could have done the same to that person and not have ended thier life and take them away from thier families. the way these man are
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I think that it is really good that this guy wrote to our class and I’m sure he feels guilt for what he has done. I don’t think that we should always think prisoners are bad people because some of them may just be there for drugs, I mean everyone is different and everyone makes mistakes in life. We all try our best to live life the best we can and I will never know why people could be so bad and want to kill someone, but whatever the reason is. I think that even people in prison do have some kind of love, but I think they don’t realize it until after they are in prison and then they are like oh wow I really messed up in life.
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I’m really glad that Sam posted this on the blog. When Sam and his wife talked about their trips to the prisons to meet with people that were in for life, I was always interested in their stories. I’ve never thought about what it must be like to be in prison and know that there is absolutely no way that you will leave unless you are dead. I can’t imagine what a person must go through after knowing this. There must be certain stages that they go through most likely being anger, denial, hope, and then acceptance. I think that we most often think about people in prison as only the people that committed these terrible and horrible crimes. We never think about inmates as a person that only did one thing wrong or made a bad decision and now has to pay for it.
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I think that most people would read this and say to themselves that this guy is probably just saying all this stuff but that he doesn’t really mean any of it. For most people, criminals seem like the worst people possible. I personally have heard people say that the whole “converted prisoner who now sees the light” idea is a hoax and that a person that has made one mistake in his or her life will always be a bad person. I choose not to believe these ideas. I feel that most prisoners are good guys who just happened to do one thing wrong in their lives, and are consequently relegated to the bottom rung of society for an extremely long time. I usually just think of prisoners as not much different than everyone else, especially incarcerated on drug charges. These people in particular didn’t really ever hurt anyone, at least not on purpose, especially those busted for just possession. These people obviously are not bad people on the whole so it really doesn’t surprise me to hear that many in people in prison show compassion towards each other. Another aspect that makes their compassion easy to believe is that they are all suffering from the exact same dilemma. They are all stuck in prison, I especially think that lifers would have a strong bond between each other because they understand how much it sucks and the hardships that each other face on a daily basis. I mean why wouldn’t prisoners show compassion towards each other, they are basically the same as you and me. And wouldn’t we show compassion when compassion was called for. I usually just think of prisoners as not much different than everyone else, especially incarcerated on drug charges. These people in particular didn’t really ever hurt anyone, at least not on purpose, especially those busted for just possession. These people obviously are not bad people on the whole so it really doesn’t surprise me to hear that many in people in prison show compassion towards each other. Another reason I believe that prisoners are compassionate towards each other is the fact that most of them, especially lifers, have reached the darkest and most angry times of their life. Many of them probably realize that they should probably forgive themselves and strive to become better people. And most of them do. I can’t tell you how many times of seen the same story of prisoners turning to God or becoming humanitarians in some way. While in jail they most likely reflect on how they could impact the world in a positive way as a means of making up for their past transgressions. Basically most prisoners are just normal, good people.
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this is definitely something you would not expect to hear from a harden criminal who will spend the rest of his natural born life behind bars for murder, but I can see why this happens. Besides the fact he made a wrong choice years ago does not mean this man doesn’t have feelings of remorse when it comes to situations that call for it. People will still have feelings no matter how tough they say they are and to hear this from an inmate doing life in prison surprises me a little. I am glad though that he took the time to let everyone know that the most evil of people who most often have more enemies that friends, still feel compassion when it comes to something like this. I feel this is the case because he sees someone who just lost someone he had no control over losing, especially a son, and he just wanted this man to know that hey life isn’t fair but everything will be ok in time. It shows that even though, at one point, this man did something terrible, he still knows what emotions are and to me that’s special because a lot of people who lose the sense of emotion are not fully living life any more.
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When Sam first talked about how he was friends with several “lifers” and how they were some of the most amazing people he had ever met, I was immediately intrigued. I, for one, have never known someone in prison and I previously had no desire to. As far as I was concerned, these guys were jerks who deserved to be locked up for whatever horrendous crime they committed. ESPECIALLY if they were murderers.
For what it’s worth, I have never been a proponent of capital punishment and I would never wish anything beyond a life sentence on what I perceived to be these “monsters.” I thought I was enlightened for being against the death penalty, but in truth, I was still relatively ignorant. I never bothered to give these guys the benefit of the doubt. I never bothered to consider whether or not these guys had the ability to be genuine, feeling, well-meaning human beings who are capable or remorse … or even more drastic, capable of change.
However, after reading this letter by the inmate, I’ve come to realize how close minded I truly was. This guy never even graduated high school and he writes as eloquently as many college students I know. While I do not know the specifics of the crime he committed, I was able to put aside my dislike and distrust for these “bad guys” and see them for the reformed people they are. This man has clearly sought an education in the time since he was first locked up, an admirable feat in and of itself. But beyond that, he has proven himself not to be some cold, unfeeling killer. He expresses a desire to help others. He wishes he could donate money to the victims of Haiti. He regularly applies to donate blood. And he recognizes the need to put aside differences to offer comfort and help to everyone, even those we hate. He sounds more evolved, more compassionate, and more human than a lot of people who are roaming free among the rest of us.
It is encouraging to see that compassion is capable of thriving in an environment such as prison. In a world where so much is always going wrong and people are in constant need of help from others, it’s nice to know that even the so called “dregs” of society are able to recognize these tragedies and feel the compulsion to offer aid.
I’d like to thank this inmate for taking the time to write such a heartfelt letter specifically for this class. But more importantly, I’d like to applaud what he achieved in writing it. Hopefully a few more people, besides just myself, changed their minds after reading it.
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Not to sound cheesy but the only way I can describe this letter is, beautiful. I was certainly changed after reading this letter and I am thankful to have the opportunity to read it. The situation the inmate describes is extremely compassionate but I was mostly struck by the articulation, class, insight, and intelligence demonstrated by the author. I will admit that I was not convinced when Sam first described his experience with “lifers” in prison. I held the same misconceptions and stereotypes that most people hold regarding convicted prisoners. Images of gang fights, violence, and fear come to mind. After listening to Sam’s experiences and reading this letter I have changed this opinion. I think back to Sam’s description of a “lifer” who was in prison after getting into a bar fight and the man fell backwards and landed on his head. I am not condoning fighting, but this was a horrible situation and could have turned out completely different. I also thought back to one of my discussion groups where the realization was made that, in any situation, people will do anything. Basically people do not know what they are capable of including violence until they are put in a certain situation. I am not making excuses for people who commit crimes, but rather offering my understanding and compassion. I do not believe I would ever commit a crime; however I have never been put in a situation where it was encouraged, needed, or necessary. This man’s words brought back these thoughts and I could relate to his situation and truly appreciate the beauty of his words, regardless of where they were written. These are the words of a brilliant man who understands the world more then most people who are actually free to walk around and it enjoy it. I wonder what this man would be like had he never been incarcerated? Would he have the same insight into the human spirit? I honestly think the answer is no. I believe this man has been infinitely changed by his time in prison. I guess with no hope of freedom, one looks internally. Obviously freedom is important part of life, but is it really everything? I think this man has benefited in a way only few would appreciate. He has developed a unique view of the world that few people share and most people will never understand. I believe he has truly lived. To me he is lucky. To me he his soul is beautiful. I do not forgive his actions, however I believe he is no longer the same person that committed that crime. He has changed, and changed for better. He has also changed those around him, and others who will read this letter.
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this story was very interesting. i tought oeople that commited hard acts of crime would be more manly and not have emotiocions if they were able to commit murder. when i think of people who kill i usually think of guys who are big and come from a troubled family home and they are mad at everybody for thier horrible life and want other people to expierence thier pain which i find to be very shelfish. the fact that these people are in prision for the rest of thier life and it makes them change it shows that they are not really the reason behiend thier behavior it was the enviroment that they were raised in and the people who raised them.
the fact that two people who hated each other could come together when someone is in needed. it mnakes it seem as if they are wierd for killing somebody when they could help out a friend that they hated. the fact that they could help oot a friend now after being in prision for years they could have done the same to that person and not have ended thier life and take them away from thier families. the way these man are companisionate toward each other is very pleasing that they are afficonate shows a lot. i think it is better for people to stay in jail thier whole life instead of recieving the death pentaly. the fact that people are in jail their whole life overtime they will learn thier lesson and never want to commit a next crime and we learn that what they did was wrong. i cant not imange staying in jail my whole life and never be able to see my family or meet any new people or be able to leave the area. i recently ran into a friend that was in jail for three years and he seemed so lost from society he did not know how to operate a laptop and not how to use a cellphone and was wearing fashion from three years ago. as soon i saw him i knew that something had to happen to him because he just seemed so different from everybody else. i was also recently watching a mtv true life i have a dad in prision and he was gone for 20 years and had no real relationship with his son. and could not understand how his son took everything for granted, he could not understand how his son kept his room so messy that was huge and when he was in jail only had a tiny space and it was spotless.
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Quite frankly, I was really surprised by this letter just because it really gave me the opportunity to challenge all these preconceived notions, stereotypes, and prejudices most of us, including myself, towards prisons, prison life, and the people in there. We all automatically think prisoners: barbaric, probably not educated, usually not very kind, we typically see them as “dirty” and as people we would never see being able to function in society correctly. Obviously that’s not true for a lot of those people, and this letter really exemplifies that. The first thing it does is completely throw away this notion of everyone being uneducated. I was just amazed by his prose and his writing style, especially for someone who had never even been through college. In my head I was thinking, I don’t know if some of my peers or even I can write that well and convey that much sincerity in our writing. Furthermore, the content of the note itself was incredibly surprising. It’s hard to imagine the scene he described in the letter. Two men, two men who hate each other giving helping one another out. The funny thing is, I don’t even think that kind of compassion happens that often outside of prison walls. And maybe that is true, maybe these prison walls facilitate this sort of growth in a person. I mean this man does not sound like a killer, and at this point he sounds remorseful, and a good person. We all make mistakes, some are more severe than others, and cannot be excused, and that can be sad, especially when people make as many amends for them as possible. And maybe it’s the prison itself make people who have caused suffering, to really see the suffering they have caused, and that is what causes this extreme sincerity this man writes about in his letter. People in the real world have walls that they build up, and even when they see someone they hate going through something terrible, something usually keeps them back from helping them I believe. Sometimes its fear, other times anger, bitterness, or spite. The thing is, all the men in this prison are somewhat vulnerable. They’ve all been thrown in the same situation, with the same regrets, and remorses, and same terrible event they’ve caused, and so what they share in common still connects them no matter how much they hate each other. So when things come down to it, they are there for each other, because it’s a sad understanding and mutualism because these walls are broken down in a sense.
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Wow this was beautifully written piece if it weren't for the fact of Sam saying this is from an inmate I would have never know. As a society we paint prison as this dark place with cruel people and for the most part that is true. But for a person to write something like this and being in the situation that they are in is something amazing. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that the story being taken place in a prison and not only that these men have compassion for one another, are willing to help one another, and be….human. When we lock people up we have this mentality of we are locking up animals and I know I am guilty for that for the most part.
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It was really moving to read about this compassion and the helpful nature many of them possess because it's not often that we hear about this. For men and women in their situation it's kinda hard to even believe that they are these amazing people because we always come to the question of: If they are such a good person why are they in prison? This is a valid question. But that shouldn't be the only one in my opinion. This letter brought to light for me anyways that these people aren't as heartless as we believe, granted they have made a big mistake and I do mean a BIG one….we still have to take into account that these men and women are just that men and women they are not mean dogs that need to be locked up and looked down upon but we still have to view them as human beings!
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I think that this letter was extremely eye opening for me. Whenever Sam talked about visiting the “lifers” in class, I was always really interested. At first I was thinking how he could possibly go in and talk to people who committed such horrible crimes, but once I really thought about it I found it absolutely intriguing. I have absolutely no idea what it would be like to be so trapped. I really felt like it was fascinating the way Sam talked about these “lifers” and how much insight they had about life.
I was really excited to see that Sam posted a letter from one of the inmates. It was definitely not what I expected from someone convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. It was so uplifting to see that even convicted murderers are capable of compassion. His stories and insights made me want to talk to him and find out more about what he thinks about life. I was really surprised by this because even when Sam talked about it in class and I was interested, I never thought I would want to experience talking to a murderer. Now, I can honestly say that I would most definitely want to visit Rockview and get the experience that Sam and Laurie have with the prisoners.
Reading this letter also made me so grateful for what I have. I’ve made so many mistakes in my life (obviously, not to the extent to which I could be sent to jail) but regardless; I am still able to experience life to the fullest. It seriously blows my mind to think that these people have nothing to look forward to but can still show compassion and kindness to fellow inmates. It is heartwarming, for lack of better words, to see such goodness.
Regardless of how moving the letter that the inmate wrote was, I still believe that there are consequences for actions, especially actions as serious as first-degree murder. I do not disagree with the United States justice system and I think that people who commit these crimes need to pay for them. I think that as a society, we need to not shun them away and label them as “criminals.” They are still human beings and there is so much more to them than the crime that they committed. Society needs to dig deeper and try to understand these “lifers” and understand their life experiences.
This man, in particular, because of his evolved understanding of himself, is absolutely fascinating. I think he is a wonderful example of how people can change and be comfortable with the person that they have become, despite their past. I thought it was really cool that Sam posted this blog for us to see.
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That was a really deep letter from the inmate. He writes very eloquently and I enjoyed reading his take on the compassion that the “most unlikely of men” demonstrate every single day. This letter touched me in a way that I have not really felt in a while. It made me think about something that I usually do not tend to think about. That is, despite all the hatred and war, devastation, and destruction in the world, people are still compassionate and demonstrate great empathy in times of great relief, sorrow, and pain. For a moment, I thought about the passing of my grandfather this past summer. I loved my grandfather and he did so much for me and instilled so much of the principles that I carry with me today. During the days following his passing, I witnessed my mother in the greatest pain that I had possibly ever seen her in as she had just lost her father. The strongest of emotions, one of true sadness and grief and support for my family, came over me and I had never before truly “felt” the pain of another person. When my mother cried, I would cry, when she was sad, I would be sad. In this sense, I could feel her grief. That was truly the first time in my life that I realized how deep the compassion of people is. Even though, we mourned my grandfather and this situation relates to my family, I was given a glimpse into the depths of human empathy and the resilience and strength that we demonstrate as our closest and most beloved friends and family members face emotional and psychological devastation.
Although this situation relates specifically to my family, I am truly in awe and admiration of how complete strangers can connect with another grief-struck person on such a deep emotional level that not even prior feelings of unfathomable hatred for each other can intervene. I believe that as objects of nature, human emotion and concern for your fellow being are at their core, a natural outcome of the interactions of people on this planet. To think for a moment, there are 6.8 billion people that are currently living on this Earth and most of us will get to know the most miniscule fraction of them throughout the course of our lives. However, on some level deep down, I know people feel some sort of a connection with all 6.8 billion of our fellow men. We are all in this together, as I say. We all want the same thing for our families and our children, and we all seek success and happiness in society. On some fundamental level, we should realize that despite our racial, socioeconomic, ethnic or whatever else differences that separate us, at the end of the day, we are just people on this planet and in more ways than we differ, we are the same. To realize this, I think is an essential milestone in human psychological development. To look past one’s appearance and background and to understand them as a person of nature and citizen of Earth is to truly comprehend the human soul and our compassion for each other.
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The inherent worth and dignity of every person. It is the first of ten principles that I was raised to follow in my church, a Unitarian Universalist church. It sounds like an incredibly simple motto but when you stop to think about it, it is not. We spent many hours discussing this single principle. It’s not so much the inherent worth and dignity part that held us up, but the idea of Every person. Everyone, as in everyone. Every single living being on this earth has a piece of goodness within. This includes mothers, teachers, liars, cheaters, rapists and murderers. And the discussions took weeks for the idea to sink in, but I do honestly believe that there is some good in every human being. I cannot believe, as many Christians do, that human beings are inherently evil. How can one say that we are all born equally evil? No new born babe can recognize what evil is, so how can we label it as such? It needs to be given a chance. We may have evil parts, but we all deserve a chance to be good.
This letter really strengthens my belief in the idea of inherent goodness. The act of murder is morally wrong, and those who commit it deserve to pay the price or punishment that is given to them. Certain people bury themselves in evil and refuse to resurface, but the majority of them, like this letter writer, still are in touch with humanity. Good people can do bad things. Very bad things, but they are still human.
Reading this letter I finally understand what Sam and his wife were talking about when they said how profound their visits to jail are. I think back to a time when I made a mistake in life. How it hurts at first, but eventually you heal and learn something from what you’ve done. From the words that were written in this letter, I feel almost as though the act that this person committed was so large it caused an equally extraordinary realization. It’s like Newton’s third law, everything has an equal and opposite reaction. Not that we should all go out and murder someone to draw ourselves closer to nirvana. That’s not at all what I am saying. But we can learn a little bit about humanity from them.
I often find myself contemplating what would happen if we had total anarchy and there was no governing rule. I’m sure it would at first be utter chaos, but if humanity survived, and no one seized power, I believe that eventually we would all be at peace. Humans are, or can be, compassionate. I simply cannot believe that there is no goodness in the world.
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This letter is very eye opening. I have not really spent much time thinking about people in prison for life. I never really thought about how they might feel. Of course at first they must have complete anger and utter denial and think that it is complete b-s that they are in there. I am sure after sometime, after realization that they will never get the chance to leave, will come to accept what they do. Of course, he deserves to be punished for a horrible crime. But this did change my perspective. They really are not all monsters in jail. He really is turning a horrible situation into a learning experience, which is incredible. I am surprised that it is nothing like the movies, the tough guys that only beat each other up. They all really do have feelings. While he can never be forgotten for what he did, I do think that people can change and be a different person than they were when they committed the crime. It really surprised me that he tries to make a difference in other people’s lives. He said that he tries to donate blood and send donations and letters to encourage and help other people.
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When Sam first talked about how he went and visited lifers in prison with his wife I thought, “Who cares?” These people had done something so bad that society has decided they are useless and not worth humanities efforts to try and make them a better person. I was strongly in favor of the death penalty and I am stunned to see that what I thought was wrong. When people think about lifers they think about someone who is not that educated and more of a rough-edged violent person than someone who seems peaceful and smart and seems like they know and understand everything that is going on around them and are at peace with it.
Thinking about lifers now, it makes me wonder what they do when they are in their cells. They have probably like twenty hours a day to sit in their cells and just think about things. The things they think about have to be mind-blowing when you are sitting in your cell for twenty hours a day for seven days a week for probably thirty years or more, depending on when you got sent to jail. These people know that they are never going to get out of jail and yet they seem to gain a sense of calm or closure from knowing that they won’t be leaving jail anymore. I wonder if it is easier for these guys to relax and settle down when they realize they don’t have to conform to societies pressures anymore and they can be with people who are closer to their own mindset.
When I looked at and read this letter, I was amazed by how educated it sounded. For a man who never even graduated high school to write something like this is very impressive. When I think about people in prison I think that they are more illiterate than that they can write like this, so I am quite impressed. The other thing that amazed me about this letter was how compassionate this lifer and other people in prison are. In the real world I see plenty of people who are not compassionate at all and yet these people who aren’t trying to impress anyone or to conform to any public pressure are showing compassion for this man who had his son die in a car crash. Furthermore this lifer said that he saw a guy who hated this man letting him cry on his shoulder because he can’t get in touch with anyone else on his phone. Reading this letter makes me wonder if perhaps there isn’t something we can all learn about from these lifers and if I have been mistaken in my belief that these lifers are not important enough for society to care about them anymore.
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I would be surprised if I got a letter from a lifer that wrote me something that really encouraged me to do something. I would not normally think that this would be anything in the least bit sincere, but after reading this man’s letter totally changed the way I feel. I cannot believe the way he opened up in that letter. It did not have the effect on me that I first thought. It actually really upset me when I was reading it. To think I always assumed that they were cold-hearted monsters, which some might very well be. But there really are those people that are able to reflect on what they have done, and it is sad to know they will never ever go back to living a normal life. I wish this letter could have been longer, going further into what he thought, and maybe and even about his development of feelings towards his punishment.
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I think it would be interesting to read an entire diary of a man in prison that has a realization of what is happening. What if he was the kind of person who you would never expect to be a murderer? What if he had a wife and kids that care deeply about him, who he will never be able to have holidays with or celebrate birthdays? What if his anger, just at one moment in time got so bad that one action would cost him the rest of his life? There are so many what-if’s. I wish I could meet one in person. I feel like seeing in the ingenuity in their eyes like Sam said would have even a larger impact than their words in this mans letter.
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I wish this letter could have been longer, going further into what he thought, and maybe and even about his development of feelings towards his punishment. I think it would be interesting to read an entire diary of a man in prison that has a realization of what is happening. What if he was the kind of person who you would never expect to be a murderer? What if he had a wife and kids that care deeply about him, who he will never be able to have holidays with or celebrate birthdays? What if his anger, just at one moment in time got so bad that one action would cost him the rest of his life? There are so many what-if’s. I wish I could meet one in person. I feel like seeing in the ingenuity in their eyes like Sam said would have even a larger impact than their words in this mans letter.
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I never thought that upon reading this blog entry, my view or opinion about something so particular would change so drastically. This letter really touched my heart. I will be the first to say that before I read this , I never really thought about how or what a prisoner felt, especially one who was sentenced to life in prison. In my eyes, they deserved it. It was the consequence of the crime that they committed, and they deserved and everything that came their way. No questions asked. I didn’t care about them, and didn’t think that anyone else should either. I have always been against the death penalty. I firmly believe that the person should live with what they did on a daily basis that it should haunt them. The death penalty would just be an easy way out for them. To me, they were ruthless, selfish, unemotional people that deserved the worse that could possibly be given to them. Anyone who could commit such an act had no feelings. They were inhumane, or so I thought. Then, I read this inmate’s letter. I got a whole different perspective about prisoners. It changed how I felt towards them. Yes, some of them have committed unforgiveable acts, but then again they are still human. Humans with feelings like you and I, at least, some of them. They have children and families that they care for just like you and I. One mistake, one wrong turn, one bad deed, brought them here. Just one. One thing that defined who they were as a person. To everyone, they are criminals. Criminals who should be kept locked up, and never let out. Some of them murderers. This letter helped me realize that not every prisoner is heartless, and that prison can actually help change a person. It can help them do a complete 180. Help them reflect on the acts that they have committed, and genuinely just change them. Help them achieve that compassion for their fellow inmate. They are able to put their differences and hatred for one each other, for one moment, for that one moment of compassion. They are still people with feelings. They still need the same comfort that each and every one of us needs. They need to know that someone still cares. This letter has really opened my eyes to this. To me, prisons just consisted of fights. No one cared about each other. It was each man for his own. This blog entry helped me realize that that was truly a dumb perspective. You will always find someone who cares and is compassionate, even where you least expect it. It could be your enemy. It could be in prison.
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This letter was very touching to me. It gives me a new outlook on these people called “lifers”, as well as other people who have committed crimes, especially ones based on impulse. In certain dramatic situations, impulses take over and bad decisions occur and sometimes crime is committed. Granted these lifers are sentenced to life for a reason, so the crime most likely didn’t occur because of a simple impulsive action, it must have been heinous. Whatever the case, people can change, some change easily, but it may take awhile for others. I appreciate the words that this man has written because it proves humans can always change for the better, but of course it depends on the situation and person.
Dramatic situations such as a sudden death in a family or a traumatic accident can alter one’s views on life and change his/her outlook on life for the worst, but some overcome it and become stronger as a person. For example, my father died when I was only ten years old. I never thought about whether I was a strong or weak person, but if I had to guess how I felt if someone asked me that when I was let’s say nine years old, I would have said weak. I never really did anything physical and my emotional strength was never tested. That changed the day I found out my dad had just died. Thinking back on those days of grief, I of course become saddened, and tend to get emotional, but the experience, as a whole, has made me such a strong person. My mother, I would say was a weak person at the time too. She was in tears a lot and I felt that even when I was at a young age, I felt I had to step up and help her with as much as I can. I still remember when my uncle told me to help take care of her, which is ironic because she’s my mom and she’s supposed to be taking care of me. I had to step up and help my brothers in the situation too. They were so young that it was such a hard idea to comprehend, but I had to help raise them. I feel bad for them the most because memories are so hard to remember when people are young, and they were only six and seven when our dad died, so they probably don’t have many distinct memories. I can connect with this story because I could have easily rebelled and become a horrible person. I could have questioned so many things, life, religion, anything that would make sense of the situation. I could have become an awful teenager who got into trouble and did things for attention, but to me that didn’t make sense. Causing trouble doesn’t make sense, but neither did my dad dying, but sometimes nothing in life make sense. Human nature is just how it is and whether it makes sense or not, it’s just life. Becoming a better and stronger person after tough situations is one of the better aspects of human nature, and I’m happy both the man who wrote this letter and I share that.
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I really wasn't at all surprised by this letter. I find it interesting that so many people who responded to this post were shocked that inmates and "dangerous" convicted felons could actually have souls and experience compassion. The question I have to ask is when and how was this compassion and emotional range developed? Before or after murdering or raping and becoming felons and receiving life sentences? I guess most people in society have a preconceived notion about felons and those in jail being "bad" and deserving to be punished, however, they're people just like the rest of us. They have families, they lose children in car accidents, and they clearly attempt to lead lives as normal as possible for their situation. One of the most striking things the "lifer" above said was the following: "Even in this dark place of hate and misery, you find compassion. You see human beings helping one another simply because seeing another suffer touches their soul. Such compassion is not a commodity held only for the innocent; it is the heart’s recognition of pain in another and the soul’s demand to provide succor—and to any human being no matter their circumstance." Finding compassion in a "dark place of hate" is something so rare and so beautiful that one should never take for granted. So does being sentenced to a life in prison honestly change a man? Does he see the light? I suppose knowing that was your fate and that it could never be altered in any way, with no hope of appeals or release or probation, would make a person attempt to change their ways. But why does this happen? I would imagine the actions that led a person to get sentenced to life in jail would be so horrendous that a person's character would have to be severely flawed to not experience any kind of spiritual or emotional change. But man is known to be compassionate — there are very few people I know that don't live by the golden rule "do unto others as you would have others do unto you." Everyone hears horrible stories about men (and women) in prison – being the "bitch" of the block, getting raped, warnings to not drop the soap, etc. But when tragedy strikes, people band together no matter their differences. Genuine acts of kindness can truly be a relief, no matter from friend or enemy. I personally believe that these "lifers" who show such great strides in character development should be able to appeal their predetermined fates and that they would honestly be able to function normally in society, but people are so quick to judge others that it would be hard to re-assimilate into jobs, family life, etc.
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While reading out his letter, my heart is touched. However, an easy step should not be taken whether to let this guy go free or remain in the jail cell. It could be true that he has been rehabilitated and he is no longer threat to the society. But, what is the purpose of the punishment? Throughout the history, the punishment was focusing on restitution which adopts ‘an eye for an eye’ theory. When you caused the pain of another, you should feel the pain. Later, people became to believe focusing on the restitution solely is not effective and some researches supported it by claiming that recidivism rate is so high when such application was employed. Then, they focused on rehabilitation side. A theory which emphasizes on people who can be changed was supported, again, some studies which showed the recidivism rate became lower when the incarceration facilities used methods to rehabilitate them. The one thing that must be taken into consideration is ‘deterrence’ purpose. This purpose is divided into two sub-categories called ‘general deterrence’ and ‘specific deterrence.’ While former focuses on general public the possible punishment that they would get if they commit the same crimes as the criminal did. It raised the fear of the community members so that they will avoid breaking rules and latter claims on the criminal so that he or she would not come back the prison. Well, this person who wrote letter would definitely say that he would not come back to prison since he knows what it means to be behind the bars. But, how about others, general public? If we let this guy to go free, then I wonder what is the standard would be like to free other inmates with similar convictions as well. The basic concept of law, or judiciary at least, is justice and fairness. Where did the fairness go? It would be ok to let these guys go because it is special case? Then, which cases are not special? Furthermore, who is going to decide that? It is really easy to say that a special committee can be formed with many experts. If I agree that one, I should wonder what the general public would think about it as well. Would it be really OK to let murders who were sentenced life in jail without the possibility of parole? When this question rephrases like: Would it be OK to let the, somewhat, good persons in the letter be freed? For latter, many of us would say ‘yes’ but how about the former question? Most on inmates have reasons that forced them to commit the crimes. But, what reasons would be OK or not OK? As an alternative, I propose an idea where these rehabilitated persons, as they claimed, could have little bit of more freedom than other ‘Bad’ and ‘heinous’ inmates. For example, they could have extra hours to be on yard or some recreational services can be provided them. Where the money comes from? It’s from them. They should work such as making products with abandoned woods or concrete. They are paying for their extra freedom.
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This letter really touched me and made me think, which is apparently the point of this class as Sam is always saying. I think that everyone has a preconcieved notion about people in jail, and even more of a notion about inmates in jail serving a life sentence. This letter made me change my ways of thinking, and absolutely changed my opinions on people that are serving life sentences.
The preconcieved notion I had in my mind was that all people in jail for this long are the scum of the earth and belong to be there, and i bet this is the notion that almost all, or most people share. When I hear about people in jail for murder and rape and what not, I think that they are bad people and should suffer longer then anyone else should suffer. Its not really about deserving it but more about being the shitty human individual that commits such an act. That is why the letter was so eye opening.
I dont have much experience with jail, as I have never been in one or had one in my neighborhood. The only memory I have with jail is my cousin being arrested a couple of years back and spending a jail in my month. My cousin was an immigrant who came over when he was fifteen and I was eleven. I looked up to him as an idol and thought of him as a role model. However, once he went to high school and got mixed in with the wrong crowd he started doing bad stuff. Eventually he got kicked out of high school and moved to another state. A couple of months later my mother got a letter from him stating that he was in jail with his blood pasted onto the letter. She cried all night and didn't fall asleep. I was still younger at the time but i felt remorse. This was the first time I guess that I felt that someone was in jail that either shouldn't be or maybe he didnt fit in with the rest of them.
The main thing that the article did for me was think that men and women inmates like this need to be utilized for other things instead of just sitting around in a cell all day and going to a courtyard for an hour. Prison is meant for rehabiltaiton and once someone is rehabiltated then they should be allowed to contribute to society. Im not saying that these people need to be babysitting children, but there has to be some sort of jobs that they can take. In a society where mistakes are often looked over, we need to do a better job of allowing people to continue on with their lives and make up for their mistakes.
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I am truly surprised and delighted by this comment. I know that many of us in this world believe that all people are in prison because they deserve it and because they have done something to be hated for or disliked for. I personally find myself being very negative towards lifers or prisoners who are in prison for life for a reason. I think that they must all be all bad for some reason if they are in prison for a reason. I hate that these people in there are hated because they are "bad" people and and judged because of one act that they did in their life. If I was judged in my life over one act that i did in life then I would not be the person I am today and I also wouldn't be seen in the eyes of people as I am now. As life is now for me people see me as a positive light and something that is all good and loving but as for the people who are in prison for lif e they are judged based on one thing that happened to them in the past and now their image is damaged forever. I cannot imagine if I had doen something out of pure rage or being upset and then in return I was caged in a jail cell for life. What kind of life is that? I can honestly say that i am guilty of thinking that what these people do is worthy of punishment but when you really think about the fact that these people are both nothing but people in general and not animals is a new concept for me. I am guilty of judging these people only by their past and by what they were passionate about at one point in time of their life. After thinking about their position on things I think I have a little more compassion for them because they are real people. Not just people who are all negativity and problems. They were just too compassionate about the wrong thing in life. Does it make it right? No. But does it make it more understandable and relatable? Absolutely. It will foreve make me think about inmates and "lifers" differently now because in the past I never stopped to think about how those people would feel. Now that i am able to see an actual letter from someone who is in prison for life I feel very differently about people who commit such terrible crimes. I would like to extend my thank you to the man who took the time to write this letter and who made me take the time to realize that its not all negativity and there is some compassion in the lives of prisoners who are in for life.
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Firstly, I just want to say that this man has some sick talent with writing, or he has just done a lot of reading and knows how to convey a message to a specific audience. I was blown away by how well his ideas and message flowed.
Secondly, on a more disturbing side note, I immediately pictured this man as black, and I hate myself for thinking that. Well, I don’t really hate myself, but I hate society for socializing me into thinking that. It took me a few seconds to remember that while there are a higher percentage of black men in prison than the percentage of white men, most men in prison are in fact white.
Anyway, this man’s story brought to mind what the real purpose of prisons is. Rockview is not called a prison. It is officially a State Correctional Facility. The purpose of prison is not solely to protect society from criminals. The purpose, ideally, is to “correct” people, or to help people address their reasons for their illegal actions and to eventually go back into society. The inmate himself writes that the people who are in prison are not pure evil and already have actions and compassion to help others. “How many times have I seen or done similar acts and never really thought about it? You would think that in a place filled with convicted criminals, compassion would be so rare that the sight of it would cause suspicion. But here in this place that most people think is full of “beasts” and “uncaring violent predators,” it is actually rather common.”
I myself am a very sensitive person, and consequently I notice many subtle things in life and rarely let anything pass me by without thinking deeply and unnecessarily about all topics. Ever since I was 8, I knew about prisons and the type of people who go in there. I knew they weren’t evil people. They were people who did harmful things. When I was very young, I did things which were absolutely terrible. I was violent when I got angry (I broke my sister’s arm,) and I often stole objects. I felt guilt often, but as a young girl I didn’t have much self discipline and gave in to doing what felt right in the moment. I was VERY lucky to have the parents I did. My dad in fact drove me past the Chester County prison and said, “See this place; this is where liars and thieves go.” And that’s what I was.
My dad was very heavy – handed with me, not literally, but I was punished severely for everything that I did which was harmful to anyone else. I was very lucky. I had parents who stopped me from continuing my actions to a larger degree which would have harsher consequences. I never really hung out with people outside of school because my family was who I wanted to be with, and my home was comfortable and no matter what my parents provided help and forgiveness. I was lucky.
Had I lived in a different environment, with parents who didn’t socialize me into caring about others, who told me that stealing anything from anyone is unacceptable, and with children who also did illegal actions, I probably would have children, be on welfare, have done a plethora of drugs, and probably be in jail if I weren’t already dead. I am absolutely serious. I know myself, I know my initial reactions to everything, and they are pure evil. But I know that I also can very compassionate. I cry often for others and have a really good sense of reading people, and I can see people’s real intentions and emotions.
So I guess in the end, since this is already really long, this inmate proved to me what I already knew. There are no evil people, just evil actions; he reminds me of myself.
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I really, really enjoyed reading this letter, writer by an inmate from a prison. This is by far one of my favorite blogs so far. This letter definitely got me to think. I really liked reading things in a lifer’s perspective, and viewing life in a lifer’s lens. I can honestly say that my whole way of thinking about prisoners completely took a 180 spin. I have always thought that people in prison are usually grouchy, bad tempered, rude, ruthless, and cunning. Boy, was I wrong! I have never taken into consideration or have never taken the time to realize that even murderers, thieves, especially lifers are people too. They are human just like us. Until now, I realized that those kind of people having feelings too and have kind hearts and gentle souls deep down inside them. It was really touching, yet encouraging reading the part where the two prisoners interact, one really hurt, one consoling, while they were both enemies, who really dislike each other. It just shows how much love and compassion any human being has, whether it be a prisoner, cranky old people, etc. The fact that the prisoner who lost his son was crying, really touched my heart. It just shows how there’s humanity, civilization, sympathy, and kindness in the world of prison. The fact that the inmate said that the act of compassion “seemed perfectly natural to us” made me think wow, these people are basically sentenced life in prison, and they don’t even feel a sense of bitterness. I think we all should feel privileged being outside of prison. Lots of times, we take things for granted, get easily angry and ticked off about the littlest things, when we should treasure every second of our lives. We take life for granted when we’re granted with a lot of freedom- a lot more freedom that the lifers at least. Perhaps our lens are cloudy, and their lens are clearer. Ironic?
Though we could be sympathetic after reading this wonderfully written letter, it would also be fair to pose some questions at the prisoners- why would they ever decide to murder, steal, or practice fraud. Yes, anyone and everyone have problems of their own. There are different resolutions for different dilemmas. Why would they resolve issues by murdering? Don’t they think that it’s a little over the board just to kill someone to resolve an issue, and that it would risk their whole life trapped in prison? I guess to answer the question, everyone makes mistakes- big or small. No matter what kind of person you are; what your history is; what your beliefs are, everyone is different, but everyone has one thing in common- a sense of compassion.
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I believe that the story of this mans life is pretty interesting. He’s in jail for life and without the possibility of parole and he seems pretty calm and used to his life in jail. I always had this imagine of prisoners being grimy people who didn’t care about anyone but himself or herself. But hearing the story of what this man witnessed in jail changed my whole perception of prisoners. I mean it hasn’t changed it that much because I still know that prisoners are criminals and have committed serious crimes to get into the situation that they are in. But it showed me that even though these prisoners are as violent and dangerous they still have emotions. And they will look out for one another when they are down and in time of need. The story that this man said about a man losing his son in a car accident and not being able to contact anyone is very sad. But it was real cool of his enemy to come over and show him support. And to help him get through all the pain and grief that he was feeling at that moment. And it probably made him feel a lot better knowing that an enemy of his was coming over to comfort him and to show him that there was no more bad blood between them. I was also very much impressed by the inmate ability to write this letter and sound like he had gotten more than just an elementary school education. It shows me that even though there are a lot of inmates in prison who really don’t care about life anymore because of there situation, also that there are still other inmates who care and try and make the best of being in prison. And they try and take advantage of all the programs that are offered to them. I know personally that jail is not a place for me and it’s a place that I never plan on having to visit. But it is very good to know that there are humble people amongst many of these other prisoners that would be considered animals or savages because of there behavior and there attitudes. I wish we didn’t have to have jails here in this country but unfortunately there are people who cannot live without crime. There are people who need to commit crimes just to get by or just because they get a thrill off of it. I really do wish the best for this man who is serving the rest of his life in jail. I know he has a rough life behind bars and its nice to see that he is making strides towards bettering himself. And I’ve learned a lot from him because he made me realize that even though these prisoners are criminals they still have emotions and will look out for one another in times of need.
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After reading this letter my perception of people in jail and the whole court system itself has changed tremendously. I realize now more than I could attain myself that prisoners are just like every other person and have the same feelings and emotions as everyone else, except they just made major mistakes that they are paying for now. I am definitely not agreeing to that fact that every prisoner is a good person because there are some people in the world who are just plain evil and don't have these common emotions, but I'm sure a majority of the prisoners are like every other person.One of the things that stood out the most was that I thought was remarkable from this letter is how the man was showing compassion and comfort to the other man, even though they hated each other. I know that people hating each other in jail is a lot more severe than someone hating someone outside of jail because the jail life is a lot tougher and survival based. So for a man to put his hatred aside in jail is exceptional to me because it makes me realize that these people aren't evil animals, but instead are just like every other person that feels sorrow and compassion. Another key aspect that stood out to me was that I thought was remarkable from this letter is how well the man was able to write and be know enough to write. I know Sam stated in the post that he didn't graduate from high school, so for him to be able to write this well is very impressive to me. This again shows that these prisoners are animals but instead are very sophisticated people who can think and write well.You look back at your life and realize how you should have acted and regret the decisions you made. You become more compassionate and more appreciative of what little you can control in your life. You may learn to take advantage of your surroundings to try to make the best of it. If you don't, you might go mad. You resent your situation but you learn to develop a family of sorts. A very crazyl family but, none the less, a family unit that has allowed you to learn a lot about the people in your circle.They have all the time in the world without having to worry about having the bare necessities of life, so what are they going to do with their time there.
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