Today was the most spectacular sunrise. The predawn sky was lit up red and purple, almost neon. Brilliant and Awesome.
I have come to appreciate the little things in life that pass by when I don’t take time to pause, reflect and appreciate.
Not having a iPhone or Internet access has brought me back to a simpler time and helped me realized that technology like most things can be a blessing and a curse. The benefit of instant access to information and knowing what someone I haven’t seen in 20 years had for dinner last night because they posted a photo on social media also has a downside.
Our culture has shifted and we spend more time starring at a screen than into each others eyes. Face to face interactions have been replaced with a persona that our lives are somehow better because we can control the narrative. The end result is often isolation while making others think we have the best life ever. When country’s wage war with each other tens of thousands innocent victims are killed. In order to bring an end to World War 2 the USA dropped two atomic bombs on Japan killing more than 1 million. Both the technology of today and results of war include something we call collateral damage. Put another way when you want to achieve an objective there will be people that get in the way that have zero to do with the goal but you do it anyway regardless of who or what gets damaged or killed. By default The “Justice System” produces collateral damage on a massive scale that many times could be easily avoided. These are the children, wife’s and families of the Incarcerated. Many are placed a distance that is out of reach from their friends and loved ones to visit. This is a contradiction to the stated Bureau of Prisons policy of “maintaining close ties and contact with family and the community.” Another policy is placement within 500 miles of a persons home. I speak for myself and others I know personally, this is a BOP created public image fantasy. I was placed over 500 miles from my community in spite of a Federal judge stating in writing “Placement in the closest facility to his community”. There are 4 other camps within a few hours of my family, this one is about 11 hours away. With visits limited to weekends and federal holidays that makes getting visits near impossible from friends and my 2 adult children who both work weekends. Collateral Damage. It is not lost on me that the handful of residents that are here from Vermont and Massachusetts have received no visits collectively. Some are here to participate in the Residential Drug Rehab Program available only at select camps. However, I do not qualify and I’m only taking a bed of someone else who would benefit from participation. Collateral Damage. Early on I made a request for transfer closer to home that was denied because I need to be here at least 18 months before submitting such a request. When non violent people who have no prior criminal history and a minimum recidivism level (determined by the governments own metrics) are placed beyond a reasonable distance from their family it makes one think, is it us doing time or our families?
Quote: “I was angry because I had no shoes until I met someone who had no feet” – Unknown.
