M.I.A.

Yeah, I have been M.I.A. lately....life has definitely smacked me around a bit, but really, do you care? I didn't think so.

I am going to try to get back here and bitch and moan more about things I see going on in the world. As some of you do actually know me, I do have pretty strong opinions about a lot of things...but I am always looking to learn and understand, so oppositional opinions are very much welcomed. I also rejoined MySpace with the thought of starting another discussion group - man I miss that. I think the lack of debate and discussion with others has definitely added to my "smack-down" fest of my life and ambition. Who knows.

Be back later, taters.

If people I actually knew, in real life, could read my thoughts, or better yet, knew all that went on in my head, I wonder if they would still associate with me? My head can be a swirling place of chaos and emotion. Maybe everyone's head is.....I'm not sure. I wonder how many people out there actually think about the things I do. One thing that has always fascinated me (but I don't usually talk about in general company) is my intrigue for the criminal mind. I have been interested in crime, criminal justice and the psychology behind it since my early teens. I remember reading my first true crime novel and becoming instantly hooked. Reality, to me, makes for a much more interesting story than most fiction. I do, however, like Stephen King, John Saul and Dean Koontz - probably because they are as twisted as I am. After indulging in that first true crime novel, I remember going to the book store at every chance I got and just buying them, one by one, off the shelves. Back then my divorced parents were basically in competition over who could give me the most allowance; I guess in their guilty minds whoever did was the "better parent". Go figure. Anyway, with an unnecessarily full pocket of cash, I would clean off the shelves and run home to dive into the true stories. I didn't tell many of my friends of this interest; I thought they would think I was a little tainted. So, after hanging out with them I would return home and engage in my passion. My grandmother, whom I lived with, wasn't too pleased with my choice of reading material. She would take her old school European self and bless my room with fresh holy water from Saint John of God Catholic Church, saying 5 Hail Mary's and 7 Our Father's, in the attempt to cast the evil out that has obviously engulfed me. Her hype probably made it all the more desirable.

I remember in the 6th grade when I discovered Stephen King. I was at my Uncle Jeff's house and he always had reading material in each of his bathrooms. I picked one up during a visit to the potty and it instantly took me. Though I am not positive of which title it was but I know it was a Stephen King novel. He asked me if I wanted to read one of his books and I promptly said 'yes'. He then gave me his copy of "Pet Cemetery" ... and I loved it. I proceeded to continue reading his novels and didn't think much of what anyone else would think. I mean, my uncle gave it to me, King was obviously a popular writer judging by the displays in the book stores and the amount of his selections they carried. Back in the mid-80s he was just as popular, if not more so, than he is now. So image my amazement when a letter arrives at my home from my Junior High School in regards to my books.

My 6th grade reading teacher took it upon herself to deem my reading material 'inappropriate for an 11 year old child' and advised my father that due to this, the book reports on the Stephen King novels I read were not valid and I was now to take a remedial reading class. Huh? So, the fact that an 11 year old kid is reading, what is considered, adult aged novels, understanding them, and actually reading above and beyond what is required, is point to be put in the retard reading room? My father was as livid as I was (actually, my father would get livid at anyone that said I did something wrong, bad, etc. Ego thing, I swear) and he went to the school to raise hell. My father and the school administrators made a deal - I had to go to the school library, choose and read 3 books from there, then sit and give 3 oral reports to this Nazi reading teacher by the end of the week. I bet that bloated toad didn't think I could.

I trotted down to the school library with my usually cocky swagger and headed right over to the section I knew I was going to make my selections from. Ah yes, they were there. A whole series from a well known, critically acclaimed, award winning author. I chose three of his works, brought them home, and read all three in one night. I told the whore the next day that I was ready to give my reports. She looked at me with her over-exaggerated expression and verified with me that I had chose three separate books, from our school library, and completely read them from front to back.

"Yup," I said.

"Ok!" she said and pulled a chair near her desk and told me to have a seat. I did just that and proceeded to take out my books, ready to give my report. Oddly, though, her perky expression seemed to sour upon sight of my school age approved selections from our very own Junior High School Library. I mean, it wasn't anything like those big, adult themed, Stephen King novels I was trying to pass off as "book report appropriate".

I started my oral review, and with great detail laid out the characters, plot, climax and conclusion of Dr Suess's "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish," "Green Eggs and Ham," and "The Cat in the Hat Comes Back."

Bitch.

Anyway, back to what I was originally talking about. Crime, criminals, the criminal mind and my fascination with it. I mean, I think about what it takes to make a person cross that line of legalities, morality, sanity, however you want to label it, and take the life of another. Actually, I don't think it takes much. I believe we all have the capacity to commit homicide, murder, what-have-you; we have animal instincts, desires and thoughts. But, I wonder, how many would actually admit it? Come on, everyone at one point in their life was pissed off enough at someone where they imagine wrapping their pulsing hands around anothers pathetic neck and feeling the breath being squeezed out of their lungs....oh please, stfu, you have to. Maybe not strangling, maybe you are one of the sicker fucks who imagined stabbing some fucktard over and over again until you and everything within spitting distance was dripping with blood. In any event, I believe all humans have that within them...but most don't act on it. I mean, why not? I can give you a solid list of at least a dozen, if not more, people who deserve to be plucked off this Earth. Oddly, though, when I hear of a brutal murder, I usually am right there with the prosecution, yelling, "FRY THE FUCKER!" for taking the life of another. That's my rational, human conditioned mind speaking. But, the dark under belly side of me is thinking, "Eh, maybe the bitch deserved it." Heheee. Is that bad?

Think about this....what if there was one day given, one full 24 hours, where it would be completely legal, moral, ok, acceptable, etc. to go out and take out whoever you wanted? Like one day of complete madness, murder and revenge. Just dispose of anyone who can get to whom you feel needs to be removed from our society, someone who pissed you off and want revenge, or just someone who you know is an evil fuck and does no good for humanity. Anyone you wanted and it was completely ok.

I wonder how many would take that opportunity to take others lives.

I wonder how many would instead stay inside and hide knowing that they are probably a target.

There is a debate heating up around the country, maybe the world, about Harvard University's decision to allow a 6 hour window of "Women's Only" access to their QRAC gym on campus. This all came about when 6 Muslim women complained that they were unable to work-out due to men being in the gym. So, to accommodate these 6 Muslim women, and any other women who wants to work out without the eyes of men upon them, they created "Women Only" hours. What's the big deal? Many people are truly livid at Harvard's choice to accommodate these 6 Muslim women, saying that Politically Correct policies like this that are popping up everywhere have gone to far, that the accommodation of Muslims around this country is above and beyond normal religious equalities. Others say that it has nothing to do with religion - that some women in general like to work-out without men present, and it's not like it's just for Muslims only, any women can work-out during these new hours.

What do you think? Is this a religious issues? Has Harvard gone too far?

Here are some articles related to this situation if you are not familiar with this topic:

When tolerance infringes on rights of others

Not Everyone on Campus Agrees with Harvard's Trial Women-Only Gym Hours to Accommodate Muslims

Debate over Women-Only Gym Hours at Harvard

Ok, well, what do I think? What's the big deal?? It's not a Muslim exclusive banning, where only Muslim women or only Muslim's in general are allowed. These times are slotted for women in general. Now, I am sure, if it was 6 randomly religious women requesting some private gym time probably A> they would get ignored, with Harvard not caring to make changes for only 6 people, or B> the change would have been made and no one in the world would give a flying hoot about it. We are Muslim obsessed in this country. Harvard, most likely, accommodate these women due to the fact that they were Muslim - ok, they are in C.Y.A. mode. And who can blame them? But, on the other hand, is it really that big a deal to cause such a media uproar about it? Come on, people, there are actually real issues out there.

Religion & Politics...

Ironically, I am one of the last people you would see posting an article from a Christian magazine, but I have to say, this is one article I was not only surprised to read but also can say I agree with - at least definitely with the first 3 paragraphs.

I am quite annoyed with the current RELIGION ride this country is on regarding the upcoming presidential election. There are prAeachers across the country calling for all Christians not to vote for Romney - not because his issues are not agreeable, not because he is not experienced enough - no, but because he is a Mormon, and Mormons are "not real Christians". So, there is a huge call from the Bible belt to vote for Huckabee.....why? Again, he is riding the religion train.

Here is a section of conversation I had with an individual on here:

....Here is a quote from The Dallas Morning News from October 18 I found:

"A prominent Dallas minister told his congregation that if they wanted to elect a Christian to the White House, Republican Mitt Romney wasn't qualified.

Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, said Mormonism is a false religion and that Mr. Romney was not a Christian.

"Mitt Romney is a Mormon, and don't let anybody tell you otherwise, " Dr. Jeffress said in a sermon on Sept. 30. "Even though he talks about Jesus as his Lord and savior, he is not a Christian. Mormonism is not Christianity. Mormonism is a cult."

The Bible Belt is going to go for Huckabee, just as Iowa did.

What's up with that???

I don't think anyone has the right to say that Mormon's aren't Christians. Mormonism is like any other branch of Christianity, one doesn't agree with the other. Frankly, if people are going to vote for a President due to their religious preference, then I am truly ashamed to be a part of this nation. It's sad that we care more about who one prays to at night then the state of this country. We have a financially debilitating war in which our soldiers are dying for some truly unknown reason, we have children who are dying due to neglect, our schools are in shambles, our police forces are under staffed, our streets are over ridden with crime, drugs and poverty - but the real issue, folks, the real issue is if Mitt Romney's status as a Mormon is "Christian enough" for Dr. Robert Jeffress and his (forgive me for my bluntness) sheep. I say that because if people are listening to him due to his opinion on another's religious views and not the actual issues that are pertinent to the job of being the leader of our land, well then....BAAA!!!!!!!!!



That goes for Romney or any candidate. How sad is it that people found a way to lead the people into oblivion in regards to politics. Run on the religion ticket, folks.

I am moving to Europe.

It truly does bother me. Think of it this way - if you were to go get a job in this country, and they wanted to know your religious preference, and you were denied that job due to your preference, even though you were highly qualified, wouldn't you cry discrimination? Why is it that we then can turn and do that for the largest and most important job of this country? We are ignoring the abilities of certain candidates based on if they are "Christian" enough or not! I have seen articles in respected publications as TIME and Newsweek regarding how many times Obama has been to church in the past year. I mean, really people! Does someone's religious preference reflect their ability to do their job? Does anyone's religious preference affect the ability to do their job? Is it written somewhere that Baptist doctors are better surgeons than Protestant doctors? Or how about the vegetables a Pagan farmer grows are far more nutritious and a better value than those Mormon grown veggies.

How freakin ridiculous is that? I personally just think it's over-the-top to place such importance on religious preference, because you know what.........99.9% of the show that is being put on now, by ALL of the candidates, will surely change once one is sworn into office....we all know that to be true. So lets forget about the popularity contest and concentrate on the actual issues at hand.

ANYWAY - I have rambled and probably no one is reading this anymore - LOL. Here is the article I spoke of soooo long ago at the begining of this Blog....


______________________________________




On Guard for Religious Liberty

The Reverend John Leland was not a man to mince words when it comes to religion and politics. Candidates who advertise their personal faith, he insisted, should be avoided by the voters.

"Guard against those men who make a great noise about religion in choosing representatives," observed Leland. "It is electioneering intrigue. If they knew the nature and worth of religion, they would not debauch it to such shameful purposes.

"If pure religion is the criterion to denominate candidates," he continued, "those who make a noise about it must be rejected; for their wrangle about it proves that they are void of it. Let honesty, talents and quick dispatch characterize the men of your choice."

As America comes out of another round of elections, in which the line between faith and electioneering is being aggressively blurred, Leland's words seem extraordinarily current. In fact, however, his comments come from an Independence Day oration he gave in Cheshire, Massachusetts, more than two centuries ago.

On July 5, 1802, Leland, a Baptist preacher and staunch religious liberty advocate, held forth on the importance of choosing public officials who will defend the Constitution and its separation of church and state. "Be always jealous of your liberty, your rights," he thundered. "Nip the first bud of intrusion on your Constitution.… Never promote men who seek after a state-established religion; it is spiritual tyranny—the worst of despotism."

"It is turnpiking the way to heaven by human law in order to establish ministerial gates to collect toll," he continued. "It converts religion into a principle of state policy, and the gospel into merchandise. Heaven forbids the bans of marriage between churches and state; their embraces, therefore, must be unlawful."

Today, when some prominent Baptist preachers denounce such church-state separation and urge evangelicals to "vote Christian," Leland's words may sound strange. But Baptists in Revolutionary-era America were in no position to try to take over the government. Persecuted minorities in many states, they fought against official preference in matters of religion.

Leland, like many of his coreligionists, believed government interference in matters of faith violated the will of God and individual freedom of conscience. According to scholar Edwin Gaustad, Leland declared that persecution, inquisition, and martyrdom all derived from one single "rotten nest-egg, which is always hatching vipers: I mean the principle of intruding the laws of men into the Kingdom of Christ." Leland is little known to most Americans today. But he and other evangelical Christians played a critical role in establishing religious liberty and its constitutional corollary, church-state separation.

Born in Grafton, Massachusetts, on May 14, 1754, Leland said he spent his teenage years in "frolicking and foolish wickedness." But at 18 he converted to Christianity and became an itinerant Baptist preacher. After visiting Virginia in 1775, he and his wife, Sally, moved to that state, and he soon became a prominent figure in both religious and political life.

Leland served as a member of the Baptists' "General Committee," a group formed in 1784 to agitate for religious liberty. He and other dissenting clergy fought alongside James Madison and Thomas Jefferson in the battle to overturn Virginia's state-established Anglican (Episcopal) Church and ensure equal rights for all.

The Baptist preacher insisted that religion is hurt more by government favor than by government oppression. Experience has informed us, he wrote, that "the fondness of magistrates to foster Christianity has done it more harm than persecutions ever did."



CLICK HERE TO READ MORE....

'Tis the Season.....For Giving!

For those who know me, they know that I love charities and around this time of year I try to donate to as many as I financially can. I am sure there are others out there who feel the same and may be leery at times to donate to certain charities due to not knowing where their money really goes. Well, I wanted to share this great website with all of you. It's called CHARITY NAVIGATOR. It's a fantastic website that tracks and reports on basically all federally registered and recognized charities. You can verify a charities authenticity, see their financial status, spending, and rating....anywhere from a 1 star charity to a 4 star charity.

Check it out - it just may give you that extra confidence to give a little more this holiday season. I am sure it is very much appreciated! :)

Happy Holidays!

CHARITY NAVIGATOR

SNOW snow SNOW snow !!

I am so happy it's snowing! The first snowfall of the year and it's this big ole storm! I know, many think I am nuts because I love the snow, but I guess I am "New England made" and happy to be so! Currently, there is about 6 inches outside, but tonight it should be at least a foot. Weeeee! 4-Wheeling, Snow Mobiling, snow boarding, ice skating, snow ball fights, or just the pure beauty of it is what makes winter so fantastic to me. It breaks up the year, it makes Christmas "right" to me, and it just makes me feel good! I wasn't in much of the Christmas spirit until today - the snow perfected the feel for me. Now, I am officially excited!

I went around the property yesterday trying to get into the Christmas mode and collected a bunch of different evergreens to make some wreats and xmas swags. I still have to stop by the local greenhouse and get some ornamental berry branches (have to plant some of my own this spring so I won't have to go purchase them for others in the future) and then put them all together with some raffia & cinnamon sticks. I also have to dry some apples and string some cranberries along with popcorn. We decorate the trees outside with natural, edible "ornaments" for the wildlife to munch on for the holiday season - I enjoy watching them dance merrily around the trees, pecking and nibbling away. We need to buy still a tree...we don't usually chop trees, we purchase new, root-balled trees, then after the season we plant them. Though we weren't here last Christmas, I saved the tree in a large planter. I knew we were planning on moving so I saved him...he sits happily in the ground on the side of the house near a stone wall :) We considered chopping our own this year - with 30 acres there are plenty of areas that could use some thinning to promote healthy & continued growth, but I didn't find any that particularly called to me. I don't know.....we aren't doing the tree thing until next weekend anyway so I guess we will have a decision by then on which way we are going to go.

Did some online Christmas shopping - nothing too extravagant. Just a few things here and there. Even after all that, nothing put me into the true Christmas mode...it takes the SNOW. And it's here! WooHoo!!!!!

I shall be on my way ... the dogs absolutely LOVE the snow too and I have to get the camera ready to catch their delight.

I Learned Something Today ......

Theodore Roosevelt on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

What I Believe...

I have been asked many times on here and in life when I state that I do not subscribe to any organized religion, but do believe in God, "So, what do you believe?" I thought I may now take the time and try to combine many of my posts and opinions into one clear post to attempt to explain how I view things.

I believe in God - I believe that God is in everything. Every tree, every animal, every drop of water. God is an essence, God is an energy, God isn't a person, a place, a thing. God IS.

When in comes to organized religion I feel that all religions are basically worshiping or honoring the same essence, the same God, just do it many different ways - the unfortunate part is that man has manipulated many aspects of different religions where the core values of love, peace and acceptance has been lost. Human emotions and ignorance, with arrogance, has plagued many portions of that message.

Let me give an example of how I feel: let's take a Christian view for a moment since many seen to subscribe to that path. Christians believe that God created everything - God created every star in the sky to every bug on the ground. He created everything. In understanding that, we can take a step further and recognize that he created many different kinds of things. There are elm trees, maple trees, lady bugs and water bugs - different species yet the same "things". The same is for people - we have Asian people, Puerto Rican people, people with blue eyes and some with brown. But, the main thing is underneath all that exterior, we are the same. We all bleed red, we all have the same organs, we are all human, we just have differences - God created differences. He created different trees, yet inside there is bark. My point is that since God created so many different people, with different physical features, different thoughts, different cultures, why would we not assume he created different ways in worshiping Him? Why can't we accept or believe that He also created different religions that all look different, have different customs, have different exteriors yet in the core all are honoring Him, the same God, the same essence of energy, of love, of life? We may not all call that energy God, but maybe we aren't supposed to. Why would we all refer to the same God as the same word? We don't all refer to little red objects that grow on a tree with the term APPLE....every language calls that same fruit a different name - yet it still is the same fruit.

Bottom line, I wish people would recognize that just like God created so many aspects of this world that boil down to the same point - yet it seems hard for others to accept that same concept for religious views and beliefs.

I believe that the core essence is, and should be, that we are all on this Earth together to love, to get along, to accept each other and our differences and to live and let live. What is good for me may not be good for another because God just may have another plan, another path, another mission for that person. Christianity may be the choice for one, yet Islam for another - and that just may be how God planned it.

Just like God created different people and cultures, languages and customs, and we have to learn to live with each other despite those differences, maybe he created different religions for the same exact reason.

Prison Reform

Anyone who knows me on a personal level knows that one of my "passions" in life is crime and the Criminal Justice System. As a child, my Grandmother used to laugh because while other kids were watching cartoons after school I would turn on Divorce Court or The Judge. I have always been intrigued with the law and also the criminal mind. I have followed that passion to a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and soon will be going for another in Psychology - then maybe my Masters. Forensic Psychology has always been intriguing to me. Will I do anything with these degrees? Law school even? Probably not. I enjoy the learning and knowledge aspect of it although I do feel that practicing Criminal Forensic Psychology would be a dream career.

With that stated one problem that I read about, research or take a great interest in is our prison system, sentencing and supposed rehabilitation of prisoners in this country. I believe this is a very important issue that is largely ignored by American citizens and is overlooked often though it contributes to a huge portion of the foundation in life that we take for granted everyday.

Though violent crime has been declining in America since the year 1994, by the year 2004 nearly 3.2%, or 1 in every 31 adults, were either in prison, jail, on probation or on parole. From the years 1995 to the year 2004, the prison population has increased 3.4% annually. Looking at a larger scale, in the 1970's, there were approximately 200,000 inmates in the US Prison system. Today, that number has risen to 1.8 million which represents an 800% increase over the past 30 years. Add that to the number of individuals on parole, probation, or some other corrections supervision, and that number rises to a staggering 6 million people. With a steady rise of individuals convicted of crimes we need to ask the question of how can we modify the corrections system in the United States to be more effective in reducing the incidence of crime?

In my opinion, prison being used as a form of punishment has been a complete failure in this country. The majority of incarcerated individuals are for non-violent crimes with the rate of inmates increasing and violent crimes decreasing. I feel that just locking up individuals, whether for non-violent or violent crimes, is obviously not preventing the use and sale of illegal drugs or preventing re-incarceration. The United States Department of Justice conducted a study of 15 prisons over the span of 3 years in the year 1994 of the re-arrest, reconviction and re-incarceration of former inmates. The findings showed that that robbers (70.2%), burglars (74%), motor vehicle thieves (78.8%), larcenists (74.6%), in for stolen property (77.4%) and those in for using, possession, selling or using drugs (70.2%) had the highest re-arrest rate. 2.5% of released rapists were arrested for another rape, and those who served time for the crime of homicide, 1.2% were re-arrested for homicide over the 3 year span. These statistics are a red flag that the current corrections system we have in place today within the United States is not effective in anything except removing the individual from society for a period of time. At some point, it shows that they will be released and returned to the same life. Prison needs to be looked upon as a reformatory institution instead of a form of punishment or we will never reverse or decrease the number of convictions or crimes.

The prison reform issue is not so simple that just one person's opinion will not change it and frankly, I am sure my stand on what should be done might be laughable to many but I have thought about this topic many times and for many hours and so have some suggestions that may help pave the way to a "better" system.
First, I feel that all prisons should be mandated federally and take the decision away from each individual state. Because each state mandates different amounts and funds for corrections, there are different levels of services, education, counseling, and conditions depending on the state. Smaller, richer states, like Connecticut for example, can afford to fund their corrections departments to make, what have been referred to as, country club prisons where as other larger states, with higher crime rates such as Texas, do not have the funds to create country clubs and house inmates in deplorable conditions. Are prisoners getting a "better" form of punishment in a prison that does not offer services and luxuries as some other's do? I feel that if we had prisons within this nation running, operating and providing blanket services across the board, that is one way to help allocate funds where needed and offer services equally. A rapist in Delaware is no worse than a rapist in Massachusetts, so their punishment should not differ either. I feel that each state is doing their own thing and making it difficult to get a hand on crime and punishment in the United States as a whole. In my opinion, the first step would be the taking away of the control and decision making of prisons, sentences and services from the individual states and adhering to one federal standard.

Funding for prisons would be a standard % allocated from each state, depending on state size, population, and income ratio, would be paid into the Federal Prison System. The funds would then be allocated to the prisons throughout the country. There would not be any need for each state to handle the allocation of corrections funds within their budgets. They pay their % to the Federal Government and it would be allocated from there. This would ensure that each prison would be getting the funds as needed, depending on size and inmates, and also a standard of living and services.

As for services, I feel that prison needs to be looked at as more of a reformatory than a location to house individuals for punishment. The punishment portion is being removed from society and living within the prison walls. While in prison, most basic rights should be removed including the right to privacy and other luxuries as television, microwaves and stereos. Now that they are there, we need to find a way to reform and deter future criminal acts. This can be accomplished by implementing a few changes.

First, I feel that the entire parole system should be abolished. If you are sentenced to one year in prison, you should spend one year in prison. There should not be any early release programs offered any longer. The removal of this system would open funds for parole services and officers and back to the overall prison budget. Now that there are all of these prisoners within the system, serving sentences, without televisions and luxuries, that need to have their time utilized. That should be done with education, counseling and work/training programs.

I would assume that most people released from prison, not taking anything from the years they were in prison except aggravation and a hate for confined rooms, are only being released back into the life they were originally removed from. As part of the seclusion of prison life, we need to educate these inmates and teach them skills and train them for a productive life within society. Running the prison as almost a mandatory secluded college campus is how I look at it. Each prisoner has a full schedule each day with school, training, work, rest, eating, then sleep. Personal time is kept to a minimum for letter writing or rest. If an individual does not have a high school diploma, they are mandated to participate in a GED or High School Equivalent program to obtain their certificate. Also, local companies or industries around the prison can be asked to participate in a work program. Each inmate will be required to learn and implement skills through training programs. For example, a local furniture manufacturer can cut their own costs by affiliating with the prison to have prisoners within that prison manufacture furniture. This would be free labor for the manufacturing company and a skill/trade for the inmate. Depending on the prison term, each individual inmate might be able to obtain numerous skills since the inmates will rotate throughout the different jobs and programs offered. All of this would be done on-site, within the prison.

Counseling will also be offered to each and every inmate. Depending on the individual, counseling can range from general social counseling to drug and alcohol counseling. Counseling in general is beneficial to any and all inmates since committing a crime to end up in prison is enough to validate an issue within that individual to warrant counseling. Requiring an inmate to participate in counseling is not an option and I do not feel it is against their rights or considered cruel and unusual punishment.

Finally, a life skills program should be implemented. A life skills program would guide and teach each inmate the basics skills needed in leading a productive, moral, decent life as a citizen within this country. This program would offer information and skills in many areas like basic information on checking accounts, money management, and budgets all the way to the stock market, mortgages and time management.

With these programs and services offered throughout prisons within America, we can assure that each released prisoners has at least had some form of reform and redirection than the life they were leading prior to be convicted. This can only give both the released inmate a solid foundation to reenter society with a new outlook.
Turning our attention to individuals who are convicted and sentenced to life and or death sentences, these services would not be available to the extent they are for inmates with a release date. Lifers and people on death row should all be housed in separate prisons than the individuals with a release date. Lifers will have basic services such as libraries with books, magazines and newspapers, but there will also not be any microwaves, televisions or Blockbuster nights. Counseling will be available and inmates will also be required to participate in work programs but more for labor and service for the prison itself (laundry, kitchen, etc). There would be longer periods of solitary confinement then a non-lifer and no additional education classes.

Because inmates will be separated depending on if they are serving life or not, this could mean sending a prisoner outside of the state they are convicted in. Once you are convicted of a crime, whether your term is ten years or life, you will be placed where there is room. This could be at a local facility or it could be across the country, but unfortunately, that is one of the rights you lose when you become a prisoner. Every attempt will be made to place the inmate as close to their home state as possible, but this in no way is a guarantee. I am sure the family and friends of the inmate will not approve of this because of the potential travel demands to visit, but again, this is prison and not a recreation camp. This will just be another example of how the actions of one can produce many victims on many levels.

The death penalty should not be abolished within this country but should only be assessed if there is absolute assurance that the proper individual is convicted. This can be determined by a complete confession and/or DNA evidence. I do not feel the death penalty should be an option as a sentence unless absolute certainty as been determined. Because of this absolute certainty, there is not a need for ten years of appeals and lethal injections can be carried out in a timely manner.

In conclusion, I do feel that this reform can only help deter potential criminals by making prison seem more as a complete taking over of their life, with the potential of removal from the state, required schooling, work and counseling, and the basic thought of an extreme daily regimen and not just some time in a cell. With the aggressive daily activities and education, hopefully this will deter an inmate from returning to a life of crime by being released with an education, skills and self-esteem. This can only be accomplished by blanketing our corrections system under one form of government and assuring the proper services are implemented

But does anyone really care? I don't believe so since most people I speak to don't care about the criminal, nor do they care to consider anything beyond the "he did bad, he should go to jail" aspect. If we expect to actually be able to live in this country as a "free" citizen, we better stop and take action now. If not, all we are doing is breeding slicker, more experienced, and more aggressive criminals who will not think twice about taking those freedoms away.



This is an original article written by myself and also posted on Helium.com

Religious Tolerance......

Being from a land that supposedly embraces freedom, embraces many cultures, customs and religions, one would assume that tolerance would be a critical vein that threads through our every day lives; but unfortunately that is not always the case. Many forget that this country was sought, conquered and established based on the desire for religious freedom and the tolerance of other's to practice as they see fit. Christians have staked their flag on the mountain, claiming this a Christian nation and the atheists have taken that flag, stomped on it, and declared it's their religious right to do so. Who is right? Aren't we all? Shouldn't we welcome new culture, religion, and beliefs into this great nation? Doing so would just broaden our offerings, enhance our freedoms and teach us all a new view, a new understanding, and a new way to bring those freedoms to the forefront.

I believe that we all need to learn to be tolerant of one another's religious beliefs along with the lack their of. Children need to be taught to be tolerant of many religious creeds, sects, beliefs, customs and practices. Rather than pushing the banning of teaching of religions of school, I believe that there should be a mandatory teaching about the world's religions beliefs and customs within a regular curriculum. An academic understanding of the world's largest religions would not only give the children of this nation a wealth of knowledge and history, it will more importantly teach children to understand their neighbor and tolerate their choices due to actually having knowledge in what the religion is and about rather than speculation and fearing the unknown.

Once we learn to practice our given freedoms, which wold be to practice tolerance, only then will be truly able to practice our religious choices in spiritual peace.

This is my original article created for Helium.com