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This is in reference to the John Oliver - Prison Re-entry post. However, I strongly felt that this issue needs to be brought up on it's own.
I really have to commend John Oliver for what he is doing. He is putting a comedic twist on a very serious subject, which is sheer genius by the way; Prisoner Re-entry.
Bilal Chatman is very courageous for interviewing with John Oliver. He is to be commended for not giving up in the face of adversity and was able to keep his job despite individuals trying to make his life a living hell. He drew up the courage to speak even though he doesn't like to revisit in his mind the past because it takes him back to a place that he doesn't want to go ever again. No one can blame him for that. None whatsoever. He wanted to help his fellow man.
I can spend a good better part of the afternoon typing away and trying to explain what I want to say. But when it comes down to all of why we are here, I personally believe it's about one thing and one thing only.
Mindset.
I sound off by saying, yes some of us including myself...we made a horrible, horrible mistake. Will we have consequences? Yes. For the rest of our lives? Perhaps.
I want to stress this...
The one thing that no one... I mean NO ONE can take from you is the ability to move away the best you can from your past to the point where you may be able to get through your day without even thinking about your past. It won't happen every day mind you. It is possible though, but it means a whole new way of thinking.
I don't care what so and so says about this that and the other.
What each of us should care about is living a life as best we can and support vigorously no more victims. Commendations are to be given for all who have supported this.
Speaking up and saying something sometimes is a little more difficult for those of us with a past, I will tell you what I mean.
The other day at the store there was a child that was clearly doing something they weren't supposed to be doing and mom was distracted. I did not notice the situation until I looked over and noticed the child was in danger. This situation happened in a matter of seconds. I know that only seconds passed because one second I was looking another way with all of us customers sitting there and the next second I looked over and the child was about to place her hands the counter. The child was on a cart with wheels on the bottom, so if they placed their hands on the edge of the counter, they would have pushed on the counter and the cart has a push handle bar at their shins. The cart would have came out from under them like oil on a doorknob, the bar causing them to fall head first. Possibly being paralyzed for life.
Mom was distracted and NOBODY spoke up by this point??? I know that this all happened within seconds and my mind is racing at this point. Questions seemed to flow like a bullet through my mind and thought about, "Does anyone know that I am an RSO?" "What will they think if I do say something?" Given my former training in first aid and C.P.R. (I need to recertify after I realized after typing this), Those thoughts were shutout in 2-3 seconds flat.
I spoke up, and mom quickly and safely scooped up their child. Minor injuries and a perhaps terrible tragedy of being paralyzed or even death as a result of the injuries were thankfully averted.
Some outsiders will say when reading, "Ohhhh he's lying." "He was watching the child the whole time." Etc. etc. etc. So on and so forth. Blah blah blah blah blah...
The truth is, I was thinking about what I needed to get done for the day before I had to go to work, and work is a soap opera right now because I am helping a co-worker deal with inner office cliques and all the things that go with it. My mind was so far away from anything anyone might think otherwise that it wasn't even funny.
This is exactly what I am talking about "mindset".
Yes... I had a "millisecond meltdown" is what I like to call them... I will show you what I mean.
It stems from the lack of help from so call "do gooders" outside in society, even prisoners themselves that think this. The drug dealers themselves that think their "non violent" crime of being involved in drugs is an excuse to ridicule and torture in anyway possible a person convicted of a sex offense. In all reality we do not know the numbers of guys or girls for that matter that take advantage of minors, seeking out drugs but don't have any money and take advantage of them sexually before they give them drugs. That is something that most people don't think about when they are on the bandwagon of releasing drug offenders early that haven't in the least bit changed themselves in any way shape or form. Because if you have been locked up for any length of time, you know who is going to be back.
The "do gooders" of society that ridicule and ridicule by saying, as if you hear them shouting, "YOU CAN'T BE RE-HABILITATED! EVER!
This is a lie straight from the pit of hell. If you believe there is one. I am not here to debate that because this is not the place for it. I am just merely presenting a visual.
It's all about mindset.
The mindset that you know you made a horrible mistake and you need to change. Otherwise life is not going to be good for you or anyone else for that matter.
That day I spoke up and a tragedy was averted. I felt good. I felt good because I felt like a human being. A human being that cares for their fellow man. Someone willing to speak up for good no matter what anyone does. No matter what anyone thinks. No matter what anyone says. If anyone else's child was in danger for any reason at all. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Why?
Because that's who I am. I care for my fellow man now more than ever. Even though I did go through a tough patch in the past when I made my horrible mistake... I did care in the past... and I will most certainly care in the future. No matter how much bullying I received in the past as a result of growing up in school... or from prison.
This is why society needs for EVERY offender, no matter what they did... to be made as whole again as much as 100% possible.
It's been discussed in group that one day you might come upon a situation where a child is in danger for whatever reason and you are the only one around to help/save them. The question was originally asked, "What would you do?"
Some have said they wouldn't do a thing because for fear of what someone might say or do, accusations, etc. etc.
I have even thought about it myself.
My mind has always come to the same conclusion and question every time. If any one of my family members was in danger and someone was there to help, even if it was only one person. That person has a past. I hope and pray that person is 100% secure in themselves. That they are able to make a difference despite their past.
It's all about what you choose to think upon.
It's all about a new mindset...
No matter what anyone thinks. No matter what anyone says. No matter what anyone does.
I really have to commend John Oliver for what he is doing. He is putting a comedic twist on a very serious subject, which is sheer genius by the way; Prisoner Re-entry.
Bilal Chatman is very courageous for interviewing with John Oliver. He is to be commended for not giving up in the face of adversity and was able to keep his job despite individuals trying to make his life a living hell. He drew up the courage to speak even though he doesn't like to revisit in his mind the past because it takes him back to a place that he doesn't want to go ever again. No one can blame him for that. None whatsoever. He wanted to help his fellow man.
I can spend a good better part of the afternoon typing away and trying to explain what I want to say. But when it comes down to all of why we are here, I personally believe it's about one thing and one thing only.
Mindset.
I sound off by saying, yes some of us including myself...we made a horrible, horrible mistake. Will we have consequences? Yes. For the rest of our lives? Perhaps.
I want to stress this...
The one thing that no one... I mean NO ONE can take from you is the ability to move away the best you can from your past to the point where you may be able to get through your day without even thinking about your past. It won't happen every day mind you. It is possible though, but it means a whole new way of thinking.
I don't care what so and so says about this that and the other.
What each of us should care about is living a life as best we can and support vigorously no more victims. Commendations are to be given for all who have supported this.
Speaking up and saying something sometimes is a little more difficult for those of us with a past, I will tell you what I mean.
The other day at the store there was a child that was clearly doing something they weren't supposed to be doing and mom was distracted. I did not notice the situation until I looked over and noticed the child was in danger. This situation happened in a matter of seconds. I know that only seconds passed because one second I was looking another way with all of us customers sitting there and the next second I looked over and the child was about to place her hands the counter. The child was on a cart with wheels on the bottom, so if they placed their hands on the edge of the counter, they would have pushed on the counter and the cart has a push handle bar at their shins. The cart would have came out from under them like oil on a doorknob, the bar causing them to fall head first. Possibly being paralyzed for life.
Mom was distracted and NOBODY spoke up by this point??? I know that this all happened within seconds and my mind is racing at this point. Questions seemed to flow like a bullet through my mind and thought about, "Does anyone know that I am an RSO?" "What will they think if I do say something?" Given my former training in first aid and C.P.R. (I need to recertify after I realized after typing this), Those thoughts were shutout in 2-3 seconds flat.
I spoke up, and mom quickly and safely scooped up their child. Minor injuries and a perhaps terrible tragedy of being paralyzed or even death as a result of the injuries were thankfully averted.
Some outsiders will say when reading, "Ohhhh he's lying." "He was watching the child the whole time." Etc. etc. etc. So on and so forth. Blah blah blah blah blah...
The truth is, I was thinking about what I needed to get done for the day before I had to go to work, and work is a soap opera right now because I am helping a co-worker deal with inner office cliques and all the things that go with it. My mind was so far away from anything anyone might think otherwise that it wasn't even funny.
This is exactly what I am talking about "mindset".
Yes... I had a "millisecond meltdown" is what I like to call them... I will show you what I mean.
It stems from the lack of help from so call "do gooders" outside in society, even prisoners themselves that think this. The drug dealers themselves that think their "non violent" crime of being involved in drugs is an excuse to ridicule and torture in anyway possible a person convicted of a sex offense. In all reality we do not know the numbers of guys or girls for that matter that take advantage of minors, seeking out drugs but don't have any money and take advantage of them sexually before they give them drugs. That is something that most people don't think about when they are on the bandwagon of releasing drug offenders early that haven't in the least bit changed themselves in any way shape or form. Because if you have been locked up for any length of time, you know who is going to be back.
The "do gooders" of society that ridicule and ridicule by saying, as if you hear them shouting, "YOU CAN'T BE RE-HABILITATED! EVER!
This is a lie straight from the pit of hell. If you believe there is one. I am not here to debate that because this is not the place for it. I am just merely presenting a visual.
It's all about mindset.
The mindset that you know you made a horrible mistake and you need to change. Otherwise life is not going to be good for you or anyone else for that matter.
That day I spoke up and a tragedy was averted. I felt good. I felt good because I felt like a human being. A human being that cares for their fellow man. Someone willing to speak up for good no matter what anyone does. No matter what anyone thinks. No matter what anyone says. If anyone else's child was in danger for any reason at all. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Why?
Because that's who I am. I care for my fellow man now more than ever. Even though I did go through a tough patch in the past when I made my horrible mistake... I did care in the past... and I will most certainly care in the future. No matter how much bullying I received in the past as a result of growing up in school... or from prison.
This is why society needs for EVERY offender, no matter what they did... to be made as whole again as much as 100% possible.
It's been discussed in group that one day you might come upon a situation where a child is in danger for whatever reason and you are the only one around to help/save them. The question was originally asked, "What would you do?"
Some have said they wouldn't do a thing because for fear of what someone might say or do, accusations, etc. etc.
I have even thought about it myself.
My mind has always come to the same conclusion and question every time. If any one of my family members was in danger and someone was there to help, even if it was only one person. That person has a past. I hope and pray that person is 100% secure in themselves. That they are able to make a difference despite their past.
It's all about what you choose to think upon.
It's all about a new mindset...
No matter what anyone thinks. No matter what anyone says. No matter what anyone does.
That was a very well thought out message you just gave us all. Good job.
Sometimes inmates, once released from prison, are so bitter that they lose some of their humanity toward their fellow human beings.
If there is one thing I always tell both former inmates and registrants is that, regardless of how bad prison was or how terrible things are going as a registrant, that they must never allow these experiences to rob them of their humanity toward others.
As far as helping a child in a dangerous situation, of course, I would have done the same thing-----without even thinking about it. We cannot allow tragic and bad experiences we have had in life change us to the point that we lose all the feelings that make us a worthwhile human being.
If we allow prison or being on the registry to destroy us with hate, then we have lost the entire ball game.
rewdiazepam
@all: Jus' sharin what was on my mind and heart at the time.
Be blessed,
IntheStepsofJesus