Is an Inmate No Longer Human?

As I put pen to paper to try to formulate the thousands of thoughts, feelings, and emotions that are running through my mind and very being, I finally end with the following sentence:  Am I no longer considered human because I committed a crime?

I’m sure that this is a question that many of my fellow incarcerated brothers and sisters have pondered at one point or another throughout their sentence. I’m once again revisiting this question because my reason of incarceration was recently thrown up in my face via a comment left by someone that called themself  “tough on crime” that had read my last submission entitled Prison Primer.

They seemingly felt that by me explaining what takes place in prison, I was somehow trying to “play the victim” of sorts. Which led me to believe that their level of comprehension wasn’t very high, because that was nowhere near what I was doing. So I decided to pen this in response to all of the ones out there who feel as though they are somehow better than any of us that are incarcerated. Because in my opinion (and it’s just an opinion) I feel that when someone passes judgment on anyone for any reason, then they, somewhere inside, feel as though they are better than that individual, which gives them the right to pass their judgment.

I will be the first to say that I’m surely no angel, and I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. Some of those mistakes I’ve been able to go back and make amends for my actions and make the situation right, but there are some that can never be made right no matter what I do or how sorry I am. That leads me to reiterate my former question – Am I no longer considered human because I committed a crime?

In full transparency, I’m incarcerated for a car accident that took a precious life, and because I was too cowardly to stay and face my actions, I fled the scene. That is a burden that I’ve had to live with and relive ever since. I, of course, was caught and forced to own up to my transgressions, and pay with a very lengthy sentence of 27 and a half years in prison. Some may say that wasn’t enough, while others may say that was too much for a tragic car accident. Either way, I’m paying my debt to society, and have been for the last 16 plus years, and all that comes with that has been my punishment.

So, am I no longer considered to be human? Do I not deserve a chance at life because I’ve taken one?

I’ve noticed how easy it is for the so-called “upstanding citizens” to pass judgment and say that we’re animals, we’re scum, we’re this, we’re that; while they just haven’t been caught for whatever it is that they are doing. I don’t care who you are. Many people have done something somewhere along the line that could have landed them in jail or prison (especially in Florida where you can go for damn near anything).

One thing that I’ve learned is that until you’ve walked in another person’s shoes, you have no right to tell them how to lace them up. It’s quite easy to pass judgement and point fingers from the sidelines, but when it’s you or one of your loved ones that finds yourselves in a situation that you never even dreamed possible, your perspective of things then tends to change. You, or your loved one, isn’t the animal or scum then, just everyone else. Well I know one thing about life, you can either allow it to make you or break you. And a lot of inmates come into the system and allow the hardships of the system to make them worse and break them down. However, there are those of us who learn to turn pain into purpose and tragedy into triumph.

Since my incarceration, I’ve written 10 books two of which are currently on Amazon, entitled Emotional and Simple Insights. I’ve learned to speak a second language (albeit not fluently but good enough). I’ve had works published in several publications, including being the only inmate to ever be published in Motivos Bilingual Magazine (spring 2018 page 5). I’ve helped write curriculum for self-help and betterment programs, and have received numerous certificates for my participation in those programs (even though at times someone else received the credit for my work). I’ve personally stopped several inmates from killing or harming themselves, other inmates, and staff. I invented a card game, written an online business plan, ran an affiliate marketing business on click banks (386market), participated in and completed an Art of Soulmaking course, did several Bible correspondence courses, and am currently doing the Criminon correspondence course. The list goes on and on.

Now does that mean that I’ve been a model inmate for the past 16 years? Hell no. But, people are so quick to point out the wrong you do, but rarely point out the good, so I had to point out some of the good myself. I believe that life is a learning experience, and those who fail to learn, fail to grow and become better. Even the hardest of criminals can change under the right conditions and circumstances, just as the most law abiding citizens can change for the worse under the right conditions and circumstances as well.

If you are not trying to uplift someone and make them better, then you should really keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself. If you just must pass your judgment so that you can feel better about yourself, then answer this question for me – Am I no longer considered to be human because I committed a crime?