let me be Frank

[Chris OConnor]

I'm intrigued by the tolerance of the prison system to various religious practices. Long beards or dread locks give a prisoner a sense of identity and even power. It seems that this would be undesirable in the prison world, much like it is in US military boot camp.

The bastards that harmed the cats sicken me and scare me at the same time. Any person that can give a harmless and helpless cat razors or needles hidden in food is a sick and twisted scum bag. I'm more shaken up by animal abuse than human abuse, unless the human is a helpless child.

Your thread here is fun to read, Frank. You're going to love the new Blog system we installed on BookTalk late last night. Give me a few days before I open it up for member use. But it will be far superior to just using your thread here in the Introduce Yourself forum.

[Frank 013]

Chris
I'm intrigued by the tolerance of the prison system to various religious practices. Long beards or dread locks give a prisoner a sense of identity and even power. It seems that this would be undesirable in the prison world, much like it is in US military boot camp.

It's more than that... Religious tolerance and inmate rights now have more precedence than the safety of the officers that watch the inmates.

Dreadlocks and beards are often used to conceal contraband and weapons; creating a huge safety risk, but religious freedom (even in prison) is a big deal to the citizens of this country, (more than to the inmates) so those freedoms have been imposed on the system by state and federal governments despite the dangers to us.

Chris
The bastards that harmed the cats sicken me and scare me at the same time. Any person that can give a harmless and helpless cat razors or needles hidden in food is a sick and twisted scum bag. I'm more shaken up by animal abuse than human abuse, unless the human is a helpless child.

I totally agree...

But I think the public should be made aware of what types of people are in the system. Everyone always freaks out when an inmate is abused, and complains that these helpless inmates are in no position to do any harm.

From my short time in the system I can guarantee that that simply is not true.

First and foremost inmates are not helpless; they often do attack both each other and us.

Secondly, an inmate's personal behavior is largely responsible for their treatment behind bars. Their treatment by both the officers and the other inmates is generally the result of how they act among those groups.

Many inmates can walk that line with little difficulty, but others act just as they did on the outside (sometimes they act worse) and they often incite the very abuse that they complain of.

Injuring an officer is usually the worse offence (especially if the officer is a female) but the dead cats' thing has gotten many of us very ticked off as well. If I knew which inmates had done that (and I don't, for a good reason) even I have to admit that disguising my utter contempt for that person would be difficult... perhaps impossible.

Later

[Chris OConnor]

The first thing I thought of when you said that they are allowed to grow dreads and beards is that hair is an excellent place to hide a shank.

Rules I would impose on ALL federal prisoners:

No long hair.
No weight lifting of any sort.

Prisoners pumping iron makes no frigging sense. Why not just hand out free weapons?

[Frank 013]

Last night I slipped and fell in a snow covered ice patch in the prison parking lot.

I blew out my knee again, and boy did it hurt!

Anyway I will be at home for (at least) the next few days. I need to get checked by a specialist on Monday, I will know more then.

Because this happened at work the state is picking up the costs and I will be able to get my knee fixed right once and for all.

This should go through without much trouble because the whole incident was witnessed by one of the sergeants on duty at the time.

So despite the intense pain I went through this is actually a good thing.

Later

[Frank 013]

Good news...

I went to the orthopedic doctor today and he drained the blood off my knee, (it was 50 CCs worth) after that the pain was almost completely gone and without that pressure I can walk with just a little discomfort.

The doctor gave me until next Thursday off and has set me up with physical therapy and an MRI just to be sure that the damage is not too extensive.

Things are looking up!

Later

[Frank 013]

I turned 40 today!

When I was younger I thought 40 was old, I don't feel a day older than 25.

Later

[Penelope]

Oh, Happy Birthday Frank..... (a bit belated!!)

Every now and again, throughout life....you meet people with whom you may not totally agree....but you are still glad and feel privilidged to have met them.....

I feel that way about you.....Happy Birthday to you....

[Frank 013]

Well thank you Penelope!

I am glad to have met you as well!

Later