Taxation Without Representation

Formerly Incarcerated Citizens and Civil / Political Disability

By Danny Ray Thomas

When returning citizens reenter society, probation and parole expects us to immediately find employment and begin the process of developing as productive citizens. Our paychecks have the same withholdings just as anyone else in the workforce. By April 15th of every year, we’re required to have our taxes filed, and if we’re lucky we’ll get a refund. In other instances, we’re told we owe money or funds are withheld for child support or other debts the state or federal government have made claims to.

What has always concerned me is the fact that we can be taxed as anyone else without restoration, yet we cannot vote without permission. Our tax dollars will assist in funding schools and first responders, ironically our tax dollars also pay the probation officer who’ll violate us and send us back to prison where our taxes will also pay the corrections officers and prison officials who’ll stand watch over us.

Well after incarcerated citizens complete their sentence, we remain “civilly disabled.” Why is it that we lose the right to determine which legislators and other politicians determine what’s best for the communities we live in? This is clearly “retribution,” which is considered one of the (4) four goals of incarceration, the other three being, societal protection, deterrence, and punishment. In some instances, the Courts have referenced “rehabilitation” as a fifth, but refuting that fallacy would be encyclopedic in length.

In any event, we remain “civiliter mortuus” (civilly dead) to the state which not only impacts our right to vote on the local level. Clearly this makes no sense. Again, we don’t have to prove ourselves to pay taxes yet we must do so to vote. I’d love to hear Governor Youngkin’s answer to this question; better yet, I’d like to be a fly on the wall when he’s discussing this issue behind closed doors!

Governor Youngkin is empowered to remove what the Courts refer to as “political disabilities,” but not all rights lost as a result of a felony conviction, for instance, the jurisdiction to restore firearm rights lost in those circumstances is vested in the circuit court. The Virginia Constitution allows the Governor of Virginia to individually restore political rights of convicted felons without judicial review, see the
Va. Constitution article V, section 12.

Restoration of the right to vote, hold public office, to serve on a jury, or be notary public does not constitute an inherent danger to public safety or does it? Maybe this is true for those in power that realize the power of the formerly incarcerated citizen.We all know that old addage “givem an inch they’ll take a mile!

Today we’ll vote, tomorrow we’ll serve on a jury, the day after we’ll hold public office. Neither aspiration of serving on a jury or holding public office can occur without the initial ability to vote. If they nullify our ability to vote, they also nullify our ability to have a direct impact on the system. It’s obvious which side of the aisle the ‘formerly incarcerated citizen’ stands on, can someone say “Progressive!”

In 2016, Governor Terry McAullife used his executive power to restore voting rights to more than 200,000 former prisoners in response to campaigns to end felony disenfranchisement. “I remain committed to moving past our Commonwealth’s history of injustice to embrace an honest process for restoring the rights of our citizens,” the governor said.”The struggle for civil rights has always been a long and difficult journey but the fight goes on.Unfortunately, republicans challenged the Governor’s executive order to The Virginia Supreme Court and the court determined that Governor McAuliffe did not have the authority to restore these rights without an individual application by each petitioner. Howell v. McAullife , 292 Va. 320.

The opposition to the restoration of voting rights to the formerly incarcerated has created an attitude of pessimism and defeat in many. My message to them is simple, “If voting doesn’t matter, why do they fight so hard to keep you from participating in the process?”

In Struggle,
D Ray Thomas, Green Rock Correctional, #1054249

My name is Danny Ray Thomas and I’ve been incarcerated for 21 years. I am from Pittsylvania county just outside of Danville, Va. I currently reside at Green Rock Correctional and I work as the Treatment aide. I work with counselors teaching anger management, thinking for a change, victim impact and ready to work.I am an activist and mentor in this community of men. I’m not one who’d shy away from the struggle we face, instead I embrace it. I’ve written for the “unlocked project,” a collaboration between the Coalition for Justice and Virginia Tech. I’ve also written for NYU ‘s review of law and social change publication called “The Harbinger,” my piece with them is called “The Calamity of Sentencing in Virginia” which can be found at http://www.socialchangenyu.com.I am also a part of NYU’s “Jailhouse Lawyer’s Initiative. Needless to say I am a student of this movement against mass incarceration and I look forwarded to collaborating with anyone who feels the same as I do.

My American Citizenship

I want to touch on voting and on enhanced earned sentence reductions. The right to vote is fundamental to any civilized nation. As is the right to liberty, justice, and the pursuit of happiness. Should I, as an inmate and convicted felon, lose these things? No. It is true that I have lost a portion of my freedom, but only a portion. I am still covered by the Bill of Rights and the Constitutions of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Virginia. I did not lose my American citizenship when I was convicted of my crime. I did not cease to be a resident in the Commonwealth of Virginia. So why should I, as an American citizen and a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia, lose my right to vote just because I was convicted of a felony? The answer is simple, because it is a way to further punish me and because most Republicans believe allowing me to vote will cost them elections. Now that’s not how Conservatives will frame their argument against my right to vote of course. They will claim, with a very staunch look, that removing a convicted felon’s right to vote is a deterrent to crime. Honestly, though, have you ever heard anyone say they aren’t going to commit a felony because they will lose their right to vote? Nobody has. So here is the crux of my position on convicted felons, incarcerated or not, voting. If it is constitutional to take away the right to vote from an American citizen and a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia because he or she committed a felony, then who is next? What’s to stop the government from taking away the right to vote from people who are pro choice? What’s to stop the government from taking away the right to vote from people who are Muslim? Now you are probably saying the Constitution stops them. Well, it didn’t stop them from taking away the right to vote from felons who are covered by the same Constitution of which you are speaking. Let me be fair though. I have been on both sides of the criminal justice system. I do fully understand stripping some rights away from convicted felons. I understand stripping a convicted felon of his or her right to bear arms. I understand stripping a convicted felon of some of his or her protections against searches and seizures. These things are done for the protection of society at large. But how is anyone protected by denying convicted felons the right to vote? They aren’t. That takes us back to my earlier point, denying convicted felons the right to vote is nothing more than further punishment. It is a Conservative stance to show that they are tough on crime and a product of their fear that allowing convicted felons to vote will cost them elections. However, I don’t think anyone believes it is constitutional to deny someone the right to vote just because they won’t vote the way you want them to. Yet that is what is happening to convicted felons each time we have an election.

Now to my second point, enhanced earned sentence reductions. These reductions make good sense on a number of levels. First, they make prisons safer for inmates, officers, and staff. The more an inmate has to lose, the more that inmate will think before doing something wrong. The less an inmate has to lose, the less that inmate will care about doing wrong. Second, giving an inmate the chance to earn credits toward a sentence reduction gives an inmate hope and something to work for. Hope and purpose are essential to anyone’s mental and physical wellbeing, especially an inmate’s. Now I realize that Departments of Correction do a great job of talking about rehabilitation, but that is basically all smoke and mirrors. The reality is that they do the absolute bare minimum to even try and rehabilitate anyone. That leaves rehabilitation in the hands of the inmate. He or she must take the initiative to better themselves. However, for most inmates that seems pointless. What is the point in trying to better yourself when you are not rewarded for it? Therefore, I have an idea I would like to see implemented in Virginia and other states as well. As the federal government makes pell grants more available, I believe this idea will become more and more implementable. Many inmates leaving prison are behind the eight ball educationally when they seek employment. I propose that states enact legislation that allows an inmate to earn enhanced sentence reductions for every degree the inmate receives while incarcerated. States could provide an inmate with a five percent reduction in their sentence for each degree they earn, on top of their good behavior reduction. This would make for smarter and more knowledgeable inmates. It would make for more qualified and employable men and women looking to join the workplace following prison. It would improve the mental and physical wellbeing of inmates. It would allow inmates a quicker transition back into society. It would allow inmates the opportunity to do something that would bring themselves, their families, and their loved ones a sense of pride and accomplishment. And it would keep inmates busy, leaving them less time to get into trouble. I firmly believe this program would benefit the States, the inmates, inmates’ families, employers, society, and our nation as a whole.

Travis Sorrells, Haynesville Correctional Center

BIO: Currently, I am about nine years into a fifteen year sentence. I am also seeking a Theological Degree through International Christian College and Seminary. My goal during this time is to make myself as ready as possible to reenter society in a way that allows me to be both productive and contributive.

“Make Them An Offer They Can’t Refuse.”

On the topic of freedom that comes with the right to vote, is something that is very important also productive, because the person that votes can put the right people in office to change the world. But, only if you know who you’re voting for and why.

A lot of people get caught up by politician’s telling you a lie. They sell you a dream to get your vote, but the whole time they have another agenda they’ve kept from you. They’ve pulled the wool over your eyes and then once they get in office, you never receive your promise that you thought was going to happen. There’s power in the freedom to vote. Governor Glenn Youngkin knows that, which is why he went under the table and recently overturned felon’s right to vote. He made it harder to get our voting rights because he knows him and others can’t continue to win elections if too many of us have a chance to vote. Virginia doesn’t want us to have freedom to vote because it’s power – too much power in their eyes – and they know they will lose.

I often talk to people and everybody says they want change, but at the same time, they don’t want to put the work in and vote or help some other way to make a difference. All they want is a hand out, and that’ll never happen. I like to use a quote from the (God Father movie): “Make them an offer they can’t refuse,” and you do that by voting the right candidate into office and change will come for prison reform as well as state laws.

My wife and I are involved in getting people to vote by trying to convince them, even when they are skeptical. She works for an organization and she often talks to future delegates and senators to vet them out to see if they are the right person to get in office.

If every American could vote, the laws would be so different in this country. I would say it would be more better than worst a lot would be different maybe the right people would be in congress and we could get Black Americans in the constitution, instead of just having privileges. To all my people: know that you can make a change in the world by voting or doing what you can. It’s a process that’s been going on for over a hundred years. So please make Virginia a better state and go out and vote.

Peace and Blessings,
Allen Jackson

My name is Allen Jackson and I was born in Charlottesville, Va and was raised in Charlottesville, Louisa, and Richmond.

What’s Free 2023!? – Voting.

Editor’s Note: What’s Free is a column that began in 2020, that asks the incarcerated community what freedom means to them. Inspired by the movement of enhanced earned sentence credits, we have raised the topic every year to keep the momentum alive as more brothers and sisters remain behind bars in the Virginia prison system. This year, Q has decided to talk about the freedom that comes with participating in our political system.

Virginia criminal justice reform has been shifting back in forth between a full, most needed overhaul and virtual crumbs to keep the majority of our loved ones seeking more from our state leaders. This year though, one hundred seats in the Virginia House of Representatives are up for reelection. This is where the power of the vote will have its greatest chance to reflect the voices of the incarcerated in the form of our loved ones active participation in the voting process.

When it comes to voting and change as a whole, all of us who have been dejected by the losses we’ve taken must be wary of a most destructive attitude – political skepticism – which only serves to keep the chains on the mind, soul, and in our case, the body.

It’s no secret: every stride gained in regards to who gets to vote in America, has come by way of combat. Normally, this form of combat has placed minorities in position of a proverbial David versus the very real Goliath of bigotry and racism. Continuous combat of this nature will leave a sense of dread and despair no matter how many times we have overcome…

For example, for the last 10 years, Virginia governors fought to ease the path to Restoration of ex-felons rights. In a single term, Glenn Youngkin secretly rolled back automatic expungement without ever addressing the public about the change. But why? What does Glenn Youngkin have to fear from a fuller version of the right to vote? He has to fear YOU!

Political skepticism is the biggest threat to change. Feeling like your vote doesn’t matter, your voice won’t change anything, that the vote is ‘rigged,’ are all thoughts that trap you in a form of political slavery where you willingly give up your fate to the hands of those who’ve already condemned you.

We’ve already heard the stories about how vicious southerners became when former slaves were granted the right to vote. Through those acts of brutality and intimidation, we can surmise how important and powerful the vote is in this country. Even in modern day – look at how Donald Trump played with the idea of the vote being rigged to charge up his base and turned them on the capitol.

Minorities often complain about how politicians are constantly pandering them – encouraging them to get out and vote for them – yet minorities are still skeptical about whether their vote even matters. The fact is that Democrats need a large portion of the minority vote to win the presidential office in any given year.

Let’s look at it this way: if the vote is real (which I most certainly believe it is), then not going out to vote has very real life-costing consequences. The greatest threat that must be overcome is the captive thinking of political skepticism.

What’s Free!? Freedom in this country looks like every single American voting in EVERY election – whether they’re an ex-felon, incarcerated, or free.

-Q

Prompt Questions (Thought Starters for the Incarcerated Population):

Can you identify examples of political skepticism in your every day life? Does it affect you? Why or why not?

How do you feel about the recent changes Govorner Youngkin made to the restoration of rights?

Being ineligible to vote yourself, how do you plan to be involved in the upcoming state elections for the Virginia General Assembly members?

How do you think that society can benefit from every American being able to vote?

“The Capitol is Being Stormed!” -Q.Patterson

Brilliance’s annual ode to black history has me checking the archives again for a bit of Hov. We are two years post wake of the January 6th Riot, and Jay Z’s take on the event still strikes every part of me that remains utterly disgusted with what took place that day…

“You let these crack-ahs storm ya capitol and put they feet up on ya desk/ and you talking tough to me? I lost all my lil respect.”- Jay-Z

“What It Feels Like” is the title of the track Jay featured on with the late great Nipsey Hussle. Here is where Jay felt the need to address the government and there handling of the January 6th riot compared to how the country continues to treat its black citizens with blatant injustice, violence, and death.

Some could easily take this statement as anti-government, but I see it as a patriot’s expression of great disappointment in it’s country. Most of America and the rest of the world witnessed America under siege.

Most cannot disregard, though they won’t to be forthcoming enough to admit it, the reality that if the insurrectionists had been predominantly of another race, the classification of a riot would have had to take a backseat to what would have been a race massacre… Now the problem isn’t with the potential of a massacre actually happening, but the fact that race holds such a stranglehold on our country’s mind. Race holds such a stranglehold on the minds of Black Americans.

As a Black American Man, I feel as if I could see it unfolding right before my eyes– minorities being violently subdued and put to death on the spot for having the sheer audacity to storm the capitol of the united states. Heinous, but sadly, it is something black people actually fear would have happened.

Jay-Z raises a voice in defiance of such fears, while pointing out the unfair treatment that continues to eat away at the integrity of this country. Jay uses his immense platform to rally the Black populace to demand the respect of its government.

I, for one, feel that Black Americans do not do enough to hold the government accountable. Jay looks to lead that way for others who may feel a little dejected by January 6th, but he doesn’t invoke despair or an increased awareness of white supremacy. He ask for anger and assertiveness. He wants Black Americans to know that they are worthy of just as much respect as any other race in America…

I agree.

-Q. Patterson

A Breeding Ground for Sociopaths?

One of the more interesting – and disturbing – correlations I’ve found in my seven years of incarceration is the relationship between the length of stay one endures in prison, and their tendency to display and employ sociopathic, harmfully-manipulative behavior. Naturally, one must ask: post hoc, ergo propter hoc – does one thing actually proceed from the other? Or is this merely bias-infected coincidence? To be fair to logic, I must preempt my argument with that caveat.

I tend to see prison as an incubator of anti-social behavior. This, in my experience, is one of the fundamental flaws of the “system.” One may enter this environment, after truly making a bad decision, as an otherwise upright, moral and ethical person, complete with the normal range of empathetic regard for other people. But after years and years of grinding it out in such a hostile, negative environment, rife with personalities who are and have always been truly predatory, these normal, good people can adopt antisocial, manipulative behavior pattern as means to survive. And, after years of stewing in this muck, the system chucks them back out into polite society, declaring them rehabilitated, when in reality, they are anything but. They now have a whole new set of skills, skills which are detrimental to society.

This is a systemic failure.

Prison resembles a bit of a command-type economy: resources are doled out by the administrators, and there are zero ownership rights to anything, even the property you buy; in an instant, anything you “own” can be seized by the state, under any pretext. This isn’t a conducive environment, on economic grounds, for social harmony, to say nothing of viewing it through the other human sciences.

There are many people in a housing unit, but limited phones, limited kiosks (an email-esque service), limited ways to stay connected to the outside world. Likewise, there is limited sustenance, as well as limited means to make a “living,” as if slave wages can be considered as such. From a Maslowian perspective, prisoners are kept far, far away from the pinnacle of the human experience: self-actualization. And if Maslow is even half right – which some would regard him to be – humans will do what they must to claw their way up his pyramid.

So people adapt. And after years of fighting for the most basic of necessities, they maladapt. Can anyone really blame them?

In my life, I’m exposed to two extremes of prisoner: very short timers and very long timers. By and far, it is the very long timers who exhibit the most dangerous, zero-sum, manipulative behavior. They are, as the colloquialism would have them, thoroughly institutionalized. And there are those too who straddle these extremes, men with practical life sentences, which they are now just beginning to serve. Interestingly, it is they who help bolster my argument, as, over time, their reality sets in, and they begin to display new, antisocial behaviors; they are the transition cases that supports my hypothesis.

And I have trouble finding fault with most of these men. Truly, even I, a person who consciously, obsessively attempts to jettison his innate, and overwhelmingly normal, ego- and sociocentric tendencies, with a rudimentary understanding of metacognition, has to diligently guard against falling for the allure of an easier life by manipulating those around me, because the temptation is there. How could it not be?

So I put myself in the shoes of other people, more than I did as a free man, knowing well the temptation not to. Sometimes that’s bewildering and painful. Even just yesterday, I had a difficult conversation with a man who has done a tremendous amount of time. Respecting his privacy, I’ll call him Charles.

Charles isn’t a horrible guy, despite making a horrible decision all those years ago. Yet after so many years, his ethical framework has morphed into something totally self-serving and delusional.

Like so many contentious interactions in prison, this one revolved around a phone. Apparently I had vexed this man in my attempt to use a phone earlier than I had intended, which I actually did to conform to his need to use it at a particular time. Intentionally seeking to avoid conflict, I was confronted with it anyway. And afterwords, I was gaslighted to be made to feel that, notwithstanding my attempt to avoid conflict, I’d caused it anyway. The whole episode was bewildering; but, during it all, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for this man. He was truly just trying to look out for his own self-interest, not only in using the scarce resource of a phone, but also in trying maintain the even scarcer resource of his dignity. He’s simply a product of his environment. And had literally no idea he was acting in an antisocial manner. Total solipsism, totally unintentional.

Paradoxically, the society thought he needed 30-plus years to rehabilitate himself. And it hasn’t turned out so well, which I have a hard time faulting him for. This environment reinforces behavior like Charles exhibits. And the extra time he’s served hasn’t helped in that regard. It seems to have hurt.

This is the fault of the system, because the system, despite its Orwellian insistence otherwise, does very little to actually rehabilitate. Structurally, it can’t. It is designed on the assumption of low taxpayer cost, resource-starved to its core, totally isolated from the democratic process. Modern prison is nothing more than a warehouse, full of men and women waiting to be pulled off the shelf, when their number pops up, and shuffled out the door, “rehabilitated.”

In the interim, the longer they are here, the higher the chance of maladaptive behavior patterns forming, the higher the chance of institutionalization. What good, precisely, does this do them. And more importantly, what good does it do society?

Correlation isn’t causation. This is all anecdotal. Yet I see a trend, nevertheless.

Christopher Read
#1770228
Haynesville Correctional Center
Haynesville, VA

The Loudest Voice is Our Vote

While sitting in the Birmingham jail, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in longhand his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Within this letter, he stated how he couldn’t sit idly by in Atlanta, his home state, and not be concerned about what was happening in Birmingham. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

In my 23 years of incarceration, I live with the direct result of an injustices I created. This injustice is now effecting me and many others and that injustice is: “NOT VOTING.”

In November of 1994, my late father-in-law warned me of not voting. It was during this time that Mr. George Allen was campaigning for governor. His campaign was fueled by the ‘tough on crime’ mantra, with the abolishing of parole as the prize for electing him as governor. I never paid much attention. And to be honest I really didn’t care. Never in a million years did I think that abolishing parole would become like a modern day genocide.

I know that crime must be dealt with, and we all want a safe society. However, many make mistakes, are remorseful and seek rehabilitation to become a better person.

Now in 2023, I find myself facing a very lengthy prison sentence, without the possibility of parole. During these past 20 years, I have met many individuals, some guilty, and a few not guilty. I’ve also met many who, through the rehabilitative process are better and different people today. But the majority of us continue to find ourselves at the mercy of the governor to one day enjoy the freedom that we took for granted and forfeited.

I didn’t vote in 1994, the following year (1995), he fulfilled his promise and abolished parole in Virginia. I’m living in the results of not voting. Many think that my one vote doesn’t matter, just think in a small town, someone won a school board seat winning 3 to 2. Voting matters from our local elections to the highest elections. Voting is actually your voice!!

I lost my right to vote; now, I try to inspire others to vote. I speak to inmates often telling them to encourage their family to vote. Yes, we’ve lost our rights to vote. But think if each of the 37,000 plus inmates in Virginia would inspire 10 people to vote, that would be would be 370,000 votes cast. Yes, it would be in different districts, but I promise you this would make a difference.

So inspire your family and friends to vote. When they ask if they can help, say yes, Vote!! Also tell them to get in touch with their elected officials, from their local representative (senate and delegate) to your national (senate and delegate) prior to elections. If these elected officials will not return your email, letter, or call, then thats a blatant example of them not EARNING your vote.

It’s time that they realize that our votes must not be taken for granted but must be earned.
Let them know what issues effect you and your community. These elected officials are there because of you and for you.

It’s time that we stop being “Democrats, Independent or Republican.” We are humans with a voice, and the loudest voice is our VOTE. It’s time that they stop taking us for granted. Many have gone before us before us, oftentimes being jailed and treated harshly for wanting to vote. We no longer have to count the “jelly beans” in jar. We just have to register. Pass on the importance of voting on to your kids.

To my fellow ex offenders, vote for us! Make getting your rights restored a priority. Speak out for change.
Its time that we stop giving away what many others earned through their blood, sweat, tears and some death.

Many died for us to have the right to vote, don’t give it away, because this injustice is a threat to justice everywhere.

Samuel E Harris #1026738
Lawrenceville Correctional Center

Suffolk, Virginia

(Sam) a successful car salesman in the Tidewater Area who suffered an accident while in service to his country and later diagnosed with PTSD by the Department of Veterans Affairs, but later denied treatment due to bureaucratic red-tape, caused him to self-medicate and lead to his incarceration for robbery with a 220 year sentence, with 60 to serve. In spite of his situation of incarceration, he has used the last 23 years to rehabilitate and become the devout man of God he is, that has served others through the positions and platforms he’s held within prison. He’s also co-authored several books :”Beyond The Shackles” and ” Speaking Out for Change” as well as authoring his own book ” A Double Minded Man” soon to be released. He can be contacted via US mail or email @ JPay.com Samuel E Harris #1026738

It Would Forever Unfit Him To Be a Slave

“….A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master – to do as he is told. Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world. Now,” he said, “if you teach that nigger (speaking of myself) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no good, but a great deal of harm. It would make him discontent and unhappy.” – (The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas)

Within the above quote, Frederick Douglas recounts the moment his slave master admonished his wife for teaching him (Frederick Douglas) the alphabet. According to Frederick Douglas, his enslaver was fearful that an education would make him unfit to be a slave. After witnessing this exchange Douglas was certain that the words his master spoke were true. He now understood that Whites greatest power over Blacks was their ability to keep them blinded through their ignorance. From this moment on, Douglas became obsessed with learning to read and write. But since his mistress now forbade him to learn, Douglas had to devise clever ways to get around the social barriers that made it unlawful for him to learn.

This quote is relevant today, because we now live in an era where the White power structure once again has erected new barriers that prohibit Black children from learning. Groups like Moms For Liberty have lobbied for, and Republican leaders like Florida’s Governor Desantis, have passed laws outlawing Critical Race Theory and banning books by Black authors that address race issues in America. The deprivation of a quality education for Black children remains a prominent agenda of White supremacy in America.

If Blacks living in America today hope to overcome the education barriers of our era, then we must adopt the resolve of Frederick Douglas. We must adopt the mentality that any where we are at can be transformed into a classroom and we must use every conceivable opportunity and resource at our disposal to educate ourselves and our children. As a race, we cannot allow our ability to learn to be limited by our group’s inability to receive a quality education inside of the White power structures public schoolhouse.

I once heard a story about this ancient philosopher. It is said one day one of his students came to him requesting additional education. The philosopher looked as his pupil and said, “You want to know what else I have to teach you?” The pupil replied, “Yes!” The philosopher told his pupil, “Follow me.” The two men walked to the coastline and the philosopher enter the water where it was waste deep and gestured for his pupil to follow. When they both were submerged waste deep in the water the philosopher said, “Now I will show you what else I have to teach you.” The philosopher grabs his pupil’s head and pushes it down into the water. The two struggle as the philosopher continues to hold the pupil’s head beneath the water. Finally, the philosopher relents and the pupil comes up from the water gasping for breath. The philosopher looks at him and says, “This is what I have to teach you. You should want knowledge the same way you wanted air.”

Ensuring that Black children in America are receiving a quality education is something that we have taken for granted. But when we are deprived of it, or it under threat to be taken away. We quickly realize just how important it is to our overall survival as a race of people. This should naturally produce resistance within us and create a power struggle where we fight now begin the fight for power, we now understand why it important for us alone to control our own education the same way the drowning man understands why he needs to fight for control over his right to breathe independently.

Lord Serious Hakim Allah
#1404741

Lord Serious is an author, artist, activist, blogger, and representative of the Nation of Gods and Earths and the Director of Umoja Nation. His latest children book “Squirrels, Beavers, And Everyone Else” is scheduled to be released in March as an eBook on LuLu, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and most major distributors where ebooks are sold. Work Release (The Mixtape), Vol. 1 is available on his social media pages @ Lord Serious Speaks. Lord Serious is the co-author of the “10 TOES DOWN” drug rehabilitation program and interactive facilitator of this program and the “My Next Step” program at Lawrenceville Correctional Center.

Many Small Particles

First of all thank you guys for giving my thoughts a voice box!! All too often, thoughts and ideas, dreams, and/or aspirations are severed due to the inability of us with them to have an outlet or audience to express them to!!! So thank you!!!

My quote has a small background in that I’ve currently been incarcerated for 27 years straight and counting!! And in 2000, while in longterm segregation at Red Onion State Prison of which I did 3 years 10 months and 17 days straight of “HOLE” time, I was studying Marcus Garvey, (my personal idol) and in his book he said: “We are but small particles, and it takes many small particles to make up a unit, and many more units to make up a WHOLE!!!”

Meaning, we are but parts and pieces that has to be brought together to make up a whole, and even when brought together, we still have to be adhesive enough to actually grow and bond in order for it/us to work!!! We as a people always find ourselves looking at what we don’t have in common and how different we are and we use that as our guides to discredit or to reject others instead of focusing in on what we want to achieve and how our different ideas and methods or approaches can be of a greater benefit!!! We all too often say the same thing but say it different!!! We can be so much more powerful, we can be so much more effective if we allow our differences to be the magnetic force that pulls us together, instead of being the thing that drives us apart!!!

The American Mafia did more with less! They made billions of dollars with far less people, than say for instance these modern day gangs whose numbers are in the 100,000 whilst collectively they don’t have a million dollars!!! The economic freedoms and opportunities that are ever present today literally have paved roads to success should we take the proper steps!!! But with ignorance, unbalanced preconceived notions we trip ourselves up and those that can or are in a position to help aren’t even given a chance when we snatch the rug from under foot “just because” all too often, we let what separates us guide us and when wonder why we can’t progress!!! We are all survivalists, but we can stand a better chance to NOT only survive but succeed in any endeavor should we look to each other and look at each other as supports rather than adversarial pieces that hinder us.

We can be as different as we naturally are but have the same common goals, objectives, methods, etc… without ever having to sacrifice who and what we are! People with shared ideas/dreams have a higher probability to succeed working with others rather than going at it alone!! Fighting for freedom which a lot of guys imprisoned typically do realize pretty quickly that outside of placing oneself in the vicinity of a crime that fighting for freedom with poor representation does NOT hold well!!! So why do we represent ourselves so poorly????

We sit back and allow others (strangers even) to represent US based off of whatever information/lies/disillusionment that we feed them instead of caring enough to educate ourselves to a point where we stand up and fight for ourselves!!! Every day we wake up to is another unique opportunity to do better than the day before, it can be a day to learn more than the day before, but more than anything everyday we wake up we should always challenge ourselves to do more than the day before!!!!

Most people find weakness in working together, or feel weakened by it!!! It sounds crazy but its the raw truth!!!! When I read the quote from Marcus Garvey, I realized that alone I am small and almost insignificant, but put with the rest of Hashems’ (God’s) creation I become significant and relevant which carries over to those around me and to those who share in my plight, to those who share in my pain,I implore you to now share in my effort!!!

Abraham didn’t know that through His progression that He would advance from Abram and Moses asked God, “Why me for I am slow of speech?” Hashem (God) said, “Go!!! I will be your words!!” We are living in our predestined paths all of which God has chosen specifically for us!!! But we must know that the world spins whether we witness it or not and its our egos and self doubt that holds us back and our circumstances derive from OUR thoughts!!!

In order to rise, we must stand!!! Alone we are small and together we are strong it takes us all and if my insecurities make it hard for me to stand up, will you please give me a hand or boost????!!! Your helping hand and your time and your ears are what gives me the confidence to face myself and the inner changes that I need to make to rise above my past and current circumstances to be lifted to a higher place and peace of mind!!!! Let the God in me commune with the God in you!!! That simple truth can break down so many barriers, walls, prejudices, etc!!!

It takes many units to make up a whole, which means it takes us all!

Yours Truly,
Andrew Suspense, B.K.A. Droopy
#1127539
Lawrenceville Correctional Center

Black America Inside Out ’23

Words from Q:
It has been 3 years since the team at BrillianceBehindBars.com set out to show the world that there are living, breathing, intelligent men and women incarcerated and worthy of a voice.

In this short time, Brilliance has gained a multitude of incarcerated contributors spanning several prisons and correctional centers across Virginia. Brilliance has continued to provide a unique platform for incarcerated voices to sound off on current events affecting their lives and the lives of their families. We have even gained the attention of several Virginia state legislators! To top it all off, a group of our contributors have been actually able to meet with state officials!

Brilliance continues to build with the hearts and minds of the incarcerated at its center. We are being noticed. We are being heard. We are here because of all the work of our team and incarcerated contributors. I’m proud of what our community has been able to accomplish, but the struggle never stops, so neither can we. Let’s keep it going!

Please continue to encourage your loved ones to get active and support the efforts of our freedom fighters who keep our voices and faces front and center of the media, the public, and VA lawmakers. They ensure that we are not forgotten…

Continue to spread the love for your fellow incarcerated. None of us want to be here, but since we have to, let’s be creative, constructive, and uplifting. Do the time, don’t let the time do you.

I have great love for all of you and your families.

Love, Light, and Godspeed,
Q.

BlackAmericaInsideOut ’23 Assignment – 3rd Year

Participants are asked to take a quote from a prominent Black American figure, past or present, and write a short essay, compose a poem, or any type of written creative work explaining what that quote means to you and its relevance to our current situation in this country…

Remember: Add your name, number, and where you are from. People may see your submissions, so let em’ know who you are.