Uncertainty (FEAR/COVID-19)

I know the purpose of this writing prompt was to shine the spotlight on how the incarcerated individual is coping with his fears and the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m sure others will leave you all thoroughly informed on how this virus has been effecting the day to day operations in prison. Therefore, my approach will address a fear the prisoner and the free citizen both share in common. And that is the uncertainty surrounding the job market and our ability to provide for ourselves in the post-Coronavirus world.

The April jobs report shows that 20.5 million jobs have been lost. This has pushed U.S. unemployment to its highest levels since the Great Depression, and it has virtually wiped out all of the jobs recovered since the 2008 Great Recession.

I wonder what will our new normal be when the smoke clears? Will local small businesses recover, and if not then how will this effect the economy in my community? How will corporate America respond? Will they downsize the number of laborers and other minimal skill positions that people like me need? And if so, then what employment opportunities will be available to me when I am released from prison?

I expect that the post-COVID-19 world will look something like this:

When you go to retail stores and fast food restaurants there will be less cashiers and more self-serve/self-checkout lines where patrons can use touch screens and credit cards.

Within factories, manufacturing plants, and warehouses all over America the automated machines will outnumber the people on the floor. And trucking companies and delivery services will replace drivers with autonomous vehicles and drones. Even janitorial positions will be effected by industrial robots that sweep and mop floors.

I fear that any job that can be performed more efficiently and cheaply using artificial intelligence, corporate America will replace even more of their human employees with robots. I know that it is the essential workers in these minimal skills jobs who are the most expendable. I know that it is the essential workers in these minimal skills positions who were the most exposed and some of the most vulnerable. And I know that corporate America is cold blooded enough not to give a damn about whether these minimal skills people can keep food on their table, or pay their rent to keep a roof over their heads. All corporate America cares about is their bottom line.

There are stores and companies that have already invested in this type of technology. Anyone with eyes can see that this is where the future is heading. The only reason this trend hasn’t become a full fledge transition into automation yet, is because the technology is still too expansive. However, as the necessities of the society drives demand and innovation, more technological advancements will be discovered. Today’s time consuming and expensive methods will be replaced by cheaper and quicker methods. It is crisis like this pandemic that drive this sort of entrepreneurial spirit. Thus my fears are inevitable.

In my book, APOTHEOSIS LORD SERIOUS HAKIM ALLAH’S HABEAS CORPUS APPEAL, I suggest that learning the skill of computer coding will provide job security for people like me. This is a skill that is in high demand. Since most companies will be using AI and robots. They all will be in need of humans to secure their networks, run diagnostics on their machines, and perform trouble shooting when glitches occur. Learning the skill of computer coding will make you an indispensable asset to society. I hope this encourages you to look into new career opportunities. Unfortunately for me, the Virginia Department of Corrections does not provide this sort of training to those within its’ custody. (Smdh). Peace!

– Lord Serious Hakim Allah / J. Boughton Jr., Chesapeake, VA #1404741

Lord Serious Hakim Allah is the author of the controversial book APOTHEOSIS LORD SERIOUS HAKIM ALLAH’S HABEAS CORPUS APPEAL available now on Amazon.com for $10.00 plus s/h. It is a must read.

Fear: Writing Prompt

The year of 2020 was anticipated with promise of change. Many of us prisoners here in Virginia were looking towards possibility of some relief, but as quickly as that light came, brilliant and burning with hope, the quicker that flame was doused and the gloom of despair and uncertainty reclaimed the reigns of our community. This time, the darkness came in a form fit for global impact – a pandemic. pestilence. 2020: affectionately dubbed the year of clarity and vision by most of us, has quickly wrapped into 2020: the year of the coronavirus.

Incarcerated populations across America have been affected by the disease at various rates. On the low end, staff’s refusal to work in possibly infected areas is slowing operations. At the high end, the highly communicable virus rapidly spreading throughout the confined quarters of prison communities, where social distancing is literally impossible.

So far, there is no apparent sign that the virus is here at Lawrenceville, but the proliferation of COVID-19 across cable television, the woes of our family members by phone, the statewide directives locking down prisons, and distributing sneeze guards keep fears fluid and real from one side of the gates to another.

Fear: the surrender of the help that comes from reason.

Behind the walls, fear is king. As incarcerated people, we deal with a set of fears most others do not. We depend on staff for almost every necessity. If conditions became somewhat apocalyptic and society destabilizes, prisoners will either be legally executed or abandoned in cells to futilely fend for themselves… a fear permanently etched in the back of the mind, and at the center is the motivation for all fear — the idea of survival.

Prompt: Define fear in your words. What are some of your fears? How do you see yourself overcoming them? What do you think could be done to alleviate today’s fears of sickness and death?

– Quadaire Patterson, Creator, Organizer, Writer VADOC #1392272

Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know wants to write on this prompt this month and be featured on BrillianceBehindBars.com, send an email to yourlovedoneq@gmail.com with the essay and bio to review, or we can add inmate numbers to our Brilliance Behind Bars JPay to allow them to contact us directly.

Limitation.

FREEDOM.

What does this word mean to me? 7 letters with such a powerful impact that becomes more than the actual verb of the word itself. What I thought was freedom – able to come & go at will, no limitability – was just barely scratching the surface of what it truly represented. See, being incarcerated for a long time gives new meaning to simple (everyday) normalcy; and with time normally comes wisdom & insight. With that said, knowing the dynamics of its core definition, freedom does not necessarily mean that one is free to do whatever (without barriers). It just means you’ve been let go (for temporary purposes). But don’t get it twisted, you’re not all the way free. You still got limitations on your blackside. As a human being, coming into existence puts a limit on you; so you are never “free” to really be free, or have freedom.

A good prime example: this COVID-19 virus that is seriously affecting the worlds population right now. There is no freedom in that or from it. Young or old, big or small, hot or bitter cold, it affects all that comes into contact with it. This strips all of their “so – called” freedom in one form or another. If its not the virus itself, then its the government restrictions placed on society’s movements. New news for all of us!

Freedom is something that one will never really experience, due to life limitations & restrictions, no matter how much or hard one tries to achieve such. It’s just one of the many possibilities that we’ll never reach, no matter the exerted energy into it. Sad as they say, but so very true to the essence & core of the meaning. That’s my take and overstanding of the issue here.

– D.Moyler – Words of Wisdom :-), #1119539, Virginia

WHAT’S FREEDOM? Lord Serious and His Thoughts on HB1532

There are two kinds of freedom in this world. Actual freedom and nominal freedom. Actual freedom consists of all of the rights, duties, responsibilities, rewards and burdens that come along with being a free people. Nominal freedom consist of granted privileges that can be taken away. Actual freedom is expressed by the will of the people and their God-given right to exercise self determination as a people. Nominal freedom is expressed in statutory laws that prohibit those who are actually free from discriminating against those who are only nominally free. Those who are actually free understand that freedom cannot be granted by any man made law because all men are actually born free. However, those who are nominally free are free in name only. Society tells them they have been granted their freedom and they believe this to be true simply because they have been given more privileges.

The nominally free voluntarily hand over their will power to those who are actually free. This is due to their miseducation on what freedom really is.

Free people have their own land. Free people form their own governments. Free people build their own school systems and teach their own children. Free people grow their own food to feed themselves, and what they cannot grow on their own land they will trade with another nation of free people to get the things they need. Yes, free people are free to make trade agreements with other nations of the world. But the nominally free are not permitted to do any of these things.

For the nominally free, when they purchase land they must pay property tax to those who really own the land. The nominally free do not form their own government, instead they rely on the government of their enslavers to protect them. The nominally free think they have achieved a level of success if they can send their children to one of their enslavers most prestigious schools. The nominally free are dependent upon their enslavers government assistance to provide them with food and shelter. And the nominally free are so brainwashed that the idea of finding a foreign connect and establishing a direct line of trade for anything other than drugs, would be ungrateful to the middle man who is their enslaver. He’s done such a terrific job of taking care of them, that it almost seems unfair to cut him out of the deal.

I’m tired of being only nominally free. Nothing less than actual freedom will satisfy me now. However, this kind of freedom cannot be gained as an individual. It must be achieved collectively by a group of people who share a determined idea. I am writing this hoping to connect with more people like me so that we may put our heads together and devise a plan of action to succeed in such an undertaking.

Now, I will briefly express my thoughts on the Virginia General Assembly’s decision to Amend HB 1532. In it’s original form this proposed House Bill would have been the most impactful prison reform in Virginia since the abolition of parole in 1995. The original version permitted those who are incarcerated in state prison to earn up to 30 days good time credit for every 30 days served. It would be retroactively applied to both violent and nonviolent felons. This would effectively reduced a state prisoners time potentially by 50%. To meet this criteria the prisoner would have to remain charge free and enroll in educational programs, vocational programs, and other rehabilitative programs such as Anger Management, Substance Abuse, etc. I actually supported the passage of this bill over the one that would repeal the abolition of parole. My reason is HB 1532 in its original form permits all prisoners with two priceless things: it would give us a chance to redeem ourselves; and second, it would also allow us to control our own destiny. However, the amended version of HB 1532 was not all inclusive. This version would only offer this earned good time credit to nonviolent offenders.

Obviously, members of the Virginia House of delegates are of the opinion that Virginia’s violent felons do not deserve an opportunity for redemption. This is extremely hard to swallow, especially after watching reports on the news showing U.S. officials negotiating peace and signing agreements with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Do you mean to tell me that America is ready to forgive the terrorist organization responsible for the most violent terrorist attack committed on American soil (911), but America is unwilling to forgive the violent felon in Virginia? Do we live in a nation that is accepting of a double standard that grants reprieve to the terrorists responsible for murdering thousands in cold blood, but it demands retribution from the violent criminal who hurt far less people? This is just another example of governmental mismanagement and American hypocrisy. When viewed through this lens, I challenge any of Virginia’s state legislatures to defend this ridiculous policy. But I see through the deceptive wording of this bill’s race-neutral language, and will expose it for the discriminatory political farce that it really is. The problem with HB 1532 in its original version, is that it benefits too many Black and Brown men. The amended version is designed to offer relief to those who fell victim to the “opioid crisis” otherwise known as White people. The individual mental, physical or spiritual freedom of members of the minority in this country, can guarantee no long term security for that individual. Our only hope to achieving actual freedom, real freedom… freedom from racism and discrimination will only be achieved when we begin fighting for the freedom of all Black souls as if they were our own.

– Lord Serious Hakim Allah / J. Boughton Jr., Chesapeake, VA #1404741

Lord Serious Hakim Allah is the author of the controversial book APOTHEOSIS LORD SERIOUS HAKIM ALLAH’S HABEAS CORPUS APPEAL available now on Amazon.com for $10.00 plus s/h. It is a must read.

The Battle is Within, by Brandon C. L. Hope

Greetings to the readers, my name is Brandon C.L. Hope. I am 19 years of age. I am incarcerated at Lawrenceville Correctional Facility in Virginia. I have been incarcerated since the age of 14. Through the process that the judicial system has put me through, I have become enlightened to many beautiful things of this country that we live in, but I have also been enlightened to many detrimental issues.

Right now, I would like to speak to the topic of “What’s free?”

Despite my obvious lack of freedom, and despite all the complaints that could be brought to society’s attention, that is not the aspect of free that I would like to indulge in at this particular time.

The lack of freedom that I would like to bring attention to, is that of not the oppressed, but that of the oppressor. Yes, the oppressed obviously lack freedom, but freedom is not just physical. There is also a mental and spiritual aspect to freedom. Although we, the oppressed, often view the oppressors as powerful and free, that is not truth at all. The truth is that the mindset of oppression has enslaved humanity.

Often times, the oppressor only oppresses because of demons and struggles they battle within their personal life. So, the simple fact is, that the battle for freedom is not the oppressed against the oppressor, nor the oppressor against the oppressed… the battle is within. The fight is humanity against physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional slavery. Unity is key.

Thank you for your time…

– Brandon C. L. Hope, From Hampton, VA

Victories.

“You, Hannibal, know how to win battles. But you do not know how to use your victories.” – Maharbal, Numidian Cavalryman Commander

The above quote is a portion of a conversation help between Hannibal, the Supreme Commander of Carthaginian Army and the captain of his Numidian Calvary. Hannibal has just handed the Romans their most devastating defeat at the Battle of Cannae and Maharbal was eager to ride ahead to the gates of Rome. But instead, Hannibal chose to enjoy the moment and celebrate his victory. Nevertheless, this African general was a military genius and one of the world’s greatest military leaders. In fact, the strategies he used during his 16 year war with Rome are currently being studied by military cadets in academies all over the world.

This battle was fought in Cannae, Italy in the summer of 216 B.C. However, it is still a relevant piece of black history today. Because like Hannibal, Black people in America have also won many battles. We have won battles against slavery and segregation. We have won battles for civil rights, voting rights, and even the battle to get Barack Obama into the White House. Yet, today, black men are still disproportionally living in handcuffs and chains. Black women are still overworked and underpaid. Black children are still receiving sub-standard educations when compared to their white counterparts. Regardless of how many battles we won, every black generation after Hannibal has lost the war – simply because we have yet to learn how to use our victories.

– Lord Serious Hakim Allah / J. Boughton Jr., Chesapeake, VA #1404741

Author of “Apotheosis Lord Serious Hakim Allah’s Habeas Corpus Appeal” and “The Powerless Pinky” both are available on Amazon.com. You can email him at: IamLordserious@gmail.com.

Prison.

“When I was in prison, I read an article – don’t be shocked when I say that I was in prison. You’re still in prison. That’s what America means: prison.” – Malcolm X

Every prison has a warden, and Uncle Sam is yours. When you’re in prison you have to work, because Warden Sam will throw anyone who refuses to work in the “hole” (debt). In prison, minimum wage is $0.27, for you its about $10.00 an hour. In here, we think we’re making big money if you get a $0.45 job, likewise, you think you’re advancing if you can make $17.00 an hour. But when we both get paid the Warden takes his cut out of our miserable checks first! Then with what we have left we get overcharged for the basic necessities we need to survive, in prison we call it commissary, but you call it going grocery shopping. With our remaining balance, we pay for the little comforts that bring us joy and find ourselves broke all over again. Now, we have to get a high interest loan just to make it through the rest of the week. In prison, we call the loan shark a store box, but you’ve been tricked into calling it a pay day loan. You get one soup, he needs two back, for two sodas he wants three back. When you’re in prison, you can’t earn a livable wage that allows you to sustain yourself so you find yourself miserable, in debt, and you’re left feeling like the walls are closing in on you.

Words.

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Choose your words, for they become actions.
Understand your actions, for they become habits. Study your habits, for they become your character. Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny.” – Supreme Understanding

The choices you make take on a life of their own, and they produce a culture of either success or failure. Ultimately, its up to you. In choosing which actions and attitudes you will make yours, you decide the way you’ll live. You choose your habits. You choose your addictions.

-Gangsta Pooh / D. Moore, #1414484, From Norfolk, Virginia

Education.

“As you shouldn’t expect another man to give you the clothing that you need to cover your own body, so you should not expect another race to give you the education to challenge their right to monopoly and mastery; to take for yourself that which they also want for themselves… if he will rob you of your wages, he will also rob you of your education that would enable you to know that he is robbing you of your wages.” – Marcus Garvey

Marcus Garvey was the founder of United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) which was he larger black movement in modern history. Marcus Garvey taught black nationalism and black independence from our enslavers and colonizers. He recognized that the white power structures secret to success was its ability to keep blacks all over the world trapped in a state of dependency – economically, politically, socially, intellectually, and spiritually. Marcus Garvey taught that blacks would never truly be free until we first establishes our own educational institutions.

This quote remains relevant today because the school-to-prison pipeline is a tool currently being used by this same system to suffocate our children’s thirst for knowledge by keeping them out of classrooms and pushing them into prison cells. In my book, Apotheosis Lord Serious Hakim Allah’s Habeas Corpus Appeal, I have an entire chapter dedicated to solving this problem plaguing the black community. I give a history analysis on how this system uses the financial hardships of their households, and our community’s lack of economic opportunity for them, to create the perfect storm for impoverished black youth. To solve this problem, my book offers practical solutions such as building our own charter schools and private schools. This is the only way to ensure that our children receive a quality education that addresses their needs – and that those who are teaching them will inspire black youth to unlock their hidden potential.

– Lord Serious Hakim Allah / J. Boughton Jr., #1404741, From Chesapeake, VA

Justice.

“An injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. King was respected for his holistic outlook on human and race relationship. He sought to integrate black and white Americans into a better reflection of the virtue, equality.

Today, it is easy to get wrapped in a personal justice, that we disregard the general good and how they are so related. A personal justice now could become a great injustice for the generations to come. For example, the law enabled the inhumane practice of slavery to flourish. A subjective form of justice gave one man rights over another. The generations following the countless battles to reckon the flatter form of justice, now leaves a deep rooted animosity set to threaten any truer expression of justice from taken hold in a near future…

Justice is a vast principle. Ranging over billions of perspectives, yet has a common thread that resonates throughout the human spirit. The ideal justice may not have been realized. But the wounds of injustice steady healing. Just as the tides of injustice are greatly momentous, so too are the tides of true justice. For its arrival, there must be great faith and a practice to match. Because if an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere… undoubtedly, a justice anywhere is a threat to injustice everywhere…

– Quadaire Patterson, VADOC #1392272, From Virginia Beach, VA