en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2394513 Comments by kms5929 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/if-prison-has-taken-anything-away-from-me/#IDComment145265977 But this being said I have read many blogs before this and some man take this as a life changing experience, a chance to do something with their lives and truly learn about themselves, This ma n seems to have lost all hope and not see any good in this situation. This blog makes me for awful for him cause I could not imagine being in his situation. All I can say is I hope that one day he sees something in the situation and why he is in the place he is. That he finds some sort of answer to who he is and what he is supposed to do with his life. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 01:44:31 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/if-prison-has-taken-anything-away-from-me/#IDComment145265977 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/if-prison-has-taken-anything-away-from-me/#IDComment145265922 Reading this blog brought up a lot of thoughts in my mind. First, I cannot imagine what I would be thinking; the things that I would think have been taken away from me. You don’t realize how many things you really have till they are all taken away out of nowhere. I think to me personally prison seems like a dream, like it doesn’t really exist. When I was in high school I took a Criminal Justice class and one of our field trips was actually to a prison. It was unbelievable what I saw when I was there. The people seemed so angry and every chance they had they would yell something insulting to us. Walking around staring at these people behind bars living their life like that really opened my eyes. I will never forget when we went to the girl’s side of the jail a woman turned to me and said “You’ll be here some day.” That phrase will stick with me for so long. As soon as she said that I imagined my life behind bars and how I would feel being there. You never actually think something like that can happen to you before it’s too late. All the freedoms and the little everyday things I would miss would be unbelievable. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 01:44:14 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/21/if-prison-has-taken-anything-away-from-me/#IDComment145265922 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/lifer/#IDComment143254240 I was first thrown off by the use of benign, since usually I see that word affiliated with tumors. Labels are sort of like tumors. However, I am not insinuating that the fellow the author talked to on the street has cancer. Any label on a person could be some form of mental cancer, though, that reaches their self-esteem and spreads. The cancer begins with one person simply imposing a label on you. It first attacks the skin, and if you have tough skin you are able to reflect this toxic radiation. However, for those not as strong, you may allow the cancer to sit dormant on your skin and constantly carry it around. Sometimes there are multiple instances where this cancerous label is heard, and even for the toughest of skin one cannot avoid the sickening effects. As with any disease, the human mind plays a huge part on your stability. When caught in a rough situation, such as imprisonment, many may find it hard to hold themselves together as they would in the free world. The goal is to stick to the assets you have and stay strong. Through any medical emergency one must hold on to the fight. Resistance to labels requires this drive and motivation. When someone does not have the resources to deflect toxic words, a feeling of self-pity drives the person into the self-fulfilling prophecy. To overcome the cancerous labels, you have to stay upbeat especially pertaining to one’s image of oneself. Knowing that you can do it, knowing that you can beat down words that try to beat down you, not only promotes resistance, but creates a wash of self worth over oneself. It’s the chemotherapy of treating an ill mind. These labels can transcend just infecting an individual to adhering their harm to a group of people. Each label used in the letter was plural. Many people are labeled. Many people, of different walks of life, different backgrounds, different individual thoughts, can be grouped together under one title. To stop the epidemic we must resist. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:59:42 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/11/lifer/#IDComment143254240 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment141083564 I found this letter to be very interesting. When I first stated reading it I didn’t really understand what he was talking about. Usually when people describe what a man is, they say things like strong, fearless and things along those lines. You usually never hear somebody talk about a real man is one who treats a women correctly. This letter mad me sad because you can tell he is such a good man now and now he has no chance at love and to be able to really do what he is saying. The fact that he figured all this out after he was sent to jail is so sad and unfortunate because almost all these letters I read I feel like so many of these people make huge mistakes in life but come to jail and really find themselves and the true meaning of life but are stuck behind bars for the rest of their lives. That is another reason why I strongly believe that some lifers should be given second chances. I understand what they did was awful and completely unforgivable but I think it certain situations some people deserve a second chance. This man has realized what he did wrong and is reaching out to us and the people he hurt. I just personally think that some people who are not behind bars like this man are so much worse of a person and do nothing for others. Some of these people, if they are let out, could really make a huge difference in the world. The part that got me the most is when he started reaching out to the girls he hurt and the people that are like him. I think in that part of the letter is when you really feel his sadness and regret towards his whole situation. Fri, 8 Apr 2011 20:37:49 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/03/what-a-man-is/#IDComment141083564 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/27/family/#IDComment139185276 This blog brought up a lot of questions for me. First, I am confused as to why he received his life sentence and why at such a young age. I understand what he is saying at first when he says it is hard to relate to his family. I cannot even imagine trying to relate to my family or friends after being in a situation like he was. When you see jail in the movies or TV shows it seems bad but not a reality. I cannot even imagine what jail is really like on the inside and how it must be to know that you are gong to be there for the rest of your life. I love the part when he says as long as you are willing to love there will always be someone there to love you. I can imagine at first he was flooded with mail from loved ones, friends and family. Then it started to thin out because it was not so “new” I guess you could say. But I imagine you love certain people in your life then your life changes and you find new people who eventually love you too. I believe it is just this process that keeps happening over and over again. Another thing I agree with is that nobody wants to be friends with an asshole. At first I think those people have friends, but after sometime when you mess up so many relationships and people start to realize that they don’t really need you in there life then they have no friends. I think a huge part of why he always has people to love is because he is such a loving person himself. I can imagine after being in prison so long it becomes your home. The people, the routine become so familiar to you that anything else is just strange. Prison for truly good loving people could not really be that bad of a place after all. Fri, 1 Apr 2011 19:54:48 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/27/family/#IDComment139185276 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/fear-2/#IDComment137329753 This is one of the most unbelievable things I’ve ever read. I cannot imagine having a childhood like that and it really makes me think of how lucky I really am. I cannot imagine living in fear of my parents. I cannot believe this actually happened, these are the type of stories you only see in movies and never actually think happen. It makes me sick thinking about that family. To think the whole family was in on it, even the brother and sisters is insane and I can not imagine the type of people it takes to do something this horrific. I don’t know how he fought suicidal feelings growing up like that. It takes an extremely tough person to live through something like that. I just don’t really understand why they did this to him. They went out of their way, telling friends and teachers to not listen to him and everything he told people was a lie. I just don’t understand like why him? I wonder why his parents where like that and what in there past made them want to do this horrific thing to their own son. Another thing that shocks me is why when his brother and sister grew up and realized what was really going on, why didn’t they try to stop it. When he finally tried to move on I wonder what his relationships with the other women where. I can only imagine how hard it must be to be a loving, normal person after an experience like that. I think what he did to the parents in the end they totally deserved. Reading this blog made me angry and resentful towards that family, I could never imagine anyone being able to do that. And how his brother and sister still denied what happened, they are honestly sick people. He seems better now, which is good but what a strong person he is to still believe in god and still believe in life to this day after all he has been through. Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:06:15 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/fear-2/#IDComment137329753 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/14/kids-getting-life-how-is-this-serving-us-really/#IDComment135347304 Most of the time you are easily influenced by peers and elderly’s to do certain things that you do not really understand. To think of a kid being put in a prison with grown men and being raised that way is awful. Basically our justice system is saying that these young kids, who have barely developed mentally, will never change and do not deserve a chance to do so. These kids could really turn into such amazing people because of the rough past they went through. I had read so many blogs on this site and almost every one the person who was sent to jail had the most amazing life changing experience and really learned to love life for what it is. Now if older men and women can do that, imagine what a young kid could turn into, and maybe even one day help other kids that were is his or her position. Sentencing juveniles to life without parole is ridiculous and I think we all know it. We need to come up with a punishment that is suitable for the circumstances of a child and still gives them a chance to have life. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:02:51 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/14/kids-getting-life-how-is-this-serving-us-really/#IDComment135347304 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/14/kids-getting-life-how-is-this-serving-us-really/#IDComment135347267 First off, when I read that Pennsylvania has a total of 464 juvenile lifers in prison, I did not think that it was a ridiculous number. It was till I continued reading to find that other countries only have a few, did I realize it was unbelievable. To think that Pennsylvania is just on part of a country and whole other countries have a lot less than we do is astonishing and obviously means that we need to think very hard about what we are doing. I completely agree with this blog when it says that sentencing juveniles to life without parole is ridiculous. Now I do believe that there should be some type of punishment because they did commit an awful crime, but there punishment should take into account how young they are. If you think about it when you are young you do not really understand what can come of some of the things you do. Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:02:37 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/14/kids-getting-life-how-is-this-serving-us-really/#IDComment135347267 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/28/aging-out/#IDComment132441385 After reading the article about Tyrone Werts is it fascinating to see what he has done with his life. First he had his life taken away from him because of an awful crime. You would think with that type on sentence you wouldn’t know what to do with yourself and just be so upset. I’m sure people who receive the life sentence still end up doing nothing to try to change what they did in the past, and it must be hard because your life has to be spent behind bars. This man took the awful sentence he was given and truly changed his life. He became involved with so many different things and by being in prison he reached out to help others and teach them from his mistakes. He is trying to make the world a better place and make sure others do not make the same mistakes he did. After reading “Aging Out: True Justice, Fairness and Mercy” I do agree with what he is saying. The cost of the state for lifers is so expensive and we need to start cutting down on those costs. I do believe that lifers should be offered parole in certain circumstances. I know it’s a far stretch and they do deserve to be punished for there wrong doing, but don’t you think some of them really could have changed? It would have to be extremely tough to be able to get parole for a lifer, but after reading some of these stories I truly believe that some people that are served a life sentence change in incredible ways. They look at life so differently and with so much understanding, saying which none of us will ever see life. I think some of these men could really make amazing changes in the world by the things they have been through. I think that yes people make awful mistakes but sometimes it’s just what they need to turn their life around. I think Tyrone Werts is an amazing person and the things he has done and will do in the future are just amazing. Fri, 4 Mar 2011 18:55:47 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/28/aging-out/#IDComment132441385 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/reflections/#IDComment128986081 First of all let me first say I do not know how I would feel being in the position he is now and coming from the kind of background he did. You would think with a loving and nurturing family, that someone would not mess up there lives as much as he did. Usually when you think of men like this you automatically link it to a family problem such as a loved on passing away or a abusive father, something along those lines, but never a perfect family. The first think I wonder is how his parents must feel after giving him a life like they did and having him throw it all away. If I was in his position imagine I would be trying to search for what was wrong in my life or what could have lead me to the place I am at today. Like I was saying before it is usually linked to family, and that was a huge part of what he looked at which didn’t surprise me, After realizing nothing went wrong there he thought about his childhood surroundings which a lot of people think is a cause to having something like this happen, but when he said that he thought it was because of his sexual life, I was very surprised. I did not expect that type of thing to affect someone’s life that much to the point where it is basically taken away. To think that something small like that could ruin a persons life, when they really did had everything going for them is so shocking. Although he did find what really went wrong, which is a lot more than people do in their lives. To truly understand yourself and know where you went wrong in life is so incredible because some of us will never really understand ourselves throughout our lives. As soon as he realized what had went wrong he truly tried to change things by warning others and reaching out to those who he had hurt in the past, and I thought that was the most amazing part of his letter. Sat, 19 Feb 2011 01:45:37 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/16/reflections/#IDComment128986081 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/09/4092/#IDComment127152986 I found Remember to be extremely inspiring. When he is listing the people he hasn’t heard from in so long, the smallest things he cannot remember. The line that got to me the most is when he said the women, that he loved, that was his best friend, that he thought he was going to marry, he doesn’t remember the last time he has heard from her is shocking. Although talking from my point of view it seems like easy that of course you would talk to him, I just cant imagine how she must have felt when he took someone else’s life. He lists so many different things, things he doesn’t have or he cant remember the last time he had them, and how many people have never forgiven him for what he’s done. I cant imagine having my whole life thrown away and be forced to live in a small cell for my entire life. To sit there and think about what you have done wrong over and over again, and what you have lost by the stupid mistake you made when you were so young and not able to really realize what you were doing. Like I’ve said before, I fine these men to be more alive than most people ever will in their entire life. They have a deeper understanding of forgiveness and the real meaning of life than most of us ever will. We go through life day to day without realizing what we have been given and how lucky we really are. We take advantage of the simplest things in life; because we wouldn’t know the difference only if it was taken away from us forever. I find that these men find true understanding through God, and knowing no matter what they always have him or her. It doesn’t matter how many people that have left them behind of have forgiven them, they will always have one person that loves them and will always be there. And no matter how low they feel and how bad things get there is always hope because there is always someone there no matter what. Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:32:19 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/09/4092/#IDComment127152986 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/the-other-side-of-life/#IDComment125773419 I found this blog to be truly inspiring. To hear about how a man took someone’s life, and through that found the meaning of life and god is amazing. First of all, I could never imagine how it would feel to take someone’s life. To take that away, end everything for them is unbelievable and I just don’t understand how people can do it. This man has found the meaning of his life through all of that though. Meeting with the family of the victim is the part that is really amazing. To go through that kind of pain and loss and be able to look in the eyes of the person that took that all away and be able to forgive is a remarkable person. Someone who can reach that far down and find forgiveness and understanding is one of the most incredible people I’ve ever heard about. Another thing that was shocking is that he was 15 when he committed the crime and now he is a 51-year-old man. He was basically a child when he took another persons life, and has spent almost his entire life in prison. Even though he has spent almost his whole if in prison, he has probably learned more than he would have ever learned if he weren’t in jail in the first place. From reading a few of these letters, I have seen that these man know more about life than any of us will ever know. They get to really find themselves and really realize the magnitude of what they have done. This man is a truly amazing person because of what he has done to make up for his mistake. He truly understands what he has done, and is trying to make up for it, even to the people he hurt so badly. Through this awful thing in his life, he has somehow found understanding and is reaching a good place in his life. To be able to do this during a time like that is truly amazing and very inspiring. I look forward to reading more of these blogs and hearing peoples stories of how during the worst of times they truly found themselves. Thu, 3 Feb 2011 22:14:40 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/30/the-other-side-of-life/#IDComment125773419 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/24/life-without-parole-001-blog/#IDComment124044762 I found this letter to be very interesting. The way he examines himself and how his moral compass has changed since being in prison is extremely fascinating. If he was not given a life sentence I believe his views would be very different. When you do not live a life behind bars, examining every little detail of life, like this man does your moral compass is very different. It is influenced by people in society and your surroundings. I could not even imagine knowing that the rest of your life is to be spent behind bars, never really experiencing life at all. This man has never done the things that we find to not be very special, but to him they mean so much more. After reading two letters from prisoners in the past week, I believe that they truly understand life more than any of us ever will. To be able to to define your moral path like he does and talk about life in such an understanding way is so fascinating. When he says that if he didn’t call to prison at all he doesn’t think he would have examined his moral compass as much, I think is very true. As I said before your moral is skewed so much by other people and your surroundings, even if we do not like to admit it. We make so many decisions about life based on other people we don’t even notice. We never actually see what life really means, what freedom means unless we really examine it just like these prisoners have. They have so much hope for life and the person they are, it is truly inspiring with the hand they have been dealt in life. I look forward to reading these articles every week because of the insight of life I get and the fascinating things I learn every time I read them. I come out looking further into my life for a better understanding of what it really means to live and be free. I look forward to the many other lessons I will be learning from these letters. Thu, 27 Jan 2011 05:19:47 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/24/life-without-parole-001-blog/#IDComment124044762 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/what-does-it-mean-to-be-free/#IDComment122617136 When I was first told we were going to read articles from men who will most likely spend their entire lives in prison, I expected something very different then what I just read. Trying to put myself in that situation I do not know how I would feel but after reading that blog, I feel that he understands freedom more than most people, who still technically have their freedom, ever will. While reading that list, you never actually think about how many freedoms we really have and how many we take for granted. Most of us in this class have been given things our whole life, like the freedom to go to Penn State, so we never actually think about what it would feel like to have them taken away. From being around loved ones whenever we choose, to just simply going to get something to eat, we have so many freedoms that most of us take for granted. This article was truly inspiring to read. When I got to the end when he said that the greatest freedom is being able to be yourself and think what you want to think, that is when it really hit me. No one can ever take that freedom away from us. This man is freer than most people in this world and appreciates life in a way that some people never will. To be able to be in that situation and still see the good in life and the freedoms you do still have is so inspiring. It teaches me to now pay attention to the things I am given and the things I am able to do without even thinking twice about. It is comforting to know that no matter what there are some things that people can never take away from us, the ability to be ourselves. No matter what no one can change how you feel, think, or what you want. Being able to understand that and accept it is truly freeing itself and brings you so much comfort in life. I am looking forward to reading these articles and looking at life threw someone else’s eyes. Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:01:01 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/15/what-does-it-mean-to-be-free/#IDComment122617136 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cs%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment120797893 soc001 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:41:41 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/01/10/last-name-%e2%80%9cs%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-intense-debate/#IDComment120797893