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I guess I’m jaded… I spent enough time in the Old South (1959-65), including a hell-hole rock-quarry, chain-gang, to give me a bitter taste as to who and what they are: rabid racist dogs (at least many of those who own and police the place).
After another eight years in the “new” South (2001-09), it was clear to me that one need not scratch the surface far to find that ol’ redneck clay still there. more…
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On Wednesday, April 20th, Pfc. Bradley Manning—being held as the WikiLeaks whistle-blower for the past 11 months at the Marine brig in Quantico, VA—was moved to the Joint Regional Correctional Facility (JRCF) in Kansas.
Bradley Manning...
The JRCF is a new facility, built on the USP Leavenworth compound in October of 2010 as part of the Military Corrections Complex. It houses pre-trial inmates and military personnel serving less than five years.
Manning was initially arrested at Forward Operating Base Hammer near Baghdad, Iraq, in May of 2010. He was held under a punitive regimen in maximum-security lock-up, despite not having been convicted of anything.
Pfc. Manning was an intelligence analyst and worked on the US Gov’ts Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SPIRNet). Born in December of 1987, he’s now 23-yrs-old, and is a dual American/British citizen. more…
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Given the fact that the worst manifestations of gov’t have created a punitive and perverted society in the American prison system—much in their own image, I might add—this site has every right and reason to address the question of sexuality in all of its forms relative to the prison experience connection.
My old friend, Rufus Readymeat, made one of his outrageous cracks the other day regarding the recent “coming out” of arch conservative republican, Ken Mehlmann.
“Ha! That cock was crowing for 43 years before he let it out in public!”
I find it ironic justice that the very people who are the chief advocates, if not authors, of the retributive-punitive prison systems, are often such flat out hypocrites themselves. Lifting the rot to the light of exposure occurs so often with the extreme political and religious bigots in society—that it’s practically a maxim. more…
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The first time I walked out to the rec field at “Dream McKean,” I got a few surprises.
The first one was when I noticed one team playing softball dressed in NY Yankee uniforms, and the other team wearing the colors and logo of MacDonald’s. Several of the visiting players were definitely not male.
It was high summer of ’94 and off to one side of the field a rock band was beltin’ out Bob Seger’s “Hollywood Nights.” On the other side, wafted the smoke and aroma of bar-b-que. About all that was missing was the heady scent of reefer… more…
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During the 20 years I’ve spent in the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), I’ve witnessed a variety of sexual situations. There was only one that I could consider to have been coerced. The kid (maybe 20) was a nervous wreck and scared like a chicken spotting a hawk.
Sal Mineo & Don Johnson
He was in and out so fast—checked into segregation and was apparently transferred—that I never did get his story. But I have no shortage of others…
FCI Ray Brook, Lake Placid, NY, was a form of international village of prisoners (in fact, it started out as the Athelete’s Village for the 1980 US Winter Olympics). No one ever accused the US of failing to Romanize the world… more…
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Early one evening in the summer of ’94, a group of us were in Spanish class at FCI McKean, PA. Our instructor, a kindly Cuban lady by the name of Ms. Rodriguez, teaching us for the University of Pittsburgh, suddenly stopped talking as her mouth continued to open and close and her eyes grew large.
For a moment, I thought she might be having a stroke. Following her gaze and looking behind me, I caught brief sight of Laverne and Shirley passing by the classroom windows.
Someone asked, “Are you alright, Ms. Rodriguez?”
She took a moment, then said, “Oh my God,” covering her mouth with her hand, “I’m sorry. I don’t want to say anything bad about black women, but I’m afraid your prison have two of the ugliest staff I’ve ever seen…” more…
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In the beginning of this journey, I was regularly bused back and forth between the jail and the federal courthouse. One early morn I was placed in a small holding cell by the sheriff’s deputies as one of them knew me from my days as a criminal defense investigator visiting clients.
Cameron Diaz
The alternative was being held in the larger common cell packed upper cheek to lower cheek with prisoners, many of whom could barely be described as socially “habilitated.”
Groups of these jailhouse bumbaclots regularly played the “tight white booty and butthole” game of threat and intimidation. Prison tends to sort that silliness out. At least it does in federal prison. more…
If you have something to say about the prison experience, something funny, tragic or simply interesting, please send it (or have it forwarded) to publico@americantribune.org. We reserve all rights to the material and may edit it to ensure that it conforms to our style and mission.
Our only requirement is that you are or have been incarcerated for a felony conviction, and that you have something original and socially relevant to say about it. Your anonymity, if you wish, will be preserved.
Please join me in making The Prison Experience Connection the place to go for felons and those interested in their experiences.
