Elder, will you post a new thread about parolees whom you see once and never again? Will you post another thread about parolees who paid their debt to society and after their mistake and serving the time for it, are just as honest and righteous as you?
Do you believe in redemption?
Hi YukonJack,
I do not understnd the query: "will you post a new thread about parolees whom you see once and never again?" Some of these guys live in these "Houses" for 4 to 5 years. I befriended a number of them over the years. One First Nations man and I became friends for 3 years. He was raised in Winnipeg in an Indian Posse gang family. One is born into it and never allowed to leave. He was brutalized by his uncles throughout childhood to make him tough. By 14 years of age he had the authority within the gang to order murders, house invasions, thefts, intimidation - you name it. He was covered with Satanic prison tatoos and I grew to love his presence and husband accepted him too. He was a frequent visitor in our home and we met his toddlers (whom he had not raised due to being imprisoned and in halfway houses) girlfriends and cousins over the years. All of them were similar as they were intitially raised in the gang milieu.
To them violence, theft, intimidation and rage is normal. We taught him about nutrition; encouraged him to educate himself through the system whilst he was in it; invited him to dinner parties and generally treated him like a human being deserving of basic respect and non-judgment. We walked at least a hundred miles together during those years sometimes in silence and sometimes talking.
He was unable to turn himself around for the tatoos and his being Cree set society against him immediately. He worked on anger management and how to be "normal" and just couldn't find it within himself for he did not relate to society outside of gangs and prison. Once he was sent back to prison for raging at one of the staff member of the House. Four months later he requested that I represent him during his parole hearing. My self, his counsellor and parole officer all showed and managed to convince the board that he should be back in the House on parole again. This occurred and he cam to the end of his "warrant" in September 2009. This means he had officially paid his debt and was free. He died violently on the street in the vicinity of Commercial Drive in Greater Vancouver a few months later.
Though I still say hello and treat all the men with respect I do not reach out anymore for most are incapable of changing themselves. Also most of these particular parolees in these 2 Houses are afflicted with FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) though my friend was not. The FAS guys are missing brain cells so cannot miraculously redeem themselves. It is a different world for them.
As far as believing in redemption I prefer to not align myself with any belief system as it forces one to take a stand which means that the mind has closed. I cannot answer that question for you either and will not take a stand on it.
All I know is that my friend could not change and the other men continue to be in and out of prison. I no longer open my doors to them though they desperately need to see that there are other ways of living and thinking.
I am not righteous Jack. That is your judgment. I am a 60 year old lady who treats people with basic respect. There is nothing righteous about being honest. It is a preferred state of existence which allows folk to get along in harmony and trust.
I do not understand harsh minds like yours. You enjoy being fractious and judgmental but I do not.
