The power & strength of these words brought tears to my eyes. these are a few snippets, but please read the whole thing. You said that my perspective is different and therefore my words have a sort of value. Yet, youre talking to a young man thats been judged unworthy to breathe the same air you breathe. Thats like a hobo on the street walking up to you and you ask him for spare change. ...Empathy breeds proper judgement. Sympathy breeds sorrow. Contempt breeds arrogance. Neither are proper judgements because theyre based on emotions. Thats why two people can look at the same situation and have totally different views. We all feel differently about a lot of things. Empathy gives you an inside view. It doesnt say If that was me..., empathy says, That is me. ...If youre not giving the death penalty for murder, then the government is already saying that the taking of ones life is not worth the death penalty. Im on death row and yet I didnt commit the act of murder. I was convicted under the law of parties. ...Under the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution all prisoners in America are considered slaves. We look at slavery like its a thing of the past, but you can go to any penitentiary in this nation and you will see slavery. That was the reason for the protests by prisoners in Georgia in 2010. They said they were tired of being treated like slaves. People need to know that when they sit on trial juries and sentence people to prison time that they are sentencing them to slavery. ...Sometimes its knowledge or opportunity that gives an advantage. A lot of times it is the circumstances. Flowers grow in gardens, not in hard places. Using myself as an example, I was 15 when my first love got shot 9 times in Oakland. Do you think I m going to care about book reports when my girlfriend was shot in the face? I understand Barack Obama saying there is no excuse for blacks or anyone else because generations past had it harder than us. Thats true. However, success is based on probabilities and the odds. Everyone is not on a level playing field. For some, the odds are really stacked against them. Im not saying they cant be overcome, but its not likely. ...Im not trying to play the race card, Im looking at the roots of why so many young blacks are locked up. The odds are stacked against us, we suffer from an identity crisis, and were being targeted more, instead of taught better. ...Im a father. My daughter was six weeks old when I got locked up and now shes 15 in high school. Despite the circumstances, Ive tryed to be the best father in the world. But I knew that her course in life is largely determine by what I teach her. Its the same with any young person, their course is determined by what we are teaching them. In the words of Aristotle, All improvement in society begins with the education of the young. Sincerely, Ray L. Jasper Ps: Forgive me for being longwinded, but I was speaking from the heart. Thanks for the opportunity.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 23:41:57 +0000