PRISONER EXPRESS

Prison has been a mind-boggling experience. While in the world, I detested being around those who seemed to think they knew it all. Most of the time, they knew enough to expose their ignorance and didn't know most folks, myself included, went out of our way to avoid them. (No! They didn't know that!) Not to sound overly critical, these individuals retained a vast amount of totally useless information; useless information is like fresh flatulence in a small room. Unfortunately it seems like the prisons have gone out of their way to lock all of these people up. Not a day goes by without my being amazed at how inmates go out of their way to acquire totally useless information. It is the grail they grasp for in hopes of receiving the government's pardon or parole. These individuals, easily identified, watch "Jeopardy" or "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader," (which most aren't.) Their days are spent soaking up sports statistics on everything from the children's "Jump Rope Championship" to the size of Magic Johnson's big toe (now that's information that will come in handy.) There was once a very effective prison school in Texas, "Windham Schools," which provided GED and vocational programs. These programs fell into disarray when it became a matter of reading and retaining the information without being made to apply the information to skills. These great reapers of information desecrated the educational system to that of a corpse in an open grave. Of all the acquired information of the reapers, to this day, their accomplishments could be summarized and written on the back of a matchbook.

On the other hand, there exists a small group of truly wise individuals who are seldom seen. Why? Because they generally have their noses buried in some type of educational material or are working feverishly on projects that will make them a benefit to society. Inmates attaining a college degree or vocational degree will serve society in productive ways (a statistic the reapers of information fail to understand.) These individuals strive to get a better grasp on life and its true reality, seeking to attain understanding of every event of life. This understanding becomes information that enables them to deal with future temptations and trials. Most of these individuals are people who, for lack of information, failed in life. It was their ignorance that now motivates them to gather useful information, which is beneficial in dealing with what caused their ruin. These men and women will never be consulted in the ways to improve society, especially in the social substructures. This vast pool of knowledge is being deliberately ignored by law enforcement, prison, and judicial systems that profit off of a failing system. (Show me a judge who says I'm wrong and I'll show you a carpet bagging liar.) The educated and informed are in opposition to their dysfunctional bureaucracies. Still, those who gather useful information retain the knowledge to escape the bureau-Communist.

Writers in general find information to be a curse and a blessing. In any writing project, except poetry, information becomes a vital facet of the work. No writer can write "selfless" or "ignorant." They must research and gather information pertinent to the project at hand.

A good example of the writer's dilemma is in my "Fences Trilogy." It is a contemporary western, romance saga. Okay, you say it's just another shoot 'em up bang-bang! Wrong! The novels began with a very real situation about two teenage cowboys, their friendship and the dream of one of them to ride to California on horseback to meet the girl he loved, Loni Anderson (most boys dreamed of doing this.) This was BASIC INFORMATION that was combined with local folklore memories and general knowledge. Personally I knew the basic information. From book one "Jumping Fences" to book three "No Fences," I simply had to record the experiences of life, the information common to myself. Additional information had to be acquired in regards to history and the folklore of several southwestern states. To add to this, there had to be a gathering of undeniable exact information on many towns, cities, and terrain. The gathering of this information, be it via "REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE," or "BOOK" was often nothing more than a curse in passing. In Texas, inmates are only allowed five to ten minutes in a library per week. However, the blessing of being able to gather such information and presenting it to the public is in immortalizing songs, singers, military heroes, a few inspiring individuals, and a true friend while enlightening the reader. Another blessing is in knowing you survived the multitude of adversity God threw at you.

No writer escapes the processes of gathering information. In the end, it is all information that they convey to the reader. A writer of any genre depends on information to make himself a true professional.

Information in the hands of deceitful people such as the state and federal government gives the government power to deceive people. But government isn't the only one who mismanages information. Psychologists, political machines, victims' right's groups, law enforcement, and other agencies deliberately mismanage information in order to gain control or enslave public opinion. Joe Walsh and his program "America's Most Wanted" is a prime example of law enforcement and victims' rights groups working together to deliberately misinform the public to instill fear among the masses. This is a classic case of the "socially weak" being used to promote socialism by law enforcement, or more accurately "Big Brother." All mismanaged information is for the sole benefit of an elite group. Individuals must ask questions: 1) Who is benefiting from the information being presented? 2) What emotional response does this information instill?

Abraham Lincoln wasn't the first man to deliberately mismanage information for a political machine. Millions of good Southern folk suffered from his misrepresentation of the factual information. Due to Lincoln's misinforming (lying), the Civil War became an issue of slavery. Slavery was not what the southern states were fighting for; the South, the true Patriots, were fighting for "state's rights" and Abraham Lincoln weakened the United States by his deliberate mismanaging of the facts. His lies are still weakening the U.S. Information that is altered is nothing more than a lie. However, Lincoln stated: "He who controls public opinion controls the people." (paraphrased)

In comparison, we find that properly managed information edifies America and its people. This is in light of health trends which improve the quality of life and even extend life for those suffering chronic medical conditions. There are very few professions that appropriate and disclose information. Granted, the medical profession is motivated by money just like other professions, the difference being the profit margin. Dead people need no medical attention, so gathering information pertinent to helping people live longer lives. This means people will live longer, helping medical personnel build their careers and line their pockets. There is little compassion in the hearts of medical personnel. They, like law enforcement, court personnel and prison systems, are loyal only to the money.

All knowledge is acquired information gathered from personal suffering and failure. Pure information is acquired by inflicting severe emotional trauma on the individual. The wisest of people are able to assess this information, using it to avoid future suffering and failure. Psychologists are quick to deny the power of realization to break the cycles of suffering. To realize something is to discover either hidden or suppressed information of self. In expressing issues of one's past, the issues become informative building blocks that enlighten the self, helping them to overcome. We are, in fact, products of past and present environments. Professionals in psychiatry and law enforcement deny this. Even hypocritical religious folk deny this by claiming "Free Will." However, many times we exercise free will on information suppressed within our psyche from past events. Some call this temptation, yet anyone who hasn't experienced excessive abuses in childhood is operating under assumptions of so-called professionally assessed information. This type of information is based on personal opinions not experience. These professionals are fools, blinded by their lack of information from experience. Only those who experience the issues can truthfully assess and truthfully explain such information.

A drug addict, through realization, discovers within himself the issues which have led him to drugs. This information is the first step of recovery. The same events outline alcohol, workaholic, sex, and other addictions. The simple truth is that there is no profit in recovery; just ask any psychologist, psychiatrist or prison warden who depends on addictive cycles to line his pockets. Self enlightenment of any suppressed memory or pain becomes information. Pure information derived from past abuses on tragedies is knowledge that can be used to advance and enlighten society.

In conclusion, my friends, we should pray for an opportunity to suffer life's tragedies. Norman Vincent Peale stated: "If you want to succeed in life, love, business, pray that God will send you adversity." (paraphrased) The beauty of information is to be enlightened with an eye that sees.