“Your word should be your bond.”
Whatever happens to a person’s word being [inaudible]? It has been a shift in our culture and one’s word [inaudible]. We share experiences with people for years, but when they are blessed to obtain freedom, they don’t look back. While they were incrcerated with you, they cried on your shoulder and over the years, raked up all sorts of promises.
Don’t worry, brother, sister. When I get out, I’m going to look out. They often say, but once their feet touch the bricks, they conveniently forget, they forget the hands that were extended to them in their times of need, they forget that they gave their word. They forget to call their homies or so-called dog’s attorney or to touch base with his or her family.
They forget to drop a letter postcard, or even at Jpay, wth a brief message of support. They forget all about you, but as soon as they are back, you’re their best friend. These are what you call fairweather friends or more appropriately, [inaudible]. These people have no sense of good friendship or brotherhood means. As long as you got a Jolly Roger or can of cheese or a summer sausage for them, they keep, reah, right there by your side, telling you lies.
Hey man, keep it real, just let your brothers and homies know they can count on you. Why lead him or her on? Don’t hustle us. Some of us cried the blues about prison groups not doing enough to help us, but once we are free, we don’t even stop by to offer our support to any of these groups, who by the way, survive because of volunteers.
A lot of these groups depend on former prisoners and their families to help them keep working for the incarcerated. All of that said, this message is about redemption and making better choices. For those of us going home soon, really think about the promises you have made to one another and keep your word and those of us who are guilty of failing to live by our word. Do what you promise, get involved. It is not what an organization or group can do for you, but what you can do to assist them in helping those of us behind. Some of the, some of us are fighting for our lives.
What can you do? For starters contact the Human Rights Coalition at Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia, PA 19104. Phone number 215-92-3491 www.hrcoalition.org.
They are building up a political action committee pack to champion the legislation that helps with prison issues. Volunteer your service, and in the process you’ll meet a host of people that you may not be aware of. In politics the PAC applies for muscle necessary to garner money, public support, or convince legislators to sign onto our cause.
This is how you can redeem yourself. There a number of other prison groups to get in contact with:
CURE, P.O. Box 8601 Philadelphia PA 19101 www.Curenational.Org
Pennsylvania Prison Society 245 North Broadstreet, suite 300 Philiadelphia, PA 19107 www.PrisonSociety.org
[Inaudible] at the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project 718 Arch Street, Suite 304 Philadelphia, PA 19106 www.pailp.org.
Stop being a chi-chi and potato chip friend and be a real homie.
Be stand up. Thank you.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
![Prison Radio is sharing an abbreviated version of a press release covering recent racist incidents at SCI Rockview in PA and the organizing to demand accountability. We are reaching out to people incarcerated at Rockview as well as recently transferred folks, inviting them to call, in hopes of hearing commentaries from them.
Benner Township, PA.-
On November 24th, 2023, imprisoned people at SCI Rockview found two nooses hanging in the CO’s office, displayed visibly for many prisoners to see. When the prisoners asked the staff why the nooses were hung, they were told it was a joke.
By December 4th, prisoners filed a grievance to document what they saw, noting that the hanging of the nooses was “unethical, racially motivated, hateful, [a] deliberate debasement of black inmates" and “unsafe for inmates, staff, [and] the whole prison in general.” In the grievance, they demanded that Sgt. Mosser and CO Richard be fired and investigated for a hate crime, and for CO Kirchner to get therapy. Captain Andrews, the head of security, denied the grievance.
The sergeant and COs are still working in the prison to this day, with no repercussions...
As of March 10th, prisoners have reached out to Pennsylvania officials at the Dept. of Corrections in a letter campaign, sending 100 copies of the grievance. Copies of the letter also were mailed to Governor Shapiro, Senator Fetterman, Senator Street, and various advocacy groups. The demands for relief in the original grievance have now become the platform of demands for this campaign. About 20 of the 100 letters were withheld by the prison.
Activists on the outside are joining forces with prisoners to elevate their demands, flooding the phone lines of DOC offices, assisting with outreach to media, and circulating the stories of prisoners who have found unity in opposition to the facility's virulent institutional racism.
In any other workplace, hanging a noose would be grounds for immediate termination. However, Nicki Paul, the superintendent's assistant and "grievance coordinator" informed the public that they self-investigated their staff and found they did nothing wrong.
Read the full article at i
https://conta.cc/4ayDxlB](https://www.prisonradio.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)