Venting An Inmate's Warning

[DTA]

So with the Left vs Right blowup that's going on right now over Charlie Kirk's assassination, I feel I need to issue a warning as a former inmate. This is gonna be long, fyi.

I try not to share too much information that could identify me (for my protection) but I will say this: I was a US federal inmate who did over ten years behind bars.

In that time I've seen a lot of shit. Everyone knows about prison gangs. While those exist in the Fed, they are lumped into "cars." For example, one may be Hell's Angel, or Aryan Brotherhood, or Peckerwood, or not even in a real gang, but you all ride with the White Boy car. Same with the Blacks. Same with Natives. Same with others. Unless your individual gangs are at war, you're in the same car. Every car has a shotcaller with lieutenants and enforcers for each dorm unit. That shotcaller may not be from your gang, but you still listen to him.
When a member of one car starts shit with someone from another car, it's called a "car wreck." This can easily lead to war if not handled.

What I have not said here on SaSu before is that I was a co-shotcaller of my car. We had no official shotcaller. There were a couple guys who declared themselves as such, but no one supported them. Myself and my cellmate were respected by our car, so whenever there was a problem they came to us, even though neither of us wanted the job. And we unwillingly handled it out of duty and a sense of what's right. So I can speak on this issue with firsthand experience. I am proud to say that one of my big achievements was building close relationships with several different cars. We worked together and were even friends. I once got into it with someone from my own car and had people from three different cars ready to defend me. That's why I'm writing this: unity.

If one of my people starts shit with, say... The White Boys, the White Boys come to me and my cellmate. We are briefed on the situation, we talk to the relevant parties. If our guy is determined to be in the wrong, we take appropriate action. That may be making him pay a debt, smashing him out, greenlighting the offended car (the White Boys in this example) to smash him out, or checking him in ("encouraging" him to tell staff he is suicidal and needs to be put in protective custody.) First and foremost it is handled by the offender's car. If a Black steals from me, I talk to their shotcaller and he sees that it's taken care of and that I am compensated. This maintains the peace in a tense environment.

That is the key: peace in a tense environment.

Now, I want to be very clear here. I am neither Democrat nor Republican. Not Left. Not Right.

What I see with Charlie Kirk's hit, the Left's reaction to it, and now the Right's rage in response... It's a car wreck.

I don't normally get in my feelings, but the things I'm hearing from the Left are outrageous. Outrageous enough to get me mad. A member of the Black car once told me after he saw me in a fight, "Man, I don't know what that was about but I know you're in the right, cause you don't fuck with anybody!" Let that be a measure of me. I'm mellow.

In my opinion, the Right would be completely justified going to war over this car wreck. Not just for the hit, but the Left car's reaction to it. People get killed in prison for saying less than I've heard Lefties say! I don't like the Right, but they are in *ahem* the right here. The Left struck. Multiple times, if you want to get technical. And the Left gloated. That leaves two choices for the Left: "Get your shit in order or we will!" In other words, war.

I hope it does not come to that. I'm out of politics now. I don't want any involvement with either side. But to the Left I will say this and only this: I'm done talking. I used to agree with you on some things, but your behavior has pushed me completely away from you and towards the Right. And I hate that.

So my ultimate point here is a message to the Left--the same message I used in prison: We are stronger together than divided. There are forces here, like the cops in prison, who WANT us to fight! When we are fighting each other we are easier to control.

Left, your people are fucking up. Get your shit in order, check your people, or it's gonna get really ugly. That's not a threat, btw, it's an observation.

I've seen exactly how ugly that can be, and I don't wish that on anyone. And I guarantee, no matter how much you front, you don't want it either. No one deserves the results that hate will bring. The car wreck is about to turn into war if you don't check yourselves. Make peace. Call out the agitators. Or, if your car won't make peace, leave the car so you don't get caught up.

What's happening right now is straight up prison bullshit, and it's not glamorous or cool. It's gonna get real if people aren't careful.

I sincerely hope it doesn't.

Aho Mitakuye Oyasin.

 

[noname223]

This is an interesting post. And my reply is the problem is the prison system.

I live in Germany and the core problem is the US system that exploits vulnerable groups. The idea for justice in the US is punishment. In Europe and especially in Scandinavia the goal is to re-integrate the prisoners into society. I can understand why leftwingers are perceived as the evil in this equation (with the Kirk assassination). I wouldn't make this assassination a partisan thing though. We don't know enough about the motives of the killer thus far. The information seems ambigious.

Of course you used a prison metaphor to explain the political landscape and blind partisanship. I think though the US prison system is fundamentally wrong for example private prisons and the which attitude the police men have towards prisoners. In Germany we have a completely different approach there is less violence, also less sexual violence and less gangs in our prisons.
And probably when someone wanted to implement Germany's prison system in the US they would call it far-leftwing communism.

I don't support corporate Democracts in the US (though I think they are the lesser evil).

I don't suppport the killing of Charlie Kirk and I think some reactions of leftwingers were inapprioate. But the only chances for positive systemic change in the US are the Bernie Sanders types. And Bernie also condemned the murder of Kirk.

 

[fedup1982]

Imo the right started it all with their outrageous rhetoric. Theyre running everyone into the ground. I dont condone killing anyone but they're literally provoking such responses.

This isn't like a prison where being of a different race alone creates tension. The right are purposely taking inflammatory positions out of choice

 

[DTA]

This is an interesting post. And my reply is the problem is the prison system.

I live in Germany and the core problem is the US system that exploits vulnerable groups. The idea for justice in the US is punishment. In Europe and especially in Scandinavia the goal is to re-integrate the prisoners into society. I can understand why leftwingers are perceived as the evil in this equation (with the Kirk assassination). I wouldn't make this assassination a partisan thing though. We don't know enough about the motives of the killer thus far. The information seems ambigious.

Of course you used a prison metaphor to explain the political landscape and blind partisanship. I think though the US prison system is fundamentally wrong for example private prisons and the which attitude the police men have towards prisoners. In Germany we have a completely different approach there is less violence, also less sexual violence and less gangs in our prisons.
And probably when someone wanted to implement Germany's prison system in the US they would call it far-leftwing communism.

I don't support corporate Democracts in the US (though I think they are the lesser evil).

I don't suppport the killing of Charlie Kirk and I think some reactions of leftwingers were inapprioate. But the only chances for positive systemic change in the US are the Bernie Sanders types. And Bernie also condemned the murder of Kirk.

I agree with you about the US prison system. I knew a couple German nationals who told me about the system there.

Again, I have to keep myself as private as possible, but my crime was non-violent. The German guys said what I did would have got me a fine in Germany and perhaps required a counseling course. Instead I got over ten years (including maximum good time earned). And I got off light compared to others.

I'm not a gang member and had no prior criminal record. I had a white-collar job, a good name in my community, and volunteered with a local charity.

I'll be the first to say I'm a far worse person now than I ever was before. I've done my best to stay true to my beliefs and values, but the experience has still changed me. Especially after the systemic government corruption and cruelty I've witnessed. I have no compunction about resisting that system now.

That's a place I disagree with the Right: the tough on crime mentality. They destroy your life, take everything from you, take the best years of your life, then throw you out with nothing and permanently strip you of your "inalienable" rights and forbid you from rebuilding. A lot of guys return to crime because that's the only way they can make a living.

Imo the right started it all with their outrageous rhetoric. Theyre running everyone into the ground. I dont condone killing anyone but they're literally provoking such responses.

This isn't like a prison where being of a different race alone creates tension. The right are purposely taking inflammatory positions out of choice

I was a Libertarian, but I'm not even that anymore. I agree(ed) and disagree with both the Left and Right on different issues. But as I said, I'm done talking on those issues.

What I can say is that the race issue wasn't such a big deal in the prison, at least at the places I'm familiar with. There were white guys in the Black and Native cars, Hispanics in the White Boy car, Asians in the Hispanic Tango Blast and Paisa cars.

It was really more of a faction thing. That's why I use the prison analogy in my original post. I see that same faction mentality in the country as a whole.

 

[CatLvr]

I agree with you about the US prison system. I knew a couple German nationals who told me about the system there.

Again, I have to keep myself as private as possible, but my crime was non-violent. The German guys said what I did would have got me a fine in Germany and perhaps required a counseling course. Instead I got over ten years (including maximum good time earned). And I got off light compared to others.

I'm not a gang member and had no prior criminal record. I had a white-collar job, a good name in my community, and volunteered with a local charity.

I'll be the first to say I'm a far worse person now than I ever was before. I've done my best to stay true to my beliefs and values, but the experience has still changed me. Especially after the systemic government corruption and cruelty I've witnessed. I have no compunction about resisting that system now.

That's a place I disagree with the Right: the tough on crime mentality. They destroy your life, take everything from you, take the best years of your life, then throw you out with nothing and permanently strip you of your "inalienable" rights and forbid you from rebuilding. A lot of guys return to crime because that's the only way they can make a living.

I was a Libertarian, but I'm not even that anymore. I agree(ed) and disagree with both the Left and Right on different issues. But as I said, I'm done talking on those issues.

What I can say is that the race issue wasn't such a big deal in the prison, at least at the places I'm familiar with. There were white guys in the Black and Native cars, Hispanics in the White Boy car, Asians in the Hispanic Tango Blast and Paisa cars.

It was really more of a faction thing. That's why I use the prison analogy in my original post. I see that same faction mentality in the country as a whole.

While I have never been to prison, I have worked WITHIN the system, with men and women who served time and your observations are spot on, IMHO. I, too, am about as non-political as anyone can be. I don't care what you do as long as you aren't fucking with a child, the elderly or disabled. Or me. You get my drift -- I just want to be left alone. And yes, I am more than happy to return the favor. I have enough problems of my own -- I don't need to go manufacturing more for me by meddling in somebody else's shit. I really wish more people were like me, but alas ...