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The Other Side of the Wall Sticky, of San Diego, California I am fully aware of how much I should worry about myself and not so much of what others are going through, but many of my peers, prison yard or not, have become my friends and their problems matter to me. I see them on a daily basis and hear their stories. Many, like myself, have a release date, but some don't and should. People in the free world think they know about prison and what goes on in the system. In reality, though, they don't know shit. Until a person comes to this side of the wall and lives this life for a chunk of time he will never fully know how in-the-dark he really is. People hear the reports about this law or that one, including the selected stories newsworthy enough to make it onto the airwaves, usually involving escapes, riots, or other violence. What are hidden from them are the truths having to do with corruption and injustice on this side of the wall. In the seven years that I have served during this term, I have met thousands of individuals in the same predicament. Every story is a little different and most have their own reasons as to why they're 'innocent'. I have heard professions of outright denial from those claiming how they were framed to stories of corrupt cops planting false evidence. Most of these guys are terrible liars. Some take responsibility for their crime(s), even though we know the sentence was too severe. A few are guilty and have served their debt to society, but continue to be persecuted. About one in a thousand are truly innocent and when I've heard their stories, I know it. A few years ago I came to know a man who became incarcerated in 1972. I remember the date because it was the day before my sister's birthday. His home was being robbed and he readied his gun in an effort to protect his wife and infant daughter. The intruder advanced on him with a weapon of his own forcing my friend to shoot, twice. The burglar later died on the front lawn. I read the court transcripts and know the story to be the truth. He was convicted of 2nd degree murder and sentenced 6 years to life, even though the person was shot inside the house. When I met him he'd served his time almost seven times over and had been in front of the parole board (13) times, denied every time. His last visit was a year ago where he was told to return in six years, the original length of his sentence. Their reason: he was 'not ready', yet his entire incarceration was disciplinary free. This is only one example I have heard of the hundreds just like it. The most recent, a few days ago, a man who'd served (31) years, on a 25 to life, and told to return in (7) years. I feel badly for the victims of our justice system. These men have served their time and California has zero intention of letting them out. We all represent revenue, plain and simple. Release means less dollars. I, myself, will be released. I have no false hopes or pipe dreams of (3) judge panels miraculously changing prison population laws and letting inmates out early. Nope, they will hold us all as long as possible and people are fools if they believe otherwise. But, when the day comes, I vow not to forget about those within the system, my friends, who will never get out. I know what they're going through. Too many inhabitants of the free world forget about the incarcerated masses and, all the while, the bullshit will continue. A Terrorism Warning This is an excerpt from On Sovereignty and the Status of so-called ‘Courts’ and ‘Government’ today!, by Judge Dale, retired. The article appeared in The American's Bulletin, Sept/Oct 2013. Our federal government has instructed our federal, state and local police agencies that everyone who purports to be a SOVEREIGN should be TREATED as a TERRORIST! They have also brainwashed the American public into believing that being a SOVEREIGN is anti-American and unpatriotic! Perhaps this is: "The POT calling the KETTLE black?"
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Letters to the Editor
Dear Sam: I like this edition of the newsletter [March 2014]. Did you know that in one of the Southwestern states, they've proposed a so-called "religious freedom" act that would give people the right to discriminate against various groups, if discrimination was called for by their religion? By the time you get this, it may have passed the state legislature. Actually, if the bill of rights had not been infringed on by anti-discrimination legislation in the 60's, nothing like this would be needed, because among our rights is freedom of association. You can bet that the courts in that state are going to interpret that law in a way that pleases the religious majority. Moslems, Jews, and Buddhists may get the short end of the stick. Also, have you heard that random checkpoints are being set up to gather data about drivers' drinking and drug use habits? The drivers are stopped, and then "requested" to give DNA samples, as well as being pressured to answer a lengthy questionnaire about their personal habits, while in the presence of armed police officers. This was reported in the San Jose Mercury, so I trust that it is true. We used to believe that we were so superior to Russia.... —Sir Donald the Elusive
Such legislation as the religious freedom act that you mentioned might give privileges, but not rights. Regarding bigotry, I suggest my article A Worse Bigotry, March 2000, page 2. Also, I'm skeptical of the trendy little "anti-hate" advertisements that I keep seeing. I suspect a thinly veiled agenda to promote the acceptance of "hate crime" legislation. The results of such legislation are more hateful than the bigotry that its advocates pretend to oppose. —editor
Hi Sam, In my opinion the March "Frontiersman" was your best ever. Just today I had a conversation with a friend covering some similar points to those in your "Never yet been plumbed" article. I agree with your points in your "Savior Breath, Savior Selves" piece, but I have to wonder if the advocates of legalization of polygamous, homosexual, and any other non-standard types of "marriages" are actually more interested in gaining government sponsored benefits like the tax advantages of marriage rather than their advertised moral assertions. "Stray Thoughts," "Some thoughts about Prohibition," and "Null Victory" were very creative presentations of some wise ideals. Your "Amusing Thoughts and Advice," "Show Him Your Badge," "Observations," and "When You Least Expect It" were truly amusing and in some cases wise. I plan to save this issue, and would like to pass parts of it along to others, but don't know how without retyping. Thanks again, —Steve, of Mililani, Hawaii
Thank you for your message. I'm always happy to hear that somebody saved an issue of the Frontiersman. Of course, all past issues are available on the website. Also, you can print the PDF file instead of retyping it. Regarding the legalization of non-standard "marriages", that's just a euphemism for regulation. In general, I advocate decriminalization, not legalization. That is, don't make something legal. Just stop making it illegal. Then, it moves completely outside of the purview of government. Of course, my article wasn't intended to address polygamy. It was intended to address the use of government, by Christians, to forcibly impose Christian beliefs onto people who don't agree with them. Polygamy was merely a good example. Regarding non-standard "marriages", I suggest my articles Wholly Matrimony?, May 1996, page 1, and Ignorance in Action, June 2000, page 1. —editor
Greetings Sam ... I hope you sent Fuzzy-Wuzzy to Modern Marvels.... Great info in Ol Faithful. In March, Never Yet ... Plumbed = this fanatic lunacy reminds me of the parole board & their criminal politics. Null Victory = Right on target! Might even wake up a few people. Show Him Your Badge = wish I could get a bunch of copies. I'd carry a few always & hand them out every X a guard abuses me severely w/ his badge. (That means on average here of about 4 per day I'd need to have. A deep well.) —a prisoner
Stray Thoughts Sam Aurelius Milam III The preservation of liberty requires more than just the good guys protecting liberty from being destroyed by the bad guys. It also requires that the ordinary guys protect liberty from being destroyed by the good guys.
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Acknowledgments My thanks to the following: SantaClara Bob; Lady Jan the Voluptuous; my mother; and Dewey and Betty. — editor
Observations Original Source Unknown. Forwarded by SantaClara Bob. •To succeed in politics, it's often necessary to rise above your principles. •You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive. •The problem with the gene pool is that there isn't a lifeguard. •Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life. •The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up. •The light at the end of the tunnel is the headlight of an approaching train. And Then the Fight Started Original Source Unknown. Forwarded by Sir Donald the Elusive. After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to apply for Social Security. The woman behind the counter asked me for my driver's license to verify my age. I checked in my pockets and realized that I'd left my wallet at home. I told the woman that I was very sorry but I would have to go home and come back later. The woman said, "Unbutton your shirt". So I opened my shirt, revealing my curly silver hair. She said, "That silver hair on your chest is proof enough for me". She processed my Social Security application. When I got home, I told my wife about my experience at the Social Security office. She said, "You should have dropped your pants. You might have been able to get Disability, too". Frontiersman Subscriptions and Past Issues — All past issues of this newsletter are available at http://frontiersman.org.uk/. Printed copies are available by application only. Cancellations — If you don't want to keep receiving this newsletter, then return it unopened. When I receive it, I'll terminate your subscription. Reprint Policy — Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this newsletter in its entirety or to reproduce material from it, provided that the reproduction is accurate and that proper credit is given. I do not have the authority to give permission to reprint material that I have reprinted from other sources. For that permission, you must apply to the original source. I would appreciate receiving a courtesy copy of any document or publication in which you reprint my material. Submissions — I consider letters, articles, and cartoons for the newsletter, but I don't pay for them. Short items are more likely to be printed. I suggest that letters and articles be shorter than 500 words but that's flexible depending on space available and the content of the piece. Payment — This newsletter isn't for sale. If you want to make a voluntary contribution, then I prefer cash or U.S. postage stamps. For checks or money orders, please inquire. For PayPal payments, use editor@frontiersman.org.uk. In case anybody's curious, I also accept gold, silver, platinum, etc. I don't accept anything that requires me to provide ID to receive it. — Sam Aurelius Milam III, editor
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