Today I sit down with a friend who spent roughly a year in prison. What is prison life like? How does an Almost Awakened person perceive and negotiate their time and thoughts and behavior and what observations are made about the system and people around them?
RESOURCES:
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/gabrielsanchez/sara-bennett-looking-inside-women-prison-incarceration
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2018/07/12/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-prisoner
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This was a very interesting interview. I was fascinated to learn what Suzette’s experience was when incarcerated. However, I found the whole thing … confusing. I felt that Suzette had no remorse for her crime, because she even stated that the FBI statement was “mostly correct.” She spoke of how fabulous she was in prison, how she was chatty and friendly and so on– as if she wasn’t an actual prisoner, but rather an innocent observer. Even as she discussed the reconciliation with those who were harmed from crime, she only spoke about other prisoners and not herself. Her crime deeply hurt honest, good, righteous women– does she even think she has made things right with her own crime? Has she made a public and personal apology to those she harmed and are still hurting? After listening to this, I quite frankly did not think she had served enough time for her crime, making her call for reduced sentences rather selfish. This whole thing really sounded prideful and selfish on her behalf.
I think being a human being is messy and complex. We all handle difficult issues in lots of ways. How would you handle being in a prison camp? Would you seek to enjoy your time as much as possible? How many more years should she have gotten?