Judge for Yourself

Lately I’ve been thinking about how prisoners are viewed… How the news, media and government has portrayed us… Especially those of us in death row. I have asked myself over and over 'Why have I been portrayed as a monster? Why have they placed this mask on me?' Whenever they speak or even mention someone in death row, one automatically thinks 'serial killers' or even 'rapists'. Yet, I’m neither of these. It finally dawned on me that their tactic is to instill fear by demonizing me, and others in my situation, from even seeing what’s behind this mask I’ve been forced to wear. A fear that will cloud one’s mind so much they wouldn’t be able to see all the injustice and heinous acts they’ve committed themselves! A fear so profoundly powerful it has kept so many away, and allowed them to continue these inhumane acts, for far too long now.

What is it they fear so much that they go to great lengths to destroy our very beings? They fear that if anyone was to look behind our masks they’d find actual human beings or what’s worse an innocent person like me and so many others. They’re in fear of the caring individuals, the activists, the very individuals who could expose their inhumane acts. So they show you the worst of the worst and lead you to believe everyone here is just like them. We’re not! The only thing we have in common is what every human being has. Besides that, we all have our own stories, our own unwritten books and tales of what led us to being placed in this man-made hell hole. So please don’t be quick to overlook us but see beyond the obscured view.

For it only takes one, one person to care and remove the layers and layers of dirt thrown upon us. One person to see this cruel inhumanity and injustice going on. One person to reach beyond the prison walls and fences and realize that we’re not all monsters. For a lot of us are quite the opposite. We have so much to give and so much to offer. You have to be willing to look past the lost childhoods, the pain, and the self-imposed barriers to find us. When you find the men and women who are like me, please don’t stop there. Go one step further and find people like you. The strong-minded, good-hearted people who were willing to reach beyond the barriers and stop at nothing to help another human being in need. Meet and befriend one another. Unite, for even when alone we can accomplish so much, so just imagine what we could do with a whole force! For there’s thousands of people in the world at this moment, writing a prisoner. Giving them support, writing letters to the governors and presidents, asking for and demanding justice for this inhumane cruel punishment to be stopped.

Only when we unite will the politicians take notice of us all. What I’m saying is: don’t allow the government and news media to stop you from breaking the barriers placed upon us. There are already enough obstacles before us. Be the change needed in this world. There’s so much more to the individual behind the mask. It only takes little to notice it. Who knows, you could end up meeting an enriching human being…

For all who have broken the barriers, with all my heart I thank you.

Love,
Carlos