Marcy Sheiner's Blog, page 7

Black Panther Free After 44 Years

The Hour of Sunlight in Prison by Erik Reuland

Marshall Eddie Conway isn’t the first Black Panther to be released after decades in prison, only the most recent, and every time a political prisoner goes free it’s cause for celebration. I’m celebrating by searching for a correspondence program, or a “pen pal” as we called them in grade school, to write to. I’m doing this because when Conway was asked how he got through 44 years in jail he didn’t say “Allah,” or “Jahweh” or reading the Christian Bible or the Koran or Torah; he said it was the love and support of people on the outside that gave him the hope he needed to get through.

At 68 Conway is one of the most mentally stable ex-prisoners I’ve ever seen and heard. He didn’t just “get through” those 44 years, either: he continued doing political activism, initiating a program of older prisoners mentoring young ones as they entered the prison, and somehow extending youth programs to outside communities. He’s been out less than 24 hours (how does Amy Goodman get these people on her show?!), and I have a feeling we’ll be hearing more of Conway’s activities as time goes by.

Unlike some of DN’s prison stories, especially those about solitary confinement, I was able to watch this one without freaking out. It was when Conway said people on the outside had helped him that it occurred to me to write to a political prisoner. I’ve been beside myself about the growing prison industrial complex, but I’m averse to doing political work that involves meetings and listening to people spout rhetoric, no matter whose side they’re on. And my emotional reactions to jails and solitary send me running from that particular area of human torture. As we all know, however, I can sit home and scribble. I won’t play the same role in someone’s life as Eddie’s friends and family played in his—they helped get him out—but maybe I can engage someone’s mind for a few minutes a week.

In the course of researching pen pal programs, I was inspired by an article written by someone who corresponds with political prisoners herself. Molly Fair says, in part:

The powers that be lock people in cages, feed them nasty food, deny them medical attention and education, surveil every aspect of their life and communications with the outside world, deprive them of fresh air and sunlight, deem them criminals (often based solely on the color of their skin, nationality, and/or class background) and profit from this system which is incredibly inhumane to all involved.  

I encourage everyone to see the interview with Marshall Eddie Conway on DN. From Goodman’s introduction:

Supporters describe Conway as one of the country’s longest-held political prisoners. He was convicted of killing a Baltimore police officer in 1970, for which he has always maintained his innocence. The shooting occurred at a time when federal and local authorities were infiltrating and disrupting the Black Panthers and other activist groups…the FBI was also monitoring Conway’s actions as part of its counter-intelligence program, COINTELPRO. 

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Filed under: Current Events, Musings, Personal, Politics, Writing Tagged: Amy Goodman, Black Panther, Erik Reuland, Marshall Eddie Conway, Political prisoner, Prison

Read An EBook Week March 3-9

It’s the annual READ AN EBOOK WEEK, People, so get thee to Kindle or Smashwords or my Book Publications page and start checking them out—not only my books, but the hundreds, nay, thousands (millions?) of ebooks out there.

I have a ton of insights, complaints, and huzzahs I could say about the Ebook indie publishing explosion, but I don’t want to rain on anybody’s parade just now, and besides, I hardly have time to get this short information up here. I promise, however, I’ll be back just asap to write something more substantial. Meanwhile, you can get my book HALFWAY TO THE STARS this week on Smashwords ABSOLUTELY FREE! I’m not quite sure if you need a coupon; if I discover you do, I’ll post it here when I know. But if you just take a look at my book you can probably pick it up on Smashword’s Specials for this week.

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Filed under: Writing Tagged: Amazon Kindle, E-book, Ebook, Publishing, READ AN EBOOK WEEK, Reading, Smashword, Sunday

Inhuman Conditions

Solitary confinement (Photo credit: Chris.Gray

What people do to one another in this world is so distressing I can hardly stand it. To name just a few items aired in this morning’s news reports:

• Big celebration today as an ex-Panther was released from prison. Good news, right? Except his release came after two decades in solitary confinement. I can’t bear to hear these stories about people in solitary for so long, and it seems like recently they’re all coming to light. Why wasn’t I aware of this, if it’s been going on for 20 and 30 years? And I only just learned they throw children into the hole also! Do the powers-that-be really believe that a kid who spends any amount of time all alone in a cell is going to come out improved? Or unharmed, ready to live a full and responsible life? WTF is wrong with these people?!

• Old news but they were talking about it again this morning on Democracy Now: One of Obama‘s drones attacked a group of Yemenis on their way to a wedding, killing something like a dozen people, turning what was to be a joyous day into one of grief. Apparently they believed some big terrorist was “hiding” among the wedding party, but survivors say they never heard of the guy. Even if they had—it seems we no longer believe in or practice the judicial system to which this country was once strongly devoted. No more innocent until proven guilty. And that includes YOU : Uncle Sam is also gunning down his own via the drone method. Our, ahem, liberal president looooves those drones: so neat and clean. Thus, no more messy, complicated trials. It’s just Kill Baby Kill!

• Another kid was killed by a cop because he had the misfortune to be holding something in his hand. Must be a gun! This happened on the kid’s turf, in his own living room—cops came around looking for the dad who violated parole, and  burst in on a teenager playing electronic games. Startled, he raised his hand with the game’s remote in it, and one of the cops blew the kid away. Oh well, shit happens. Shit happens a lot lately.

• Atrazine, a pesticide used on corn, is turning little boys into girls, apparently flooding their bodies with estrogen so they develop not only secondary sex characteristics but primary ones as well, like ovaries and the whole reproductive she-bang. The company using this stuff claims it’s harmless, and has fired the whistleblower, who’s now getting death threats—but he’s still talking. Good for him!

I know, I know: I haven’t included names, dates, links, or other details to back up any of the above, or direct readers that might want to follow up on these news items; but if I wait until I can do the research and put all my ducks in a row I won’t get to it for a long time, if ever. Besides, I really need to rant.

I might not have done research, but I did manage to fire off a few protest letters to governors and other authorities in the interest of ending solitary torture, since I can’t even think about this without feeling sick. I wonder if I have an extra empathic gene or something. Considering what goes on in this world, someone’s gotta have it.

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Filed under: Current Events, Musings, Politics, Rants Tagged: Politics, Prison, rant, Solitary confinement, United States

News Reports on The Human Condition

Solitary confinement (Photo credit: Chris.Gray

What people do to one another in this world is so distressing I can hardly stand it. To name just a few items aired in this morning’s news reports:

• Big celebration today as an ex-Panther was released from prison. Good news, right? Except his release came after two decades in solitary confinement. I can’t bear to hear these stories about people in solitary for so long, and it seems like recently they’re all coming to light. Why wasn’t I aware of this, if it’s been going on for 20 and 30 years? And I only just learned they throw children into the hole also! Do the powers-that-be really believe that a kid who spends any amount of time all alone in a cell is going to come out improved? Or unharmed, ready to live a full and responsible life? WTF is wrong with these people?!

• Old news but they were talking about it again this morning on Democracy Now: One of Obama‘s drones attacked a group of Yemenis on their way to a wedding, killing something like a dozen people, turning what was to be a joyous day into one of grief. Apparently they believed some big terrorist was “hiding” among the wedding party, but survivors say they never heard of the guy. Even if they had—do you realize we no longer believe in or practice the justice system of trying criminals? No more innocent until proven guilty. And that includes YOU : Uncle Sam is also gunning down his own. No more trials, America. The word out there is Kill Baby Kill! And our liberal president looooves his drones.

• Another kid was killed by a cop because he had the misfortune to be holding something in his hand. Must be a gun! This happened on the kid’s turf, in his own living room—cops came around looking for the dad who violated parole, and  burst in on a teenage boy playing an electronic game. Startled, he raised his hand with the game’s remote in it, and one of the cops blew the kid away. Oh well, shit happens. Lately shit happens a lot.

• Some chemical, atrazine, that’s used as a pesticide on corn is turning little boys into girls, apparently flooding their bodies with estrogen so they develop not only secondary sex characteristics but primary ones as well, like ovaries and reproductive capability. The company that’s doing it says the chemical is harmless, and then promptly fired and threatened the whistleblower. Good for him: he’s still talking.

I know, I know: I haven’t included names, dates, links, and other details to back up any of the above, or direct readers who might want to follow up on all this joyful news. If I wait until I can do the research and put all my ducks in a row I won’t get to it for a long time, if ever. Besides, I ‘m just ranting. I did, however, fire off a few protest letters to governors and others in power saying we ought to end solitary torture, since I can’t even think about it without feeling sick. I must have too strong an empathic gene or something. Considering what goes on in this world of ours, someone’s gotta have it.

Related articles

Link between pesticides, breast cancer and homosexuality.
New York to End Solitary Confinement for Youth, Pregnant and Disabled Inmates
 
Did the Wrong Man Spend 40 Years in Solitary Confinement?
The Science of Solitary Confinement | Science | Smithsonian


Filed under: Current Events, Musings, Politics, Rants Tagged: Politics, Prison, rant, Solitary confinement, United States

Marcy’s Books

 

Love and Other Illusions: Short Stories. Rennaissance E-Books / Kindle @ Amazon.com 2013

Halfway to the Stars: A Novel, Smashwords, 2010

Sex For the Clueless: How to Enjoy a More Erotic and Exciting Life. Citadel Books, 2001

Perfectly Normal: A Mother’s Memoir.

People With Disabilities Press, 2002

Connecting With The IN Crowd: How to Network, Hang Out and Play With Millionaires Online, By Brandon Wade With Marcy Sheiner. Bush St Press, SF, 2011

Filed under: Musings Tagged: Marcy Sheiner

This American Justice

For their Valentines Day program, This American Life on NPR broadcast a cluster of love stories in their usual format: people tell true life experiences, most with an odd angle or surprise ending. Some spoke of unrequited love, others about unusual breakups, and some even lived happily ever—after leaping over obstacles. One of the stories knocked me out, but not in the way you’d expect or want to be knocked out on Valentines Day. No, this story didn’t fill my heart with love unending, or give me hope and inspiration for the human race. It didn’t even make me cry. This story absolutely enraged me.

It was told by Justin, a high school senior who fell, hard, for a new girl in his school. She arrived mid-term and immediately caught all the boys’ attention with her mature (his word) good looks.  She was in two of his classes, and when he worked up enough courage to talk to her and even flirt a little, she did not discourage him.

There was something about Naomi , however, that we in the audience knew, but the hapless Justin did not: she was an undercover narc. That’s right, those clever slimy creeps at the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) came up with a scheme whereby a bevy of young, recently graduated cops fan out to schools all over the country—that is, to those states in which marijuana is still illegal—posing as students. I’d even hazard a cynical guess that they purposely chose those states with the most draconian drug laws in which to lay their evil traps. This incident occurred in Florida, where marijuana is classified as a

U.S. states in green where non-medical marihuana has been decriminalized at the state level. Note that marijuana of any kind is still criminalized under U.S. federal law throughout the entire U.S. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Schedule I controlled substance, meaning it has high potential for abuse and “no currently accepted medical use,” according to state statute (Fl. § 893.03). Florida also criminalizes marijuana trafficking, and possession or sales of drug paraphernalia, with a range of penalties, going up to 30 years in prison. (Fl. Stat. Ann. § 893.13.)

This American Life regularly runs long stories, but this one seemed even longer than most. Maybe that’s because I knew what was coming and my heart began cracking long before Justin’s did. He courted her for months while she strung him along, keeping him in suspense about attending the prom with him. This kid was going to graduate in a few months. He planned to enlist in the U.S. Air Force. He had good grades. He had good friends. He did not regularly do drugs. Yes, he’d occasionally used pot; who by his age has not? In California he’d be toking a doobie after lunch on the lawn across from Berkeley High. Not in Florida: in Florida the kid watched his ass—that is, until a pretty girl with a heart made of razor blades sank her claws in him.

While he anxiously awaited her decision on the prom, she casually asked him if he had any weed. He did not, but if she wanted some, he said, he’d try to get it for her. So removed was this kid from drug culture that it took him a couple of weeks and a

whole lot of nerve to make a connection, and even more nerve to pass the stuff along to his beloved. When she handed him $25 he, like any teenage boy in love, refused to take it. He was showing off, giving her a present, trying to look like a big shot. Lest we forget, it was Naomi who’d put him in this position.

Ah, but in the state of Florida if you give someone less than 20 grams of marijuana without being paid, it’s only a first degree misdemeanor. For that the punishment is a puny year or less in jail—but selling the stuff can get you as many as 30. Naomi had to make Justin take payment. They went back and forth about it, she insisting, he refusing. Naomi, with more on the line than Justin, was the more persistent, and in exasperation he finally took the cash. Deed accomplished. Criminal apprehended. Another dealer off the street.

Justin got a three year sentence. No high school graduation. No Air Force: the US military excludes “felons.” And Justin’s reaction? With his life in ruins, his future shattered, his dreams all trashed, you’d think he’d be furious at the bitch. But is he? He is not. This poor creature is heartbroken, plain and simple. He responds as he might if she’d left him for another guy. That is the full extent of his emotions—at least as far as the program’s narrative takes us.

And Narc Naomi? No regrets, she says. Well bully for her. And bully for the U.S. of A. and their war on drugs.

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Filed under: Current Events, Politics, Rants Tagged: Cannabis, Florida, marijuana, NPR, United States, Valentines Day

The Question

Who has and has not? That is the question of our time.

You know that saying: I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes, until I met a man with no feet. Material wealth is relative. Well, up to a certain point, anyway. Or I should say, down to a certain point. When you don’t even have money for necessities like food and housing, it’s no longer relative. But otherwise it is. For instance, for most of my life I thought I was sort of poor—I used to call it broke, actually—until I really was! I can pay for necessities, but at a fairly low level. Still, I frequently recall with wonder the days when I could occasionally rent a car, and, even further back, when I owned one. I even went on a few seaside vacations. And I thought I was poor!

I just visited friends who think of themselves as ordinary people who, like everyone else, are struggling to get by. Their refrigerator is bursting with vast containers of food bought in bulk, and they frequently go out to eat. To many people they possess unimaginable riches. All relative.

Still, what’s happened here in America is unspeakably unjust. Nobody should go to work every day and be poor. I don’t care who they are, what kind of education they had, or what kind of work they do. When I worked as a secretary I wasn’t exactly poor, but I could barely make ends meet. That is the worst life of all: to get up every morning, go to a place you have to stay at for nine hours, do someone else’s tedious or difficult work, and have hardly any time to yourself or your family and friends, yet still go without, pinch pennies, beg the phone company not to shut you down. Some people work two and three jobs these days and live in hotel rooms. (Read Barbara Ehrenreich’s book, Nickel and Dimed). I’m poorer now than when I worked for low wages, but at least my time is my own. The working poor are in a terrible position.

I don’t know if everyone knows this—younger people, for instance—but it wasn’t always like this. Once upon a time in America if you had a job you might actually own a house, a car, feed a family of four, and even save some money! For the past 50 years workers’ lives have gone steadily downhill. We’re moving towards becoming the England of Charles Dickens’ time. It’s taken a lot of maneuvering on the part of the upper classes, busting unions and such, but now they have the majority of the population dancing like puppets on strings.

It’s a complicated, convoluted and depressing situation, and I haven’t much else to say about it, so I’ll move on to another source of my depressed mood, trivial by comparison…

DEREK JETER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER THE 2014 SEASON

I —we—were lucky enough for over a decade to watch a fantastic team of New York Yankees, with the Core Four at its center: Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, and Andy Pettitte. One by one they left, not only the Core but other greats as well. All but Posada, who was shamelessly and unforgivably pushed out, retired by choice. Captain Jeter, a fan favorite with his boyish dimpled good looks and extraordinary playing, is the last to go. I’ve had trouble enough continuing to follow the Yankees since Joe Torre was bumped and Girardi the incompetent became manager, so once Jeter leaves I don’t know what I’ll do.

I’ve tried to develop love for one of my home teams—the SF Giants or the Oakland A’s—but it just doesn’t fly. They never seem to hold my attention long enough to get to know them, let alone root for them. The A’s are constantly coming and going, thanks to Billy Beane and his Moneyball sabermetrics system. The Giants are erratic: champions one year, in the basement the next. I suppose I could jump on board, with my masochistic son, and root for the other New York team, but I don’t like losing all the time. So much for them Mets.

As the Yankees have crumbled, so too has my enthusiasm for writing about baseball. Anyone who’s followed DIRTY LAUNDRY for any length of time might have noticed I blogged a lot on the topic at first, and slowly dribbled down each season. Of course, my posting in general has fallen off, from daily to every other day to a few times a week to a few times a month. Shit happens. I don’t know what’s in store for my blog this baseball season, but I’ve been thinking of reorganizing anyway, combining DIRTY LAUNDRY with my business blog, BOOKBUSTER, and concentrating on the writing life and business. Stay tuned.

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Filed under: Baseball, Current Events, Personal, Politics, Rants, sports, Yankees Tagged: Andy Pettitte, Barbara Ehrenreich, Charles Dickens, Current Events, Derek Jeter, Joe Torre, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, New York, New York Yankees, Nickel and Dimed, Politics, SF Giants

Editor Interview

Hi everybody. I apologize for neglecting my blog lately, but I’m just so busy with other writing—including an interview I did for another writer’s blog. Alex, who posts interviews with writers, editors and even characters out of  fiction, quizzed me on my editorial work. You can read it here at her website. And don’t forget to come back and comment on it. Thanks!

Filed under: Musings, Writing Tagged: art, Chats and Forums, Directories, Editing, Editorial, fiction, Organizations, Writer Resources

Kids for Cash

This morning, February 4th,  I learned on Democracy Now of a horrifying and cruel scam perpetrated by judges in Philadelphia. President Judge Mark Ciavarella and Senior Judge Michael Conahan, took money from the builder of two for-profit juvenile prisons, in return for which they imposed harsh sentences on juveniles to increase the number of inmates in the detention centers. After years of investigations and trials, Ciavarella was sentenced on August 11, 2011 to 28 years in federal prison; on September 23, 2011, Conahan was sentenced to 17-and-a-half years.

In my opinion, these guys deserve to be burned alive at the stake.

Kids for Cash, a documentary about the scandal, will premiere in movie theaters this month. To find out all the gory details, including how the lives of hundreds of kids and their families were destroyed by these judges’ actions, click on any of the links here.

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Filed under: Current Events, Politics, Rants Tagged: Juvenile Law Center, Luzerne County Pennsylvania, Mark Ciavarella, Michael Conahan, President Judge Mark Ciavarella, Senior Judge Michael Conahan

BlockBuster Blog Busy

BookBuster, the blog on which I write primarily about my editing and writing services, is getting busier these days. Hop on over there for sparkling prose and illuminating topics. Yesterday’s post is all about the changing landscape of the publishing business (yes, again! I’m obsessed.) Seriously, there’s some good info in there for devoted readers. Check it out.

Filed under: Publishing, readers, Writing Tagged: Arts, Books, Publishing, Writing