Post by mrswhenwherewhat on Oct 27, 2006 10:34:54 GMT -5
Hello! I am new here. 
I am not an activist of any kind, and I do admit that I am conflicted re: the dp. Sometimes when I read about some crimes that are so gruesome, so despicable (sp. those that kidnap, rape and murder like Couey) I don't really care if they get the dp or not. But I do admit that reading about innocent people on DR (and there are some) gives me pause...
Anyways, I guess I'd consider myself a fence-sitter, or someone on a seesaw!
A couple of weeks ago DEAD MAN WALKING played on tv, so I tivo'ed it (haven't seen it since 1996) and watched it. The next day I went to the local library and borrowed the book, to see the differences and stuff. The idea of me writing a DR person came from the book.(I probably wouldn't visit though, I live too far to a death row anyways and these places scare me, even a courtroom and a regular jail parlor creeps me out, imagine DR.)
I would like to be a penpal to a DR inmate, just to write, no I am not looking for romance or whatever...Just writing. I also write to some army personnel so writing letters on paper instead of emails is fun for me. Besides, it's nice to open the mail and get something other than utility bills, also I know that they (95% of them, I think the % of innocents is 5%?) did something terrible to be in there and society shuns them enough as it is (DR ain't a country-club is what I tell those that tell me that they have it easy in there), that me writing to a couple of them could be good for them, in a way. It's not like I'd move to be near them anyways, a couple of letters a year isn't more than $10Can on my part.
My questions are: am I better to get a PO Box rather than to give my home adress? I think I would rather have a DR penpal write to my PO Box rather than my reg. adress, we never know, what if I forget to write once or they get a grudge for whatever reasons and give my addy to someone else or whatever? Yup, I think I'd get a PO Box to start.
Another thing, I think I'd like to start writing a female DR inmate. 1st, there are less females than males on the row, and some states it seems that there are only 1 woman on their row. I guess they are really lonely.2nd, alot of people write to the males, so the females must have less penpals, sp. those that are not considered pretty by our society's standards. And I think that the people that they knew in real life are maybe more prone to abandon them when they get on D.R, because in many people's minds a woman that kills is a lot worst than a man that does (the act of killing is bad in my mind.I don't see why singling out a female is better). Also since I am not looking for a DR boyfriend or whatever writing 1st to a female will make me get used to being penpal w/them easier when it comes time to write a male DR eventually.
I'd like to know which female DR inmates to beware of, I don't want any gossip just who are the prone to con her pen pals (sp. since it will be my first time) or the name of female DR inmates that would need a letter and a friend because they don't have many...Also I don't have time to get busy in their defense fundraising or on their cases (unless I really do see by myself that there is a real innocent person in there), so I can't get one that expects me to do so, it would be unfair for me or her.
Later I'd write one or two males, I wanna start w/a female first. I won't have time to write to more than 2 or 3 DR inmates, as I don't want to get too much on my plate.
Also, I don't wanna be picky but sex-murders are a big nono for the penpals. For ex., I wouldn't be able to write to someone that kidnapped,raped and murdered a child (or anyone for that matter. I am a survivor of sex abuse so it's something I am sensitive of). It seems weird to be choosy when looking for a DR p-pal but since I won't ask upfront what they did I would rather find out by myself and write to a penpal that I have an idea on what they are in for (yes, murder 1 but which type).
Thanks much!
I am not an activist of any kind, and I do admit that I am conflicted re: the dp. Sometimes when I read about some crimes that are so gruesome, so despicable (sp. those that kidnap, rape and murder like Couey) I don't really care if they get the dp or not. But I do admit that reading about innocent people on DR (and there are some) gives me pause...
Anyways, I guess I'd consider myself a fence-sitter, or someone on a seesaw!
A couple of weeks ago DEAD MAN WALKING played on tv, so I tivo'ed it (haven't seen it since 1996) and watched it. The next day I went to the local library and borrowed the book, to see the differences and stuff. The idea of me writing a DR person came from the book.(I probably wouldn't visit though, I live too far to a death row anyways and these places scare me, even a courtroom and a regular jail parlor creeps me out, imagine DR.)
I would like to be a penpal to a DR inmate, just to write, no I am not looking for romance or whatever...Just writing. I also write to some army personnel so writing letters on paper instead of emails is fun for me. Besides, it's nice to open the mail and get something other than utility bills, also I know that they (95% of them, I think the % of innocents is 5%?) did something terrible to be in there and society shuns them enough as it is (DR ain't a country-club is what I tell those that tell me that they have it easy in there), that me writing to a couple of them could be good for them, in a way. It's not like I'd move to be near them anyways, a couple of letters a year isn't more than $10Can on my part.
My questions are: am I better to get a PO Box rather than to give my home adress? I think I would rather have a DR penpal write to my PO Box rather than my reg. adress, we never know, what if I forget to write once or they get a grudge for whatever reasons and give my addy to someone else or whatever? Yup, I think I'd get a PO Box to start.
Another thing, I think I'd like to start writing a female DR inmate. 1st, there are less females than males on the row, and some states it seems that there are only 1 woman on their row. I guess they are really lonely.2nd, alot of people write to the males, so the females must have less penpals, sp. those that are not considered pretty by our society's standards. And I think that the people that they knew in real life are maybe more prone to abandon them when they get on D.R, because in many people's minds a woman that kills is a lot worst than a man that does (the act of killing is bad in my mind.I don't see why singling out a female is better). Also since I am not looking for a DR boyfriend or whatever writing 1st to a female will make me get used to being penpal w/them easier when it comes time to write a male DR eventually.
I'd like to know which female DR inmates to beware of, I don't want any gossip just who are the prone to con her pen pals (sp. since it will be my first time) or the name of female DR inmates that would need a letter and a friend because they don't have many...Also I don't have time to get busy in their defense fundraising or on their cases (unless I really do see by myself that there is a real innocent person in there), so I can't get one that expects me to do so, it would be unfair for me or her.
Later I'd write one or two males, I wanna start w/a female first. I won't have time to write to more than 2 or 3 DR inmates, as I don't want to get too much on my plate.
Also, I don't wanna be picky but sex-murders are a big nono for the penpals. For ex., I wouldn't be able to write to someone that kidnapped,raped and murdered a child (or anyone for that matter. I am a survivor of sex abuse so it's something I am sensitive of). It seems weird to be choosy when looking for a DR p-pal but since I won't ask upfront what they did I would rather find out by myself and write to a penpal that I have an idea on what they are in for (yes, murder 1 but which type).
Thanks much!