Marina
Settlin' In
My favourite picture of Rich and his little princess Ricki
Posts: 23
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Post by Marina on Oct 28, 2005 22:55:04 GMT -5
Why did I write to my friend?......take a look at the picture!! Now He's up in Heaven sending me the strength and the guidance as I continue to write to two DR inmates; 1 @ Polunsky and 1 @ Ely State Prison in Nevada. These men need our help, so please pick up a pen and write, 2-3 words if you don't have time for more. Sometimes even a word of encouragement is enough.
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Post by lawstudent on Oct 29, 2005 8:21:05 GMT -5
I picked my penpal because there was nothing out of the ordinary about his ad; I figured the more high profile people already have plenty of people writing them, so I just picked an ordinary guy. The extraordinary thing is that it turns out we have tons in common to write about, and already I feel a bond with him that I never expected to have.
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Post by precioso on Nov 14, 2005 6:53:00 GMT -5
I have one pen pal on death row in Nevada and one friend serving a life sentence in Texas. To be honest, I can't really say what made me choose to write to Steven in Nevada, his ad was just.. Normal, he seemed like a genuine kinda guy and that appealed to me. I wasn't looking for an particular qualities in a pen pal and his advert didn't really stand out but instantly I knew that he was someone I'd like to get to know.
We've been writing to each other for a couple of months now and it's weird but we have so much in common and always have loads to talk and laugh about in our letters.
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Post by kat2 on Nov 22, 2005 16:03:30 GMT -5
Okay, I really need to ask....you call these people your "pals" and "friends". I am undecided about whether or not I am for or against the death penalty, but above all that, have you people forgotten that these men and women are MURDERERS?? I don't understand how you can call someone who would do something so monstrous as take another human's life (sometimes in horribly evil ways) your friend? Please explain this for me.
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Post by swebb on Nov 22, 2005 16:34:12 GMT -5
Kat I don't write to death row inmates but since being on this board I have come to realize why these people do. First I think that it starts out with a facination with someone behind the wall. They somehow think that by writing this pal that they can make his life alittle "easier" or make themselves feel better. Then they develop genuine friendships with these people and are able to set aside what these "pals" did that got them in death row in the first place. It doesn't become the focus of their relationship! They find other things to write about other then what happened to them. And why should they constantly have to explain themselves to the world once they have already gone to trial and been convicted of that crime? They shouldn't have to!
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Post by janet on Nov 22, 2005 17:07:20 GMT -5
Kat, I do write to death row inmates. In my case, it didn't begin with a fascination with an individual being in prison: it began because I am committed to the abolition of the death penalty, firstly. The condition in death rows are abominable and these men and women are treated as if they are a sub-species of the humanity. So, in addition to writing letters to newspapers, governors, etc., signing petitions urging clemency, i.e. taking a rather academic approach, I decided to 'walk the walk' and not merely 'talk the talk'. I never for a moment anticipated that it would be an emotionally easy journey. It hasn't been. In fact, it's been the most painful path that I've ever walked.
Yes, those on death row are, in most circumstances, guilty of murder. Yet, that is a single, precipitous event in their lives. Behind that all encompassing label, is a geniuine flesh and blood human being, one who bleeds as each of us does. There are, as in every group of individuals, people with whom one has something in common and those one doesn't.
I've never, nor shall I, ever ask the circumstances of the crime. That comes with time, trust, and, frankly, does not even pique my curiosity. We choose our friends for 'what' they are to us and don't define them by their deeds. It's the case in all true friendships.
Although it's often difficult, I've never once regretted making the choice that I did. My problem comes with those who judge without knowing a human being.
There, but for the grace of God, goes anyone of us under certain circumstances.
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Post by xyntax on Dec 5, 2005 9:10:41 GMT -5
I'd like to comment on Kat's post as well:
I started to write to my friend 7 years ago, and to be honest, I don't really remember what made me write to him and no one else. I think it was something about the ad, even though I can't remember it now. It simply had "it" to make me interested, even though I can't remember it being special compared to the other ads.
I started writing to him because I knew life on DR could probably be pretty bad in many ways, and I knew I could at least TRY to make a difference. I decided before I even wrote to him not to ever mention his crime if he didn't do it himself, because I didn't want it to have an impact on my way of writing to him - if I was going to obsess over his crime, I might as well NOT write to him, because he lives with being judged because of it EVERY DAY for the rest of his life.
We talked about all sorts of stuff. I wrote about my days at school, we went through differences in customs (I'm Swedish) and generally had a good time together. I quickly realized that this is a PERSON, who made a mistake (and yeah, it was a big one) at that time 9 years ago (today 16), but that he has much more to him than that isolated incident. He is funny, warm, loving and one of my best friends in this world, because he allows me to be free from all the social masks we all keep before our faces when we interact with people, including our friends and family.
Think about something you've done in your life. Are you only that person? Or is there more to you? I'll give you an example from MY life, so you'll see what I mean: I'm currently in med school, and in a few years time, I'll be a doctor. Will I be just a doctor, and nothing else? Will that be my only identity in life? Of course not - I am still a sister, a daughter, an old friend to other people, just as I am always going to be known for loving to travel or playing computer games. Just as your and my personalities hold so much more than any isolated situation, so do all of the DR inmates, and they deserve to be treated as the human beings they are. And, some of them, whether they're innocent or not, are nice people, who become REAL friends, for life!
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Post by abiraballari on Dec 24, 2005 2:11:26 GMT -5
I chose my pen pal while looking through MopsPenPals.com (which is no longer on the net). I just surfed looking for people who are around my age and with my interests and MICHAEL TAYLOR from Alabama was the only one who said: "You have to know I'm on death row". His birthday is November 1971 and mine is November 1972....that was WEIRD. That was when I knew I had to keep writing to him. His ad just grabbed my heart and I thought: "I'm going to let him know that SOMEONE on the outside isn't forgetting him
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micky
New Arrival
Posts: 5
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Post by micky on May 18, 2008 17:47:56 GMT -5
I have been asked many times how I chose to write the ones I do when there are so many ads to choose from. So, what made you choose your pal? I read a book about one of my pals, and that made me write him. That is what got me started in the first place. The book touched me, and I had to let him know. (This book is only written in Norwegian) As I was looking for information about my "book pal", I came across ads everywhere, and I chose my second pal because of what he wrote in his ad. First impression was good. I got to know my third pal because his fiance is a friend of mine. My fourth pal - I got to know him through my first pal. It really is true that one thing leads to another. Right now, I'm just writing to one inmate - Jody Lee Miles - I sent letters to two others yesterday. It does not matter to me whether Jody is innocent or not; he still shouldn't be on death row. He's admitted to shooting a dealer, but he only did it in self defense, as he believed the dealer was about to shoot him. Obviously, this is the fault of the American system for allowing citizens to carry guns, where they may be in mindless acts of self defense. Jody is essentially a victim. Heres to Jody Lee Miles. Hugs, Gill You dont realise the damage this statement has made to Mr Mills and his case. Ý do hope in future that others will refain from naming PP. I have emailed CCADP and waitýng for a response. Mr Miles never admitted to Gill or anyone else so Ý cannot understand why Gýll has made this statement. Take a look at this www.baltimoresun2.com/talk/showthread.php?p=3304741 Thank you Gill.
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Post by banshee on May 19, 2008 10:31:31 GMT -5
I started to write Peter because his story saddened me, a young man, a horrible mistake and his life was destroyed. I felt all that surrounds him now is the hate of the Ertman and Penia family and I read that Ertman pushes for Peter's execution like a rabid animal. I felt so sorry for Peter.
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Post by sckooshy1 on Jun 21, 2008 14:54:35 GMT -5
Hi Lene, I have 3 pen pals. One I wrote to before he was put on DR because I believe he is innocent.... (Scott Peterson), the other two I came across while looking for info on SQ- one page led to the next and the next.... and I found two people who were not getting mail from anyone. They both had short ads that made my heart break for them.... so I had to write. I'm glad I did you think scott peterson is innocent?! Who cares really!!! Scott Peterson is hot!!! I haven't written him yet, but I am getting ready to. Even if I never hear back from him, it would be nice for him to read and know someone has him in their thoughts. I am actually intrigued by him. People can think what they want.
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Post by tudora on Aug 11, 2008 18:04:36 GMT -5
I chose my pals because of their ads, I wanted them not to say they are innocent, I had been looking for guys who'd say, Yes I am guilty and Yes, I've made mistakes. I thought it's easier for me dealing with them. And as I see now, I wrote to the ones who fit perfectly. Sometimes it's best idea hearing to someones inner voice.
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Post by missclaire on Sept 2, 2008 15:56:19 GMT -5
I picked my pal, as his ad was normal, he was interested in the same kind of things as me and i just knew i would get on well with him... That was 2 years ago and we've been writing on and off for that time...
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Post by melymel on Feb 18, 2014 18:17:42 GMT -5
I was in a lonely desprate situation and was looking for some frendship/support/comfort/hope and thought why not do something for someone else that could also help myself and what worse than someone facing death,therefore i typed in the death penalty pen pal requst online and al came up first so i narrowed it down to someone of my age with similaritieas etc etc and was strangely drawn to a paticular person so wrote my first letter!
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Post by melymel on Feb 18, 2014 18:21:47 GMT -5
Okay, I really need to ask....you call these people your "pals" and "friends". I am undecided about whether or not I am for or against the death penalty, but above all that, have you people forgotten that these men and women are MURDERERS?? I don't understand how you can call someone who would do something so monstrous as take another human's life (sometimes in horribly evil ways) your friend? Please explain this for me.
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