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| (This blog was originally posted by tgdindenmark1, 24 June, 2014) |
WELCOME TO
THE BIG HOUSE!!
“While the transporters waited for the gate to open after it was announced that they were in possession of one female to be booked, my thoughts slowly wandered down memory lane:
The last time I had been to Texas was in the year of 1990. Also then, had I been transported to a gated community, but of a whole other sort. And also then, had I waited to be shown to an assigned bunk... and also then could I forget everything about sleeping, eating, showering, or reading in solitude. The difference was, however, that I had chosen this lifestyle so many years ago, as it provided what was to be the beginning phase of a medical career; ahead laid a strenuous schedule in form of education, mealtimes and exercise. Sleep, or lack thereof, was something then of which I had very little, just as I now suspected, that I would not get very much of in the large building to which we were parked in front. Also then, had I traded my clothes in order to wear the same attire as everybody else, blending into the crowd, no longer an individual, but being a small part of something bigger; a team which would never succeed unless everyone knew their part and let everythingresembling individuality go.
Once inside the detention building destiny awaited, with officers readily available and willing to trade my civilian clothes for state issued socks, undergarments, towels, blankets and a pillow; the standard indigent packet provided with all the necessary toiletries, and last but not least, the inmate uniform, in the colors of green…and red. Of course, that was after providing yet another successful set of fingerprints (after a few failed results), and after wiping off the ink from my fingers, I was heading to the ever so infamous (and very long) line from where images of one’s facial features are preserved forever in the data system belonging to Uncle Sam; and as we all know, the tendency of such images sneaking their way to the internet leaves the opportunity for everyone to see these fine images…forever. I now had yet another image, also known as a ‘mug shot’ ready to float around for all to see- a far cry from the SELFIEs voluntarily planted in cyberspace! But at this point, I really couldn’t care less about that. Besides, with knowledge of one of the former directors of Department of Homeland Security also having such a ‘mug shot’ from his younger days, floating around for all to see as well, I wasn’t about to have what I was going through, this collaboration of unfortunate events which would without a doubt taint my reputation even further, stop me from having my non-profit organization up and running and provide opportunities for children and adolescents known as DREAMERS. But, as I now stood here, all dressed up in green, red and white, as if I was about to join a jailhouse cheering team for the Italiana or Mexicana jailbirds, I reminded myself that I could kiss goodbye anything and everything which had to do with the world of charity for now. Little did I know that I thought wrong.
Everything they say about all things in Texas being bigger than anywhere else in the USA was in the next ten days or so proven to be true. Dallas County jail is stated to be the seventh biggest jail in the United States of America, and it is said to house an average of 6000 (yes, that is six thousand) inmates, all being babysat by the 2000 employees.* As I entered the pod to which I was assigned, I felt my jawbone drop. Never did I realize that pods were constructed in such large areas! It was as if I had entered Walmart, and instead of aisles of all goods imaginable, I saw aisles of bunk beds- both on the ground floor, and only to be surprised by the fact that there was yet another floor above with a long string of what seemed an endless number of bunks; and this
was in this pod only, and the two other pods in the tower and the floor from where I was now residing…and the next towers of the next floor, and on and on…and on. Even the people in Texas, in general, seem to be bigger. On several occasions while inside Texas County Jail, I had to be conscious of my jaw not to drop again. In marvel, I stood in front of several female guards, fascinated that nature was capable of producing women of such size. Although, I had in my childhood been around tall women as I have a sister-by-marriage whom worked the fashion runway, and therefore had many friends above the average female height; but, this...this was something quite different. Let me dare say, that I am quite sure the players from the Dallas Cowboys team would have faced challenges if they were to tackle any of these women. I marveled over one in particular, who I soon came to find out, was one of those individuals very good at seeing black and white, rather than inmates. I also came to find out soon that being white on her shift was not in my favor: For the first time, in all of my years in the United States, I felt a discrimination against me which I had never felt before. Could I see past it? Absolutely! Although I will never understand the reason behind nor the emotion driving a person to discriminate against another, I was not going to give this guard the power to create a negative attitude within me due to her unprofessional behaviour. And as I left karma to sort out any injustice brought upon me during the short stay at Dallas County Jail, it wasn’t long before a perfect imbalance in my favor started to present itself. It seemed, that for each person trying to make it difficult for me, two came to my rescue. If one was to view this from a religious angle, I would say that jail, in general, is a perfect place to observe the action of angels in disguise, against the devil’s servants- and they were to be found both amongst the inmates…as well as the guards, the judges and their clerks.
While speaking of the inmates: I don’t know what I had expected with regard to the population of this southern jail. Perhaps I thought that I would spend time with a few gals in violation of improper roping of a cow, or an occasional person having to explain to the judge why she had to appear in court for ‘disturbing the peace’, at a local square dancing festival. I really don’t know what I expected; but what I do know is that I was not prepared to face the big problem of today’s Texas with regard to drugs, and in particular, heroin, with the players of this type of losing game being so many females all at once. So, here they were…the gals of Texas: African Americans, Latinas, Asians, Caucasians…and one Dane. A unity of this sort would usually ring the freedom bell in my mind. But rather than thinking ‘United Nations of colours’, I was thinking more in the lines of “United Pod of Texas’ finest!” Alleged thieves, traffic violators and drug users…and then there were was that one alleged Grand Theft Auto violator (yes…moi!), the word ‘alleged’ being the operative word, as not all of the inmates were sentenced yet, including myself.
As defined so eloquently by Nolo’s Plain-English Law dictionary:
‘One of the most sacred principles in the American criminal justice system, holding that a
defendant is innocent until proven guilty. In other words, the prosecution must prove, beyond a
reasonable doubt, each essential element of the crime charged.’
Except, it was my experience, repeatedly, that this noble notion does not apply in reality, as I was already labeled a thief from the very start. But, we will get back to that at a later point.
If we were to think in terms of U.S immigration and undocumented inmates: as so many of the American politicians have been speaking out about undocumented aliens taking up precious space in America’s jails, and done so repeatedly throughout the past decade in which I have been researching the topic, I now found the case not to be true. In the pod which I was assigned to, there was only one other female pending immigration charges other than myself. I can’t speak for the number of undocumented inmates in other pods. But as it is customary to sit in holding cells with other inmates from other areas every time one is transported back and forth, either to appear in front of a judge, or to seek medical care, I wasn’t able to encounter one single inmate facing any form of immigration charges in these cells either. Left with no possibility of prying into the history of other immigrants and listening to their stories, the focus now shifted to the inmates with pending drug charges. And as I came to find out, that meant the vast majority of the pod’s population.
According to 2013 statistics for the number of arrests in the United States in 2012, by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, there were 1,552,432 drug abuse related violations in the United States. In addition to this vast number, there were another 511,271 persons in violation of what the FBI refers to as ‘Drunkenness’.* That is a total of 2,063,703 of arrests (keep in mind that some persons may have been charged with more than one count of violations). If we were to look at this number in terms of a small country’s population such as Denmark (from where I am writing about this madness) which is occupied by approximately 5.6 million persons, the number of persons in the USA in violations of drug abuse/alcohol related crimes translates into a little under one third of the overall population of Denmark…just to put the number into perspective.
Furthermore: if in fact, in support of the 2013 National Drug Control Strategy, the President of the United States of America requested no less than $25.4 billion (yes, you read it right-it says billion) in Fiscal Year 2014*- then why are the persons who fall into the target group, in this case the drug users, still crowding the jails across America? As this number clearly cries out to be considered an American epidemic, I have wondered many times since my little trip to the detention centers, how difficult can it possibly be to properly define the cause and effect hereof, with regard to the cause of the American government’s inability to clearly define the root of America’s drug problem and the effect that it has on the nation as a whole because of such inability; if it had in fact been clearly defined, such root would have been properly identified, and simultaneously a solution to such problem would be developed with transparency. Although, the root to America’s drug problem is slowly being defined, while officials such as Ronald Davis, COPS Director from the Department of Justice is calling on state officials to treat substance abuse disorders as disease and not crime, is a small step in the right direction, another problem surfaces: In a nation where there is already established a shortage of educated drug and alcohol counselors, psychologists, and physicians, only to mention a few professions of the healthcare sector suffering shortage- wouldn’t it be right to be concerned about a potential problem such as the detriment of these drug users, now no longer being defined as criminals, thereby not receiving adequate treatment to permanently end the drug user’s revolving door into the jails and designated drug courts, the outpatient/inpatient treatment centers, only to relapse and repeat the cycle, if such patients find themselves bottlenecked in a system due to the mentioned shortage?
Also, if such a large amount is allocated in order to find a solution to the nation’s drug problem, as was the amount the previous year when a final level of $24.5 billion was allocated to solve the very same issue, and with no result, then it must be an indicator that it is the United States of America which is in dire need of a relapse plan, as it clearly fails repeatedly to stay true to a commitment to end the problem- at the expense of the American taxpayer. The numbers of arrests provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigations is, after all, hard evidence that the current plan has failed; and I ask you: for every person, entity, institution and government official whom stand to benefit from the money allocated, and promises to be part of the solution to the problem, but fails to do so, repeatedly...it appears as if there never was a real intent to provide proper
service for the money received. I would therefore argue, that such persons, entities, institutions and government officials are taking part in what is referred to as ‘theft by deception’…and if so, who is the criminal, really?
I am not going to a bore with statistics which may appear to have nothing to do with my story, or immigration for that matter. But, I am here to tell you that it has everything to do with it. As I had spent countless hours researching the numbers of arrests, numbers of patients falling into categories anywhere on the medical spectrum from oncology to psychiatry, HIV to geriatrics, in conjunction with the number of shortages of professionals in the medical sector, as it serves as logic to provide opportunities and education to young individuals where needed most. And for undocumented DREAMERS who are willing to step forth, and in the future carry the burden of providing the best medical care, research and innovation, I have made a commitment to in return making sure to raise the necessary funds for legal relief, followed different avenues to education, mentoring and employment, as well as establishing alliances inside as well as outside America with other organizations conducting research, creating lifesaving technology; as well as creating connections with hospitals and institutions in need of newly educated youth. And I would do this through Int. Humanitarian Alliance and Cyclone Innovations. As I have stated many times: any form of work permit granted in the United States without the opportunity to find work, is like having a plate with no food, as the work permit and the plate alike are only secondary to the primary purpose of feeding oneself. With this in mind I have stooped under and into the world of immigration head first and I have held my breath since 2007, only to let it out now: Reform of any kind means nothing, if it doesn’t serve as a link in solving other issues! The problems America is facing today are so deep rooted, and will never resolve themselves no matter how much reform is suggested, unless heavy
investing in the children and youth, citizens or undocumented, starts becoming the number
one priority.”
With that now let out...let’s go back to the presence of the story:
“The fact that the problem in which I found myself, was giving me a golden opportunity, was something in which I was completely blind to: In the midst of my problem laid the last piece of the puzzle to my research, in which all of the information I had throughout all these years harvested had a chance to be proved to be worth every bit of it: proved to be worth losing sleep over, proved to be worth seeing my circle of friends reduce to nothing as I have become one-track minded and obsessed with completing the goal of the non-profit organization and fulfilling its purpose; proved to be worth being apart from everyone I loved...and, proving to myself that it be worth being in a country of which I am legally a citizen, only to yearn to be, again, in the country I love, in the same sinful sense as a proper and dutiful wife dreams about the one whom she is not allowed to love. It all proved to be worth it for this piece of priceless information: to observe, in real-time, the reality of the problems within the walls of detention centers, ensuring that what I had expressed theoretically proved to be either true…or not. And what I was given in return when all the pieces of the puzzle came together was a perfect image of the truth, that all of which I had worked for so long may be worth it. But, I realized this only later. For as I found myself in the pod at Dallas County Jail, I was too busy counting the hours until my daughter’s wedding, hoping for a miracle to be released just in time to hop on a flight and sit among the guests as the proud mother-hen-of-the bride, strutting my feathers and showing off my growing family, all while dressed in a burnt orange silk dress and slate blue high heels while sipping wine, laughing, and kissing my daughter goodbye as she was leaving the wedding party- not as Ms. V., but as Mrs. M. But, the hopes of such proved shortly after to be nothing but a sweet delusion."
TO BE CONTINUED...
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