>From: "Peter McWilliams" >Subject: Merry Christmas, Gov. Bush >Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 06:50:09 -0800 >X-Mozilla-Status: 8001 >X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 > > >This man is serving 60 years in a Texas prison for ONE GRAM of cocaine. Gov. >Bush has the power to pardon this man for doing precisely what Bush did at >roughly the same time, but does not. How long can this cruelty continue? > >Peter > > > >----------- > >Reprinted from Nexus magazine, Dec1999- Jan 2000 > >Reading for sanity > >Dear Friend, > >Please let me introduce myself. My name is Jerry W. Hamilton; I'm 48 >years old, and presently incarcerated by the Texas Department of >Corrections (TDC). And no, I'm not some sort of serial killer or rapist. > >I'm a casualty of the so-called "drugs war" being waged here in America. >Reusing a 25-year plea agreement offered by the District Attorney, I >opted for a jury trial. I was subsequently convicted of possession of a >controlled substance; to wit, a gram of cocaine. The same jury sentenced >me to 60 years in prison. That was back in 1985. I have been locked up >ever since. I mention this only in the hope that you'll understand my >situation. > >TDC is one of the few prison systems that does not pay their prisoners >even a token wage for working. Since I've been locked up, my parents >have passed away, thus leaving me with no one on the outside to help me >financially. At this writing, I am confined to isolative lockdown, a 6'x >9' cell, for refusing to work as a slave in the fields. I assure you, >contrary to bogus news reports, Texas prisoners are not coddled. On the >contrary, the treatment I am subjected to would have animal rights >activists screaming bloody murder if I were in fact an animal and not a >human being. > >I remain locked in my small, austere cell 161 hours each week, year in >and year out. I am allowed out of my cell for one hour each day to walk >around in a small, cage-like enclosure and to shower. I have no cell >partner, no radio, no TV, no family, no contact with the outside world. > >My only escape from this mind-numbing boredom is through reading. >However, books and magazines are very scarce in prison, especially >informative and enlightening ones. >The one's that are available are read over and over again until they >simply disintegrate from constant handling. > >TDC allows us to receive books and magazines in through the mail. This >leads to why I am writing to you personally. Please know that a >complimentary subscription to your magazine, or perhaps some back issues >or whatever, would not only lighten my burden but countless others' as >well. > >Prisoners who are unfortunate enough to be housed in isolative lockdown >can only check out one library book per month. We cannot check out >magazines or newspapers from the prison library, even though we are >allowed to receive magazines and newspapers through the mail. Since I am >indigent, my poverty precludes me from being able to pay you for a >subscription. > >For at least in the ensuing hours I spend reading, I am lifted above and >beyond my inner pain, weariness and chronic loneliness. > >I thank you in advance for your time and consideration on this request. > >Jerry W. Hamilton #479571, Hughes Unit, Rt Box 4400, Gatesville, TX >76597, USA > >------ > > >From Peter: > >Isn't today the birthday of the guy who Bush says he "serves" and "follows"? >I think this is the same guy who (according to Matthew, the tax collector, >in Cahpter 25 of his book) said: > >31 >"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he >will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. >32 >All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people >one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. >33 >He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. >34 >"Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by >my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the >creation of the world. >35 >For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you >gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, >36 >I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I >was in prison and you came to visit me.' >37 >"Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and >feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? >38 >When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and >clothe you? >39 >When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' >40 >"The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the >least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' >41 >"Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, >into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. >42 >For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave >me nothing to drink, >43 >I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did >not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' >44 >"They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a >stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' >45 >"He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of >the least of these, you did not do for me.' >46 >"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal >life." > >------ > >And the sheep and the goats will eat the Bush. > >Amen. > >Merry Christmas. > >Love, > >Peter > > >================================================================ > >This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to > the mailing list . >To unsubscribe, E-mail to: