Nevada
Dale Flanagan
Who were you? I was minutes from death, my injection filled sitting on the tray waiting to enter my vein. Ich sat and looked back and wondered where were you when they chained and shackled me? Where were you, when they commanded the dogs to attack holding it cms from my face, I could feel its heat?
Where were you, when they chambered their shotgun and pulled the trigger, when it clicked they laughed? Where were you when they placed the Tazer on me triggering it and shouting “Bzzt”…?
Where were you any of the days I sat alone in isolation in this tiny cell. 22 hours of every day, every day turning into every week becoming every month flowing into years into decades of mind spirit eroding saneness, only punctuated by moments of brutality? What do you hope to accomplish? Do you do more then on the seldom the topic comes up say “I’m against the death penalty” Do something. Anything. The blank truth America likes its vengeance. The individual American is unconsciously ignorant of the application of high something words like justice, fair trial due process. Ah but do not despair, nor imagine the machine of death is too much for you to change. So much is within your power as an individual and the group. Only act. Wie? Decide what is within your power and do it. Can you imagine what its like to be 19 years old 16 years old sitting in an courtroom on trial for your life and your court appointed attorney drunk, sometimes sleeping while all the power of the state is brought uncontested against you? This is the best time and place to act if you want to end the death penalty or even just save one life! By getting the man / boy an attorney. Help defend those who cannot defend themselves. Make it difficult and more expensive for the state to condemn these men. This they understand. Those with the means to fight are not condemned to die. A fact of American justice. Perhaps you are an individual and that is beyond you. Pick a man at random send him a magazine subscription anonymously even just to give the man something else to occupy his mind besides the 4 white walls and how alone he is.
There are all levels of possible actions you can take. We are not all angels. Nor is any man only the worst he was ever accused of doing. Write, ask the man can you send him some books, perhaps become a friend…anything to fill the endless dead hours. Let him know no matter how many people abandoned him someone somewhere sees past the chaff to the wheat.
Make just one day stand out from all the rest in a good way. And here too if you are able you can save a life. No, not by writing a governor. Sorry, that’s pointless. The justice system may have a motto “Better 10 guilty men go free than one innocent man go to prison”, but it’s only lip service. In practice even with evidence of actual innocence governors are loath to act. They fall back on “he had his day in court, a jury found him guilty, the system worked”. Here save a life get a man a good appeals lawyer. Those we are given could not fight their way cut of a wet paper sack. For the most part their goal is not to win but delay for as long as possible a man’s death. You can act. You can ease a man’s suffering. You can save a man’s life. Just don’t be one of those. When I see you on the other side I ask “where were you?”
Where were you on any day of decades of suffering growing greyer becoming too tired, to become exhausted to see the next dawn, giving up.
So here I sit the tray beside me on my last day….
HE sent us one more time a new pen pal ad: Here are the news:
Hallo ich heisse Dale. Ich lese Deutsch sehr gut, aber schreibe nicht so gut. Ich suche un hoffe für eine gute Beziehung, Freundschaft.
Vielleicht mit Dir. Schreibe bald.
This place is dour and dark enough I would like to find someone who is fun optimistic, to share a rude joke a laugh with. Someone to really get to know, develop a real and lasting friendship with.
I get reponses, of a sort. I desire someone more well rounded.
I am a genuine open sincere no games playing passionate direct Masters level educated 6 foot 1 inch 185 pound brown haired green eyed German/Irish ancestry man with broad tastes and intrests.
I was born on Aug. 13, 1965
Everyone has a different biography, set of experiences that made them who they are.Write, lets see what we share in common and what interesting differences we may find.
What should you say? How should you begin?
Tell me something about you, the person. What is important to you….
I look forward to get to know you!!!
Dale
Dale Flanagan #21853
P.O. Box 1989
Ely, NV 89301
USA