California
Richard John Vieira
Dear ladies and Gentlemen,
my name is Richard John Vieira, and I’m a condemned prisoner on California’s death row. I am a 39 year old Portuguese man with dark hair and green eyes, I’m 5’6” and weigh about 150 lbs.
I was arrested in 1990, and arrived at San Quentin in 1992. I’m single, I’ve never been married and I don’t have any children. As you can imagine, it is very difficult to meet new people while in prison, “especially a nice lady”. Which has made it hard on me to find any special friends / correspondents who can or want to lift my heart to new heights, and relieve some of the hardships of living in prison…, let alone of those on death row.
I like to write/talk about politics, religion, world events and life in general. I’ve even written some poetry in the past which has been published, (and I’m enclosing some for you here). I am also trying to complete a book that I have been working on for some time now. But, dealing with my capital appeals, and my loneliness weigh heavily on my mind and heart…And keeps me from accomplishing everything “positive” that I would like to do for myself.
So, because of my circumstances and the conditions I am living under. I would very much like to initiate a correspondence with someone who will enjoy sharing their lives, thoughts, emotions and time with me in a reciprocal manner. And I would “really love it” if I could start corresponding with someone who lives closely by, and could come visit with me if & when our correspondence progresses in a successful manner. But, that isn’t a condition or circumstance that I am insisting upon. I will be very happy to correspond with anyone who would like to initiate a great and meaningful friendship…, or more.
I know there are a lot of wonderful people out there and it would only take “one” to lift my spirits, and make my time here on California’s death row a little brighter. And I promise I will do my best to enrich your life with sincerity and honesty.
As you can see, just because I’ve been convicted…doesn’t mean I am anything less than a human being. I still have compassion and feelings which deserve more than abandonment and disregard. So thank you for taking the time to read my introduction. And even if you have already decided that you’re not going to write. I hope I have touched you in some small way that has made your day a little brighter. And for anyone who does write please know that the prison takes anywhere from 15 to 20 days to deliver our mail to us. So, if I hear from you, you will hear from me too. So until then, take care o yourself and I will try my best to do the same.
Richard John Vieira (H-31000)
San Quentin State Prison (4-EB-86)
San Quentin, Ca. 94974
USA
(sample)
A bottomless pitcher of love ours out…My heart is what I’m talking about.
My dreams of love have all gone away…It goes on like this day after day. As the first lights of the nights sky appear…So does a tear of hopes turned to fears. There is no love for a man at fate’s hands. It’s as bad as the desert and it’s endless sands. Fate’s like a rushing river out of control, time spent in it’s waters makes me weary and old…
Time wrinkles my body and tires my soul…I may still be young, but I feel so old. So until time’s waters carry me back to the sea, I will never be free, I will never be me…
“A Bottomless Pitcher”
“Dependencies”
There are many people in our society that are struggling with dependencies today.
They deal with drugs and alcohol, food and even relationships. All of which brings them and the people around grief, sorrow and misery.
But there are also other dependencies which we have ALL allowed ourselves to become depend upon. Dependencies which cause us just as much grief, sorrow and misery, and is destroying our society from the inside at many levels.
These dependencies are Natural Gas, Electricity, Gasoline and City Water. Items we had lived without for hundreds of years are now being rationed out to us by monstrously wealthy corporations, at top dollar. These corporations have been pandering their commodity off on us for so long…They have us hooked and under the belief that we cannot live without their precious utilities.
These corporations know exactly how much we have become dependent upon their commodity, and they use our desperate need for it to charge ANY PRICE they want…And we pay it. We complain, gripe and in some cases these outrageous prices creates terrible hardships for us when we have to “choose” between food, heat and or water. (Water which is usually contaminated with some type of pollutants which cause us even more harm).
Is this the “price” we have to pay to live in a civilized society? Then how can we continue to call this a civilized society when even the poorest communities and people are squeezed for every penny they can or can’t spare, just to get a pinch of this precious commodity which only makes these wealthy corporations even more wealthy.
It is a struggle to make ends meet as it is, to keep a roof over our families heads, and food on the table. Then on top of that we are charged top dollar for utilities that have become a basic necessity in our society today.
How did we allow ourselves to get so dependent upon these utilities, and their viciously greedy suppliers? Clearly we wouldn’t die without these utilities. The Amish have lived, and continue to live without these commodities, and they’re doing just fine…
In fact, they live a very peaceful lifestyle, free of crime and all of the other problems our society faces today.
So, is our modern day conveniences worth so much misery and grief? Nothing is changing in our lives, except that the prices for these commodities keep going up, and our lifestyles and society keeps deteriorating.
What then shall we do? Can we tell these corporations to take their precious commodities and shove them up you know where? Or can we start making a stand and just stoop paying? Then take that money we were giving to them to make a change of lifestyle for ourselves…
The question we must ask ourselves is not whether we can live without them completely. But, what can we live without longer…Their utilities “or” our happiness and peace of mind? Happiness which will come from freeing ourselves from any dependencies; and the peace of mind which will come from taking some control over our lives and environment.
I don’t have any specific remedies or answers. But there has to be one…Or is it too late for us to take our lives back and start working on bringing some peace / harmony into our lives. One thing is certain…It will take a concerted effort.
Written by:
Richard John Vieeira (H-31000)
San Quentin State Prison (4-EB-86)
San Quentin, Ca. 94974
USA
Last update: September 2009
Richard John Vieira
Dear ladies and Gentlemen,
my name is Richard John Vieira, and I’m a condemned prisoner on California’s death row. I am a 39 year old Portuguese man with dark hair and green eyes, I’m 5’6” and weigh about 150 lbs.
I was arrested in 1990, and arrived at San Quentin in 1992. I’m single, I’ve never been married and I don’t have any children. As you can imagine, it is very difficult to meet new people while in prison, “especially a nice lady”. Which has made it hard on me to find any special friends / correspondents who can or want to lift my heart to new heights, and relieve some of the hardships of living in prison…, let alone of those on death row.
I like to write/talk about politics, religion, world events and life in general. I’ve even written some poetry in the past which has been published, (and I’m enclosing some for you here). I am also trying to complete a book that I have been working on for some time now. But, dealing with my capital appeals, and my loneliness weigh heavily on my mind and heart…And keeps me from accomplishing everything “positive” that I would like to do for myself.
So, because of my circumstances and the conditions I am living under. I would very much like to initiate a correspondence with someone who will enjoy sharing their lives, thoughts, emotions and time with me in a reciprocal manner. And I would “really love it” if I could start corresponding with someone who lives closely by, and could come visit with me if & when our correspondence progresses in a successful manner. But, that isn’t a condition or circumstance that I am insisting upon. I will be very happy to correspond with anyone who would like to initiate a great and meaningful friendship…, or more.
I know there are a lot of wonderful people out there and it would only take “one” to lift my spirits, and make my time here on California’s death row a little brighter. And I promise I will do my best to enrich your life with sincerity and honesty.
As you can see, just because I’ve been convicted…doesn’t mean I am anything less than a human being. I still have compassion and feelings which deserve more than abandonment and disregard. So thank you for taking the time to read my introduction. And even if you have already decided that you’re not going to write. I hope I have touched you in some small way that has made your day a little brighter. And for anyone who does write please know that the prison takes anywhere from 15 to 20 days to deliver our mail to us. So, if I hear from you, you will hear from me too. So until then, take care o yourself and I will try my best to do the same.
Richard John Vieira (H-31000)
San Quentin State Prison (4-EB-86)
San Quentin, Ca. 94974
USA
(sample)
A bottomless pitcher of love ours out…My heart is what I’m talking about.
My dreams of love have all gone away…It goes on like this day after day. As the first lights of the nights sky appear…So does a tear of hopes turned to fears. There is no love for a man at fate’s hands. It’s as bad as the desert and it’s endless sands. Fate’s like a rushing river out of control, time spent in it’s waters makes me weary and old…
Time wrinkles my body and tires my soul…I may still be young, but I feel so old. So until time’s waters carry me back to the sea, I will never be free, I will never be me…
“A Bottomless Pitcher”
“Dependencies”
There are many people in our society that are struggling with dependencies today.
They deal with drugs and alcohol, food and even relationships. All of which brings them and the people around grief, sorrow and misery.
But there are also other dependencies which we have ALL allowed ourselves to become depend upon. Dependencies which cause us just as much grief, sorrow and misery, and is destroying our society from the inside at many levels.
These dependencies are Natural Gas, Electricity, Gasoline and City Water. Items we had lived without for hundreds of years are now being rationed out to us by monstrously wealthy corporations, at top dollar. These corporations have been pandering their commodity off on us for so long…They have us hooked and under the belief that we cannot live without their precious utilities.
These corporations know exactly how much we have become dependent upon their commodity, and they use our desperate need for it to charge ANY PRICE they want…And we pay it. We complain, gripe and in some cases these outrageous prices creates terrible hardships for us when we have to “choose” between food, heat and or water. (Water which is usually contaminated with some type of pollutants which cause us even more harm).
Is this the “price” we have to pay to live in a civilized society? Then how can we continue to call this a civilized society when even the poorest communities and people are squeezed for every penny they can or can’t spare, just to get a pinch of this precious commodity which only makes these wealthy corporations even more wealthy.
It is a struggle to make ends meet as it is, to keep a roof over our families heads, and food on the table. Then on top of that we are charged top dollar for utilities that have become a basic necessity in our society today.
How did we allow ourselves to get so dependent upon these utilities, and their viciously greedy suppliers? Clearly we wouldn’t die without these utilities. The Amish have lived, and continue to live without these commodities, and they’re doing just fine…
In fact, they live a very peaceful lifestyle, free of crime and all of the other problems our society faces today.
So, is our modern day conveniences worth so much misery and grief? Nothing is changing in our lives, except that the prices for these commodities keep going up, and our lifestyles and society keeps deteriorating.
What then shall we do? Can we tell these corporations to take their precious commodities and shove them up you know where? Or can we start making a stand and just stoop paying? Then take that money we were giving to them to make a change of lifestyle for ourselves…
The question we must ask ourselves is not whether we can live without them completely. But, what can we live without longer…Their utilities “or” our happiness and peace of mind? Happiness which will come from freeing ourselves from any dependencies; and the peace of mind which will come from taking some control over our lives and environment.
I don’t have any specific remedies or answers. But there has to be one…Or is it too late for us to take our lives back and start working on bringing some peace / harmony into our lives. One thing is certain…It will take a concerted effort.
Written by:
Richard John Vieeira (H-31000)
San Quentin State Prison (4-EB-86)
San Quentin, Ca. 94974
USA
Last update: September 2009