Voices from Ely State Prison

Letter about the one I love 

Today I write to the management and staff of Ely State Prison to let you know that at night when I pray for the safety of my loved one I also pray for you, your safety is important too and that God will keep all his children at ESP safe.  

I know you have a tough job, we all get that! Some of you may work there because you have no choice and others simply because its suits you either way I beg you to never forget that our loved ones are like you and me, still human.

At times you may forget and treat them as less than what they really are, human beings but again I ask that you to remind yourself that despite the fact that many have made mistakes, some may even be innocent of the crimes they were convicted of either way they now find themselves in dreadful circumstances but they are like the rest of us, still a part God’s creation, the human race.

You may at times refer to our loved ones as animals because they may act out but they are still someone’s son, husband, brother, partner, uncle, nephew or friend. We love them regardless of the mistakes they may have made just as you would still love your loved ones. No one is sin free!  

So I ask again that before you dismiss another human beings request again and before you physically, emotional or mentally abuse or neglect them remind yourself that despite of their circumstance, they still have feelings, emotions and yes sometimes even anger and rage.  

Sadly many of our loved ones at Ely are caged up like animals yet expected to function normal. If this had to happen to you and believe me it can happen to anyone because we live in a lawless country would you not feel the same frustrations. Being caged up, stripped of all rights and treated as if you were a nothing, lose all your social skills because of no or very little contact. Would you not also act out?

People in your care suffer from depression, anxiety, confusion and mental illness not because they were born this way but because the American Justice System are making them “lose their minds” they cannot be expected to always act or think rationally as they are living with a constant feeling of loneliness, fear and despair. Stripped from their basic human rights!

While you are fortunate enough to return to your loved ones at night, we lay awake and beg God to keep our loved ones safe. Each new day is a new struggle and challenge for us because we don’t have the privilege to pick up the phone at any time to check on their safety and wellbeing. We have to rely on the limited calls allowed and letters and that’s if there is enough money for phone or stamps.

Not only do we worry about their safety while they are in your care but we also worry about so many other things, Are they warm enough? Are they Hungry? Are they feeling lonely? Are they feeling suicidal?  We feel guilty every time we have a good meal or when we put on another jumper because we are feeling cold because these are basic privileges you and I have but not our loved ones in prison.

We live in fear and anxiety because our loved ones are constantly at risk of harm so like our loved ones in your care we are too are being punished by the state and serving the time. The only difference being that we are not caged up. Still we feel helpless, judged, and lonely, suffer from depression and our only wish is that our loved ones are safe and will get through each day unharmed and the pain we are all  feeling is respected and understood.

Please take care of our loved ones, they mean the world to us!