Monday, January 4, 2016
Currently, Arizona is one of only a
few states that actually enforces racial segregation within its prison housing
locations. This means that Caucasians can only bunk up – or cell – with other Caucasians
and so on and so forth. There are a few exceptions to the rule for people like
myself who are actually classified as ‘other’. I can. For any reason, be housed
with any race.
Over the years that I have been in
prison, a part of me has always believed that it was the administration’s
higher powers who continued segregation in hopes of preventing the races of
coming together. If all races saw themselves as equals then surely, they would
be a force to be reckoned with. By allowing the races to be divided, race wars
typically result – or at least, a war between one particular race, and not the
others. Since Arizona prisons are my only experience, I can tell you that this
is exactly how it plays out. Though I am not a supporter of segregation, I know
it began long before I was alive and so, I have had to conform to the ideologies
of this particular correctional system.
This past month however, The Arizona
Department of Corrections, has in effect, began planning to integrate the races
in their housing assignments. I was secretly elated at this news. I admit that
at times, I believed it was surely nothing more than a pipe dream, but I was
wrong. I was so wrong in fact, that tomorrow marks the 1st day of
racial integration in my particular unit.
Over the past week, I have been silent
to those around me. People who I have considered close to me have begun to let
their true colors come out. All of a sudden, I am seeing how racist some of
these men are. I can somehow understand how men, who have been incarcerated for
many years (like myself) would become set in their ways. That is not the case
however. Instead, I am seeing men in their 20’s, who have been in prison for
only a few years, (some even less) suddenly having an issue with being housed
with races other than their own. It’s incredibly disheartening to me and at the
same time, thought provoking. Were these racist thoughts/beliefs simply latent
inside them? Is prison so intensely conforming that it can change people’s
logical thinking in such a short period of time? Unfortunately, I don’t have
the answer to this question but it is curious just the same.
It’s no secret that the skinheads have
accepted me in their own way and of course, they make it clear that I can
absolutely live in a bunk or cell with any one of them. Anyone else of color
however – is unacceptable. It begs the question of: why me? Is it possible to
be selectively racist? I suppose we can all be somewhat racist, given a person’s
character, but what is it that convinces people to drop their bias and accept certain
individuals?
I have listened to guys go on and on
about how they would live with a Black, but not a Mexican American or a Native
American. Some claim they will not live with a Black but only a Mexican
American. Inside, I wonder how these men came to these conclusions. Are we not all
human beings in this world? Haven’t we gotten past this stage of history? I
suppose not. I guess we instead simply choose to remain silent in our beliefs
because after all, it is 2016.
So here I am. I am in a melting pot of
cultural bloodlines and I find myself guilty of the exact same thinking.
For example, if a form were to come
around with various races on it with check boxes next to each and I was forced
to choose (1) to bunk, or cell up with, then I myself would choose Caucasian.
In my case, I don’t know if that decision is racially motivated or not. My
choice would be tied back to my association within this environment. It just so
happens that I have more close acquaintances/associates/friends who are
Caucasian. Does this mean that I am racist against Blacks, Mexican Americans, Native
Americans and Asians? In my heart and soul – it doesn’t. But maybe I’m wrong.
Perhaps this is exactly how others will see it.
Time will tell how this all plays out.
One thing is for certain though, I am glad that my journey in this chapter of
my life is almost over.
