Well livejournal, here is something new. im a fellon and a druggie! and i love it!
Henderson County Detention Center, sometime in the winter of 07. I had befriended this intimidating intelligent, converted black Muslim. He was a devout follower of Islam and had no doubts about the idenity of his creator, and I on the other hand was a arrogant atheist ( now a arrogant agnosticexisti... you know I hate labels). His name was Kawami, and I dont think i was quite on a level playing field when we debated/ violently argued about religion and existence and all of that bullshit. He was quick, and witty and often left me looking and feeling like a middleschool dropout. ( which I am... 6th grade, didn't think you could do it that early did you?) But I got him on a few good points most of the time and the argument always came down to " its faith, blind faith. There is no proof" I conceder that a victory, its the best you could get out of kwami.
He went to a weekly service the jail provided called the Juma service. Church for Muslims he explained to me. He invited me to go with him one week, but warned em I would be pretty out of place. "how so" I ask him. He tole me I would be the only white face in a room full of angry bearded black people. It sounded like a good time, so i promptly accepted.
He was right. I was the only white guy out of about 30 others. The leader of the service ask me if I was genuinely interested in Islam or just trying to get out of the cell for a little while, he seemed really apprehensive. Kwami told he i was good people, and interested. Only one person actually introduced himself to me the entire time and I got a lot of dirty looks.
The service was beautiful. Muhammad forbid images to be created of him, so there are texts which are detailed description of his appearance and character. These were read allowed in Arabic< i think. Kawami, had learned how to recite one in the original language and read it allowed. I didn't need to understand the words to see the beauty in them.
In henderson, the guard had to escort everyone back to their original cells, but there were to many people from to many cells for him to do it at that time. SO he loaded us in one of the tiny temporary holding cells, designed for maybe 5 or 6 people. It was about a hour after dinner and everyone was really hungry. After a hour, the Leader-guy ask to speak with a "gold badge" ( a higher ranked correctional officer) about at least getting some food, not to mention getting out of the cramped cell. He told him to get the fuck away from the goddamn door. Two hours passed. A few more people are at the door, banging, asking to be taken back to the cell, or just to let some of us go to the bathroom, because there was no toilet in this room. he, called for backup, outside the door 5 guards lined up, and they popped the door. The leader was standing, and two other men, and ill never forget what happen next. Everyone in that fucking room stood up and got behind the leader. I stood up too, fuck i had to piss and i needed some food.
"sit down, right fucking now" the guard said " were busy in booking, we dont have time"
everyone was watching the leader. i knew something really bad, and equally awesome was about to happen, and i was somehow involved. I took my mace rag out of my pocket ( a piece of towel, big enough to cover your eyes and nose, you take with you every time you leave the cell--cause if someone gets in a fight or something they just mace everyone anywhere near it).
It went back and forth for some time, sit down-- not until you take these men to the bathroom, and get us some food, or take us to the cells. He looked at some of the other people and told them to sit down, but they stood mute with their arms crossed. Tell these men to sit down- he told the leader ( god i wish i remember what they called him) And he just stood silent. no one said anything for a while. Finally the leader said " do you give me your word, not as a C.O., but as a man, you will take us back to the cell in 15 minutes.
He hesitated, " I give you my word... as a man, please, just sit down, tell them to sit down"
so he did, and less than 15 minutes later, they came and escorted us back to our cells.
I was ready to catch a assault on a correctional officer charge, 5 years automatically, i was so caught up in it. I was ready to die with all these guys in a goddamn holy war right there.
I always wondered what would have happen if he didn't sit down. There are only about 10 C.O.s working in the jail at any given time and they are not allowed to carry guns, just pussy mace. We were a good 30 strong, it would have been chaos, but we would have won.
after it was all over like 10 of them commended me for standing up with them, and everytime i would pass one of them on my way to rec, or something, they would wave and smile
here is a picture of kawami, he made parole in june, said he was going back to California when he got out last i talked to him. Good luck friend.
http://apps.corrections.ky.gov/KOOL/ioffres.asp?Inm=127030&Action=Detail&Pagenum=2
He went to a weekly service the jail provided called the Juma service. Church for Muslims he explained to me. He invited me to go with him one week, but warned em I would be pretty out of place. "how so" I ask him. He tole me I would be the only white face in a room full of angry bearded black people. It sounded like a good time, so i promptly accepted.
He was right. I was the only white guy out of about 30 others. The leader of the service ask me if I was genuinely interested in Islam or just trying to get out of the cell for a little while, he seemed really apprehensive. Kwami told he i was good people, and interested. Only one person actually introduced himself to me the entire time and I got a lot of dirty looks.
The service was beautiful. Muhammad forbid images to be created of him, so there are texts which are detailed description of his appearance and character. These were read allowed in Arabic< i think. Kawami, had learned how to recite one in the original language and read it allowed. I didn't need to understand the words to see the beauty in them.
In henderson, the guard had to escort everyone back to their original cells, but there were to many people from to many cells for him to do it at that time. SO he loaded us in one of the tiny temporary holding cells, designed for maybe 5 or 6 people. It was about a hour after dinner and everyone was really hungry. After a hour, the Leader-guy ask to speak with a "gold badge" ( a higher ranked correctional officer) about at least getting some food, not to mention getting out of the cramped cell. He told him to get the fuck away from the goddamn door. Two hours passed. A few more people are at the door, banging, asking to be taken back to the cell, or just to let some of us go to the bathroom, because there was no toilet in this room. he, called for backup, outside the door 5 guards lined up, and they popped the door. The leader was standing, and two other men, and ill never forget what happen next. Everyone in that fucking room stood up and got behind the leader. I stood up too, fuck i had to piss and i needed some food.
"sit down, right fucking now" the guard said " were busy in booking, we dont have time"
everyone was watching the leader. i knew something really bad, and equally awesome was about to happen, and i was somehow involved. I took my mace rag out of my pocket ( a piece of towel, big enough to cover your eyes and nose, you take with you every time you leave the cell--cause if someone gets in a fight or something they just mace everyone anywhere near it).
It went back and forth for some time, sit down-- not until you take these men to the bathroom, and get us some food, or take us to the cells. He looked at some of the other people and told them to sit down, but they stood mute with their arms crossed. Tell these men to sit down- he told the leader ( god i wish i remember what they called him) And he just stood silent. no one said anything for a while. Finally the leader said " do you give me your word, not as a C.O., but as a man, you will take us back to the cell in 15 minutes.
He hesitated, " I give you my word... as a man, please, just sit down, tell them to sit down"
so he did, and less than 15 minutes later, they came and escorted us back to our cells.
I was ready to catch a assault on a correctional officer charge, 5 years automatically, i was so caught up in it. I was ready to die with all these guys in a goddamn holy war right there.
I always wondered what would have happen if he didn't sit down. There are only about 10 C.O.s working in the jail at any given time and they are not allowed to carry guns, just pussy mace. We were a good 30 strong, it would have been chaos, but we would have won.
after it was all over like 10 of them commended me for standing up with them, and everytime i would pass one of them on my way to rec, or something, they would wave and smile
here is a picture of kawami, he made parole in june, said he was going back to California when he got out last i talked to him. Good luck friend.
http://apps.corrections.ky.gov/KOOL/ioffres.asp?Inm=127030&Action=Detail&Pagenum=2