Fireworks light up the sky above the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument on Independence Day
Happy Independence Day in 2026! The Fourth of July is celebrated in the United States of America because of its formal separation of Great Britain in 1776.
America is celebrating its historic 250th Independence Day on July 4, 2026, marking a quarter-millennium of the great American experiment.
This rare milestone—known as the Semiquincentennial—invites us to look beyond the standard cookouts and sparklers to reflect on 250 years of progress, challenges, and shared values.
250 Years of the American Experiment: Celebrating the Journey and Writing the Next Chapter
The air this July Fourth feels a bit different. The entire nation is blanketed in red, white, and blue, but the weight of the occasion extends far beyond our local fireworks displays. Two and a half centuries ago, a group of brave individuals gathered in Philadelphia to ratify a document that declared a radical truth: that all people are created equal, endowed with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
We have spent 250 years testing that proposition.
A Generational Milestone (Check Out the Links for Interesting Content)
Reaching a 250th birthday is a feat very few continuous democratic systems have achieved. This weekend, massive national events were capturing the world’s attention. Powerful global symbols participated in the White House Freedom 250 Initiative, that illuminated historic monuments across the globe in red, white, and blue. Meanwhile, spectacular celebrations are happening at home, from historic tall ships gathering for Sail250to a record-setting display of over 850,000 fireworks illuminating the night sky over the National Mall in Washington.
The Great Unfinished Symphony
Think About This! True patriotism does not require a country to be perfect; it requires an honest commitment to its ideals. Over the last 250 years, America has evolved from thirteen fractured colonies into a vast, diverse, and innovative global leader. Our history is a complex tapestry of profound triumphs and immense struggles.
As the R Street Institute notes, America is best understood as a “great unfinished symphony,” still playing out the score written by the founders in 1776. Each generation is tasked with adding its own verses, expanding freedom, and pulling the nation closer to its founding promise.
Passing the Torch to the Next 250 Years
History is not just something we read in a textbook—it is something we live. The choices we make today shape the America of tomorrow. Long after the final smoke clears from the evening’s fireworks, the true legacy of this Semiquincentennial will be found in how we care for our communities and protect our hard-won liberties.
How are you honoring this historic day? Whether you are attending a parade, visiting a national park, or gathering around a backyard grill with family, take a brief moment to reflect on the immense journey that brought us here—and the boundless future we get to build together.
Happy 250th Birthday, America! Let’s make the next chapter count.
**************
Wayne T. Dowdy used the assistance of AI to create this blog, and even though AI does make mistakes, this blog is still a true work of art that carries a strong message. Keep fighting even when the odds seem to be against you.
I reduced my electronic security risks by consistently updating the different security apps I use for my phone and other electronic devices and platforms needed for me to participate in online activities.
The YouTube video I link shows part of the process, where I recently learned to use Microsoft’s BitLocker to add passwords to external drives. Much faster ways are available when using a new flash drive and computer. Before I begin the process, once I plug in the flash drive, I use one of my security apps to scan it for malware, then I follow the necessary step to encrypt the flash drive with BitLocker. Once I go through that process, then I can add the password to lock the flash drive or external drive to prevent from picking up the drive and access my personal and professional information without a struggle.
Please support this website by donating any amount to the Fund Raiser on PayPal by clicking Here or by purchasing Books by Wayne T. Dowdy. Thank you!
Personally, I recommend using BitLocker or something similar to protect stored electronic data. I can download photos or any data to transfer to the external storage unit, and if needed, delete the information or photos from my device, after removing the external device I used to backup and store important content. wtd
I purchased the above 2 TB flash drive on eBay for less than $12, which is a great deal. Other deals may be found on Amazon.com and other sources, such as BrandSmart, but none can compete with what I paid on eBay for the flash drive shown above.
Thanks for reading this blog and watching my video on YouTube. Please consider Liking, and Subscribing to my YouTube channels linked to this website.
Why the Sale of Prisoners’ Bodies Should Alarm Us All
In a society that claims to value human dignity, the idea that incarcerated people’s bodies can be sold after death should provoke serious discomfort. Yet in the United States, reports have surfaced over the years suggesting that remains of prisoners—often unclaimed—have been transferred to private companies, medical institutions, or research facilities, sometimes with little transparency and questionable consent. This practice, though not widely discussed, raises profound ethical concerns about how we treat the most marginalized members of society.
An Issue of Consent
At the heart of the issue is consent. In many cases, incarcerated individuals have limited autonomy while alive, and even less control over what happens to their bodies after death. Families may not be notified in time, or at all. In some instances, remains have reportedly been used for medical research or educational purposes without clear, informed permission. When consent becomes murky or absent, what might otherwise be considered a contribution to science begins to resemble exploitation.
Lack of Transparency
Here is also a transparency problem. The general public is largely unaware that such practices occur, and oversight mechanisms are often unclear or inconsistent across states. Without strong regulations and public scrutiny, it becomes difficult to ensure that ethical standards are being upheld. Are families given a real opportunity to claim remains? Are institutions required to document consent? Who benefits financially from these transactions? These are questions that demand clear answers.
To be fair, body donation can serve important purposes. Medical research and education rely on donated remains to train professionals and advance knowledge. But the legitimacy of such programs depends entirely on informed, voluntary consent. When bodies are sourced from populations with diminished rights and limited oversight, the moral foundation of these programs begins to erode.
Conclusion
If the United States is committed to justice and human dignity, it must confront this issue directly. Stronger laws, clearer consent procedures, and greater transparency are essential. Incarceration should not strip a person of their basic humanity—not in life, and certainly not in death. How a society treats its dead, especially its most vulnerable, speaks volumes about its values. Right now, that message is far from reassuring.
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Why is there only a month of celebration for the wonderful women who rule the world? Read the linked blog and you will see some of the facts I used to establish that Women Rule the World. Celebrate those who God uses to keep mankind alive every day, not just during the month of March.
“The fight continues until the day all women are treated equal. Let us remember each day to celebrate Women’s History, not just during the Month of March. Thank you!”
Wonderful Women by Wayne T. Dowdy, March 2, 2019
Updated: March 10, 2025: Wonderful Women is a tribute to Women’s History Month and to all wonderful women who rule the world. I wrote the main content as I prepared to give a speech inside prison with powerful women watching and listening as I shared. Perhaps reading what I wrote will make you smile or even laugh as I share my experience and beliefs about Women Who Rule the World! In one section I list books for sale on Amazon by the wives of former United States Presidents. As an Amazon Affiliate, I will earn a small commission if purchased through my link within twenty-four hours of adding to your cart. I thank you in advance for helping support this website by using the links to purchase items or by participating in the following fund raiser. Thank you!
[Updated/Modified: March 7, 2021]
I love women! Women Rule the World and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. This re-post pays respect to all of the women today and from the past, who shaped the world and gave us Life as we know it.
The facts have changed as I am now a free man, no longer under control of those in the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons, but I remain grateful for participating in the event that honored Women’s History Month.
I live in an abnormal environment dominated by women–a men’s federal prison. On Tuesday, March 28, 2017, I am a scheduled speaker at an event to honor Women’s History Month in America. I feel inclined to do a powerful presentation. Talk about performance anxiety!
I speak often from the podium and have no fear of public speaking. I will speak from the heart to honor powerful women in history, not just in America.
Most department heads at this institution are African-American women, including the one who rules her domain with whips and chains at the Federal Correctional Institution in Edgefield, South Carolina, the Warden, as well as, one of her two Assistant Wardens. Here is what I have written for the Products of a Woman presentation:
Powerful Women
I am Wayne T. Dowdy, a son, father, grandfather, brother, and an uncle, all the products of a woman, my Mother.
The strength I saw in her and many other women has convinced me that the biggest deception in life began when an intelligent woman convinced man that he was the strongest.
Yeah, right! She says, go fight that bear to protect me, honey. Bring me his meat and we will eat. The man risks his life to please and feed her.
Now I’ll touch on history. In the United States, Women’s History Month traces its beginning back to the first International Women’s Day in 1911.
In 1978, the school district of Sonoma, California participated in Women’s History Week. Different events followed that led to President Jimmy Carter declaring March 8, 1980, as National Women’s History Week, which began a series of Presidential Proclamations of Women’s History Week, up until 1986.
During this trend, Congress got on the bandwagon and passed resolutions for Women’s History Week.
Beginning in 1988, each subsequent president issued Presidential Proclamations of Women’s History Month that continues to this day. These women are a fraction of notable women in history:
Cleopatra (69 BCE – 30 BCE), the woman who ruled Egypt.
Joan of Arc (1412 – 1431), a 17-year old woman who inspired a French revolt against the English occupation, and then led the French to victory at Orleans.
Sojourner Truth (1797 – 1883), an African-American, female abolitionist and women’s rights campaigner, whose famous speech against racial inequality, as a woman, I will share upon conclusion.
Susan B. Antony (1820 – 1906), campaigned against slavery and promoted rights for women and workers. Her contribution earned her a mark on a U.S. coin.
Emily Murphy (1868 – 1933), the first woman magistrate in the British Empire. In 1927, she joined forces with four Canadian women who sought to challenge an old Canadian law that said, “[W]omen should not be counted as persons.”
Rosa Parks (1913 – 2005), she refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, an action that indirectly led to the most significant civil rights legislation in American history.
Indira Gandhi (1917 – 1984), first female Prime Minister of India. She was assassinated.
Margaret Thatcher (1925 – 2013), the first female Prime Minister of Great Britain.
Condolesa Rice, Secretary of State under President George Bush, Jr.
Loretta Lynch, United States Attorney General under President Barrack Obama.
An old cliche is that, “Behind every good man is a good woman.” These women are examples:
Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 – 1962), First Lady of President Franklin D. Roosevelt;
Jacqueline Kennedy ( ), First Lady of President John F. Kennedy;
Nancy Reagan ( ), First Lady of President Ronald Reagan;
Hilary Clinton, First Lady of President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State under President Obama, 2016 Presidential Candidate;
Michelle Obama, First Lady of President Barrack Obama, and of African-American decent.
I offer those listed above as examples of thousands of powerful women throughout history. Women are survivors.
The birth process is evidence of a woman’s strength. Most men would not dare to suffer so much pain to give life, if given the option. No, he is too weak for that kind of pain.
Our species would not have survived if man carried the burden of birth. He may go fight a bear to please her and to feed their children, but he dare not to endure such pain for nine months.
Additional evidence lies in the fact that in long-term marriages, if the woman dies first, the man is soon to follow. If the man dies first, the woman keeps on going to nurture her offspring for generations.
My mother outlived and buried three husbands.
Women are fighters, fighting for life, for love, for equality. Ask Beyonce’ Knowles, she tells the truth when she says, “Women Rule the World.”
To celebrate their legacy, a week was not enough, nor is a month, so the fight continues. Women’s History Month allows us to focus on the value of women and reunites the flame to fight for equality in the workplace and in all other aspects of life, because without the woman, there would be no life.
Yes, maybe most men are physically stronger than most women are; however, the facts show women rule the world. Evidence also suggests that she is more intelligent. If she wasn’t, she’d be the one to go fight the bear to feed her family while the man stayed at home with their children.
Now for, “AIN’T I A WOMAN?” by Sojourner Truth, delivered in 1851 at the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio:
“Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that ‘twixt the negroes of the South and the women of the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what’s all this here talking about?
That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most of them sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?
Then they talk about this thing in the head; what’s this they call it? [member of audience whispers, ‘intellect’] That’s it, honey. What’s that got to do with women’s rights or negroes’ rights? If my cup won’t hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn’t you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?
Then that little man in black there, he says women can’t have as much rights as men, ’cause Christ wasn’t a woman! Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to with Him.
If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.
Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain’t got nothing more to say.”
The fight continues until the day all women are treated equal. Let us remember each day, not just during the Month of March, to celebrate Women’s History. Thank you!
Stephanie Navarrete CEO/Founder -WorldWide Chain Breakers (See Bio Below)
The Crisis Inside Georgia Prison System Is Real!
🚨 If we let this die down, we become part of the problem.
The crisis inside Georgia’s prisons did not happen overnight — and it will not be fixed by temporary solutions, press conferences, or “task forces.” What we are seeing today is the result of years of neglect, denial, and deliberate inaction by the Georgia Parole Board and the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC).
And here is the uncomfortable truth:
👉 Every time we stop talking about it, they sweep it under the rug.
👉 Every time public pressure fades, they apply a bandage instead of fixing the wound.
If we allow this moment to pass without sustained demands for real change, we are just as much to blame as the officials who allowed it to get this bad.
⚖️ FEDERAL FINDINGS CONFIRM THIS IS A SYSTEMIC FAILURE
The U.S. Department of Justice has already confirmed what families and incarcerated people have been saying for years:
Georgia’s prisons violate the Eighth Amendment — the constitutional protection against cruel and unusual punishment.
The DOJ found:
Widespread, unchecked violence
Chronic and dangerous understaffing
Failure to protect incarcerated people from serious harm and death
Leadership failures that allow chaos to thrive
These are not isolated incidents. These are systemic conditions that have been allowed to exist because no one in power has been held accountable.
📉 OVERCROWDING IS A CHOICE — AND PAROLE IS THE SOLUTION
Georgia does not have an incarceration crisis because of crime alone.
Georgia has a crisis because the Parole Board refuses to parole people who are legally eligible and fully qualified for release.
Under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 42-9-45), parole eligibility is automatic. Yet thousands of people remain incarcerated who:
• Have served 20, 25, 30+ years
• Are disciplinary-free for 5, 10, or more years
• Have completed all required programming
• Were sentenced under the 7-year and 14-year parole eligibility laws
• Were never promised endless punishment
This creates what legal scholars call “shadow sentencing” — where judges sentence someone publicly, but the Parole Board silently adds decades behind closed doors.
👉 If the Parole Board had been doing its job, overcrowding would not exist at this level.
👉 If overcrowding were reduced, staffing, safety, food access, medical care, and control would immediately improve.
🧩 STAFFING AND CONTROL FAILURES ARE LEADERSHIP FAILURES
GDC continues to blame incarcerated people for violence while ignoring the real issue: bad administration and weak leadership!
✔️ Firm
✔️ Direct
✔️ Consistent
✔️ Ethical
✔️ Respectful
Not abusive!
Not neglectful!
Not absent!
History proves that facilities run by firm but fair wardens experience:
• Less violence
• More order
• Greater cooperation
• Safer environments for both staff and incarcerated people
👉 You cannot rule through abuse and expect peace.
👉 You cannot treat human beings like animals and expect order.
👉 To get respect, you must give respect.
Where there is abuse and neglect, chaos follows — every time!
🍽️ COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT CREATES MORE VIOLENCE
Cutting commissary and food access as punishment does not restore order — it creates desperation!
When people are already:
• Underfed
• Served food unfit for consumption
• Locked in overcrowded, dangerous conditions
Taking away their ability to supplement food only leads to:
➡️ More fighting
➡️ More assaults
➡️ More killings
This is not discipline: This is administrative negligence fueling violence.
🛑 STOP BLAMING THE INCARCERATED — BLAME THE ROOT
Let’s be clear about responsibility
Incarcerated people do NOT:
❌ Decide parole policy
❌ Control staffing levels
❌ Appoint wardens
❌ Create overcrowding
❌ Control budgets
The responsibility lies with:
👉 The Georgia Parole Board, for refusing to parole eligible people
👉 The Georgia Department of Corrections, for failing to place capable wardens and maintain constitutional conditions
Blaming incarcerated people is a distraction tactic used to avoid accountability.
💰 STOP DEMANDING BIGGER PRISONS — THIS IS OUR MONEY
Now they want:
• Bigger prisons
• More funding
• More taxpayer dollars
Enough!
💥 It is OUR money.
💥 Those are OUR loved ones.
💥 They work for US — not the other way around.
We do not need bigger prisons!
We need:
✔️ A parole board that follows the law
✔️ Wardens who know how to run institutions without abuse
✔️ Leadership that values human life
✔️ Transparency and accountability
📣 THIS ONLY CHANGES IF WE KEEP PUSHING
If we stop demanding:
• Removal of wardens where violence and neglect thrive
• Replacement with leaders who are firm, fair, and humane
• A parole board that actually paroles eligible people
Then nothing will change.
Temporary fixes are how they survive scandals.
Sustained public pressure is how systems change.
So we keep talking.
We keep demanding.
We keep pushing.
Until parole works as intended.
Until the right wardens are in place.
Until overcrowding ends.
Until constitutional rights are respected.
Because silence is permission — and we refuse to give it.
The Voice of The Voiceless!
Their Fight is My Fight!
Their Advocate for Change!
One by One, We Will Bring Them Home!
Please support this website by donating any amount to the Fund Raiser on PayPal by clicking Here or by purchasing Books by Wayne T. Dowdy. Thank you!
About the Author
Stephanie Navarrete
CEO/Founder -WorldWide Chain Breakers
ww.chainbreakers@gmail.com
Stephanie Navarrete is a nationally recognized prison-reform advocate and the Founder & CEO of WorldWide Chain Breakers, an organization committed to exposing systemic injustices within the Georgia prison and parole systems and fighting for the lawful release and humane treatment of incarcerated men and women.
Her advocacy is deeply rooted in lived experience. As the wife of an incarcerated lifer sentenced under outdated parole laws, Stephanie spends hours navigating the realities of mass incarceration, broken parole promises, and institutional neglect. What began as a personal fight for justice evolved into a powerful platform amplifying the voices of those silenced behind prison walls.
Through investigative advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and direct engagement with media and policymakers, Stephanie brings attention to unconstitutional parole practices, overcrowding, inhumane living conditions, psychological deprivation, and the deliberate erosion of hope within correctional facilities. She is particularly known for her work advocating for lifers sentenced under former 7-year and 14-year parole eligibility laws—individuals who were promised review and release opportunities that have since been systematically denied.
Stephanie’s work challenges not only policies, but the culture of punishment that thrives on deprivation, manipulation, and indifference. She speaks boldly about the psychological tactics used to control incarcerated populations—removal of basic necessities, lack of rehabilitation, enforced idleness, and conditions that breed conflict—calling them what they are: state-sanctioned harm.
Under her leadership, WorldWide Chain Breakers has become a trusted voice in prison-reform conversations, offering truth where narratives are distorted and accountability where it is long overdue. Stephanie is known for her fearless approach, moral clarity, and unwavering belief that justice delayed is justice denied.
Her mission is simple but uncompromising: to break chains, expose truth, restore humanity, and bring people home—lawfully, fairly, and with dignity.
I know this isn’t politically correct, and I don’t care: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
My hope is for everyone to find something to be grateful for and to take that attitude into the New Year. May 2026 be a year of good health and prosperity.
For me, I have got to get a real job to be able to pay my bills and to have enough money to fund this website or shut it down in March.
But the main thing is that I’m still alive and kicking after all these years, and for that I am thankful. Happy Holidays!
Thanksgiving Is a Time to Be Grateful & Give Thanks
One thing I am grateful and thankful for is that I am NOT a Cooked Turkey on a Table
Here are quotes from previous blogs I wrote, one of which came while serving a thirty-five federal sentence (1988-2018). Please search “Thanksgiving” or “gratitude” for more:
“Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate the holiday, and to all of those who do or do not, please take a moment to reflect on the positive aspects of life today. Personally, I begin with the obvious, my health, including all body parts that remain intact and fully functional; especially, my Eyes to See and Ears to Hear, as well as my mouth and fingertips to express what I want the world to hear and read.” https://straightfromthepen.com/2020/11/26/gratitude-2020-by-wayne-t-dowdy/
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The above meal came from another time but still looks good. And the following quote comes from a blog I wrote and used a previous quote from something I wrote on Christmas about Gratitude:
Gratitude & More by Wayne T. Dowdy 12/19/2016
12/25/2011: On Christmas Day, I sat in my cell reading my favorite magazine (THE SUN). “Chow time,” the guard shouted.
I rushed to the chow hall. Inside, I sat at a rectangular table of four with three of my peers. One person stood to leave. Each of us exchanged Christmas greetings, wishing him a Merry Christmas before a 27-year-old youngster sat down to take his place.
The one who sat to the right of the youngster had just complained how the Cornish game hen was small. I had previously tried to maintain the attitude of gratitude at the table by commenting how it was good, though, it was smaller than those we had had in the past. It was still tasty. I simply agreed with the other guy about it being smaller than usual. I labeled it as a “Cornish Game Chick.”
That’s when the youngster sat down. “There sure are a lot of complaining people at this prison,” he said.
His words filled me with guilt. He had once told me that both of his parents were still in state prison. I realized his parents were probably doing worse than all of us at the table.
The youngster’s comment helped redirect the nature of our conversations toward what we were grateful for.
I shared my favorite saying by an author whose name I do know to give him or her their credit due (“I complained of having no shoes until I met a man with no feet.”).
I continued to express gratitude for the well-prepared meal; knowing we were all fortunate to have what sat before us, as we compared our plight to others incarcerated in state and other federal prisons, who probably wished they could eat as good as we were.
This is what we had to complain about: a Cornish game hen, black-eyed peas, which were really good; collard greens, rolls or wheat bread (I chose wheat bread); an individually packaged cherry pie, chocolate cup cake, and some other stuff I probably forgot. I ate my fill.
Today, I am grateful I do not have to live that way and can choose the foods I want to eat and the people I want to be around. For decades of my life that was not an option.
So, anytime the holidays come around, I remember where I came from and that fills me with gratitude and makes me thankful for situations I may want to complain about, such as now struggling to take care of financial obligations and experiencing health issues associated with aging. But, at least, I have food and shelter and am blessed with the physical and mental health I enjoy.
Even though I may not have the financial resources I desire, I am getting by, and though I cannot perform as I did in the days of my youth and am experiencing health issues, at least I am blessed with the ability to take care of myself and can do many things others my age and younger cannot do, so I don’t complain and am truly grateful for the life I live today.
Happy Thanksgiving, regardless of where you reside, because life is something to celebrate and to be thankful for when thinking of those less fortunate. Remember the people experiencing homelessness and those who do not have the basic necessities for survival. Give when you can and let your gratitude show by helping others.
An Invitation to Georgia Prisoners Who Want to Be Heard by Wayne T. Dowdy
I created this Invitation to Georgia Prisoners Who Want to Be Heard because of the inhumane treatment of prisoners held captive inside the system, often without the necessities deemed necessary by the governing authorities, and upheld by the Courts to prevent a violation of the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution that prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Spread the word and share this website with others.
If this website gains public support, I will add other pages for prisons across the United States.
Writings posted on this page are intended to help those from the inside to have a voice on the outside, by posting their writings here for all to see.
My Ears Hear Their Cries and Shouts of Joy.
Straight from the Pen
[DISCLAIMER: Views or beliefs expressed in any submission posted herein are those of the authors and not necessarily agreed with or endorsed by your host]
I will post submissions once received and time permits. If possible, please do what you can to keep this website going and continually improving and providing valuable content to gain support from those who are in positions to make a positive change behind the walls of the Georgia Department of Corrections, and other prisons across the nation. Some submissions will be posted as individual blogs.
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Master Number 33 was originally published by Wayne T. Dowdy on August 18, 2021. I discovered errors in the links for Essays & Mores Straight from the Pen and revisited the post to make a correction. Today, I am reposting it with minimal changes but do want to update that I now have celebrated thirty-years of clean time and sobriety.
On the night that I received the medallion displayed above, four members of a twelve-step program sat at a table pulling cards from a deck. I overheard the only male in the small group say, “I don’t want one.”
He didn’t want to pull a card, so I volunteered and exchanged seats, due in part to three lovely ladies sitting at the table where he sat. That is where Master Number 33 comes into play for the topic of this blog, though I didn’t learn that I was a Master Number 33 for several weeks because I recall that I pulled a card containing four images.
The interpreter, Stephanie, then asked me several personal questions before our affair was interrupted for those of us celebrating milestones in recovery to be honored with the presentation of sobriety tokens.
Stephanie made some positive comments about her findings before we had to rearrange our seats for the spectacular events to proceed for which we were gathered.
Months later I asked her what all of that meant that she had said after reading the card, etc. She then sent me the link below on the Master Number 33 and suggested I read it. When I did, I was amazed at the accuracy proven by my history and observation of Number “3” and events in my life, which I will not go into for the purpose of this blog.
In reference to Master Number 33, one example is that in recovery and in life in general, my Higher Power, whom I choose to call God, uses me to help others to find a new way of life. Something I do out of love for others and love doing to compensate for the many dirty deeds I did before my conversion (changing my lifestyle in 1995 and retiring from the Thug Life I lived for several years because I didn’t know how to change what began as a child). Here is a quote from Ganehaspeaks.com to support that fact:
“Master Number 33 Powers and Characteristics
“They seem to possess an unlimited reservoir of spiritual energy which they use extremely liberally to help those around them. The root of 33 that is 6 is a number that is naturally associated with family, love, home, and responsibility.”
I am responsible! I suit up and show up when committed to helping another person find a new way of life.
Matter of Perception: Thirty-three years ago on August 18, 1988, an event occurred that some may view as good while others may see it as bad, meaning not-so-good.
Personally, since I am the Star of the Show, I see it as necessary and a combination of both, good and bad, because if the event had not occurred, I would not be alive to write this blog or to enjoy the life I am blessed with living today. To understand that statement a person needs to read my book to grasp a full understanding.
Though far from the life I imagined and believe is on the horizon, I am doing well in that I have the main essentials for survival (good health, food, shelter), and am still alive and free as a spirit having a human experience.
THE EVENT: Kentucky State Patrol pulled me and an accomplice over in Campbell County, Tennessee, which ultimately led to my arrest and conviction on several federal charges and a 420-month federal prison sentence, all of which I wrote about in Essays & More Straight from the Pen. (Buy paperback for $8.95 or eBook for $0.99)
Essays and More Straight from the Pen shows the power of change. The well-written essays take the reader deep inside the life of their author who overcame circumstances and obstacles that kept him chained to a life of drugs and crime. The stories inspire and motivate people to not give up or lose hope, and to fight for a new life.
August 28, 2018: I walked out of the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons in Edgefield, South Carolina. That was the first time in 30-years and 10-days that I walked outside the confines of a prison without handcuffs, chains, and shackles.
In Electronic Chain on this site, I wrote about some of my experiences after completion of my federal prison sentence on March 8, 2019. And then in another blog, Prison and Personality Changes by Wayne T. Dowdy, I included an update to my life after release and a recent post on Quora.com, all of which I write in hope of using my experiences to help others.
My goal is to convert my negative experiences into positive ones by sharing my experience, strength, and hope with others, as is common in Twelve Step programs.
Conclusion
In conclusion of this blog, I will end with an excerpt from the Conclusion in Numerology: Master Number 33 that if someone elects to buy and read Essays & More Straight from the Pen, will probably see a substantial contrast in the man I am today versus the person I had become based upon life experiences, and thus see the Power of Change I want others to see in my life:
“People affiliated with this number will be loving, sympathetic, emotional, kind-hearted and zealous in their essence.”
I took this photo from a Scammer Who Said I Won the Facebook Lottery in 2019
When Does the Day Begin for Federal Prisoners by Wayne T. Dowdy?
On February 4, 2019, Quora.com published the following answer from me: “When Does the Day Start for Inmates in Federal Prisons.” (Read it free on here but if you go to Quora, you may or may not be able to read the complete answer for free.) On this date, October 3, 2025, the answer became my most profitable content on Quora ($34.66), with 48.8K-Views, 87-Upvotes, 16-Comments, and 1-Share.
Quora.com offers free content and also Quora+ for a fee. If you use the following link to subscribe, I will receive a commission: QUORA+
“From my experience, when the day starts for federal inmates varies according to the prison and the employment position held by the prisoner. For most of the prisons I was in, which included four United States Penitentiaries and one Federal Correctional Institution, the doors opened by 6:00 am under normal circumstances.
In the lower-security prisons, certain prisoners assigned to food service (chow hall) may leave the unit for work as early as 4:00 am, whereas the majority who work in the chow hall won’t leave until approximately 6:30-7:00 am.
Those schedules and processes vary according to the security rating of the prisoner and institution. For instance, high-security institutions that house inmates assigned as Max. Custody, may not allow those inmates to work in certain positions where more readily-available weapons or tools may be used to aid in an escape plan, or during high-risk periods (when visibility is reduced, such as when foggy or before sunrise or after sunset).
For thirteen of the thirty years, I was a maximum custody prisoner which required that I stay in a high-security institution; however, the only consistency in management techniques to control me was inconsistency. The way I was managed because of my custody/security rating varied according to the Captain of the institution.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons’ program statement for Inmate Security Designation and Custody Classification (P.5100.08), approved 09/12/2006, and other referenced documentation, establishes security protocols for management of its prisoners.
In the Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (UNICOR), where I worked for most of the thirty years I served, we reported to work at 7:30 am. The cell house doors opened at 6:00 am for the general population to begin their day.”
Note (Post Title Modified): How to Overcome Substance Abuse and Build a Fulfilling Life in Recovery by Adam Cook is a complimentary post that relates to the general theme of Straight from the Pen because so many people with addiction problems are arrested and often sentenced to prison. As a recovering addict and alcoholic, I support those who want to change their life by breaking the vicious cycle of addiction. Post any feedback about this blog in the comment section, and if appropriate, I will approve it for public viewing. Thank you!
To support this website, please donate any amount for the PayPal Fund Raiser by clicking Here or by purchasing Books by Wayne T. Dowdy. Thank you!
How to Overcome Substance Abuse and Build a Fulfilling Life in Recovery
Breaking free from substance abuse isn’t a single decision—it’s a lived transition. Recovery doesn’t unfold in clean stages or follow a universal script. It churns. It relapses. It rearranges how you see yourself and everyone around you. And that mess? It’s not a flaw. It’s the terrain. Each person’s path in recovery requires patience, grounded tools, and something harder to fake—purpose. Not the abstract kind. The kind you build with your hands, with your habits, with the people you let close again.
1. Understanding What Recovery Really Means
No detox center or 30-day milestone captures the real weight of recovery. It’s not a sprint. It’s a practice of returning—again and again—to clarity, choice, and self-recognition. In the beginning, this might just mean sitting still long enough to feel your own skin without numbing it. And that’s harder than it sounds. There’s pain in the pause. But recovery starts with relearning how to move through discomfort without escaping it. That shift from avoidance to tolerance is the emotional rewiring that begins everything else.
2. Recovery Needs Connection, Not Isolation
You cannot white-knuckle your way through this alone. That’s not a personal flaw—it’s neuroscience. The nervous system’s need for co-regulation is real. That’s why people who access peer encouragement during recovery tend to stabilize more quickly. They hear their own chaos reflected in someone else’s story, and suddenly the shame shrinks. Community doesn’t fix everything, but it removes one of the most dangerous ingredients of relapse: isolation disguised as strength. Real resilience is built relationally.
3. Movement Builds Mental Clarity
Early recovery can leave you feeling restless, foggy, or detached from your body. One of the fastest ways to cut through that haze is tofit in light daily exercise that doesn’t feel like a chore. Walking during your lunch break, taking the stairs, or doing a few stretches before bed can change how you process stress. Physical activity helps regulate your nervous system, stabilizes your mood, and rebuilds trust between your body and mind. It’s not about willpower—it’s about giving your system something solid to lean on.
4. Relapse Isn’t Failure—It’s Information
Relapse isn’t a collapse of willpower—it’s usually a failure of systems. Stress, triggers, unexamined beliefs, untreated trauma—they build pressure behind the scenes until something cracks. The smartest move isn’t shame. It’s building infrastructure. You cancreate a personalized prevention plan that identifies risky emotional states, rehearses responses, and ties action to accountability. These plans don’t remove risk. They reduce ambush.
5. Purpose Is a Recovery Tool, Not a Bonus
Sobriety isn’t the finish line—it’s the starting gate. People who stay grounded often have more than a support group or sponsor. They’ve got something pulling them forward. When yourediscover meaning in sobriety, your days stop feeling like something to endure. Purpose isn’t always a career shift or some public mission. Sometimes it’s taking care of a pet. Rebuilding trust with your kid. Fixing something with your hands. When your identity isn’t only about avoiding relapse, it has room to expand.
6. Creative Modalities Can Rewire Your Healing
You don’t always need words to process trauma. Language can short-circuit when the nervous system’s overloaded. That’s why music, painting, or movement hit different in recovery—they bypass the filter. People who tap into emotion through therapeutic music often report breakthroughs they couldn’t reach in talk therapy alone. Music therapy can help surface blocked grief, forgotten memories, or pure joy—without demanding verbal explanation. It’s a way back into the body, back into yourself.
7. Safe Environments Make Habits Stick
In early recovery, chaos is camouflage. You may not even know how much of your relapse risk is embedded in the environment you’re trying to heal inside. This is where structured housing can change the game. People who move into structured sober housing often build the first habits that last. It’s not just about avoiding temptation—it’s about rhythm. Chores. Shared meals. Accountability loops that teach your brain safety isn’t a fluke. It’s learnable. It’s repeatable.
You’re not rebuilding your life from scratch—you’re excavating the parts that never got to grow right. Recovery is hard, yes. But it’s not just grit. It’s engineering. It’s trial and revision and scaffolding. Every day you return to your clarity is proof the spiral can flatten. And if you ever forget how far you’ve come, find someone a few steps behind you, and show them the map you wish you had. Because that’s how you know you’re not just surviving. You’re building something real.
Discover powerful stories and insights on justice and transformation at Straight from the Pen and join a community dedicated to change and awareness.
WayneT3 is Mr.Wonderful268, where I (Wayne T. Dowdy) posts content on TikTok. That is one of four TikTok pages I now use to provide a variety of content (SUCCESS2025 is a page where I post content associated with prison and my life as a returning citizen).
If interested in recovery from drugs and alcohol, keep reading for link to another TikTok page I use for that type of content.
As a successful returning citizen, one of my objectives is to inspire and encourage others to strive for success, whatever success may be for them and their endeavors.
For me, if not for my sobriety, I would not have made it “Out Here” to become a successful, law-abiding, returnng citizen. On the following page I share more about my experience, strength and hope to inspire others to not give up and to continue to move in a positive direction to overcome the past.
To support this website, please donate any amount for the PayPal Fund Raiser by clicking Here or by purchasing Books by Wayne T. Dowdy. Thank you!
For this page (Recovering Alcoholic & Addict), as the name suggests, I focus more on recovery from drug addiction and alcoholism because that is part of my story and is the main reason I spent most of my life inside prisons.
Please check out my pages and Follow. Feel free to comment and to ask any questions you may have. Thank you!
RECOVERING ALCOHLIC & ADDICT ON TIKTOK IS WAYNE T. DOWDY
I offer this possible opportunity free to help others share their story, if it falls withing the purview of this website; based solely upon my discretion, with no guantee of publication, and NO promise of payment or monetary gain, as this website has failed to generate enough income to pay for its upkeep.
If you or someone you know has a returning-citizen-success-story to share with the world, I may be able to assist by posting an accepted submission on this website and on another website, https://straightfromthepen.com, if approved.
NOTICE: StraightfromthePen reserves the right to accept or reject submissions, and does NOT offer any financial or personal benefit from posting any content accepted for publication.
This Labor Day, while many celebrate the hard work and rights of workers, millions of incarcerated people are forced to work for little or no pay under conditions very few of us would tolerate. Forced prison labor remains a hidden injustice rooted in the legacy of slavery, disproportionately impacting Black and marginalized communities.
To support this website, please donate any amount for the PayPal Fund Raiser by clicking Here or by purchasing Books by Wayne T. Dowdy. Thank you!
We must raise awareness and demand change. Share this powerful poster about forced prison labor on your social media, at your workplace, and within your community. Help amplify the voices of incarcerated workers and support efforts to end forced labor in prisons.
Together, we can bring this injustice to light and fight for a future where all labor is free, fair, and dignified.
Cell Killers, is my TikTok video that is rated for 18 and Over because of the content. My lifestyle wasn’t PG-13. Check it out and please Like and Follow. Thank you!
CELL KILLERS at USP LOMPOC
The United States Federal Bureau of Prisons lowered the security rating and changed U.S.P. Lompoc to a federal correctional institution. But while I was there, it was a Penitentiary that could house High Security and Maximum Custody prisoners, as I was back then.
To support this website, please donate any amount for the PayPal Fund Raiser by clicking Here or by purchasing Books by Wayne T. Dowdy. Thank you!
In 1996 I was sent to the United States Federal Penitentiary in Lompoc, California. While I was there, several cells were set on fire, thus came the term, Cell Killers. Reasons for someone catching another prisoners cell on fire varied, I’m sure, but to me, the result is the same. They were cowards and afraid to go to the person and deal with it, face-to-face.
Watch this video where I also show some of my federal paper work that verifies the sentence I was given and served. Leave comments or send me a message. Thank you!
This account was suspended for a while but is back in action. 🙂
Forced Labor: A new report submitted by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and drafted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) raises significant concerns about the exploitation of incarcerated workers in the United States, framing prison labor practices as a form of forced labor that violates international human rights standards.
International Standards at Risk The report emphasizes that these practices conflict with international conventions. The International Labor Organization (ILO) defines forced labor as “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily”. The U.S. has not ratified key ILO conventions on forced labor, and the report argues that its prison labor system is inconsistent with these international norms.
Working Conditions and Compensation Incarcerated workers are paid extremely low wages—often less than $1 per hour—and are sometimes forced to perform dangerous or degrading tasks, such as handling bodies during the COVID-19 pandemic or working in hazardous industries. The report also points out that many states and the federal government use prison labor for essential services, including hospital laundry and morgue work, especially during emergencies.
Disciplinary Measures and Lack of Rights Refusal to work can result in severe consequences, including loss of privileges, extended sentences, or placement in solitary confinement. The report cites numerous legal cases and state regulations that reinforce the coercive nature of prison labor, with courts consistently ruling that the 13th Amendment allows for such practices.
Advocacy and Recommendations The ITUC and ACLU call for reforms to bring U.S. prison labor practices into alignment with international human rights standards. They urge the U.S. to ratify relevant ILO conventions and to abolish mandatory prison labor, ensuring that all work is voluntary and fairly compensated.
The report draws attention to what it describes as a modern form of forced labor embedded within the U.S. justice system. Advocates argue that the country must address these issues to uphold its international human rights commitments and ensure the dignity and rights of incarcerated individuals.
Jesse Crosson, a TikTok creator, known for sharing content about his prison experience has posted videos highlighting that US prisons are currently under investigation by an international body for violating labor standards, which includes concerns about forced labor practices within the prison system.
The following video is about slavery in American prisons. Right or wrong the 13th amendment allows it. Harvey Seidel talks about how little the incarcerated are paid and the consequences of not working. He also talks how prisons are getting rich off the incarcerated. #13thamendment#prisonslavery#prisonlife
For an older article by Wayne T. Dowdy, please check this one out and feel free to comment on any of this content. Thank you!
On July 4th, 2025, I reposted Happy Independence Day-2024 and simply changed the year. Later in the day when I was on Lake Sinclair in Milledgeville, Georgia, I realized that the blog was sent to my subscribers.
And so today, I am sending this one out to wish each of you a Happy Independence Day, which is written in a non-traditional way about the American holiday. My Happy Indepenance Day applies to all people because I believe we are ONE, regardless of where we reside or any other external factors.
Happy Independence Day-2025 by Wayne T. Dowdy | STRAIGHT FROM THE PEN
For those who invest and trade in the stock market, the man in this YouTube video provides valuable information in his Discord, Stocks4Reel / Sacrifices4Riches, and periodic posts on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/@Stocks4Rell).
The following link is for something other than his normal content, but you can still use it to check to see if you are interested in joining his Discord or just watching some of his other content. I am a Discord member and am not benefiting by posting this video. A few months ago I told him during a live chat that I would post a video to help him grow, so here it is: 🙂
Celebrate this day for your personal independence from chains that bound you to the past! And if you are an American, celebrate it for our freedoms we enjoy today because of the sacrifices of those who fought to free this country.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Independence Day means something different to me than what it means to the United States of America. I celebrate every day for my independence and freedom from the chains of addiction, and hope everyone will celebrate their victory over personal battles that allows them to live a better life today.
CELEBRATE THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY FOR ALL YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED!
“Independence Day means freedom for me. In that blog I included another link for the historical aspect of Independence Day. Please feel free to read.
“Today I am wishing a Happy Independence Day to those who may have freed themselves from an abusive, unhealthy relationship. For those who may still be trapped in one, I hope the day comes when you, too, find freedom from the one who mistreats you and fails to provide the love, respect and kindness you deserve.”
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Celebrate by accepting this Free 30-Days of Amazon Prime that you may cancel anytime:
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As a Content Creator, I am Under Pressure to continually produce content to spurn growth. That is why I chose the original front cover of my first novel for this post related to content creation. And, yes, that too was creator content, with the artwork credited to Aldi Caban, and the cover credited to Midnight Express Books, my former publisher.
The following comes from my other website of the same name, StraightfromthePen.
TikTok-2 for Adults (See note below)
TiKToK-2 is NOT another TikTok App. TikTok-2 ONLY applies to my account (@wtd3444).
Don’t be Fooled by the Cute Little Kitty Sleeping on the Porch. The primary content in TikTok-2 is for adults, but only because of the nature of content I provide about my history and life before transformation.
Truth Should Not be Censored! And because my primary account was temporarily restricted because of my content, I chose to open a second account (and now it may already be BANNED for repeated contract violations: I still don’t know how I violated the community guidelines).
My TIKTOK-2 (SUCCESS2025) is a second account that I created to set the audience control for 18 Years Old and Above. When you open the link above or go to TikTok and search for SUCCESS2025, when it opens this WARNING pops up: “This profile contains themes that some may find uncomfortable.”
TRUE! Some people cannot handle the truth and only want to see rainbows, butterflies and unicorns. Reality may be different.
To support this website, please donate any amount for the Fund Raiser by clicking Here or by purchasing Books by Wayne T. Dowdy. Thank you!
NEW BEGINNINGS on AEGRADIO Every Wednesday and Friday Night
AEGRADIO New Beginnings re-airs my testimony tonight, Friday, June 20th, 2025, at 9:00 PM, EST.
June 20, 2025: Great News for Those Who Missed the Show Wednesday night. New Beginnings will rebroadcast the show tonight (Friday, 9:00 PM EST).
I was blessed with doing a radio interview on AEGRADIO for New Beginnings with Sheldon Gooch and Kolean Sanders. See the picture below for the airtime each week and join in to listen to their Special Guest share their testimony to inspire others (the photo used was for the June 12, 2024, show when I appeared as the guest).
In the linked YouTube video from WonderfulThingsDone, I explain how to access the AEGRADIO by downloading the Live365 app.
A different guest will share their testimony each week. Check out the show next time it airs, and I pray you will be Blessed by the Best. 🙂
WonderfulThingsDone
As I continue to provide content, my two main channels continue to grow. Here’s My Best YouTube Performers.
If you use any of the links on this website related to Amazon, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Check out the wide variety of Home Improvement products and Tools on Sale for a limited time by clicking this category that will help me support this website. Thank you!
On the other website https://straightfromthepen.com, Writings Straight from the Pen is a page instead of a blog post I decided to do with this one to increase circulation. Please support this endeavor by sharing and participating in the comment section. Or donate any amount through the PayPal link below or through CashApp (NO REFUNDS): $wonderfulthingsdone3
Writings posted on this page are intended to help those from the inside to have a voice on the outside, by posting their writings here for all to see. Enjoy and appreciate the struggles and difficulties those on the inside have to get a manuscript ready for publication and submission to whoever gives them an ear.
My Ears Hear Their Cries and Shouts of Joy.
To support this website, please donate any amount for the Fund Raiser by clicking Here or by purchasing Books by Wayne T. Dowdy. Thank you!
Straight from the Pen
[DISCLAIMER: Views or beliefs expressed in any submission posted herein are those of the authors and not necessarily agreed with or endorsed by your host]
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Describe one simple thing you do that brings joy to your life.
I love it when I am able to do something that helps another person, and wish I was in a position to help more than I do. One reason I enjoy writing and being a content creator on social media platforms, is that it allows me to reach people around the world, and thousands more than what I can do as I go along my way throughout the day. 🌞
TicTok offers promotions for content creators and others, such as those who want to sell from the TicTok Shop, where many people provide testimonials about the money earned selling TicTok products. If you are interested in trying, and if you have never used TicTok, you will get $10 free by signing up using the link below, and help me when you do. Thank you!
Please read the linked blog that I posted on my other website in response to comments about Memorial Day isn’t something to be happy about and that people shouldn’t say Happy Memorial Day. I explain why we do in America.
Revised May 25, 2025: Memorial Day in America probably means something different to most Americans than it does to those who hate US for whatever reasons. And should one wonder if the capital “US” is a mistake, no, it is meant to be inclusive, for I am an American and am proud to call myself one, even if not proud of everything that has been done by Americans.
For me, though, Memorial Day is not just about America, even though it is an American holiday. I remain conscious of all who have died from the effect of war or who have died fighting for the lives of others; whether Americans or not, whether for the “right” or “wrong” reasons, human lives are lost, mostly innocent lives lost in the crosshairs of another’s agenda.
Search “Memorial Day” on this site to see other blogs I’ve written on the topic, including some controversial ones where I speak out against the twisting of historical facts and attempts to erase America’s not-so-favorable history.
In the end, though, everything worked out the way it should for whatever reason. I am not in control, and nor I am responsible for what others have done in the name of God or America, but I am proud to be an American and honor those who have died protecting our shores.
Today, I honor those on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19, here in American and all across the world. WE are all in this together, like it or not!
Reposted May 24, 2025: Essays & More Straight from the Pen by Wayne T. Dowdy is his personal magazine that contains twelve essays, one short story (fiction) and three poems. If you do not have the additional funds to purchase a copy, Use the code NJE2B at checkout for 50% off. Offer good through June 27th, 2025.
Essays & More Straight From the Penby Wayne T. Dowdy was originally published while I was serving a 420-month federal prison sentence in the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons from August 18, 1988, until August 28, 2018. Read a free preview below on Amazon:
Buying Essays & More Straight from the Pen helps support this website that I have funded since its creation in 2015, when I paid my publisher at Midnight Express Books* to build it for me. She did a spectacular job that gave me a way to reach beyond walls, bars, and fences to provide beneficial content for the public to see. Take the time to read some of my historical content on this website for a variety of topics, some of which may not be Politically Correct.
After my release to a Residential Reentry Center (halfway house), where I was placed on home confinement in November 2018 with a leg monitor strapped on my ankle that I wrote about in Electronic Chain), when I could access my websites and book files that were created while I was on the Inside, I modified several aspects of the written and electronic materials that I had done with assistance from others.
Though Essays & More Straight from the Pen looks like a book, it is a personal magazine because of the content, which you may read more about on the following blog: Personal Magazines-2. In that one, you can see the original rear cover designed by Midnight Express Books*, who did an excellent job for me when I was trapped behind the walls, bars, and fences of the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons. Both versions of the Essays & More Straight from the Pen are available in paperback and print on Amazon and numerous other book stores, including Barnes & Noble and Goodreads.
In the future, when time permits, I plan to do other books on Draft-2-Digital, which is a digital publishing platform, where my eBooks from Smashwords.com can now be purchased, some of which may be downloaded free that you can find by going to my book page https://www.draft2digital.com/book/
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Read why I chose the Atlanta Streetcar for the photo and my NEW SPACE on QUORA.com that I created to expand my horizons with the hope of benefiting society and all individuals who participate by visiting the new space to ask questions or to read answers and submissions.
My hope for my New Space (Wayne T. Dowdy’s Space) is to help reduce recidivism by providing quality content from a positive perspective that shows people do change. And that society benefits when the criminal justice system implements programs that facilitate successful reentry for returning citizens, of which I am one. This is the link to the original post on https://straightfromthepen.com/2025/05/14/new-space/ that I modified slightly to post on this page.
New Space by Wayne T. Dowdy
I created this new space on Quora.com to inspire and encourage others who are seeking a new direction in life; especially, those who have been in prison or who have family members that are Inside or have been. My objective is to provide content that is more positive than some provided on my other Space, Life Inside and Out.
Thus far, Wayne T. Dowdy’s Space shows more potential for success because in the last seven day it picked up 56-followers, compared to eleven on Life Inside and Out.
To learn more about me and some of my activities, check out my profile page on Quora.com, Wayne T. Dowdy
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Happy Mother’s Day Every Day, not just today on the official Mother’s Day. In the following blog, I originally posted it in 2020 but liked it so much that I made a slight modification to use it on this special day to honor all the mothers of the World. If you are one, Happy Mother’s Day. Be Blessed!
[DISCLAIMER: Views or beliefs expressed in any submission posted herein are those of the authors and not necessarily agreed with or endorsed by your host] The Peaceful Protest is about more than any one individual as what happens at the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles affects the lives of many.
Announcement: Call for Peaceful Protest by Stephanie Jean Garner-Navarrete
I am excited to announce a peaceful protest scheduled for May 23-25, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. to June 6-8, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. outside on the streets in front of the homes of the Georgia Parole Board members. No, we will not be directly in front of their homes standing! We will be walking up and down the street in front of their homes as well as other homes. (Yes, I have the addresses and will convey them closer to time-they are all within the Atlanta district.) This event aims to advocate for the immediate release of lifers and all eligible inmates who have served their time. This will be a 24-hour around the clock protest- it will be in 6 hour shifts, so there will be 4 shifts (you can sign up for more than one shift if you’re available).
I know many of us have to work jobs outside of advocating for our loved ones, so the question comes down to how bad do we want them home? I for one live 4 hours away, will be working my full time job and be there to pull my shift each day! Why? Because I want my husband (fiancé) home! I will not take no for an answer.
Our mission is to raise awareness about the need for compassion and justice within our parole system. We believe that every individual deserves a second chance and the opportunity to reintegrate into society.
Regarding the protest:
There will be no violence in any form whatsoever tolerated. You cannot fight violence with violence! There will be no shouting of profound language used. We WILL BE respectful! Please bring only signs with messages that demand the release of our lifers and eligible inmates. Remember, this is a nonviolent protest, and we ask everyone to respect the principles of peace and positivity. Let’s come together as a community to stand for justice and reform. Your voice matters, and together, we can make a difference.
Please RSVP by commenting here on this post and I will be in touch with you- I need only those that are SERIOUS because I will be doing a signup sheet and need at least twenty-five per shift- the more who participates the better! Spread the word and invite others who believe in our cause!
Thank you for your support and commitment to this important issue.
In solidarity,
Your support and advocacy!
Just FYI: We are not Criminally Trespassing. Criminal trespassing is going on their property we will not be on their property. We will be in the street, and we will not be harassing them either! We again will be in the street, walking in the road back and forth in front of not “only” their home but others as well- holding signs and just saying “let our people go.” Not hollering as to disturb the peace, nor in a violent manner.
Laws: # Peaceful Protest in Front of Parole Member’s House: Georgia Law
*General Right to Protest*
– *First Amendment, U.S. Constitution*: Guarantees the right to free speech and peaceful assembly.
– *Georgia Constitution, Article I, Section I, Paragraph V*: Protects the right to assemble and petition the government.
*Restrictions on Protesting Near Residences*
– *O.C.G.A. § 16-11-34*: Prohibits picketing or demonstrating within one hundred yards of a residence without the owner’s consent.
– *Exceptions*:
– *Labor disputes*: Picketing related to labor disputes is exempt.
– *Public issues*: Protests related to public issues, such as government policies or actions, may be allowed.
*Parole Member’s Residence*
– *No specific Georgia law*: Prohibiting protests near a parole member’s residence.
– *Considerations*:
– *Private property*: Protesting on private property without permission may be trespassing.
– *Harassment or intimidation*: Protests that involve harassment or intimidation may be unlawful.
*Best Practices*
– *Check local ordinances*: Verify if there are any local regulations or restrictions on protests.
– *Peaceful and respectful*: Ensure the protest remains peaceful and respectful.
FYI: Accredited too:
I have said this for years. It worked in Puerto Rico to make the governor resign his office after what he did it is no different here. I have always said this will be the ONLY way people will understand the heartache families go through….
This is what the people of Puerto Rico did, however laws are different there but if they are made uncomfortable at home, they will realize how uncomfortable our loved ones and we are with the situation they are in.
FYI:
People say they want change but do they really? You have to be willing to go out of your comfort zone. You have to be brave! You have to stand up! This is not a move I would make first but look at all the post, the rallies at the Parole office, the Governor’s mansion, etc. What has been done? People have called! They have emailed! They have done it all but this! It’s time to get them uncomfortable! How many days, nights have we been made feel uncomfortable at our homes because our loved ones are being mistreated? Killed? Not fed? Left in the walls to be beaten? Or simply being left there when they have been eligible for parole?
In no way am I or the supporters of this trying to force you to do anything that you don’t want to, don’t agree with, or that you have mixed emotions about! It’s all about trial and error! The laws will be followed or else you will be asked to leave! I’m willing to try anything to get those from behind the walls paroled that are eligible! And also help those that are being mistreated, beat, and even killed! Let’s come together for the sake of our loved ones and as advocates for those behind the walls! If you do not agree with this, I respect that but please respect us that are willing to try anything because it cannot hurt as long as all laws are being followed, and we are not sinking to their level and being disrespectful!
From Your Host
Change is possible. Never lose hope or accept defeat without exhausting your resources, and then try another angle to accomplish your objective. Fight for Change by Wayne T. Dowdy proves that success is obtainable, even when fighting against the odds.
Who is that lady? Well, she’s a woman preserved in history. From what I concluded with the assistance of Google Lens, she is the Greek minor goddess, Arete, who is the Goddess of Excellence and Virtue, according to Wikipedia. Women’s History Month 2025 is my way of paying Tribute to Women’s History Month.
Women Not Goddesses
The Women whom I celebrate do not need to be Goddesses, just themselves as the person God created to keep mankind alive. That’s my opinion and I am sticking to it! 🙂
If you want to read more about some of the spectacular women who shaped the world in which we live, please read what I wrote in my Tribute to Women’s History Month on my other website of the same title and the linked blog, Wonderful Women by Wayne T. Dowdy. Thank you!
To support this website, please donate any amount by clickingHere for the Fund Raiser. Thank you!
By Sider.AI and Wayne T. Dowdy
Corruption in the Georgia Prison System is not new, as it has been happening for decades, so I wanted to give it a little more exposure in hope of getting attention to the problem that results in the loss of life for many prisoners and harm to their families. I incorporated the help of Artificial Intelligence to produce this content I believe to be accurate.
I used Sider.AI to compose an essay you may read below that is an accurate summary of the current condition of the prisons maintained by the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDOC). The Instagram link for Exposing Corruption in Prison (exposing_corruption_prison) is legit and comprised of videos that show some acts of violence that go on inside the Georgia Department of Corrections (or Georgia Department of Corruption, as some call it).
What these videos show (uninterrupted acts of violence) is one reason prison administrators do not want cellphones and cameras inside the prisons. One factor discussed in the essay is staff shortages, which is apparent in the videos, since no correctional officers or staff members are ever around during these incidents.
Seventy Percent Understaffed Prison
I recently listened to a news report about two recent deaths at Hancock State Prison (William Holeman and Prince Porter, 01/30/25). The reporter stated that GDOC confirmed that Seventy percent (70%) of staff positions are unfilled. My opinion is that any prison with only thirty percent of required staff should not be open, because being 70% understaffed puts inmates and staff at an extreme risk of possible harm/danger.
Ad: Purchase Essays & More Straight from the Pen before price increase 03/2025
Continue to read the A.I generated essay by Sider.AI and Wayne T. Dowdy
Corruption in the Georgia Prison System: A Critical Analysis
Introduction
Corruption within the Georgia prison system represents a microcosm of broader issues plaguing American penal institutions. With inhumane overcrowding, underpaid staff, and systemic opacity creating a ripe environment for unethical practices, Georgia’s prisons have become hotbeds for corruption. Numerous investigations and scandals reveal the inefficiencies and abuses within this system, demanding urgent reform. This essay examines the history of corruption in Georgia’s prisons, its root causes, the devastating human impact, and the efforts required to remedy such a broken system.
A History of Scandal
The Georgia prison system has a long history of corruption and misconduct. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a broad investigation into Georgia prisons, uncovering widespread inhumane conditions and an alarming number of inmate deaths linked to administrative failure or misconduct. High-profile incidents, including contraband smuggling operations and financial fraud schemes, underscore repeated abuses of power. One notable case occurred in 2017, when 49 prisoners and 15 former corrections officers were charged with participating in a massive drug trafficking ring managed from within Georgia penitentiaries[^1](https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/more-50-individuals-charged-massive-corruption-fraud-and-money-laundering-schemes). Authorities discovered that prisoners were leveraging corrupt officials to facilitate multi-million-dollar heists and smuggle contraband.
Corruption thrives in Georgia’s prisons due to understaffing, inadequate oversight, and low wages for correctional officers. These factors create an environment where ethical compromise is often incentivized. Limited accountability measures, such as poor supervision systems and lack of formal reporting mechanisms, enable officials to exploit their authority without fear of repercussions. According to a report by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the low average pay of prison guards fuels a pipeline for potential bribery and illicit cooperation with inmates[^3](https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-prison-corruption-from-the-inside-criminal-kingpins/UUHY4GSP7ZAM3CO7ICUDI6CBEY/).
The problem worsens with a shortage of correctional officers. State prisons in Georgia frequently struggle to fill positions, leaving staff overwhelmed and undermanned. This instills chaos within facilities, paving the way for organized criminal networks to infiltrate while creating additional pressure on the overburdened workforce.
Systemic Issues: The Role of Overcrowding
The overcrowding crisis in Georgia prisons compounds these systemic vulnerabilities. Designed for far fewer inmates, facilities are stretched beyond capacity, making it virtually impossible to maintain internal order or ensure inmates’ safety. For example, Georgia’s correctional facilities have become notorious for violent conditions. In 2021, the state reported over 50 inmate homicides across its prisons, many of which occurred as a direct consequence of neglect and lack of order caused by overcrowding[^4](https://thesoutherneronline.com/96648/news/georgia-correctional-facilities-confront-increasing-levels-of-violence/).
Overcrowded conditions increase opportunities for guards or administrators to exploit inmates. They may demand bribes in exchange for basic accommodations or safety guarantees, further perpetuating corruption. This cycle undermines the justice system’s mission of rehabilitation and protection while deepening systemic rot.
The Human Cost of Corruption
The consequences of corruption extend beyond the prison walls, affecting not only inmates but also their families and society at large. Inmates are frequently the targets of violence, extortion, and inadequate medical attention. Families often shoulder financial burdens, supplying thousands of dollars to pay illegal bribes for their loved ones’ safety or access to necessities like cellphones and medication. Furthermore, taxpayers unwittingly fund inefficient, exploitative institutions, perpetuating a destructive cycle of harm.
The prison system’s toxic environment even threatens staff well-being. As violence escalates, officers face greater risks, ranging from assaults to exposure to smuggled synthetic drugs[^5](https://stateline.org/2024/12/03/prison-lockdowns/). Ethics violations compound this strain, with honest employees frequently left unsupported or retaliated against by corrupt colleagues.
Reform Efforts
Past reform efforts have failed to solve systemic issues within the Georgia prison system. Actions targeting corrupt individuals—such as disciplinary measures against guards caught smuggling contraband—do not address the structural deficiencies that enable these crimes. Comprehensive reform must include increases in wages for correctional officers, improved oversight mechanisms, and expanded recruitment programs to alleviate staffing shortages.
Legislative oversight and transparency initiatives are key. Technological interventions, including body cameras, AI surveillance tools, and digitization of financial transactions, could limit opportunities for misconduct. Whistleblower protections, along with anonymous tip lines, could empower employees who expose systemic corruption to combat retaliation.
Citizens’ advocacy efforts, petitions for independent audits, and campaigns for improved public funding could pressure policymakers to resolve overcrowding and mismanagement. Empathy for incarcerated individuals—and acknowledgment of their human rights—is central to reimagining Georgia prisons as institutions of justice rather than punishment.
Conclusion
The Georgia prison system’s deeply ingrained corruption exemplifies structural weaknesses within the American justice system. Addressing these issues requires bold, comprehensive reforms that prioritize accountability, humane treatment, and rehabilitation over retribution. Reducing overcrowding, increasing transparency, and leveraging technology could serve as foundational steps toward reshaping Georgia’s correctional institutions. By shedding light on these systemic failings and holding officials accountable, Georgia has the opportunity to build a system that reflects the principles of equity and justice.
Please share this blog post with anyone who may be interested in promoting positive change. Thanks for taking the time to read my content. Check out my YouTube videos for more. https://www.youtube.com/@straightfromthepen
January 20, 2025: Two events take place today for the world to remember. The Inauguration of President Donald J. Trump, and the day we celebrate the life of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., who had a dream. He lost his life because of his fight to see his dream come true.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 01/15/1929-04/04/1968
“Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister, activist, and political philosopher who was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. … Born: January 15, 1929, Atlanta, GA. Assassinated: April 4, 1968, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Memphis” Wikipedia
This is an excerpt from his famous speech, “I Have a Dream”:
“When we allow freedom to ring—when we let it ring from every city and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last, Free at last, Great God a-mighty, We are free at last.” I Have a Dream Speech by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the “March on Washington,”1963
Inauguration of President Donald J. Trump
President Donald J. Trump will officially become the United States President, for the second time, even after numerous controversies and a host of other issues I don’t have time to write about, nor do I care to get into all of the political BS that comes with the territory.
President’s Trump pledge is to “Make America Great Again” and I hope he succeeds. What transpires during his presidency will have long lasting effects. The stock market soared when he won the election, and so did the price of Bitcoin that reached an all time high this morning.
With billionaire Elon Musk as part of President Trump’s cabinet, this time will definitely be a presidential term with a lot of changes in an effort to lower the national debt ceiling that may also involve making Bitcoin part of the National Treasury.
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Personally, I do feel like he will do better this term than he did last term, and I pray that there will not be another riot inside the White House, as happened at the end of his first presidency, or throughout the streets of America, as happened when the Reverend Martin Luther, King, Jr., was assassinated in 1968.
Let’s pray for peace and for Dr. King’s dream to come true so that we can all walk together through the struggles in this thing called life and celebrate each day as something special, because it is, for real. Let freedom ring all around the world!
I’m shining a light on Unknown Innocence to inspire others and to hopefully pick up a few sales. When I wrote The Making of a Masterpiece: Unknown Innocence by Wayne T. Dowdy, I was serving a 35-year federal prison sentence and paid to self-publish UNKNOWN INNOCENCE that you may purchase the paperback from Amazon for today for $10.95 (eBook: $0.99). Or from your favorite online bookstore, such as Barnes & Noble and many others retailers, including Walmart! For more on Unknown Innocence, check out What About Unknown Innocence and the linked blog, Fighting for the Right to Write that is associated with the next paragraph and my fights while inside the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Read the following blog to see the process I used while writing and typing on antique typewriters and a dumbed-down version of an AlphaSmart, which was similar to a laptop, minus most functions needed to produce quality documents. No Internet access! And because I used them in the law library, when I turned it back in I had to clear the memory. The whole writing process was a challenge but I succeeded on getting my novel and other books published while on the Inside, and then modified once I was released in 2018. If I accomplished that while on the Inside, I encourage others to pursue their goals, too, regardless of the obstacles that may stand in the way. Never lose hope!
I feel like the corporate management lost focus about what Goodwill is supposed to be about and effectively took the “GOOD” out of Goodwill by increasing prices at the expense of their customers, and by paying store level employees less than competitors so that the corporation makes more profits. All of that shows corporate greed and there is nothing Good about a company who should actually have “goodwill” towards others, but allows their policies and practices to show a lack of concern for those who help them become the business that they have become over the years. Because of those feelings, I often suggested to others to donate to actual charities rather than Goodwill, because I saw so many things thrown away because of various reasons, sometimes just due to a lack of place to put them or other associated needs.
And also because of customers being led to believe that they are donating to a non-profit organization, which is only true, in part. Everything that goes on inside the stores and donation centers is “for profit.”
Whether intentional or not, I watched corporate management for Goodwill Industries of North Georgia succeed taking the Good out of Goodwill that I write because of everything stated above. And because of my strong feelings about what I witnessed over the last five years, I am glad to no longer be employed by such an ungrateful organization.
However, I will forever be grateful to the managers who gave me an opportunity to prove myself and allowed me to successfully reintegrate into society after having served thirty-years in federal prison. In many ways I loved Goodwill and regret seeing it deteriorate during the time I worked for Goodwill Industries of North Georgia. I still love and care for the men and women who make up Goodwill on the store level, but I lost respect for the organization and knew it was time for me to leave.
To learn more about Wayne T. Dowdy, please read his personal magazine, Essays & More Straight from the Pen that may be purchased at Amazon or your favorite bookseller, including Walmart online. Buy now for the lowest price ever ($5.99)!
Before you read the book, be aware that some of the essays contain intense scenes based upon facts of his life before he decided to become a better person in 1995.
From the Author of Life With Parole, James Dollar, The Masks We Wear:
We wear many masks throughout our lives, each one carefully crafted to conceal our true selves. These masks are often created in response to societal expectations, cultural norms, and familial pressures. We’re told to be strong, to be successful, to be beautiful, and to be liked. We’re taught to conform, to fit in, and to avoid standing out.
The “I’m Fine” Mask
We wear the “I’m fine” mask to hide our struggles, our fears, and our doubts. We put on a brave face, even when we’re crumbling inside. We’re afraid to show weakness, afraid to admit we’re not okay. This mask is worn to avoid vulnerability, to avoid being seen as fragile or imperfect.
The “I’m Confident” Mask
We wear the “I’m confident” mask to conceal our self-doubt, our fears, and our uncertainties. We pretend to be self-assured, even when we’re quaking inside. We’re afraid to show our true selves, afraid to be seen as unsure or uncertain. This mask is worn to avoid rejection, to avoid being seen as weak or uncapable.
The “I’m Perfect” Mask
We wear the “I’m perfect” mask to showcase our curated selves, our highlight reels, and our accomplishments. We present a flawless exterior, even when we’re struggling inside. We’re afraid to show our imperfections, afraid to be seen as flawed or human. This mask is worn to avoid criticism, to avoid being seen as less than perfect.
The Expectations That Drive Us
These masks are often created in response to external expectations. We’re told to be successful, to be beautiful, to be liked, and to be loved. We’re taught to conform to societal norms, to fit in, and to avoid standing out.
The Fear of Rejection
We wear masks to avoid rejection, to avoid being cast out, and to avoid being alone. We fear that if we reveal our true selves, we’ll be rejected, ridiculed, or ostracized.
The Fear of Vulnerability
We wear masks to avoid vulnerability, to avoid being hurt, and to avoid being exposed. We fear that if we show our true selves, we’ll be taken advantage of, exploited, or wounded.
The Fear of Imperfection
We wear masks to avoid imperfection, to avoid being flawed, and to avoid being human. We fear that if we reveal our true selves, we’ll be seen as weak, inadequate, or unworthy.
The Toll of Wearing Masks
Wearing masks takes a toll on our mental and emotional well-being. It leads to:
– Anxiety and stress from maintaining the façade – Depression and sadness from hiding our true selves – Disconnection and loneliness from superficial relationships – Exhaustion and burnout from pretending to be someone we’re not
Imagining a Life Without Masks
As we examine the masks we wear and why we wear them, let’s begin to imagine a life where we can be ourselves, without apology. A life where we can:
– Embrace our imperfections and quirks – Share our true thoughts and feelings – Connect with others on a deeper level – Live authentically and vulnerably
In this life, we can:
– Let go of the need for validation and approval – Release the pressure to conform and fit in – Embrace our uniqueness and individuality – Live a life that’s true to who we are
The Sources of Expectations
Expectations come from various sources, including:
– Societal norms and cultural values – Family and upbringing – Media and advertising – Education and career pressures – Self-imposed expectations
The Impact of Expectations
These expectations can have a profound impact on our well-being, leading to:
– Anxiety and stress – Depression and sadness – Low self-esteem and self-worth – Fear of failure and perfectionism – Disconnection from our true selves
The Mask of Perfection
We often wear a mask of perfection to hide our imperfections and meet expectations. This mask can lead to:
– Burnout and exhaustion – Lack of authenticity and vulnerability – Difficulty forming meaningful connections – Feeling trapped and suffocated
Breaking Free from Expectations
To break free from the weight of expectations, we must:
– Recognize and challenge negative self-talk – Practice self-compassion and kindness – Embrace our imperfections and uniqueness – Set realistic goals and priorities – Cultivate a growth mindset
Embracing Our True Selves
By letting go of expectations and embracing our true selves, we can:
– Live a life of authenticity and vulnerability – Cultivate meaningful connections and community – Find purpose and passion in our lives – Practice self-care and mindfulness – live a life of intention and joy
We’re going to live through each day of our lives whether we are authentic with who we are or just existing behind the series of masks we all have been conditioned to think is necessary. The vulnerability of choosing no masks is at first going to be uncomfortable. If you put the work in, though, you will achieve a release from all of that anxiety. You can build a truer deeper relationship with you.
In An American Absurdity, I will show what really does not make sense to me. With a felony conviction, I cannot get jobs in fields such as in the medical industry (doctor), or real estate sales, or insurance sales, or as an attorney in most states, because felons cannot get licenses or certification because of state laws.
FELONS Cannot Get Certain Jobs but Can Become a US President
And that is An American Absurdity!
For instance, in 1981 when I began college, I wanted to become a doctor or a lawyer.
While at the Georgia Diagnostic Classification Center in Jackson, Georgia for the Department of Corrections, I took a battery of psychological and academic test given to all prisoners that helps the administration determine where to place them. In other words, what level of custody and security is needed to control them while in prison.
After the test results, I spoke to a psychologist who reviewed my scores. He asked, “Do you know what type of people make these kind of scores?”
And when I responded, no, he then said, “Doctors and Lawyers.”
I wanted to become either one; however, a year later I spoke with a college guidance counselor and was disheartened when he told me that my felony convictions would prevent me from getting license in the State of Georgia, so I chose psychology as my major and sociology as a minor.
Then after my release, I worked for a vacuum cleaner company and took top office sales on my first week on the job. Afterwards, an insurance agency and a real estate agency wanted to hire me. And then I learned that my felony convictions prohibited me from getting a license to sell insurance and real estate in Georgia.
Subconsciously, I don’t guess I could stand the pressure and got tired of feeling cheated, so I reverted to criminal behavior: I didn’t need a license or certification for that field, but I should have become a politician or run for Presidency.
Wayne T. Dowdy for President: Just Joking. I Don’t Want the Job
I was NOT joking when I wrote the above that my criminal record prevented me from getting some jobs and licenses needed for professions. And that is still true today, even though my last arrest and conviction was in 1988.
Before I walked out the prison gates on August 28, 2018, I had posted Seeking a Real Job https://straightfromthepen.com/2023/05/21/seeking-a-real-job/ and then updated it after I was released and had found out that my credentials didn’t matter because I had grown older and most companies wanted younger people and those without criminal records.
October 15, 2024
WALMART Refused to Hire Me as a Spark Driver Because of My Criminal History
But having felony convictions do NOT prevent me from running for President of the most powerful country in the world, as is evident on the 2024 voting ballots, and former President Donald Trump’s recent felony convictions. Now that is absurd!
(I’m not saying that because I feel that he should not be allowed to run for presidency because of those convictions.)
HMMM, if elected as President of the United States, I wonder if my felony convictions would prevent me carrying the Nuclear Football (briefcase that the President can use to order nuclear weapons to be fired), or from having access to the Nuclear Button to fire nuclear weapons.
Firearm laws do prevent me from possessing a firearm or ammunition, but I don’t think firearm laws say anything about having access to the button that could destroy mankind as we know it.
AND IF THAT IS NOT AN AMERICAN ABSURDITY, ….
Read this personal magazine and tell me if you would vote for me to become president. 🙂
Yes, I, Wayne T. Dowdy, was arrested August 18, 1988. In The Price of Change inside the personal magazine, Essays & More Straight from the Pen, I tell the story.
Federal Prisoner Needs Help Because He Cannot Do It Alone
As a former federal prisoner in the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons (1988-2018), and a successful returning citizen, who had also served prison sentences in the Georgia Department of Corrections during the seventies and eighties, I appreciate that a federal prisoner needs help to change the prison system, or anyone else who takes action to create a positive change in the failed criminal justice system in the United States of America or abroad.
And not just federal prisoners, because what goes on in the state prison systems are equally as important for the good of humanity. If we, as a society, treat those incarcerated as if they are animals, if they come out of prison and act like animals, we must share responsibility if we did not provide them with what we could to help create a positive change.
Joseph R. Mays, who was in the United States Marine Corps (1982-1990), prior to his current status as a federal prisoner, or if you want to be politically correct, as I do not, is a federal inmate who sent out the message to me and others through Corrlinks.com.
Corrlinks.com Is Not Free
Corrlinks is a messaging system prisoners pay to use to communicate with those outside the prison walls. I used to spend over one hundred dollars per month while sending out correspondence to family and friends, and my publisher at Midnight Express Books for editing my book manuscripts and providing content for StraigthfromthePen.com (she built the original website for me before my release 08/28/2018).
I wrote the above paragraph to help readers understand that what he submitted for publication was not free (I’m providing a free service to him for a worthy cause). And if someone wants to donate funds to him, it may be done by visiting https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/, and using his name or federal identification number found at the end of this blog to locate him and then follow the process on the website to mail or wire funds to his prison account.
Mr. Mays used his personal funds to type out this and other content that he sent out to me. Federal prisoners do get paid for work; however, the pay system sucks! For evidence of that, read this blog to see a copy of one of my previous paystubs: https://straightfromthepen.com/about-your-host/
Mr. Mays Fights for Change!
Subject: Media/Publicity Resource for Inmates – 09/06/2024
Attention All:
Hello. I hope that all of you are doing well today and that your families and friends are doing well, too.
I am writing to you today to deliver another valuable tool/resource that we can use to make the public aware of what is REALLY going on behind prison walls. Things like fellow inmates injured and dying because of INADEQUATE medical care, being assaulted physically, sexually, and mentally by correctional officers, being retaliated against for reporting these conditions of confinements. We even have a person (Hawaiian inmate) here who had his prosthetic leg broken by FBOP staff in June 2023 and they STILL HAVE NOT replaced it for him yet; FOURTEEN MONTHS LATER.
There is also the failure of the prison system to provide programs/classes the government says we need BUT WON’T PROVIDE or TAKE TOO LONG TO PROVIDE, like Victim Impact, which, if done effectively, can help reduce crime on the outside in society. Victim impact can show offenders/people HOW their actions NEGATIVELY impact people in their communities and even themselves (e.g., loss of services, higher prices due to break-ins, etc.).
As to the failure to provide classes and programs, this is indicative of the LACK OF STAFF to man the prisons and unjustified lockdowns, like the one we went through yesterday and a couple of weeks ago, because (a) staff member(s) died AT HOME or OFF THE JOB, which I am sympathetic to, but they SHUT DOWN the ENTIRE FCI Victorville II and denied us access to recreation, the electronic law library, and religious services.
Those are things they should be doing in THEIR OWN PERSONAL TIME; NOT OFFICIAL FBOP TIME. There is a week dedicated to fallen officers in April, which needs to be done to commemorate the service of those who have died in the performance of their duties, but not throughout the entire year. They have a DUTY to the PUBLIC. I also want to point out that THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE in the FBOP, too. I want to make that CRYSTAL CLEAR so there are NO misunderstandings from the FBOP or the public. I believe in being fair. Something HAS TO BE DONE IMMEDIATELY to tackle this crisis in the FBOP, for the good of ALL. Therefore, I am continuing my duty as a United States Marine and providing the following information.
Here is the information I am writing to you about. I am delivering it into your hands TO HELP the inmates (people) and their families, friends, and communities who are affected by the issues outlined above and others that affect their physical and mental health and well-being. I am asking that you distribute this information and put it into the hands of those that NEED IT NOW and for preventative/deterrent purposes for the future. If we WANT CHANGE, we HAVE TO BE THE CHANGE, and I WILL NOT STOP until it CHANGES!!!
Please go to fox.com and see their story dated August 24, 2022, about THIS prison (FCC Victorville)
KTVU Fox 2 Television Oakland, California
Lisa Fernandez lisafernandez@fox.com @lifernandez (510) 874-0139
I am including the following resources (to give everyone a greater chance of resolving their issues adequately):
Office of Internal Affairs Federal Bureau of Prisons 320 First Street NW Suite 600 Washington, DC 20530 (202) 307-3286 (202) 514-8625 (Fax)
Mr. Michael Horowitz Office of Inspector General US Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20530 (800) 869-4499 (202) 616-0646 oig@usdoj.gov or michael.e.horowitz@usdoj.gov
Honorable John Ossoff (Author of the recently enacted Federal Prison Oversight Act) 303 Hart Building Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-3521 http://www.congress.gov
The Honorable Joseph Biden (or name of next president) President of the United States of America 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
Respectfully submitted to change the prison system and the world community for the better,
Joseph R. Mays, 43487-007 FCI Victorville II Medium PO BOX 3850 Adelanto, CA 92301
United States Marine Corps, 1982-1990
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This is a complementary post. I received a message on Corrlinks.com from Charles R. Denning with the following content and asked if he would like for me to post it on StraightfromthePen.com. If you wish to contact him, send correspondence to the address listed below, on plain paper, no cards, or funds. Contact Mr. Denning first for him to provide you with any additional information. The United States Federal Bureau of Prisons is very restrictive. If interested in learning more about correspondence and other issues, see https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/ for the associated links.
Greetings, Today is a day for remembrance for all our people who were enslaved, repressed and downtrodden throughout our embarrassing past. If the slaves had not been freed, we would have never known the likes of Mr. Owens, MLK, Jesse Jackson, and many other fabulous people who stood for greatness.
As we hold thoughts of what it is to be free, we hold our heads up and stand against racism, and we stand up for equal rights and freedom for all of us known as humankind. We should never see our neighbors as “different” just because of skin color or beliefs, as this goes against the teachings of most of our Higher Powers – God.
Pray and give thanks today for the righting of the wrongs of our past, and may we learn from it. We are much better people working together as one united and loving body. Be humble and stay safe.
Peace, Chuck
CHARLES R DENNING Register Number: 21317-045 USP COLEMAN II U.S. PENITENTIARY P.O. BOX 1034 COLEMAN, FL 33521
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Note: After sending a slightly different version into the federal system to those who subscribe to my Corrlinks emails, I posted this on my other website by the same name with a different URL: StraightfromthePen.com
My busy life has prevented me from taking the time to send in a Corrlinks Message to the many Corrlinks subscribers I have. Today, I made myself stop long enough to complete a message I began on April 16, 2024, while driving to work. My hope in posting this Corrlinks message on here is to encourage or inspire some of the many returning citizens that I often write about, as I did on my most recent blog (https://straightfromthepen.com/2024/02/10/returning-citizens-are-misunderstood/). Feel free to send me a message if this helps. Thank you! Here is what I wrote:
A Message StraightFromthePen by Wayne T. Dowdy
I’ve been pressed for time about sending a message in for all of my Corrlinks’ contacts. I did the draft for this using the dictation function in Microsoft Word while driving to work. I drive sixty miles each direction right now but do plan on changing jobs.
It has been a long time since I have been in contact with anyone on the Inside but do want to share some words of encouragement for those near release or otherwise.
For those who know me, I walked out the doors on August 28, 2018, and went to the residential reentry center in Atlanta. Today I am free. But for those who did not know me, I served 30 years and 10 days before walking out the doors. Since then, after I found a job 11-months later, I maintained employment, saved money, and managed my affairs by staying clean (living without mind-altering substances). That allowed me to buy a house in September 2023. And that was a miracle!
I was an elevated risk for recidivism because of my long criminal history and addiction issues. Had I not quit drinking and drugging in1995 while at USP Atlanta, I wouldn’t have made it Out here, because of some of the things I encountered as a returning citizen, and because I would have done as I had always done, which is return to getting high and mismanaging my finances before reverting to crime to pay for my way of life.
To stay on this side of the fence, I will continue to do the next right thing and avoid doing what held me down for my whole life before I stopped, which was not being able to keep a needle out of my arm.
When I decided to change my life, I did not know if I would live long enough to become a free man because I was only seven years into a 35-year sentence, and almost 40-years old. But once I got rid of that bad habit, I began focusing on changing my behaviors, so that if the day came that I did get out of prison that I would be able to stay out.
On April 5th, 1995, I did my last shot of dope sitting in a cell at USP Atlanta and then began learning how to live a different life. I was blessed by having a drug treatment specialist and psychologists who devoted time to helping me learn how to change. Then I ultimately got involved with attending Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meeting, some of which I had to help get started in the system, which really helped me to learn how to live without using.
I know that with so many people seen getting out and returning that it becomes discouraging, and sometimes makes a person wonder if they can stay out if released, because of all of the stories told about how the ones who returned ended back up in prison for a host of reasons. That usually involves what someone else did or didn’t do, instead of accepting responsibility for what they did or did not do that could have kept them from returning.
Life can be tough Out here as it is on the Inside, and it is easy to go back to doing what we know best upon release when faced with what seems to be insurmountable odds of becoming successful. But since my release, I haven’t found it necessary to revert to my old ways of life. However, if I had not 1) learned how to live without drinking or using mind altering substance, and 2) learned to manage my money while on the Inside by basing my purchases on Wants versus Needs, I could not have saved enough money to buy my house, because I would have been in a lot of debt, as most American are these days. When buying the house, the loan officer told me that if I did not have ZERO debt, that I would not have qualified to buy the house because of the Income-to-Debt ratio used by financial institutions before deciding to loan large sums of money.
Now I’m in the home renovation process. The time I am putting into doing my own repairs consumes a lot of my time, which is one of many reasons I have not been able to find time to send in information to those of you on my contact list on this email or one of the others.
My point in writing the above is to encourage each of you to not give up because of the difficulties you are facing while there, whatever those difficulties may be. What we did in the Past prepared us for Today. What we do Today prepares us for Tomorrow if we are blessed by seeing another day.
To live the life I live Out here, I began preparing for it while on the Inside. Not much Out here has gone according to what I had planned before walking out the prison gates, but I have not allowed that to deter me from succeeding. The job I have does not pay much. So, I learned to supplement my income by buying goods and reselling them online, something else I haven’t had much time to do since buying the house.
I’ve worked for Goodwill industries of North Georgia since my release, and they don’t pay well. I’m only making $135 per day for working ten hours, but I’m managing what I have. I am officially retired and receive a small retirement check that helps to pay about two-thirds of my mortgage payment, so I am getting by with what I have to work with.
Another point is that I am making it work by making good decisions, at least on most days, because you know I am still human and make bad decisions on some days. I do well, and I don’t go out to rob or steal or commit crimes to survive. And if I can do it, so can you or anyone else. But remember to begin while in there, because if you cannot learn to do it while on the Inside, it will be harder to do it on the Outside.
Now, to boast a bit, I have YouTube channels (@WayneTDowdy3 and @StraightFromthePen and @WonderfulThingsDone), which I hope to one day turn into a profitable source of income. I do share about my experiences before prison, and after prison, but also provide a variety of content as I pave my way into a bright future.
Many of you know I started a website while on the Inside by paying my publisher to build it for about $500 (StraightfromthePen.com). Without going into the technical issues, I also have straightfromthepen.wordpress.com that I also use to post blogs on when time permits Some of you who read this know because I have posted a submission for you, or you’ve read some of the blogs, I sent in through Corrlinks that I wrote. In the future, I may begin accepting Submissions. I do NOT pay for any content I decide to publish.
Another possibility is that I offer some of the writers in there an opportunity to help me write other books or screenplays. Time will tell, but in the meantime, I want to say that though it has been a while since I sent in any messages, that it is not because I had forgotten you or what it is like to be on the Inside Looking Out. Speaking of such, I also have a “Space” on Quora.com named, “Life Inside and Out,” where I have shared a variety of content about life on the inside and life on the outside for returning citizens, the latter a category I hope each of you will one day have an opportunity to become.
If you respond to this message, I will respond when time permits, as I am pressed for time with me working a regular job and doing all the other things I do.
Make the day the best you can by staying positive and not losing hope because of the status quo. Things change.
The above thumbnail links to the video on one of my YouTube channels that I hope you visit and subscribe, too. Be sure to click the Notification Bell to receive my latest content. Thanks! https://www.youtube.com/@straightfromthepen
Wayne T. Dowdy’s ANSWER TO A QUESTION
In my opinion, many Returning Citizens are Misunderstood by society, in general, because of the negative stereotypes generated by the few returning citizens who return to society and commit horrendous crimes. Years ago, it seems I read that (may be less or slightly more) only .25 percent of those released from prison actually committed such crimes, even though a staggering amount are released who are sent back to prison for various reasons. The ones who commit horrendous crimes receive all of the press coverage that leads to a misunderstanding about returning citizens.
For more answers to the question on Quora.com, “As an ex-convict, what are some things you wish more people understood before judging you?”, click the following link. Keep reading for my answer (BTW, that is a photo of me in 1985 at a podium in Atlanta, GA, giving a speech for the World of Work Program):
As an ex-convict, what are some things you wish more people understood before judging you?
That people change if they so choose, and that one thing ALL successful people have in common is a lot of failures. I stood at the podium in that photo in 1985 and failed to succeed as the one who did not return to prison, but that was then and this is now. That failure led me to today, where I am alive and free and will succeed to be The One.
And that, because I once lived my life without remorse for my actions, that does not mean I live that way now. That is so because I changed my life when I stopped using drugs and alcohol in 1995 and have since worked on becoming a better man and have succeeded.
Over the years I helped numerous others to change their lives by helping them recover from alcoholism and addiction issues. That is how I should be seen and recognized for, not for the many things I did when I was a young adult, who had a severe substance abuse problem, who made terrible mistakes.
While at the United States Federal Penitentiary in Pollock, Louisiana, I sat in a Twelve Step meeting one Saturday morning in 2004. I had received a meaningful letter from a former member whom I met in prison, and who was then living his life as a free citizen.
In his letter, he thanked me for having helped him learn how to live his life without having to return to prison and expressed gratitude for me and the other members of the group in Lompoc, California, where I had known him.
Before the meeting I let a grandsponcee (the sponcee of a man I sponsored) read the letter. After the meeting had begun, he said, “Wayne, you aren’t going to read the letter to the group?”
Though reluctant to do so, I did. While reading it, I was overcome with gratitude and the tears of gratitude rolled down my cheeks.
During a recess break (I paused to wipe tears and struggled to continue reading), a member said, “Wayne’s becoming human again.”
I rejoined humanity and am a good person who contributes to the betterment of society, and it is for that I should be judged, but … I know there are some who can’t get by my past to see the present, and that is okay. I understand and that it is their loss to be so judgmental and prejudicial.
I’m okay and will succeed regardless of what the insignificants in life think or feel about me.
ESSAYS & MORE STRAIGHT FROM THE PEN BY WAYNE T. DOWDY
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Note:I am reposting this from https://straightfromthepen.com with modifications and a different title and YouTube link. Please like and subscribe to the YouTube channel at the link below and be sure to hit the notification bell to receive my latest videos. Thanks!
Walking out prison doors after an extended period poses many challenges, including the need to find employment and health insurance. Many states may offer programs to help returning citizens but some of the assistance is minimal.
Disclaimer: The following is not a suggestion to buy or purchase any product or service, even though I am an affiliate marketer. Always to your due diligence before buying or selling anything online. In the following paragraphs I mention Parks Insurance, which I did search online for any customer reviews, as I hope you will do. Most reviews were positive but I did find one negative review that did not go into much detail. ALWAYS be cautious about providing personal information without ensuring that it is safe.
In this blog I am happy to share an excerpt from the FairShake.net newsletter about FREE INSURANCE for returning citizens and their family members in all fifty states and US Territories. If interested, please contact Park Insurance Agency linked below to apply or to send the information to anyone you may know who is in prison or their family members, once you verify the service by searching for Customer Reviews.
SUE K. @ FAIRSHAKE.NET
Sue K owns FairShake.net and provides valuable information for the incarcerated and their families that she sends out in newsletters to select prisoner who sign up, and posts on the website. Here is some spectacular news that she reported in her most recent newsletter that I suggest you read in full at https://www.fairshake.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/FS-News-Philophobia.pdf
FREE INSURANCE!
“One year ago I reported on an opportunity for all returning citizens to receive free insurance. It was a new program, and I had no testimonies to share. Today I’m happy to report that it is available in every state! Parks Insurance Agency offers many benefits including zero-cost health plans, free physicals, prescription coverage for new and prior medications, access to recovery treatment, mental health counseling, doctor and hospital visits, and all pre-existing health conditions will be covered (i.e., asthma, diabetes, cancer, etc.). The benefits also extend to household family members upon your release. For more information contact: Parks Insurance Agency,153 S. Oakland Ave, Rock Hill SC29730 Phone:866-932-7200. Your supporters can find out more here: https://parksinsured.com/“
Prison Corruption in GA is not new. The system was corrupt when I grew up in it during the 70s-80s. If you want to learn more about the growing prison corruption since my departure and graduation into the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons (1988-2018), read this Atlanta Journal-Constitution article on Georgia Prison Corruption: https://www.ajc.com/news/investigations/prisons-inside-job/
I spent many years of my life inside the Georgia Criminal Justice System, beginning as a juvenile and graduating through the system until I finally reached The Big House (Georgia State Prison, Reidsville, Georgia), known for its high-level of violence and racism, some of which was promoted by prison staff. A few corrupt prison guards at the Georgia State Prison assisted prisoners by bringing in weapons, etc. for use in racial conflicts (Divide and Conquer).
During my many years on the Inside, with my mindset at that stage of life, I would have thrived because of my addiction issues with drugs and alcohol. To support my bad habits, I would have been one of the prisoners who sought corrupt prison officials to bring in drugs, drug paraphernalia, and had cellphone existed at the time, those, too.
Now that I live a different life, I see what is going on from a different perspective: people losing their lives due to the lifestyle that comes with the territory.
Corruption will always exist as long as there is a demand for the goods. Of course, as several prisons experienced, drones assist the process as well as corrupt prison officials. For me, I remain grateful for not living that life anymore, and for my sobriety that began when I was at the United States Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia.
[This comes from my other website (straightfromthepen.com]
My YouTube Best Performers from two channels may be surprising. From my personal perspective, I am disappointed that I have not be able to create a video that exceeds my first accidental short on @WayneTDowdy, with 7,541 views as I type:
However, on my other channel, @straightfromthepen, this one is running close to its views, following with at the time of this writing, 6,652 views:
Please show your love by subscribing to my channels and clicking the notification bell to receive my latest post, and to help the YouTube algorithm like me better. 🙂
Thank you. Feel free to post comments to let me know what you would like to see more of on this channel and my YouTube channels.
June 23, 2023: I first posted this on https://straightfromthepen.com and am adding some additional info on this website that will be removed in the near future.
Inflation: Another Name for Corporate Greed
In my opinion, what the world is dealing with now is not some imaginary compilations of numbers labeled as inflation. Being StraightfromthePen, I call it as I see and believe it to be: the problem is Corporate Greed, period!
At the bottom of this post and in my response to a Comment on StraightfromthePen on YouTube, I show Walmart’s gross profit as reported January 31, 2023, as a record $147.57 BILLION US Dollars.
Walmart is only one of the Villains’ driving up our cost of living. My plan is to delve deeper to find some of the others inflating their prices under the guise on “INFLATION” to increase company profits. Follow me on YouTube @StraightfromthePen to see what I find. Thank you!
Shopping at Walmart is a great place for me to make YouTube videos. Two of these three on @straightfromthepen did really well, but neither can compete with the first short I did on @WayneTDowdy, SHORT SHORTS IN WALMART
This is my answer to one of the comments received: “Thanks for the comment. Because of the individual prices of the fruit and quantity one would have to purchase, he or she would actually need more money to buy the items necessary (grapes, strawberries, pineapple, cantaloupe, and apples). “My point is that with so many Americans struggling with paying for the rising food costs, and Walmart ‘s gross profit margin rising each year ($147.57 BILLION reported 01/31/2023, which was an increase of 2.65 percent over 2022’s record $143.75 BILLION), rather than to prey off of their customers with inflated prices, sell food at a lower cost. Thanks again for the comment.” [See below for supporting data.]
TOO EXPENSIVE(originally posted as TOO MUCH FOR TOO LITTLE)
This is the first Short video I did in response to the high prices in stores that many Americans are struggling to pay. I began getting more views with these type of posts beginning with this one:
Maybe this is the niche I need to pursue. Then again, maybe it will be one of the niches I use on my way to becoming a YouTube Star. Whatever the case may be, I am still searching for the video to make that will top the success of Short Shorts in Walmart.
Thanks for helping me achieve that dream by liking and subscribing to my YouTube channels.
Supporting Data Walmart Gross Yearly Profit
“Walmart’s 2021 gross yearly profit increased 7.3% from the previous year to $138.84 billion. In 2022, the company’s profits rose by 3.54% to hit $143.75 billion, while annual gross profit for the year ended January 31, 2023, was $147.57 billion, a 2.65% rise from 2022.” BusinessMarketAnalyst.com
The following two charts come from Statista.com and may be a little too technical for the average viewer, who may not want to dig that deep to reach the same conclusion simply shown above.
STATUS UPDATE: I am beginning the process of disassembling this website by deleting content and pages. Some photos were removed by WordPress.com when I stopped paying for the Premium service, and now others may disappear as I delete content and undo sharing connections.
Most of the content successfully moved to https://straightfromthepen.com, which is a WordPress.org built platform, hosted by FastComet.com at this writing. I am still working on getting other features installed but for content purposes, all is well. My latest venture is providing content as a YouTube Creator. Please Like, Subscribe, and Share https://www.youtube.com/@straightfromthepen/about
Here is the latest blog from the other StraightfromthePen.com. Thanks for supporting this website over the years by liking and following.
In previous experiments with artificial intelligence, I used BING (Dr. A.I. Bing Redemption – STRAIGHT FROM THE PEN). This time I used a different A.I. service (ChatGPT) but the result was still the same: A.I. Can’t Get It Right, when it answered the question, “Who is Wayne T. Dowdy?” (All search engines contain volumes of information about me, Wayne T. Dowdy, including links to the YouTube videos displayed if searching Wayne T. Dowdy on YouTube.)
Wayne T. Dowdy is a writer, speaker, and advocate for criminal justice reform. He is also a former federal prisoner who served 31 years in prison for a nonviolent drug offense. While in prison, Dowdy became a prolific writer and self-educator, earning a GED, a paralegal certification, and numerous vocational certificates. He also wrote several books and articles, including “Essays & More Straight from the Pen” and “UNKNOWN INNOCENCE: Four Stories of Americans Who Served Time for Crimes They Didn’t Commit.” Since his release from prison in 2019, Dowdy has been actively involved in advocating for criminal justice reform and helping others who are still incarcerated. He has been featured in various media outlets, including The Washington Post and The Marshall Project.
Q. What are some of the vocational certificates that Wayne T. Dowdy earned while in prison?
Wayne T. Dowdy earned several vocational certificates while he was in prison, including:
HVAC Technician: This certificate trained him in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
Building Maintenance: This certificate taught him skills related to building maintenance and repair, such as plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry.
Forklift Operator: This certificate trained him in the safe operation of forklifts and other types of heavy machinery.
Computer Technician: This certificate taught him the skills necessary to repair and maintain computer hardware and software.
Business Management: This certificate provided him with the knowledge and skills necessary to manage a business, including accounting, marketing, and human resources.
These vocational certificates helped Dowdy develop a wide range of skills that he could use to support himself and others after his release from prison.
None of the stated “vocational certificates” are correct.
I did serve almost 31-years in federal prison, but not for a non-violent drug offense. Armed band robbery and associated charges are violent offenses.
I like this sentence: “While in prison, Dowdy became a prolific writer and self-educator, earning a GED, a paralegal certification, and numerous vocational certificates.” But it is not true, either. I did not get a GED, as I already had college credits when I began (I did get more while in the last time).
I am knowledgeable in law and helped get someone out of prison; however, I am not a paralegal, even though I did write “Violent Crime Misconception,” parts of which was used by an attorney to get a friend out of prison.
I am the author of Essays & More Straight from the Pen and Unknown Innocence but the latter is not about what A.I. claimed. Find the books on Amazon.com or at your favorite bookstore or eBook distributor.
For more about the activities of Wayne T. Dowdy, check out my other website, WonderfulThingsDone. Be sure to see the Amazon discounts available by clicking on the two banners on the About WonderfulThingsDone page. Thank you!
The time has come for this particular website to end as hosted on WordPress.com. Find me on this YouTube channel and at https://straightfromthepen.com for more coverage about my Life After Release and other issues that related to recidivism, or Life Inside and Out on Quora.com. Check out my profile page Wayne T. Dowdy. See you on the other side of the digital world, StraightfromthePen. Thanks for viewing my posts all of these years if you decide not to follow me on YouTube and Beyond.
April 21, 2023: I am still a work-in-progress as is https://straightfromthepen.com, which is where I have technically migrated this site; however, I continue to experience technical difficulties and probably need to change my theme, among other things, to get it to work the way I want. Then again, I could always pay someone else to do it, but …. I can’t learn how to do it if I pay someone else to do it for me. Either way, I do hope you enjoy this blog that I posted on April 16, 2023. Please check out the YouTube channel and click to Like and Subscribe to help me find favor with the YouTube algorithm and ultimately began being paid to advertise. Thank you!
This is the conclusion of the three part interview by Ms. Begum K with Wayne T. Dowdy. Please take a moment to like and subscribe to the YouTube channel after following the links to the content below. I do thank you in advance!
In the conclusion, I expressed my views about the overcriminalization in America and other issues, including parts of my life as a returning citizen. My hope is to help others understand more about the effects of incarceration, and the struggles that some returning citizens may experience upon release; especially, after serving a long prison sentence.
Some of the things I share had an emotional toll on me, as I expressed my feelings, but what I had to say was important for me; as well as for others who may need to know that it is okay to be human, and to experience God-given emotions. For men in particular, even those emotions that are not macho. Displaying anger is easier than showing pain or remorse. And for that I am grateful!
I posted this blog on the other StraightfromthePen.com. I have provided links to my YouTube channel and one to LinkedIn, where I shared about the miracles happening in my life, as well as some of the other things going on in the life and times of Wayne T. Dowdy.
Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel, and to A Steadfast Journey, where I have appeared three times on WATC-TV. Thank you!
Happy Father’s Day to all fathers of the World who provide for their families, whether there is a biological connection or not, the one acting in the capacity of a father to his children deserves praise and an acknowledgement for the things he does because of his love and responsibilities.
Be grateful for the people in your life who show their love in unspoken ways. Let your gratitude show!
For the single parent who fills both roles, a special thanks goes out to you. You’re the Best! May God give you the strength and resources you need to provide for your family.
Many good people go unnoticed who do not receive the praise deserved for the acts of love shown each day in their actions, not just in words. A title doesn’t matter. May the love you show come back to you ten-fold.
Special Acknowledgment: I chose the photo shown above in honor of my brother who passed away in 1978 and left behind two children, one four, the other six, both of whom he loved and would have made countless sacrifices to provide for their comfort and safety. Unfortunately, he died twenty-five days before he turned twenty-five. If you are blessed with a father or anyone else who holds special meaning, give him or her a hug, and let them know that you love them because one never knows if the moment that the opportunity presents itself will be the last chance given.
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