The Wrong Crime?

[When I first posted this tonight I'd forgotten that I'd said similar things in the last post here.  I guess that means it's been on my mind more than once? ---or I'm just that dern forgetful these days.  Either way I believe it needs repeating so here I am hitting "post!" anyway.]


A couple of weeks ago my granddaughter who just started university this year posted a photo of her sitting on the bed in her dorm before she'd personalized it. The stark plain walls and everything the same bland color reminded me of a cell. (it was much cozier and pretty after she decorated it!) That got me thinking of prisons...

Thinking about prisons made me think about the articles I've seen in recent years about all the features they have these days, some complete with photos. Some of them are rather amazing given the seriousness of some of the crimes the inmates have done to earn their room in one. Some things seem more like what you'd expect in some fancy summer camp and then some! They have television, internet connections to use, a library, exercise courts - sometimes equipment, all sorts of things along with the usual three meals a day, clothing, free medical, prescriptions and dental needs.

I read that to keep a criminal in jail for a year costs between about $22,000 and $47,000 dollars, depending on the prison and how much security. Well--- ! That got me thinking a bit further along
those lines... They get three meals a day, something to sleep on, quiet time with no worries about how they're going to eat tomorrow, can get medical help... Hey! Hmmmm....

Now some might say that being a prisoner is a very crummy life to have. While I'm sure that is true and though some may object to my saying so - most won't understand this or say I've gone a step too
far in the analogy I can tell you that, seriously, living with some of these invisible illnesses sometimes feels like we are prisoners! We are restricted from doing normal things, often can't manage to keep the schedule we desire (symptoms dictate) etc. The illness can be a harsh warden!

But there are some big differences between those prisoners and me. They have a known end date to their incarceration. Some even get out early for good behavior! I don't. While I can do like my grand-daughter and personalize my adobe my MCS Warden still dictates with what and how much. And,  well, for those of us who are dependent on some form of disability income it sure doesn't come
anywhere near what is spent on keeping their criminals in a cell----

For many of us are closer akin to living in Arizona's "tent city"... for some of my MCS friends almost literally as their living in tents, or campers or garages somewhere... Some are homeless due to income or should I say the lack thereof? Some of us are but one very short step away from homelessness.

Seems perhaps we have committed the wrong crime? Or live in the wrong place, got ill at the wrong time?

Falling ill is NOT a crime! Is it?


Zona

Put Me In The Pokie?

You may have noticed by now that my mind sometimes meanders around some pretty strange corners when it's aimlessly pondering some things. This happened again last evening when I was once again wondering just how those of us who survive off disability incomes are supposed to make basic ends meet, let alone cover the various extra expenses these illnesses require. Heck the amount they pay doesn't even cover basic rent costs let alone anything else. What is one to do?

We would surely much rather be able to support ourselves if we could. However, obviously if we could hold down a job we wouldn't be considered disabled in the first place nor would we need any help! Why on earth would any sane person wish to live on poverty level incomes? To want that one would have to be insane, and isn't insanity a disability? Hm......

Necessities: Rent, utilities, food, car insurance, gasoline... Luxuries: Internet, TV, supplements, chiropractic and other treatments (which are actually the only things that help me), clothing... As hard as I've tried to stretch, fold and manipulate the Basics list I just can't whip it past the rent. Believe me I've tried every which way to make it happen but it's just impossible unless they'd rent a closet somewhere to three people... It's more than frustrating and stressful going over and over it days on end trying to find the impossible solution.

As my thoughts rolled down this rocky road I dreamed of television, as in wishing there was some way to afford cable. Now you noticed I placed in on the Luxury list because to those of us living on such limited income it is indeed a luxury item along with so many other things we won't die without. But I must inform you that for those of us who are unable to go out, who have little connection to the world out there due to health, television is like a big window to that big world out there that we have little way to be in--- along with the internet which is perhaps even a better medium for connection. So how sane can we stay without cable connections? And how the heck can we have one?

Then my mind did a bit of a hiccup. It does that some time. I guess it was in thinking about rent costs and how much even the tiniest of spaces cost that I recalled a recent photo of my granddaughter who's just starting university this fall, sitting in her small dorm room. The first picture, before she fixed it up with her personal touches, made me think of when my brother was on an aircraft carrier years ago when he was in the marines. He had described the room that he shared to me which in turned made me think of scenes I'd seen in old movies of sailors and ships or submarines and those tiny little rooms with the bunks that the men lived in ---- plain, small, metal looking spaces, rather bland. That in turn made me think of pictures of prisons I'd seen which were similar in size and plainness.... except for some in recent years that seemed more like luxury hotels where you'd expect room service.... and Hey! They had work out rooms and court yards.... and.... Yes! Televisions! And some, even computers and internet!

Hey! And that is when it dawned on me--- It wasn't too long ago when I'd seen an article on what we are spending to keep one man in jail per year and that amount was waaaay more than what we on disability have to live on! And they even get TV! Of course they don't want prisoner's lives to be too cruel, right?

Maybe we should go to the pokey? They even get three squares a day, I think....


I warned you my mind sometimes takes a strange turn or two.


Zona #36985
SunnyBlock Prison
Block C
Cell 3

Sherrif Wolfgang Wisenheimer in charge