Editor:
Between the polarizing political landscape and reading what some of my fellow prison inmates write to their local papers, it really seems that the new national past time is finger pointing and blame.
I recently read an opinion piece from an inmate housed in Draper prison. The piece was rather long and focused on everything from corrupt public defenders, prosecutors, judges and legislators. Not one word of responsibility. Not anything about how he got where he was or how he was even in the same orbit as these so called corrupt people.
Being in prison myself, I am all for discussions on bad policy, poor law enforcement and other corruptions. But I can only have a legitimate argument if I’m coming from a place of rigorous honesty and personal accountability. There are a lot of issues that need addressing, but we cannot remedy anything until we are willing to own and discuss what’s wrong in our own house first!
Researcher Dr. Brene Brown says that “blame is just our way of discharging pain and discomfort.” An example would be knowing that we have caused so much pain in our lives as well as others, that it becomes easier to look for the cause in other people or situations. The same can be said of our local, state and national conversations.
Accepting responsibility can be scary, especially when we are unsure of the consequences. But it is necessary in order to get right, not just with ourselves, but with those who are effected by our actions.
It has become way too easy to sit on the sidelines and blame others for what’s going on around us… never putting any skin in the game. When we have tied our self worth to what others will say or think, it becomes even harder to speak up and own our own truth.
I’m 36 yrs old and my addiction to drugs and pornography opened the door for me to compromise not just my values, but those of my family, friends and ultimately the community I love and miss so much.
If I want to move FORWARD and get square with the house, I need to take a seat at the table and always stay real with those from whom I’m needing forgiveness and connection.
There is a lot of injustice, a lot of disenfranchisement. We will only get things fixed when we own the things that are wrong and celebrate each other for the things that are right. Find common ground and common purpose… not blame shift and find fault.
It’s cowardly and unproductive to write prescriptions for others and not turn that kind of perception on ourselves.
Bill Lee #141614
Central Utah Correctional Facility
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