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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 2009)
eS M B B JW S T C « street ro o ts llB Education * Dialogue * Independence Vacaville to Chino, swimming pools and movie star killers reetings! Well friends, I believe we left off in Vacaville Prison in northern California. I had just come back from the movies where I had quite an experience. Things were pretty routine after the initial settling in. On several different occasions I happened to see Charles Manson. I’m sure you all have heard of him. It seems ol’ Charles was trying to win some friends there at Vacaville, so he decided to buy every dorm a color television. Trouble with that was nobody wanted anything from the little weasel. I don’t care much for Charles. He was always escorted by two or three correctional officers wherever he wént. It wasn’t for our protection, but his. Well, I had finished my intake and was on my way to Chino, which is way down in southern California. Now, during your intake an inmate may choose three prisons where hewould like to go and they say they will try to send you there. My three choices were California Men’s Colony, San Quentin Ranch and Folsom Ranch, where I had once been. These prisons are all in northern California, so of course they sent me in the opposite direction: Chino State Prison. So> here I am now in Chino State where, once again, we were all put in lock-down for two weeks so they could get all our paperwork in order. You’d think after spending three months in Vacaville they’d have everything in order, but not the state B A rt Garcia is a Vietnam War veteran who returned home to a dubious life involving some colorful - incarcerations. He is the author o f “Memoirs o f a Vietnam vet, ” a collection o f his columns published in Street Roots. of Califotfria: Timé went by'fast, though, and I was placed as a clerk in the captain’s office. I was in a two-man cell, which was only locked at 10 atmight till about Six in the morning. The rest of the time we were free to roam around. Now, Chino was a huge prison. They had correctional officers-driving around the prison in cars like a regular town. It had a small golf course, several weight yards, and a gymnasium. Why, there was even a swimming pool right outside my dorm across from the Captain’s office where I worked^ That made it real handy on hot summer days, and there were a lot of them in southern California. I only had about 14 more months to do so I was considered short (as time goes) when I arrived there. My work days were great as I worked for, a Sergeant Garcia — a blonde, good-looking woman named Debbie who had a boyfriend who worked on the border patrol for California (no relation). <- Debbie and I hit it off right away. I worked mostly as her clerk so we got to know each other quite well. She informed me that she boxed and Was quite good, and she showed me pictures and articles of some of her bouts. Debbie also did commercials for Everlast. She said she was working as a correctional officer to keep herself in money while all the time hoping' to break into movies. I guess that is a lot of, people’s dreams down in Sbuthern California, Why, even I wanted to be an actor later on in life when I lived in Hollywood for a short period. The phase, passed, though. The si? hours we spent together every day just seemed to fly fry. I was actually enjoying being locked up. We were becoming quite close. I would pick fresh ’ flowers out of the garden every day and - place them on her desk. Sometimes if the mood struck me I would write a poem along with the flowers. Hey, come on people, W V was trying to make life as easy as I could for myself, OK? Besides, she was awful easy on the. eyes. However, my cellmate told me I was crazy to get involved with her; said I was going to get my ass in real trouble. I told him I was being real careful, besides, I said to Joe (not his real name), “You are the one who heeds to be careful.” Joe played in a band called Rough on the Streets, and he said he sold drugs on the side. Well, he kept some of his old life in prison. He played his guitar and sang and sold marijuana on the side. Seems like everyone knew i t I was surprised the officers didn’t. Well, turns out they did. About a week later one of the Officers, we named “Snake” because he would always - sneak around, was hiding up in a tree and watched Joe make a sell to another inmate. Snake jumped down from the tree and scared the hell out of the two perpetrators. The Snake had struck again! My cellmate was led away in handcuffs, and I was still writing poems and clipping roses for Debbie. The only problem was, although I liked Debbie; I. was hot in love . with her. I mean, come on, I was in prison | and I was trying to make time as easy as I » could. However, Miss Debbie Garcia was becoming quite attached to yours truly. On the one day we didn’t work together she worked in ohé of the guard towers. She would call me three or four times a day from there. My coworkers were getting pissed. You know whât jealousy does to people. L * found out one day when I was standing out by the pool talking to someone who was in the water. Well, ol’ friend, seems that they had it all planned. The guy in the pool distracted me while the other guy came up behind me and pushed me in, Clothes, boots and all. Everyone got a real laugh out of that. I took it in stride. It was all done in ' fun, and besides, it .was a hqtçtay.. 2 ISSI v. Well,'while! am going back to my cell to * change I guess it would be a good tithe to ' , stop before we start on my story about the “Birdmàn of Chino.” Please stay tunedi Semper Fi! The latest news on the prison front piles up fast y desk has been accumulating piles Walker is a childhood victim of sex abuse, and of emails, web printouts, telephone one .of her big legislative accomplishments ¡messages, and other miscellaneous was a law banning secret legal settlements by sources that I regularly welcome and receive sex crime perpetrators. from supporters of prison reform. So we in thq prison reform movement are I read every item and appreciate being sent cheering the good news that Walker will now updates of the be involved full time in parole board actions. constant flow of ■ Leonard Peltier’s parole board hearing:. prison news. Maybe It will take a few more weeks for a final I Won’t print or decision to be announced, but supporters, of broadcast every Leonard Peltier are very hopeful that finally item, but it keeps his release is in sight. Peltier, who has spent. me informed when 33 years in prison for the murder of two FBI folks ask questions. agents in 1975, has maintained his innocence R u th Kovacs is a Portland activist, form er teacher an d host o f ^lso helps me to this day. Tuesday, July 28 was his first Prison Pipeline on KBOO, 90.7fm . She writes regularly . know what prison parole hearing in 15 years. Most of his about the issues surrounding the millions o f individuals and issues the audience supporters consider him a political prisoner. families affected by the U.S. prison system. , • _________________ wants to hear or read During his incarceration, Peltier has been about. very vocal in the campaign for Native i So here are a few American rights. Personally, I am hoping for brief items that could easily fall in the cracks his full parole and freedom. when they should be told. ■ Prison Blues - Made on the Inside, to be ■ Vicki Walker, the new Chair of Oregon worn on the Outside: Since 1989, the Prison < Board of Parole: State Sen. Vicki Walker has Blues factory has been manufacturing jeans, been named chairwoman of Oregon Board of yard coats and work shirts made by and for Parole. Briefly, we are reminded of the very Oregon inmates at the Eastern Oregon active and supportive role Walker has played Correctional Institution, a medium-security in prison reform. The story of her personal state prison located in Pendleton. Inmates awareness of injustices in the prison system who work in the factory and stay in the has been told often. I once was privileged to program throughout their incarceration, hear her speak at a Partnership for Safety and re-enter the outside world with skills and Justice gathering and still am not sure which work ethics that enhance their probability for was the most compelling part of her delivery success and rpinimize recidivism. From their — her passion or her indepth awareness. earnings, 80 percent is withheld by the State H ÜHHHIÍ of Oregon to pay for incarceration costs, victim restitution, family support and state and federal wage taxes. (It’s true. Inmatesin Oregon’s prison industries pay taxes!) Although many prisoners hope to accumulate a nest egg after years in work programs, the 20 percent tliat is left to their discretion usually goes to,family support, to pay for continued education (free college for credit courses are not available) and to buy items at the prison canteen that you might think would be provided by the prison. The good news is the quality of the fine clothes that are produced. You can learn more atwww.prisonblues.com. Or send for a catalog: Prison Blues, 17230 NE Sacramento Street, Portland, OR 97230. You’ll see illustrations of the items for sale as well as locations and hours of several stores in the Portland area. ■ Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem is in lockdown following a brawl: According to news reports, on Friday, July 31, 2009 a t 8:05 a.m. about a dozen inmates got into a brawl. Although first aid was administered for a few participants, neither inmates or staff required medical attention. Lockdown procedures require modified prison operations during air investigation of ' the incident This means that the entire prison population will feel the effects of some- limits on activities and will be subject to scrutiny until the investigation Is complete. .streetroots.wordpress.co If any of you readers hear about or (ead' about something you think would interest the Prison Pipeline audience or Street Roots readers, please don't hesitate to send it to me. You can send items to me at ruth. write@msn.com or to Street Roots, 211 NW Davis St., Portland, OR 97209, ortoKBOO, 20th SE 8th Ave., Portland, O R ,97214
