Quick Notes: Lunenburg this week

A couple of things that happened this week. 

First, the school bathroom became a “love nest” this week.  Two men, not known to be supporters of gay marriage, were caught “entangled” in the four commode stink hole that is the facility’s “school bathroom”.  Nothing, it seems, is beyond the realm of possibility in here.

This past week the booth began announcing “female officer on the floor”.  No one’s sure why.  I’ve always wondered why so many women willingly work in this environment.  Fraternization is a serious problem.  And female officers are both ogled and ogling (they routinely walk into the bathroom).  Equal employment means women have a right to work here.  Two questions come to mind.  Why then, are male officers limited in their ability to work around female inmates?  And, why does the prison need an announcement when a female officer does a walk through?  Sometimes what’s said tells us more about what those in charge think than just the words taken at face value.

I’m pleased to report that all three hospitalized students are now back in 4A.  But, Mustafa fell out – flu like symptoms.  Me?  I received my flu shot Friday.  Inmates over 50, kitchen workers and the chronically ill automatically get them.

One week into the new “grooming policy” and beards are coming out everywhere.  It’s funny, but guys equate facial hair with freedom.  If they only equated education and rehabilitation the same way, recidivism rates would collapse.

The NAACP announced in Richmond this week a renewed push to automatically restore felons’ voting rights.  350,000 Virginians – 6% of the eligible voting pool – are currently disenfranchised because of the felon voting exclusion.  Virginia is one of only four states that do not automatically restore a felon’s rights upon completion of their sentence.  Governor McDonnell was quick to announce how many voting rights he’d restored.  While he is to be commended for his efforts, 1800 felons is a small percentage of the total.  And, what happens when he leaves office?  There is no guarantee the next governors will view voting right for felons as an important political issue.  Felons deserve a say so in this country’s, this state’s direction once they’ve completed their sentence.

And two quick updates on former students.  “Live”, the gang leader who was indicted six months ago for sending out “hits” from here has plead guilty in exchange for a relatively short (9 year) sentence (51 years was suspended).  The poorly kept secret around the compound was that two gang members were called to testify against him.

On a positive note, “Bigs” – a gentle giant of a student (6’4”, 300 lbs) went home three weeks ago after eight years.  Within a week he found a job as the Newport News shipyard working as an electrician’s assistant.

A final thought.  NFL referee Ed Hochuli gave a great quote the other day.  Speaking about the failure of his first marriage twenty years ago and the pain he caused his kids he said the following:  “When you fail you have to kick yourself in the ass and go on.”  I know exactly what he means.