Living in the Darkness

Wasted Honor -

Carl R. ToersBijns is the author of the Wasted Honor Trilogy [Wasted Honor I,II and Gorilla Justice] and his newest book From the Womb to the Tomb, the Tony Lester Story, which is a reflection of his life and his experiences as a correctional officer and a correctional administrator retiring with the rank of deputy warden in the New Mexico and Arizona correctional systems.

Carl also wrote a book on his combat experience in the Kindle book titled - Combat Medic - Men with destiny - A red cross of Valor -

Carl is considered by many a rogue expert in the field of prison security systems since leaving the profession. Carl has been involved in the design of many pilot programs related to mental health treatment, security threat groups, suicide prevention, and maximum custody operational plans including double bunking max inmates and enhancing security for staff. He invites you to read his books so you can understand and grasp the cultural and political implications and influences of these prisons. He deals with the emotions, the stress and anxiety as well as the realities faced working inside a prison. He deals with the occupational risks while elaborating on the psychological impact of both prison worker and prisoner.

His most recent book, Gorilla Justice, is an un-edited raw fictional version of realistic prison experiences and events through the eyes of an anecdotal translation of the inmate’s plight and suffering while enduring the harsh and toxic prison environment including solitary confinement.

Carl has been interviewed by numerous news stations and newspapers in Phoenix regarding the escape from the Kingman prison and other high profile media cases related to wrongful deaths and suicides inside prisons. His insights have been solicited by the ACLU, Amnesty International, and various other legal firms representing solitary confinement cases in California and Arizona. He is currently working on the STG Step Down program at Pelican Bay and has offered his own experience insights with the Center of Constitutional Rights lawyers and interns to establish a core program at the SHU units. He has personally corresponded and written with SHU prisoners to assess the living conditions and how it impacts their long term placement inside these type of units that are similar to those in Arizona Florence Eyman special management unit where Carl was a unit deputy warden for almost two years before his promotion to Deputy Warden of Operations in Safford and Eyman.

He is a strong advocate for the mentally ill and is a board member of David's Hope Inc. a non-profit advocacy group in Phoenix and also serves as a senior advisor for Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council in Chino, California As a subject matter expert and corrections consultant, Carl has provided interviews and spoken on national and international radio talk shows e.g. BBC CBC Lou Show & TV shows as well as the Associated Press.

I use sarcasm, satire, parodies and other means to make you think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Living in the Darkness

It has been said that those who live in the darkness can see the light and that those who live in the land of the shadows of death can see the dawn or the genesis of life. This is a most interesting aspect of life that men have looked into for centuries as the darkness represents so many different things in someone’s life as they interpret the meaning of their own destiny and existence among others.

Life in the darkness should not be thought of as being the same as life in the dark ages. There are bounds of differences between the two as one reflects the medieval times and the other reflect the current events or past events of your life. However, just for a moment in time, let us reflect life in the dark ages and go back centuries where various powerful groups of men such as the Vikings, the Goths, the Moors, the Greek and the Romans ruled and Europe underwent a change in culture that impacted kings, emperors, churches and civilization as it was before and after.

Progressing slowly and evolving into a new period where life, romance, science and religion took on new meanings, it was the basis of an evolution and a revolution of the way we lived and the way cultures shaped individual societies based on those same influences that either guided or dictated our lifestyles based on our own values and beliefs. One can only imagine what it was like back then and imagination is a powerful tool for the future.

Thus the present time of dark days are not direct reflections of the past but have links of commonalities that allow us to make sense of what has happened, what is happening and what will happen in the future. The choice of believing and inviting such beliefs or ideas is to be determined to be an individual choice that guides one’s own destiny.

Living in the darkness is a choice that isn’t easy. Living without light is hard to get used to but some prefer no shadows as they remind them of death; the death of their loved ones, the death of their friends and the death of their dreams. After all it isn’t easy to see your life come apart at the seams.

Living in the dark is getting easy as your mind thinks different than before as you become numb of what is around you making you think it matters no more. It’s not the darkest hour or the last hour of your life but no matter what you think, living in the dark is depressing and makes everything turn black or grey.

Living in the dark makes no sense to many but regardless of the few that prefer to be there without the light they know that it is their minds that create the pictures of whether your hands can feel the grip or your mind can’t feel the pain. It takes being in the dark to understand how someone feels to live without the light and no matter what you think or what you say, your words will have no power over them until they forego their own choices and decide to walk away.

Looking for the light someday and finding something or someone is a dream for some and hopeless for many. You undergo a mental process that lead you to the light or leads you astray. There is no question about the darkness having the power without doubt to keep you from finding the light and keep you at bay. You know you never expected to be in the darkness but here everyone looks the same. Being in the darkness is the one thing that can keep you insane.