There’s a lot of it. And of course, there is complaining, and then there’s complaining. Complaining about a true injustice or bit of unfairness is one thing. Understandable, and it should be dealt with (constructively and in an adult manner, of course). But all too often in prison, guys have complaints that just aren’t legitimate. Complaining about the “unfairness” of an officer enforcing a rule is not legitimate. Not rational. And it adds to the culture of the “us vs. them” attitude in prison. Sometimes when bad things happen to you, it’s because of your own behavior, your own choice. This is hard to admit sometimes, especially in prison where everyone wants to blame the cops and the “State” for everything. But if you can’t learn to criticize yourself, you’re not going to be able to change anything in your life.

Dan Turner
DOC# 767569