When you meet someone new for the first time you get certain vibes from them. You either like their personality or you don’t. You like their hair or smile or perfume. Sometimes after marrying someone you find things you don’t like. Unfortunately this is true with the color of someone’s skin as well. If your black, white, brown, tan, yellow, or any other color Allah created; someone won’t like it. Moving forward after this insane year we’ve been having in a positive and understanding light is important. Its a matter of life or death in some situations. The images I continue to see on T.V. are heartbreaking and trying to explain to my kids that some people have different cultures and upbringings is hard. Some people are raised to love and unfortunately some people are raised to hate. It dont matter where you live you are an employee of this country. The country is ran on the love of money. Depending on the social class your born into your apart of an elite class, upper class, middle class, lower class, or poor class. You can Google the social class statistics for yourself but if you don’t already know about 90% of Americans fall in the middle to poor class. The top 10% has 90% of the wealth in this country. Its weird and very shocking when you educate yourself on this subject but its the reality we all live in. With that in mind what type of environment are you living in?? Where do you come from or how were you raised?? Is it easy to change your conditions and get ahead or is it difficult because of your race, religion or zip code. If I lived in the rich part of Toledo, Oh or some suburb and applied for a job the chances would be higher verses me living in the projects downtown. What if I wore a Jewish cap verses a Muslim kufi?? Why do we judge people so quickly?? Is it a defense mechanism?? When I see a woman I can’t help but make a very quick assessment based on my personal preferences. Is her hair real, are her nail done, are her eye lashes real, whats her skin tone and that’s all before I hear her voice. Weird?? Maybe, maybe not… I’m sure women do the same because were humans. Its a difference between what I described and prejudices or racism or discrimination. I can’t describe hate.. well I can’t relate to hate. Its not how my family raised me and its not what I stand on. As a strong Black Muslim man I’m perceived as a threat. Im clean, I don’t do drugs or drink alcohol or indulge in frivolous conversations or activities. I don’t gamble or use people. So when I see so much hate coming from our current President, congress men and women, police, and citizens it baffles me. Then I remember where I came from and what I had to overcome. I remember the tears my mother cried and the tears I cried as a father. I remember turning to the streets for answers my father wasn’t there to answer. I remember the guns, drugs, money and women that came with that lifestyle. I remember the hurt, pain, broken bones, death, blood, sweat and tears. I’ve seen and done things no human should have to go through so I can imagine the next persons story. Some people get stuck in their ways. They get stuck in the way they were raised or continue to be guided by the people closest to them. This could be good or it could be bad. Why am I saying all of this you might ask?? Well in prison, before covid-19, just like out there the guys in here had routines. We woke up and it was guys going to work or going to the gym or taking that morning walk or like myself had programs to run. Now… there nothing.. so guys are loosing their wits. It took a while for the virus to reach this prison and since its here everyone on edge. This is a test to see who’s strong enough mentally, physically, emotionally and more importantly spiturally to survive. Without these characteristics the bad gets brought out. Even before the virus inside and outside of prison had its problems but now everywhere you turn there’s turmoil. Poor and lower class communities are dealing with gun violence and poverty. Middle class communities are dealing with the threat of poverty and closed bars.. while the upper class communities deal with the burden of working from home or closed gyms or having to wear a face mask. You have your racist and prejudice and evil people out there as well. In prison.. well you have your usual suspects I guess.. junkies, dealers, snitches.. oh and murders, robbers, rapist, and molesters. But the thing about that is we’ve be convicted and the people out there are right in your faces. So… how do you change a person. How do you get that guy robbing everybody and everything to have a heart?? You can try but Allah guides whom he wants. We have a choice though.. Either do good or do bad.. Treat people the way you want to be treated no matter how rich or poor you are. Lend a hand whether you live downtown or uptown, on the north or on the west, in prison or in the free world. Why??? You never know who’s watching, or listening, or reading. My words will help someone some day and that’s a good deed vs staying silent. I chose to seek Allah’s guidance. I choose to do right. Its hard sometimes and its lonely but I know in the long run its going to be worth it. I challenge you to uplift someone. I challenge you to do a good deed. Motivate and encourage somebody. Someone recently told me to keep doing what Im doing and to keep my head up <3 and I'm just passing the message along. As a father I can't allow my children to have more bad memories than good ones. As a father when they need answers I'm going to be there. We have to do better, we have to lead by example. When its all said and done what side will you be standing on?? Until next time y'all… stay safe, stay healthy and stay strong!! Remember that somebody always watching!!!
PS.. stay beautiful 😉
Mr. Da'Von Motley Sr. #707-119
Abdul-HaLeem RaQeeb
Allen Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 4501
Lima, OH 45802
