Little more I can do
"Look at your correspondence list and make some judgment calls." — Claude McCann
I am sure that one-time Death Row Unit Manager Claude McCann will be pleased to know that his covert violations of my First Amendment right to say what I please about public affairs have been successful. Freedom of the press does not exist here. The constitution of the United States is a joke at this prison.
Therefore, while thanking those of you who have so kindly and generously supported me during my 21 years on Georgia's death row, I regret to inform you that this is the beginning of the end of my public writings.
I have been able to endure the diabolical nature of this truly evil place in large part because, until recently, my supporters were many. Now, there are so few of you that I expect that my public writings will, of necessity, eventually end.
What has protected me against the administrative demoralisation of this prison has been the energetic spiritual, emotional, political and literary buoyancy of the many correspondents who gave me privileged entry into their lives. I could not drown in this sea of death as long as I had that support.
I have need of another kind of support also: financial. Because prison, in the United States, is a business, it costs money to be a prisoner. I am in continual need of funds for legal efforts, for journalism expenses and for my most basic personal needs.
In order to maintain my current level of public writing, I have to be well informed. Besides obtaining a variety of publications, I must also continually replenish my writing supplies and stamps. There are other regular expenses, as well, including medical and hygiene needs. Lately, I have too often found myself having to choose whether I should purchase writing materials or personal basics like deodorant, soap and toothpaste.
Without frequent contributions from supporters via my trustee (not via my lawyer, who will not even answer my letters or let me participate in my own appeal process), my choices range from severely limited to non-existent.
I appreciate any amount of money that it is possible for you to donate. Please make your money order out to Del Cassidy, my trustee, and send it to him at: 142 Wilmer Street, Glassboro, New Jersey, 08028 USA. He will see to it that I get every cent. Please print clearly your full name and address so that I can acknowledge your kindness.
No, I have not given up, but I am thoroughly demoralised; and, without sufficient funds to carry on the writing and what has obviously been an inadequate struggle against this death sentence's future goal (and present oppression), I will soon have to limit my writings to only those supporters who correspond with me. Without sufficient funds there is little more I can do.
BY BRANDON ASTOR JONES
[The writer is a prisoner on death row in the United States. He welcomes letters commenting on his columns (include your name and full return address on the envelope, or prison authorities may refuse to deliver it). He can be written to at: Brandon Astor Jones, EF-122216, G3-77, Georgia Diagnostic & Classification Prison, PO Box 3877, Jackson, GA 30233, USA, or email <BrandonAstorJones@hotmail.com>. You can visit the author's web site at <http://www.BrandonAstorJones.com>.]