02 Apr 09

From Iron Man (Letter 4)

Iron Man - A martial-arts expert and personal trainer whose crimes include smashing someone’s door down: "I didn’t hurt anyone. I just wanted my fuckin’ money." His workouts are brutal. "I’ll have you in the best shape of your life by the time you get out," he told me.

March 14, 2009

Hello Brother,

I hope that this letter finds you well and that you are even now working toward the accomplishment of your goal of making success happen. I read you recent blog about your move to London. It is an excellent move. My compliments on your opening paragraph. Very strong. Inspirational, in fact.

Things are going fine for me here. Remember the air-conditioning class I was taking when you were here? Well, I’m teaching it now. Still working as a tailor four days a week. Only a year left to go and I’ll be free again.

It is 10am right now, and I have a big workout coming up at 11:30.

The overcrowding problem here in the Arizona prison system is getting out of control. They are going to double bunk this entire yard starting next month. The dorms here are designed for 48 men. Soon they will house 96. Oklahoma is currently housing 4,000 Arizona prisoners, but is sending all of them back almost immediately. Texas is also sending all of their Arizona prisoners back. This is the deal: every time I turn on the local news all they talk about is the fact that the State of Arizona is $2 billion in the hole. Because of that, the legislature has slashed the State Education Fund. £400 million has been raided from the 4 universities in Arizona, and the kindergartens through 12th grade have had their budgets slashed by about another half a billion. What they don’t say on the news is that the legislature is secretly building 4400 new prison beds at the Douglas, Yuma, and Tucson prison complexes. They have gone to a new type of housing unit. Huge steel warehouses that hold 330 prisoners per warehouse, stacked up like cordwood. Warehousing of prisoners is no longer a figurative term. I say it is a criminal act to deprive the children and college students of Arizona from gaining the education they need to survive in today’s world. The flawed logic that says, “Let’s build more prisons instead of a better education system,” will be the downfall of the next generation of Americans. It makes me sick.

On to happier subjects. I am happy to hear about your new love interest. Kathi sounds like a cool chick. Thank you for sending me a copy of The Great Thoughts. It is an excellent book. I really appreciate it.

My family is well and growing steadily. My youngest son and his fiancée are going to have my 3rd grandchild in September or October. My sons and grandsons came up last month with a food visit. It was great. We ate steak, BBQ ribs, boneless pork chops, homemade mashed potatoes, bread with real butter, and a homemade pecan pie. .

Did you know that Two Tonys has terminal liver cancer? He was diagnosed a couple of months ago. I’m not sure of the details, but the rumor is that it won’t be long. Sorry Brother, I know you like Two Tonys a lot.

Well Brother, I will close for now. You are often in my thoughts, and I look forward to seeing you again. Stay focussed and stay strong, keep your heart firmly fixed on your goals and before you know it you will have made success happen. There is no doubt in my mind.

Love and Respect,

Iron Man

Click here to read Iron Man’s previous letter.

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Shaun P. Attwood