I was raised to be a man of principle and integrity. My family practiced the Golden Rule, “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.” My family believed if you give respect, more often than not, you would receive respect in return. However, the rules changed when I began working for the Department of Corrections and the Bureau of Prisons. Their rules clashed with what I was originally taught. When I challenged the prison’s rules and regulations, my actions were met with retaliation by the prison’s upper management. My life would then take a dramatic turn for the worst. I didn’t know it at the time, but their retaliation effected me emotionally and physically. Although my health was negatively affected, these events helped reveal a secret I kept for 30 years.
