As “Asked on the Line” enters its fourth year at the San Quentin News, it renews its commitment to bringing readers the insights of the men at San Quentin. Asked on the Line shares with the world the memories and opinions of the residents of that infamous gated community by the Bay and hopes to quell the stereotypes of what it means to be an “inmate.”
For those on the other side of the wall who have never felt cold steel on their skin, the slam of a cell door, or the condescending tone of authority’s voice, there is no comfort in punishment.
Many men at San Quentin have done great harm to others and live with the shame of their crimes. The majority of the men actually work hard every day to find ways to make amends to their victims while healing themselves in the process.
Here are a few highlights of 2015:
In the January issue, men were asked if they could go back in time before their arrests and speak to their younger self what they would say. Answers included insightful advice such as “Never take the easy way out. Control your anger. Be patient. Listen to your parents. Stay focused. Don’t waste time.”
The February issue asked mainliners, “Who is the person or people you love the most? If you only had 30 seconds to give them a message, what would you say?”
The most common message was “I love you.”
In March, the men were elated to have had a charity food drive in February that sold outside foods like KFC chicken and hot pizza. The San Quentin TRUST program did $37,000 in sales with the net profit of almost $9,000 going to charities.
In the April issue, the men described their Easter memories. Many of the men remembered getting dressed up, going to church, having Easter dinner and having fun with family. They shared how they engaged in childhood activities.
In May, one of the biggest articles in the paper was the Mother’s Day piece. The men described what they loved most about their moms. Among the sweet messages, mothers were described as being devoted, wise, resilient, intelligent, caring, beautiful, religious, hard-working, motivating, angelic, kind and compassionate.
In June, the men described their dads, father figures or male role models. Fathers were described as intelligent, honorable, strong, inspirational, heroic, respectful, faithful, loyal, dependable and courageous.
In July, the men described their best Fourth of July holiday. Some of the men remembered spending time with their newborn children and going to parades.
In the hot month of August, men were asked, “Who is or was the most attractive person you ever met? In a heartbeat, many of the men claimed that their wives, fiancées and girlfriends were the prettiest of all.
In September, Asked on the Line asked, “If money or time were not an issue, what type of degree would you like to obtain?” The most sought out degrees: sound engineering, psychology, behavior science, theology, environmental engineering, medicine, mechanical engineering and marine biology.
In October, men on the mainline described what they liked most about the annual Health Fair. and among all the use of water, which was most important to you?”
The men enjoyed multiple aspects of the Health Fair, but they developed a greater appreciation for their access to safe water.
In November, men were asked, “Of all the things that we have in our lives, what are you most thankful for having?” Men were grateful for their sanity, television sets, family, sneakers, radios, clothes, eyeglasses, intelligence, guitar, education, Bible and access to medical services.
Finally, in December, inmates were asked, “If you could go back in time and repeat a winter holiday season, how old would you be? Where would you be? With whom would you be? More than half would be children again. Almost all of the men would be at home with family.
