5-28-2016
1st Amendment Right: Washington Deptartment Of Corrections @ Stafford Creek Has Used Censorship To Violate My Right
Pornography is not allowed in any Washington State Correction Center. I agree with this, however, I also agree that we should choose this for ourselves rather then be ordered. My Christian belief dictates that I cannot use porn as a tool for self-release for many reasons. So for me its a personal choice. But in banning porn they also banned erotic material, like certain books and magazines. All right, not a real big deal. But, that gave way to banning Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and other magazines that had similar photography. 
Now I believe a real line has been crossed. This is an attempt to filter or censor what comes in for the sake of protecting female staff in a men's prison. Giving a unionized female Corrections Officer more civil rights then any inmate. If this nonsense stopped here it wouldn't be worth blogging about. But it doesn't stop here, so far this is about filtering and censoring our paper materials for the sake of the opposite gender. I don't agree with it, but I could care less, I don't like porn and am happy its not around or allowed.
Where I am not okay is when my outgoing mail gets rejected and scrutinized because I have expressed myself sexually. I.E., I watched the Billboard Music awards last Sunday, Rihanna performed her song " Love On The Brain" and it prompted me to call a friend whom I am considering courtship with. In essence, I got turned on and went a highly appropriate avenue to express it. We had a pleasant conversation and afterwards I wrote a poem in which I expressed myself. There were lots of innuendos and things of sexual expression, but nothing raunchy or erotic even. Something that could easily be read on love television and not be considered taboo by most. But in prison, it put me under investigation. 
Here is where I get irritated. If the goal is to eliminate sexualized materials both from coming in and from us creating it in all its forms ( we can't write, draw, insinuate or imply anything of an erotic nature) then why can I purchase music that glorifies it? Why can I listen to Nicki Minaj in "Anaconda" talk about the things she talks about. There is no innuendo there, its pretty straight forward. Heck, on our jpay system (where we have an email and music system) we can buy a 20 minute song that is a recording of a porn. We can listen to it. 
Here is my rationale, because the music profits them they allow it, but I can't say that my boyfriend turns me on in a poetic way. But I can listen to Ms. Minaj talk about getting three way'd. Where is the justice in that? This isn't about protecting us from the evil porn monster and their female staff who obviously have more civil rights then I ever will. No this is about money. About them crossing lines for their personal interest and agendas. 
They have a clear and decisive policy that details what sexually explicit means and in that policy each Corrections Officer has liberty to interpret for their own personal beliefs. That's wrong. 
We should be able to write our wives, girlfriends, boyfriends and husbands openly. We can't have sex with them and intimacy is a vital part of any romantic relationship. If physical intimacy isn't possible then alternative ways need to be available like writing letters. It doesn't need to be raunchy or erotic, but we should be able to cleanly and tastefully express ourselves sexually to those we are attracted to. 

As it stands right now, as long as you pay the right amount DOC will blur their own policies. You know who else does this? Criminals. Mobsters, corrupt politicians. Morality being swayed by greasy palms.

Get over yourselves DOC

Friends, this kind of corruption and treatment is happening. It seems like its small at a glance, but this is a clear violation of my Constitutional Rights, not just mine but every person incarcerated and its not right. Either we are full human beings with access to the same constitutional treatment of everyone else or we are not. No "blurred" lines that are open to personal beliefs and the discretion. Push the issue and repost.

With Love
Jeff Utnage 823469