terrorist alerts

Yesterday I heard on the news that the Code Orange terrorist alert was

rescinded. The nation is back down to the less ominous sounding "Code Yellow."

I don't suppose that things will change very much for most of America's

citizens. I don't think many people pay much attention to these alert levels

anyhow.

On Monday morning my chaplain will probably begin to contact the many

volunteer ministers who come into Sullivan Correctional Facility to inform them

that it is now okay to return to the prison.

Things like this remind me how vulnerable I and the other prisoners are to

outside events and situations.

Thankfully there were no terrorist attacks on the United States. But had

something happened, even if it occurred on the west coast, and as a result, the

alert code was elevated to "Red", my entire prison would probably have gone

into a "lockdown" mode. All the inmates would be in continuous cell

confinement, and almost all activities inside the prison would have come to a

stop. Perhaps even for many months. However, I have learned to be thankful

for what I do have.

It's like the story I've heard so many times about the man who always

complained that he had no shoes, until one day he met a man who had no feet.

When the grumpy man who was lacking shoes suddenly came upon a man who had

no feet lying helplessly by the side of the road begging for coins, he was

humbled.

Immediatly he realized that his situation was not as bad as that of

others. He was more blessed than he previously thought, because surely it is

infinitely better being shoeless than footless.

And like the man without shoes, we tend to think that we're doing worse

than everyone else until we meet a person who is in a worse condition.

So while I do not like being in prison, and I don't like having to be so

vulnerable, the truth is that things could be a thousand times worse for me.

Whatever God blesses me with, let me be thankful.

David Berkowitz

January 10, 2004