By Mansfield Frazier
This is one of those stories that’s literally so mind-boggling, so outrageous in its incredulity, that it’s almost impossible to believe … but sadly, this tale happens to be all too true.
A friend of mine, Mark (not his real name), works at a New York City-based reentry program. This is one of the original organizations in America (founded in 1967) that had a “vision to create a world where all who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated can become positive, contributing members of society.” And they’ve been very successful at accomplishing their mission of changing lives by — in part — utilizing formerly incarcerated individuals as peer mentors.
Mark, who has been out of prison for over a quarter century now (he served 8 years, beginning at age 18, for armed robbery … he stuck up a rival drug dealer), called me a while back bubbling over with excitement: he was slated to be among a group of people about to be honored by the White House for their diligent work in reentry.
The recognition is part of President Obama’s Champions of Change imitative which, according to the White House website, states: “The best ideas come from the American people. Everyone has a story to tell, everyone has a part to play. All across the country, ordinary Americans are doing extraordinary things in their communities to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world. Every week, we will invite these Champions of Change to the White House to share their ideas to win the future.”
Every week a different group from a particular field of public concern — be it curtailing gun violence, correcting health care disparities, providing youth with employment, etc. — is feted, and Mark, along with three others from his organization, was invited to join with representatives from a dozen or so other agencies from around the country that successfully provide similar services.
Mark was thrilled to be invited … until he got dis-invited.
The problem was … his decades-old criminal record. You’re reading this right: The White House was honoring folks who help individuals get back on track after exiting prison, but in spite of the fact the Second Chance Act (which was enacted by George Bush in 2008 and is designed specifically to advance the cause of reentry) being firmly in place, Mark was not allowed into the White House.
His coworkers (those who didn’t have felony convictions and therefore were eligible to attend the event) argued vehemently that Mark was the most effective member of their team in terms of assisting returnees in stabilizing their lives … but to no avail.
Sorry, but evidently — in the eyes of folks at the White House — once a felon, always a felon.
This is exactly the kind of harsh, unfair and nonsensical mindset that makes it so difficult for those returning home from prison to get a fresh start and an opportunity to change their lives.
Now, President Obama either needs to address this dichotomy by having the policy changed, or his administration needs to quit faking on this issue… quit inviting people to the White House as if there’s a genuine concern for the issue of reentry, which obviously there really isn’t. Like the saying goes, it hurt Mark too much for him to laugh, but he’s too big to cry. But this really is a crying shame.
From Cool Cleveland correspondent Mansfield B. Frazier mansfieldfATgmail.com. Frazier’s From Behind The Wall: Commentary on Crime, Punishment, Race and the Underclass by a Prison Inmate is available again in hardback. Snag your copy and have it signed by the author by visiting http://NeighborhoodSolutionsInc.com.