STRIKING ARTWORK RECEIVED FROM INSIDE PRISON WALLS
by Sharon Rondeau
(Dec. 29, 2017) — On Friday The Post & Email received a slightly belated Christmas card from a Tennessee prison inmate in an envelope postmarked December 26, 2017.
The front of the card is pictured at right.
In the past, the inmate has been a source of what proved to be accurate information about the conditions in the facility in which he is housed.
A triple perforation running along the bottom of the card (not shown) and a cutout on the upper edge indicate to this writer that it might have been fashioned from a small-sized file folder.
His previous communications with us did not indicate that he possessed artistic ability.
While a federal prisoner between 2011 and 2015, Darren Wesley Huff developed his artistic talent which had long been latent while he served in the U.S. Navy and later opened and operated an outdoor lighting company.
The inside of the card received today is pictured below. We have chosen to redact his name.
This Christmas Card will warm my heart for this whole year.
I’ve had to rethink putting people in jail for long sentencing. Then when a prisoner is released
for time served in many cases “he seems to continue to pay” for he many be “branded” for
decades to come. He is likely not able to find a decent paying job, and finding a job would
take longer because of his past record. He may be beat with no assistance or a hand up.
A good friend of mine is a Deputy and has many duties at the Court House. At times he
pulls court duty and has been at endless hearings. He has shared with me that lots of
time he thinks innocent people are sent to jail that were innocent.
Christ forgives us, perhaps we should be more forgiving of those who have gone wayward?
By the grace of God go you and I. Therefore, shouldn’t we be more understanding to those
who have gone astray?
I have heard it said by an inmate (elsewhere) that you may have to be in prison, but you don’t have to be a prisoner. This wonderful artwork is proof of that.