“Humanity For Our Fellow Human Beings”
MICHAEL HOFFLER is a Salutatorian and Valedictorian with an Associate's and Bachelor's Degree (AS/BS) in Behavior Science from Mercy University and an MPS from New York Theological Seminary. Mr. HOFFLER is the Senior Coordinator/Facilitator for the Peers for HIV/AIDS Counseling and Education (P.A.C.E.) program in Sing Sing Correctional Facility, where he educates the population about HIV/AIDS and other STIs. He also is an executive member of Voices From Within (VFW), a program that helps incarcerated people comprehend what it means to repay society.
We live in a society today where if a dog is bred and raised in an undesirable environment, resulting in the dog exhibiting antisocial behavior or committing a single violent act, the nation will band together to fight for the dog's possible rehabilitation in the hopes of giving the dog a second chance at life. We do this because it is the compassionate thing to do. If giving a dog a second opportunity is the humanitarian thing to do, shouldn't we extend the same courtesy to our fellow humans? Where is the compassion for the person who was born in a low-income neighborhood, has had multiple unresolved unfavorable childhood experiences, and now finds himself or herself in prison, sentenced to long terms of incarceration? I'm talking about men and women who were able to go deep within themselves, discover their actual selves, and take all of the required measures to become better individuals, parents, children, neighbors, and all-around better human beings. I am referring to people who could easily succumb to feelings of self-hatred, disgust, hopelessness, or despair. They could have remained the selfish and destructive people they were before their incarceration, but they chose to improve themselves. Shouldn't they get a second opportunity in life?
I write to you now as a man who has been detained for nearly two decades. I had a difficult childhood, including the deaths of both of my parents before I reached adolescence. Before the age of twenty-five (25), I was sentenced to serve the remainder of my natural life in prison with no hope of parole. Prior to that, I was angry with the world. I blamed everyone for everything in my life. I had never known love, had no hope, and did not believe in anything or anyone, including myself. However, like so many others in comparable situations, I was able to discover myself. I was able to turn my life around thanks to the transformative power of education and my reintroduction to humanity through genuine kindness, care, and concern from my fellow humans, some of whom were complete strangers. I'm writing this letter to you not for me, but for all the men and women who have been before me and those who may come after me who are in a similar circumstance. I'm referring to those who recognize and accept responsibility for their acts and take the necessary steps to become better human beings. People who take the initiative to be the best versions of themselves discover a purpose in life they were unaware of. These are the people that find dignity and joy in helping others. They recognize how important their positions as community leaders and role models are. They recognize the harm they have caused to the community and have realized that they are also the solution to some of the problems afflicting their towns. Shouldn't they be given another opportunity at life?
Sometimes the circumstances we find ourselves in, together with the decisions we make, leads to despicable behavior. However, such deeds would not define the rest of our lives. When a person accepts responsibility for his or her mistakes and takes the necessary measures toward rehabilitation, the decent thing to do is to give that individual another shot in life. There is no such thing as humanity unless it extends to our fellow humans! Supporting and passing the Second Look Act is the humane thing to do.
Written by Michael Hoffer
