Second Chances? Barack Obama to Michael Vick – Have We become a Compassionless Country?

Well, for a guy who believes in Second Chances (hence the title of my new book – Second Chances) I was shocked and saddened at the media storm or fire related to Barack Obama’s comments praising giving folks – namely Michael Vick – a “Second Chance.”  As a nation have we become so full of hate and intolerance that we no longer can tolerate the idea that “Second Chances” are worth aspiring toward?

So this past Monday the following was reported by the Washington Post – quoted here:

On Monday, the buzz was about how the president had weighed in on the redemption of Michael Vick. Obama phoned the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles to praise the team for giving a second chance to the quarterback, who is again a National Football League star 19 months after leaving prison for his role in a horrific dogfighting ring that killed pit bulls by electrocution, hanging and drowning.

The president has not spoken publicly about the call, though aides acknowledged that it took place. But Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie told Peter King of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports that during their conversation Obama was passionate about Vick’s comeback.

“He said, ‘So many people who serve time never get a fair second chance,’ ” said Lurie, who did not indicate when the call occurred. “He said, ‘It’s never a level playing field for prisoners when they get out of jail.’ And he was happy that we did something on such a national stage that showed our faith in giving someone a second chance after such a major downfall.”

While I may not agree with a great deal of what the President says – in this case he’s right!  Rarely do those who serve time get a “fair second chance!”  But AND THIS IS IMPORTANT – “Second Chances” are not just about those who have committed crimes and done their time.  Obama’s comment that “we did something on such a national state that showed our faith in giving someone a second chance after such a major downfall” is really at the heart of the matter.

But, with such compassion stated by our President – the firestorm begins.

So what’s the fallout of suggesting that it is good to give folks a “Second Chance” – enter FOX News broadcaster Tucker Carlson, who said: “Michael Vick killed dogs in a heartless and cruel way. I think, firstly, he should have been executed for that. The idea the president of the United States would be getting behind someone who murdered dogs is beyond the pale.”

WOW – TALKING ABOUT FROM LEFT FIELD (oops I should have said “Right” field for FOX)

Stop!  Media extremism is in play here.  Let’s get the ratings and buzz huh Tucker?  Dumbass statement that Vick should be executed is nothing more than an UNETHICAL PLOY to sensationalize a true heart-felt comment by Obama.  Have we come to be so angry and so hard-hearted that we will take the opposite opinion of anyone who does not share our ideological belief.  Wonder if Obama had said that he felt Vick should be banished to a desert island never to return to the US – would Tucker have then found it in his heart to give Vick a “Second Chance”?  Is it about coverage and opposites – winning or losing – black or white?  Have we fallen that low as a country?

What about “Second Chances” in other areas – love, being a father, recovery from cancer – Is the concept of getting a “Second Chance” becoming foreign to Americans?  Or is it the media that finds that NO SECOND CHANCES make for better ratings?  If it were his child that needed a “Second Chance” I think Tucker’s words would ring hypocritical this week!  Tucker what about it?  Care to comment?

BUT TUCKER’S NOT THE ONLY ONE…!

Reported in the LA Times -

But Bill Smith, the founder of Main Line Animal Rescue in the Philadelphia area, bristled at Obama’s characterization that the Eagles’ signing of Vick was motivated by wanting to give a convicted felon a second chance.

“If he couldn’t throw a football, he wouldn’t have had a second chance,” said Smith, who organized a campaign last season to collect food for animal shelters every time Vick was sacked on the field. “This isn’t about giving anyone a second chance; it’s about who can make the Eagles organization more money.”

Now I’m an animal lover, but the jaded view that it is only about money just doesn’t hold water.  Obama’s point was that Vick is a national figure and that showing compassion and providing a “Second Chance” is something worthwhile.  Vick isn’t the only one who’s been giving a “Second Chance” in life, but he is public.  I wonder if Bill Smith’s grandson (just an example) had been imprisoned for selling drugs and released, would he be in favor of him receiving a “Second Chance”?  Seems to me that for Bill it’s about his passion for animals that his view is so jaded?  Maybe I’m wrong.  Perhaps Bill will comment!

By the way, Bill did a great job making Obama’s point.  “If he couldn’t throw a football, he wouldn’t have had a second chance,” is exactly the point, we need someone as a model of what a “Second Chance” could mean and from personal experience, there are far too few people who will stand up and offer a “Second Chance”.  That’s sad!

WHERE FROM HERE?

First, I’ve been to prison for crimes I committed.  I am not proud of that, but it is a very real fact of my life.  It has been nearly 15 years since my release and yes, I have been given a “SECOND CHANCE”!  For that I am deeply grateful each day of my life.  Here’s an excerpt from my new book “Second Chances” that describes the night it became clear that my crimes were discovered and I had to face the truth that I was (at that time) nothing more than a liar and a thief.  It was the darkest night of my soul…

That night was the darkest night of my soul. That call that I shared didn’t make it better. It didn’t eliminate the consequences. It didn’t remove the pain. Rather, it gave me hope, hope that if I could make poor choices that would, most certainly, bring painful consequences, I also possessed the power to make positive choices with positive results.  His comment to me still resounds in my heart today. He said, “You have made a terrible mistake, but YOU are not a mistake! The choices you make moving forward will define your life forever and provide the foundation for your children’s lives. Think carefully as you make this choice!” 

When he said to me, “YOU are not a mistake,” it hit me─while the past cannot be changed, the life we are given and the choices we make moving forward are the only things that count. I felt a burden lifted. I could not change the past; all I could do was face the consequences. It was within my power to make good choices, now and in the future, that would produce a fruitful outcome. That was my destiny!

Do I believe in “SECOND CHANCES” – absolutely otherwise I would not be here and I AM here for a reason!  Perhaps that is the message that Tucker Carlson and others need to get!  We all, at some point in time, need a “Second Chance”!

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

Developing Your Company’s Ethics Policy – A Guest Blog by John Freeborn

From time to time I come across articles or blogs that I feel would be a good fit or addition to my business ethics blog.  As a business ethics speaker, I know all to well the importance in developing a sound ethics policy and John’s comments below (presented with his approval) establish a sound outline for the beginning of that process.

There are definite advantages to owning your own business when you want to establish an ethics policy. You see, ethics come from the top. Without setting an example at the top, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to convince your employees that they, too, should be ethical in their business dealings. A well-defined ethics policy, along with an outline of related standards of conduct, provides the framework for ethical and moral behavior within your company.

What are the benefits to developing such a policy, you may be wondering. The benefits include higher employee morale and commitment, which in most cases leads to higher profits. However, higher profits should not be the motivating factor in defining your ethics policy.

An ethics policy should look at the bigger picture of how we relate to society as a whole and what our responsibility is to the greater good. Of course, in these days of downsizing and increasing change, some may argue that these ideals are unrealistic. However, it is important to note that most of the opponents of good ethics are focusing on short-term versus long-term results. Many organizations which have participated in the downsizing mania are beginning to realize that they have traded long-term employee morale and productivity for short-term profit margins.

The bottom line is “what goes around, comes around.” If you treat your employees with disrespect and distrust, chances are they will do the same toward you.

When you are developing your ethics policy, you must decide what it is you want your company to stand for, put it in writing, and enforce it. According to industry experts you can base your policy on five fundamental principles:

• Purpose. A purpose combines both your vision as well as the values you would like to see upheld in your business. It comes from the top and outlines specifically what is considered acceptable as well as unacceptable in terms of conduct in your business.

• Pride. Pride builds dignity and self-respect. If employees are proud of where they work and what they are doing, they are much more apt to act in an ethical manner.

• Patience. Since you must focus on long-term versus short-term results, you must develop a certain degree of patience. Without it, you will become too frustrated and will be more tempted to choose unethical alternatives.

• Persistence. Persistence means standing by your word. It means being committed. If you are not committed to the ethics you have outlined, then they become worthless. Stand by your word.

• Perspective. In a world where there is never enough time to do everything we need and want to, it is often difficult to maintain perspective. However, stopping and reflecting on where your business is headed, why you are headed that way, and how you are going to get there allows you to make the best decisions both in the short-term as well as the long-term.

A company policy is a reflection of the values deemed important to the business. As you develop your ethics policy, focus on what you would like the world to be like, not on what others tell you it is.

Learn to Supercharge Your Business by creating value with your business ethics.   Contact Information for John Freeborn:  johnf@fdg-global.com

Christmas in Prison – Inmates remembered or forgotten? Second Chances book Excerpt by Chuck Gallagher

Today I shipped a copy of my new book SECOND CHANCES to an inmate in prison.  Seems that someone cared enough about this man to want to send him a Christmas present – the gift of potential – the gift of how to turn Adversity into Opportunity – the gift of how to change your life.

As I packaged the book for shipment, it caused me to reflect on my first (and thank God only) Christmas in prison.  It’s been 15 years now and yet I can vividly remember that time and the strong emotions I was feeling as Christmas approached.  All to often we can get caught up in the wrongs that folks have done (and, yes I was a wrong-doer) and we lose track of the tragedy that all face when dealing with the consequences of the choices we make.  Here in 2010 Bernie Madoff’s son Mark is just another example of the pain and brokenness that all who are associated with bad choices experience.

For those who cling to self-righteous judgment, allow me this moment to share my experience – to give my readers a brief glimpse or view into the inside of prison at Christmas…

SECOND CHANCES book excerpt:

On Christmas morning, my first and, as I thought, hopefully my last in prison, I lay in my bed feeling an aching in my chest. The pain was not from a physical ailment. Rather, the pain was an emotional ache that hurt to the very core of my soul, perhaps more deeply than any physical pain I ever experienced before. Although Christmas was my favorite time of year, this year it was the most painful time, and I was not alone in those thoughts. By this time, Buck and I had developed a close bond. Even he found Christmas morning difficult, and he had seen six of them come and go before I got there. I couldn’t imagine what that was like.

Five hundred men in this prison facility and on Christmas day, most of them would shed a tear. Being in prison doesn’t make anyone immune from pain and loss. On days like today, it magnifies the pain and loss. Just like them, as I lay motionless in my top bunk bed, I found myself thinking with tears streaming down my face. I cannot, to this day, say why the thought came to mind, but it made a powerful impression. It seemed that this “learning laboratory” had the tendency to teach at a rapid rate. At least, it did for me.

I recalled one evening, sometime back in the mid-eighties, standing in the checkout line at the grocery store I frequented in my former hometown. At that time, I was in my mid to late twenties and had a budding career. Now, I must admit, I thought that was an odd thing to recall on Christmas morning in prison, but this is what came to mind.  Looking back, there was clearly a reason.  The memory was crystal clear. I had walked into the store quickly to buy some steak and shrimp, having told my wife I would pick up some on my way home. We were to grill out that night, and I knew it would save her a trip. Little did I know that something so simple would provide such a profound lesson. Frankly, I had forgotten the experience until that day─Christmas morning in 1995.  As I entered the checkout line, the clerk, a female around my age, spoke to me.

“Chuck Gallagher. You’re Chuck Gallagher.”

“Yes.” Somewhat startled, I responded tentatively, realizing I had no idea who this person was and how she knew me. Here I was, standing in my suit, having just finished a workday at the office, and now I was being identified by a stranger at the grocery store.

“I’m Suzie,” she said, as if I should know her. I did catch her name as it was on the badge she wore on her grocery store smock. Even though she knew me, for the life of me, I had no clue who she was. Not only did I not know her name, but her face was also unfamiliar. While I tried not to show my unfamiliarity, my face must have given it away.

“We went to high school together,” she exclaimed, as if that should somehow jog my memory. “I read about you often in the paper. You seem to be doing so well.” Noticing my wedding ring, she then asked, “Do you have any children?”

“Yes, one,” I replied, smiling at her as I acknowledged her obvious warmth. I was just trying to be nice and carry on conversation, even though inside I just wanted to check out and move on. Then I asked what, in retrospect, was a dangerous question, “Do you?”

Little did I know that those simple two words would change the course of this unexpected visit.  With my question she responded, “Yes, three.” And with that, she stopped the process, even though we were in the express lane. She reached under the counter, removed her pocketbook, and proceeded to take out her wallet, wherein she had two pictures each for three children─and that was just the beginning.

Standing there, I could tell that the people in line were perturbed at her for the lengthy explanation and at me for even asking. Frankly, I wasn’t excited either. I didn’t remember her and I was just being nice. In reality, I just wanted to get out the door and get home. As she began to wind down, I knew not to ask any further questions.

“It’s so good to see you,” she said as she handed me the receipt for my purchases. “Maybe we’ll see each other again sometime.” I smiled and quickly walked away.

As I walked to the Mercedes I was then driving, I gloried in self-righteous thoughts. How important I was. She had read about me in the paper. I was ‘somebody.’ All of this time away from high school and the highest rung of the ladder she had aspired to was a check-out chick at the local grocery store. That thought was judgmental, ugly, and turned out to be profound.

Yet, on that Christmas day, 1995, as I lay on my top bunk, my thoughts drifted back to that incident. I couldn’t even remember her name, yet, in my mind’s eye, I vividly saw her with her family on this Christmas day.  No doubt she and her husband shared joy as their children squealed with delight over the meager gifts Santa left. Most of the time you can’t get kids out of bed, but on Christmas morning they won’t stay in bed. The joy and love you feel as a parent, seeing those tiny little eyes light up as they experience Christmas, is hard to describe. That feeling is one I ached to have there in prison on Christmas morning.  I imagined seeing her as she prepared their Christmas meal.  As their energy began to wane, she would hold her children in her arms and tell them that she loved them. As I lay there, I imagined her gently stroking their heads as they struggled to keep their eyes open, fearing they might miss something. Gently, they would fall asleep in her arms.

All those thoughts passed as I noticed the wetness of the pillow against my cheeks. She was home with her little ones. She was more of a “somebody” than I had ever dreamed of being. She was there, and I was in prison.

As the thought passed, I knew there were still choices to make. I could wallow in self-pity, or make a choice that would brighten my day and perhaps the day of others. A part of me longed to continue feeling sorry for myself, but I chose to move past it. With that, I got up and stood in the phone line. Most of the time there wasn’t a line for the pay phone, but today, Christmas day, there was a long one. So I waited.

I waited my turn in order to make a three-minute collect call to my children.  Hearing their voices on the phone, I choked back my emotion and with the most cheer I could muster I said, “Rob – Alex, Merry Christmas boys – this is Dad.”

15 years later my sons are grown men, yet I never forget the loss I felt the Christmas of 1995.  Christmas is not about the gifts, the carols, the outer trappings that merchants wish to lure you in with.  Rather, Christmas is about sharing the deep and abiding love of God that is indwelling in each of us with others.  So where ever you are, what ever you do, make sure to take some time to reflect on who is important in your life and how you can bring love and light to them – even if it’s in the darkest of prisons.

Antionette Hodgson Sentenced to 6 years in Prison for Ponzi Scheme! Wait, but something doesn’t make sense…what about Vaughn Reeves?

ANTOINETTE HODGSON was recently sentenced in Manhattan federal court to six years in prison for running a $50 million real estate Ponzi scheme that fraudulently solicited investments from over 20 New York and New Jersey investors. HODGSON operated the scam between 2006 and her arrest in early 2010, tricking investors into providing money to her for purported investments in real estate when, in fact, HODGSON was simply using the money to pay off other investors in the scheme and to enrich herself and her family members. HODGSON previously pled guilty on September 14, 2010, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge ROBERT W. SWEET.

STOP…BUT I’M CONFUSED…

I just reported on that a judge sentenced a southern Indiana church financier, former pastor Vaughn Reeves to 54 years in prison Tuesday for pocketing millions of dollars that investors believed would be used to build churches.  Special Judge Dena Martin sentenced Reeves to consecutive six-year terms for each of the nine fraud counts, which alleged that he victimized about 2,900 investors who lost a total of $13.1 million.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said: “Through her massive Ponzi scheme built on the false promise of large returns, Antoinette Hodgson destroyed the financial security of dozens of people, all so that she could live a comfortable life and indulge a penchant for gambling, using other people’s money. The substantial sentence imposed on her sends yet another message that such conduct will be punished severely.”

REALLY…SUBSTANTIAL SENTENCE?

HODGSON steals $50 million and gets 6 years while REEVES defrauds folks out of $13 million and gets 54 years.  What gives here.  Either REEVES got screwed or the judge in the HODGSON case lacks the balls to hand out a “substantial sentence.”  Which do you think it is?

According to the FBI News Release:

HODGSON solicited tens of millions of dollars from investors in New York and New Jersey on the false pretense that she would use the investors’ money to purchase and/or renovate residential real estate properties, and then re-sell the properties to third party buyers or rent them for a period of time before re-selling them. HODGSON promised investors high rates of return on their investments, which she represented was based on the profits generated by her successful real estate business.

In fact, however, HODGSON, misappropriated tens of millions of dollars of investors’ funds, and used those funds to repay other investors or for her own purposes. Between 2006 and 2009, HODGSON solicited approximately $50 million from investors who understood, based on HODGSON’s representations, that they were investing in her real estate business. During the same period, HODGSON only spent approximately $6 million on residential real estate, and made less than approximately $700,000 profit on sales of her properties. Most of the $50 million she received from investors was immediately used to repay other investors, in the pattern of a classic Ponzi scheme.

HODGSON used some of the investor money to enrich herself and her family members. HODGSON spent hundreds of thousands of dollars at casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, invested over $700,000 in a Dunkin Donuts franchise in Arizona, and gave tens of thousands of dollars to friends and family members.

In addition to the prison term, Judge SWEET imposed an order of forfeiture in the amount of $45,000,000, and is expected to impose an order of restitution exceeding $17 million once victim losses have been fully accounted for.

While HODGSON’S crime is quite large, do you think HODGSON’S sentence is “SUBSTANTIAL”?

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

Former Pastor Vaughn Reeves sentenced to 54 Years in Prison for Religious Ponzi Scheme!

Former pastor Vaughn Reeves, a southern Indiana church financier was sentenced to 54 years in prison for pocketing millions of dollars that investors believed would be used to build churches.  Oh God…another Ponzi scheme!

While his attorney Dale Webster said, “There’s going to be an appeal on a lot of grounds,” investigators said Reeves and his three sons used their now-defunct company, Alanar, and sales pitches that included prayers and Bible passages to dupe about 11,000 investors into buying bonds worth $120 million secured by mortgages on construction projects at about 150 churches.

OK…so what happened?  Well…according to court documents, Reeves and his sons diverted money from new investments to pay off previous investors, pocketing $6 million and buying two airplanes, sports cars and vacations.  A classic Ponzi scheme – using new money to pay off prior commitments.  Prosecutors have said the case was a prime example of affinity fraud, in which scammers prey on people who share a common interest, such as religious affiliation, ethnicity or age.

Actually, in my analysis – the folks who were scammed fell into the PIT.  In other words, they fell prey to three components that make it easy for victims to become victims.  Promise – Illusion and Trust.  In this case, the trust was based, in part, on the fact that folks trusted Reeves et. al. to do what they said, after all it was done in the name of religion – God.

According to the Indiana Business Journal – “What they did in their company hurt a lot of people,” said Jack Newman, 73, of Terre Haute, a retired vice president of marketing who said he invested about $26,000 with Alanar and so far has recovered just 20 cents on the dollar. “Justice needed to be served.”

One of the victims who testified at Tuesday’s sentencing hearing said he wasn’t able to buy health insurance after investing $600,000 in church bonds from Alanar, Sullivan County Prosecutor Bob Hunley said. As a result, Steve Duncan testified that he went blind after developing an eye condition that would have been preventable.

Sentenced to consecutive six-year terms for each of the nine fraud counts, Hunley alleged that he victimized about 2,900 investors who lost a total of $13.1 million.  Among aggravating factors, Special Judge Dena Martin found Reeves targeted people over age 65 and used religion to influence them, Hunley said.

Alanar used a modified Ponzi scheme in which it diverted investors’ money from their building projects to speculative investments and to interest payments on other bonds, according to the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office, whose Securities Division assisted prosecutors in the case.

Alanar encouraged church members to sell the bonds to fellow congregants using sales pitches that included prayers and Bible passages.

“Never sell the facts, sell warm stewardship and the Lord,” Alanar training materials said, according to the Securities Division.

It makes no difference from what walk of life we come, people (not all thank God) will find ways to dupe or scam others.  Often I am asked in various media interviews what people can do to avoid becoming a victim of a Ponzi scheme like this.  The answer is easy – in a sense – (1) don’t fall for offers that seem ‘too good to be true’ – that is the first classic sign of a scam; (2) check out the documentation and do your due diligence – don’t fall for the illusion of a good con artist (they are not called that for nothing) and (3) keep a healthy distance from any one you’d invest your funds with.  The closer they are to you and the more that ‘trust’ is a factor, the more important it is to check it from every angle.

Reeves like Bernie Madoff will likely die in prison.  That’s a steep price to pay for some life luxuries that are short lived.

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

Freedom of Speech, WikiLeaks and Ethics – I have some questions!

Rarely do I post a blog where my opinion isn’t clear…but it looks like this one will be one.  Why?  Because I have some questions and, honestly, I’d like some answers.

Over the past several weeks all we have been hearing on the news is about WikiLeaks – the release of government documents or communications and the WikiLeaks founder – Julian Assange.

So let’s start with some questions:

1. Is WikiLeaks dissemination of information a form of Journalism?
2. Is WikiLeaks only a publisher?
3. In either case, is the publication of documents that comes into the possession of WikiLeaks protected by the First Amendment?

While there are many who feel that what the Assange organization is wrong for publishing the documents, the broader question seems to center around whether WikiLeaks is somehow guilty of a crime vs. just being extremely bold with their application of freedom of speech.

ANOTHER SET OF QUESTIONS:

1. Should WikiLeaks be held accountable or liable for the release of documents that were allegedly stolen by a member of the government?
2. Which is the greater ethical lapse – the government not have sufficient security on sensitive government documents or WikiLeaks for publishing them?
3. Is it unethical to create transparency by publishing the documents, cables, etc. that are in question?
4. If it weren’t WikiLeaks that published the documents – but rather, they were published (for example) by the Washington Post or the New York Times, would the US Government be as aggressive in wanting to go after the publisher?

Perhaps these questions will spark some blog dialogue?  Or perhaps folks really don’t care?  Either way – YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

This is just NUN sense…A Sister arrested for stealing $1.2 million. Isn’t that like a Biblical no no Sister Marie E. Thornton?

Sometimes the choices we make just don’t add up.   Take the case of Sister Marie E. Thornton, a former vice president of finance for Iona College and a nun.  Sister Thornton was recently arrested on charges of embezzling more than $1.2-million from the Roman Catholic college over the course of 10 years.

What?  Yep…that’s right.  Arrested for embezzlement.  According to published reports, Federal prosecutors collaborated with the Department of Education in bringing the charges, which were announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan in a news release.

According to the news release, Sister Thornton allegedly diverted college funds for her own use by turning in false vendor invoices for reimbursement and submitting credit-card bills for personal expenses to the college.

Iona College, in a statement, disputed the size of the theft, calling the $1.2-million figure “significantly inaccurate.”  Sorry, but I have to ask, is this just another attempt at a cover up by the Catholic organization?  In my personal experience, rarely have I seen the US Attorney’s office dramatically inflate the size of a crime.  But this might just be a bunch of nun sense anyway…

The college, located in New Rochelle, N.Y., had previously disclosed that it had fired an unidentified employee for misappropriating approximately $80,000 a year over a decade. Another employee thought to have been involved in covering up the fraud was also fired.

Iona said that it had taken immediate action after discovering a year and a half ago that an employee had misappropriated funds, and that it had conducted a follow-up investigation and put preventive procedures in place. The college also said it had recovered most of the missing money but declined to comment further.

Sister Thornton served as Iona’s vice president for finance and administration for roughly a decade, and she previously was assistant to the president for five years, according to the college’s financial documents. She holds a doctorate in educational administration from Fordham University and previously spent time as a teacher, a principal, and a deputy school superintendent.

BEHAVIOR QUESTION

With credentials out the wazoo…what do you suppose would motivate Sister Thornton to take such actions?  And, how do you suppose she was able to rationalize her behavior?

If you know Sister Thornton – please comment and lets establish a dialogue related to my questions above.

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

Bernie Madoff and Mark Madoff’s suicide – the Reality of Prison! Choices and Consequences

Doing presentations on business ethics and fraud prevention, every presentation I begin starts with the statement – “Every choice has a consequence!”  No where is this more painfully obvious then the very public unfolding of the consequences begun many years ago by Bernie Madoff.

Two years to the day – the day Bernie Madoff admitted creating the largest Ponzi scheme in US history, his son, Mark Madoff, committed suicide.  Apparently the pressure of all that was taking place (as the Madoff saga is far from over) was far too much for Mark to bear.

Some might ask, well how would you know?  The answer is simple…I’ve been there.  Having created a Ponzi scheme (not something I am proud of, but it is a fact that I openly share), I know about the emotional pressures that come with the consequences of choices I made.  The magnitude of my crime is dwarfed by that of Bernie Madoff.  Yet, pressure is pressure and likely it is all relative.

I candidly feel for Mark Madoff – knowing that his “dark night of the soul” had to be very light less in order for him to elect to end his life.  Beyond that, the pain that Bernie Madoff must feel is, too, enormous.  Even as I write this I can almost hear readers shaming me for having some compassion for Bernie.  But, honestly, I do.  The pain a father must feel knowing that his actions contributed to a depth of depression that contributed to his son taking his life is great.  I cannot honestly imagine that pain.

According to Ira Sorkin, Bernie Madoff’s attorney, Madoff will not attend the funeral of his son, Mark, out of consideration for his daughter-in-law and grandchildren.

Housed in a medium security prison for the rest of his life, Bernie Madoff has had his life reduced to working for around 12 cents per hour and wearing simple prison clothing day in and day out.  His brilliance will not be remembered.  Rather he has become the butt of jokes – “Charles Ponzi created the scheme, but Bernie Madoff with all the money!”  What a sad legacy.

As I said…I know the feelings of loss, inadequacy, hurt and what I and others have described as a “dark night of the soul.”  My new book describes my experience well.  Perhaps this excerpt will give some insight into that feeling that comes from facing a consequence that seems so great that ending a life is the only option – at least at the time.

SECOND CHANCES – excerpt:

At 7:11 p.m. that evening, I grabbed the Yellow Pages and began calling clinics─anyone who I thought might help me. Frankly, I don’t recall what I was looking up. I do remember that there were no listings under “suicide”─in fact, that wasn’t a category. So I looked up physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, anything that started with a “P”. Honestly, I don’t remember who I did call─a proctologist, as far as I knew. The only thing that flooded my mind was I needed help.

“You’ve reached the office of Drs . . . Our office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Our office is closed. But if you’ll leave your name and number, we’ll be happy to call you first thing in the morning. Have a nice day!” Somehow, when you’re thinking of ending your life, “have a nice day” just doesn’t seem appropriate. And unfortunately, that’s the message I got over and over.

Calling became an obsession. It was the one thing I could do, one action that I felt in life I had some control over. “Just one more dial,” I would say to myself as I pressed the buttons on the phone, listening to the ring, hoping for an answer.

“Dr. Benson’s office.” That was the second time that day I was stunned. After getting recording after recording, I was somewhat unprepared for the possibility that someone would answer. Yet someone did.

“I need to talk with someone. I’m from out of town,” I somehow stammered.

“Actually, our office is closed. I was just walking out the door and thought this was my wife. Give us a call in the morni . . . ”  Before he could finish his sentence, I blurted, “I’m thinking of committing suicide!”

Silence─then the voice said, “Let’s talk.”

For the life of me, I can’t recall what was said between us as I lay on that lonely hotel bed. We could have talked for two minutes, twenty minutes, or two hours. I just don’t remember. What I do recall is that this total stranger, a man who I had never met, took the time to help me see past the grand illusion I had created and uncover the real me inside.

That night was the darkest night of my soul. That call that I shared didn’t make it better. It didn’t eliminate the consequences. It didn’t remove the pain. Rather, it gave me hope, hope that if I could make poor choices that would, most certainly, bring painful consequences, I also possessed the power to make positive choices with positive results.

His comment to me still resounds in my heart today. He said, “You have made a terrible mistake, but YOU are not a mistake! The choices you make moving forward will define your life forever and provide the foundation for your children’s lives. Think carefully as you make this choice!”

When he said to me, “YOU are not a mistake,” it hit me─while the past cannot be changed, the life we are given and the choices we make moving forward are the only things that count. I felt a burden lifted. I could not change the past; all I could do was face the consequences.  It was within my power to make good choices, now and in the future, that would produce a fruitful outcome. That was my destiny!

For information on how to obtain a copy of SECOND CHANCES – visit www.secondchancesbook.com or Amazon.com

Wesley Snipes first Day in Prison – A reflection from personal experience – SECOND CHANCES by Chuck Gallagher

Yesterday was Wesley Snipes first day in prison.  Today…the first full day I know how he feels.  I’ve been there.  It is no fun…

Here’s an excerpt from my new book SECOND CHANCES that might give a glimpse of what that first day’s experience is – or at least – was for me.  We all make mistakes, but as I was told – “You’ve made a big mistake, but YOU ARE NOT A MISTAKE!”  Those words were powerful and in many ways saved my life.

Wesley’s life is powerful and it is my hope that Wesley can move past the feeling that he’s somehow a victim, to the recognition that all thing happen for our good if only we will become still enough and reflect inward enough to find it.  Here’s to Wesley’s time – may it be beneficial to him and may he use it and his celebrity to bring light and love to others.

SECOND CHANCES EXCERPT:

By 3:25 p.m., I had been fully processed and was escorted to my cell, my new home. As I entered the cell, my cell mate, Buck, an African-American man of mid-stature, walked out. He gave me a quick once-over, never uttering a word. By this time, I had been instructed to change into my prison uniform and be prepared for “count time” at 4:00 p.m. I guess that meant something to most people, but it didn’t connect with me. Doing as I was told, I changed and sat on the bed assigned, waiting for further instructions.

At three minutes to 4:00 p.m., Buck reentered the cell. He just looked at me again─sizing me up, I suppose. Then a noise broke the chatter of inmates in this area.

“Count time. Count time.”

Again, Buck looked at me, pointing at the floor as if I knew what to do. I stood up just as the guard passed by our cell, counting each inmate as we stood in silence. I watched others, waiting for a cue as to what to do next. When the count was done, the chatter began, and once again, Buck left the room with no comments.

Seated on my excuse for a bed, I began to drift into a contemplative state. Now disconnected from all that I knew, all that was familiar, I was preparing to enter a part of life that would prove to be painful.  And yet, it was an opportunity for accelerated growth. We all have thoughts, beliefs, and associations; we interpret and make judgments. I did not, at that moment, think of prison as a place for growth; rather, it was a place of dread, a place to be endured. I would assume that most people feel that the consequences they face, especially if they judge them to be negative consequences, are unwanted and carry no benefit other than pain. Yet, through experience─my own as well as what is reported by others─often the worst experiences we face are our greatest teachers if we are open to allowing the lesson.

As the first night began to pass, I can’t say my first day in prison was fraught with any danger. I was just a number. I was another person placed somewhere where he didn’t want to be, dealing with the internal issues of doing time for something and learning in a new and unfamiliar environment. Staring at the ceiling of the cell and trying to get warm under the prison-issued sheet and blanket, I wondered if there was ever a time when the choices I made were worth the price.

My eyes welling with tears, but crying my first night was not an option.  Before the crack of dawn on day two, the guards banged on the door to the unit and began flashing on the lights. Buck was immediately out of bed as the workday began. I, on the other hand, was bewildered. I suppose I expected prison to be a place where you stayed in your bed until you wanted to get up, did nothing, and did nothing some more.

Buck looked up at me, as I was on the top bunk.  “You better get up and get out of here before 8:00 a.m. or the ‘hacks’ will put you to work.” With those words, Buck was off to his job.

It was 6:45 a.m.

Well, he talks, I thought to myself, not knowing what to do. Just then, the silence was broken. Another inmate, a middle-aged guy, poked his head around the corner.

“You eat?” he asked with a tentative look on his face, as if he might have disturbed me.

“Your first day here?”

“Yeah,” I replied, honestly glad to have someone who showed some interest. Not that I expected a welcoming party, but rarely had I ever been somewhere where you were looked right through, as if you were nobody. Perhaps it was learned behavior, but even in the “projects,” people seemed to have some basic level of respect and concern. Yet, except for the African-American guy from yesterday, no one seemed to care. Well, not until now.

“I’m Ham.”

“Chuck,” I replied. He offered no hand, and neither did I. I had already made up my mind that I would observe and take my lead from others who had been here awhile. I did not know the ropes, and being a leader in prison was not something I had ever aspired to.

“Follow me. Let’s get some breakfast.” With that, Ham moved out, expecting me to follow. “Now, don’t expect much. You know, the inmates do the cooking around here. The breakfast bunch, well, they ain’t the best. The dinner cooks, well, that’s another story. They’re pretty good. We’ll get some good chow at night.”

WHAT’S WESLEY’S FIRST DAY LIKE…

Well..in the case of “Blade” I suspect that it was a mixture of celebrity, concern and disconnection.  Prison (minimum security or not) is prison and it is different.  This morning Wesley Snipes had his first prison breakfast and many eyes are on him as he begins this new journey in his life.  Perhaps we can put aside our feelings of his guilt or innocence or feelings of appropriateness of his sentence and join to wish him well…

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

Snipes worried about Prison – looking for Supreme Court Relief! What will prison be like for Wesley?

Appearing on Larry King Live – Wesley Snipes took his argument to stay out of prison to the public stating that he was hopeful that the system of justice will smile in his direction if (and that’s a big if) the Supreme Court hear his appeal.  Will they?  DOUBTFUL.

“We still have prayers out there. We still believe in miracles. So don’t send me up the river yet,” Snipes said in an interview on Larry King Live last night.  Tomorrow he will report to Federal Prison in PA and begin what will be a life changing event for him – over 30 months of confinement in federal prison.

Snipes’ avoided felony charges in his tax trial, but was convicted of misdemeanors for not filing tax returns in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

“I think any man would be nervous if his liberty is at stake,” Snipes said. “I’m disappointed that the system seems not to be working for me in this situation.”

According to Prosecutors, Snipes earned $40 million since 1999 but had filed no returns and had been involved in a tax resisters group.  The head of the tax resisters group was found guilty of felony tax evasion and is actively serving a prison sentence now.  Of course, instead of accepting responsibility, Snipes disputed such involvement and said that the failure to file was his advisers’ fault.

“This is another thing that has been misreported: It has been framed that I was a conspirator and that I was an architect in a scheme by an organization that has been characterized as tax protesters,” Snipes said. “The press hasn’t reported that I was a client of people who I trusted [who] had knowledge and expertise in the areas of tax law that would protect my interests.”

Personally, I think that Wesley is guilty of attempting to find innocence instead of stepping up or manning up and telling the truth.  Wesley isn’t stupid, he’s quite capable.  Yes, he was knee deep in the throws of believing that this tax protester group had something and that something was an argument that he’d avoid having to pay taxes on a substantial sum of money.

BIG WIN FOR THE IRS

Having face a few losses in this area – one especially from an attorney in Louisiana – the IRS could not afford to let Snipes go free.  He was far to public a figure and if Snipes won, many followers of the tax avoidance scheme would become followers and have a dramatic impact on undermining the system of tax compliance in this country.

According to a CNN article:

But prosecutors, in their sentencing recommendation, said the jurors’ decision “has been portrayed in the mainstream media as a ‘victory’ for Snipes. The troubling implication of such coverage for the millions of average citizens who are aware of this case is that the rich and famous Wesley Snipes has ‘gotten away with it.’ In the end the criminal conduct of Snipes must not be seen in such a light.”

Snipes suggested he was unfairly singled out by prosecutors.

“It does seem to be rather unusual and rather bizarre when you had a prosecutor come into the sentencing and say that this is the biggest tax trial in the history of the IRS,” Snipes said. “I think there is a certain amount of selectivity going on here.”

Honestly, the prosecutors were right.  If Snipes went free…all heck would break loose when it comes to tax compliance.

“There have been some egregious and very malicious efforts to report the facts of this case,” Snipes said. “I was never charged with tax evasion. I’ve never been a tax protester.”

Wesley come on…man up here big guy.  Accept the fact that you weren’t just relying on a reputable firm when you made the choices you did.  You were on the fringe – no where close to main stream when it came to your responsibilities as a US citizen.  And, you know above all, if the government could have convicted you on tax evasion they would have.  You got lucky.  Your only bad luck was being sentenced to prison for failure to file.  I admit – that is unusual – but I also understand.  If you’d filed and paid as you should have you’d be home with your family this Christmas…not in prison.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN PRISON

Those first steps in are tough.  You know as you walk through the door that life is about to change dramatically!

More than likely you’d be placed in a holding cell once you arrive.  You’ll be given a set of rules to read and while you sit there – potentially for hours, you’ll have time to think about what you’re facing.  You’ll think about what you’ve done that got you here and soon…you’ll come to grips with whether you still want to believe that you’re a victim or whether you’ll accept that your choices got you there.

When the keys jingle and the door opens to let you out…you’ll be seen (more than likely) by a physician’s assistant who will give you a TB test and soon thereafter you’ll be taken to the laundry where you’ll receive your prison uniform and bedding.  Once received you’ll walk holding your new clothing across the prison compound for all to see – a fresh new inmate – “Blade” behind bars – potentially a target.  As you step into your cell you’ll meet your cell mate and at that moment you become “one of them” – life will change.

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME