[Prison Epistles]

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July 26, 2007

A Prison Epistle (#03)

Hi,

     I am interested in forming and molding the nation God intended America to be. I am interested in learning more about the new America being re-born. I am enclosing my life story from birth to present.

     My name is ShannonWatt, I was born in Torrance, California, on August 16, 1963. I am 43 years old and I am ready for a change.

    I grew up in a dysfunctional family, my father was an alcoholic and he and my mother divorced when I was about 6 years old, she then remarried my stepfather who was also an alcoholic who would verbally and sometimes physically abuse us. I lived most of my younger years in Southern California, then moved up north to Oceano, which is close to San Luis Obispo. I lived up there until I was about 14, and that is when I started getting into trouble. My first arrest was petty theft and we were caught joyriding and wrecked the car we were driving. We were sent to juvenile hall for about a month, but still I didn't leam my lesson and me and my friends would hitchhike to Santa Maria which is about 15 miles away to shoplift in the mall, and eventually the court system got tired of us and sent me to a camp where I stayed for 3 months. I ended up in a group home after and then even went to my Aunt's in Arizona, but that didn't work out either. Finally I turned 18 and by this time my mom had gotten rid of my stepfather, but I still loved things. When I turned 18 I was arrested for shoplifting and had my first taste of county jail, the bail bondsman said that if I would have sex with him he would bail me out of jail, but I called my mom instead and she arranged for bail. At 19 I had my first child, then my next at 21, and 3 more children after that. I have a daughter who is 23 that I have not seen since she was about 2 years old. I was young and naive and let her dad get her and I didn't know any better or how to fight to get her back. Her father never raised her and later his cousin adopted her. I have tried to contact her over the years but they would hang up on me or not return my calls, so recently I looked on the Internet on My Space and found her. I emailed her under her brother's My Space page and told her who we were. They had never told her who her real parents were and at first she did not believe me, eventually they told her the truth when I told her I was willing to take a lie detector test. I met her a few days before I turned myself into Prison. It was hard for me to raise my other 4 boys by myself and so stealing became a way for me to make some extra money. I have been stealing and selling for over 15 years now and it's time for me to try something new and give myself to God, that is why I decided to write this story. I would like to be a part of the new America, and want to know more about you. I don't know where to begin to put my ideas and plans for a new America on paper. I think the new America should be able to live in harmony with each other, be self sufficient, should have others they can rely on for support, and of course spiritual support. I also want to thank you for the stamped envelopes and the Words of Life booklet. I have taken classes in your store and have bought several items from your store. I also love your seasonal craft shows and look forward to visiting you again.

Thanks so much,
Shannon Watt   

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