Into my sea of misery has come some joy. A short time ago my daughter Julia got engaged. We all knew that it was coming for some time, but the act itself brought great happiness to my daughter and the rest of us. God knows we can use it.
I really don't know my future son-in-law, Walter, except that he is an admirable, practicing Catholic of Irish descent, and a New York City firefighter. For this we are thankful. He recently wrote me a heartfelt letter in which he professed his love for my Julia. So I do know that he loves her, and she loves him; and with that start, and a little hard work they can make a truly wonderful life together.
I would just like to set the record straight on a question that everyone has been asking me (is he good enough for your daughter?). Well while I support him in every way, Prince William and Brad Pitt are not good enough for my daughters. So let me be perfectly clear, there is no one good enough for any of my daughters but when they fall in love as Julia did, I will support, help, and guide them in any way that I can. Bravo Julia and Walter.
Thank you God for this blessing.
Stronger today than yesterday,
Tommy G.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT
MDC Brooklyn has been up to its usual petty abuse of power (no dental- it's too hot, no doctors, unedible food cooked weeks in advance, illegally opening up inmates legal mail, etc.). Then it got worse, much worse. As the weather turned warm we felt it getting hot and hard to breathe in our cells. Then as it turned hot outside the conditions grew worse. It got to be well over one hundred degrees, with no air in our cells. You see MDC is a sealed building, and the ventilation system is broken. When the ventilation system is down you can't just crack a window. There is no air at all. People are fainting. Men are throwing up from the heat. The older men wait everynight to draw their last breath. To breathe is to sweat profusely.
It's nuts...in the United States of America, in the city of New York, in the borough of Brooklyn, men are being treated like this.
Last week we met with members of the administration to discuss ways to help improve our conditions while the vents are broken. These suggestions were reasonable, and would not have compromised security in any way. Our ideas were met with torture. We were locked-down for 3 days, and forced into our cells until we no longer had the strength or courage to air our grievances. Legitimate issues met with abuse; that's the mentality of MDC Brooklyn. They abuse the inmates, the visitors, the lawyers, and they abuse all of their power.
To all of the professional, courteous, compassionate officers who must follow orders, please remember what happened at that prison in Iraq (Abu Ghraib)... only the soldiers who were following orders went to jail for torture. Not the brass, never the brass. So when you lock us in our 110 degree cells, if you think it feels wrong it's because it is wrong. It is torture!
Weaker than Yesterday,
Thomas Gioeli
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALL INCLUDING RATS, PROSECUTORS, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
Daddy wrote this letter for me to post last week... the ventilation system has been down for about 3 weeks so far. Six men passed out on my Dad's floor in one day alone. My mom and sister visited today and said the heat was completely unbearable on the first floor, so I can't imagine what it's like for the inmates higher up. It's even unbearable for the men and women who work at MDC. Please share with anyone who will listen. Something must be done.
-MG
It's nuts...in the United States of America, in the city of New York, in the borough of Brooklyn, men are being treated like this.
Last week we met with members of the administration to discuss ways to help improve our conditions while the vents are broken. These suggestions were reasonable, and would not have compromised security in any way. Our ideas were met with torture. We were locked-down for 3 days, and forced into our cells until we no longer had the strength or courage to air our grievances. Legitimate issues met with abuse; that's the mentality of MDC Brooklyn. They abuse the inmates, the visitors, the lawyers, and they abuse all of their power.
To all of the professional, courteous, compassionate officers who must follow orders, please remember what happened at that prison in Iraq (Abu Ghraib)... only the soldiers who were following orders went to jail for torture. Not the brass, never the brass. So when you lock us in our 110 degree cells, if you think it feels wrong it's because it is wrong. It is torture!
Weaker than Yesterday,
Thomas Gioeli
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALL INCLUDING RATS, PROSECUTORS, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
Daddy wrote this letter for me to post last week... the ventilation system has been down for about 3 weeks so far. Six men passed out on my Dad's floor in one day alone. My mom and sister visited today and said the heat was completely unbearable on the first floor, so I can't imagine what it's like for the inmates higher up. It's even unbearable for the men and women who work at MDC. Please share with anyone who will listen. Something must be done.
-MG
Friday, June 4, 2010
Letter to Family & Friends :)
It has been 2 years today since Daddy's arrest, no trial date set...just the federal government's version of a speedy trial I guess.
Anyways here's a beautiful letter from TG that will lighten up the mood of this blog a little bit:
This blog has so much to do with my family, and my love and admiration for them. They are the strongest, bravest, most sensitive people that you could ever hope to know.
Everyday I get a letter from my beautiful, wonderful wife. I look forward to these like birthday presents. They invigorate me. She is my passion and my inspiration. She is the love of my life. She is my life.
My first daughter Julia is a beautiful, sophisticated, brilliant woman. She is my voice of reason and my taste of home. She is the start of family. She is my Julia and she will always be my first special.
My second daughter is my beautiful, loving, caring Genevieve. She is also very busy doing what she loves. She is my voice of calm and fairness. She gives me love and scolding all in one visit. She is my calming factor. She is my Genevieve.
My next daughter is my beautiful, strong, powerful, and intense Mattia. She is my fighter and protector. I am in safe hands with her as my champion. She is my Mattia.
My last daughter is my beautiful, sensitive, funny baby Kathleen. When she visits we laugh for the whole hour. She is my storyteller and my soul. She makes my troubles disappear. She is my Kathleen.
You notice that I said that they're all beautiful... Well that is no boast, it's true. They're all gorgeous, and talented, and caring, and fair. I can empty a dictionary and not have enough words to describe them. They are God's gift to me and I am a very lucky man. I am so proud of them, I am blessed.
Then there are the rest of my loyal, loving family and friends. My parents and brothers, whose faith in me will never falter. My cousins, whose undying support has made me so proud to be part of our family. My inlaws whose cards, letters, and pictures have brought a smile to my face on a lonely day... ALL of you inspire me to fight. I love you all.
To all of the bloggers who like to keep up to date on my thoughts, I'd just like to let you know that you affect my life.
Now you know why I am stronger today than yesterday.
Tommy Gioeli
Anyways here's a beautiful letter from TG that will lighten up the mood of this blog a little bit:
This blog has so much to do with my family, and my love and admiration for them. They are the strongest, bravest, most sensitive people that you could ever hope to know.
Everyday I get a letter from my beautiful, wonderful wife. I look forward to these like birthday presents. They invigorate me. She is my passion and my inspiration. She is the love of my life. She is my life.
My first daughter Julia is a beautiful, sophisticated, brilliant woman. She is my voice of reason and my taste of home. She is the start of family. She is my Julia and she will always be my first special.
My second daughter is my beautiful, loving, caring Genevieve. She is also very busy doing what she loves. She is my voice of calm and fairness. She gives me love and scolding all in one visit. She is my calming factor. She is my Genevieve.
My next daughter is my beautiful, strong, powerful, and intense Mattia. She is my fighter and protector. I am in safe hands with her as my champion. She is my Mattia.
My last daughter is my beautiful, sensitive, funny baby Kathleen. When she visits we laugh for the whole hour. She is my storyteller and my soul. She makes my troubles disappear. She is my Kathleen.
You notice that I said that they're all beautiful... Well that is no boast, it's true. They're all gorgeous, and talented, and caring, and fair. I can empty a dictionary and not have enough words to describe them. They are God's gift to me and I am a very lucky man. I am so proud of them, I am blessed.
Then there are the rest of my loyal, loving family and friends. My parents and brothers, whose faith in me will never falter. My cousins, whose undying support has made me so proud to be part of our family. My inlaws whose cards, letters, and pictures have brought a smile to my face on a lonely day... ALL of you inspire me to fight. I love you all.
To all of the bloggers who like to keep up to date on my thoughts, I'd just like to let you know that you affect my life.
Now you know why I am stronger today than yesterday.
Tommy Gioeli
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