It’s literally no surprise at this point that I am a huge Twenty One Pilots fan. So another non-surprise will be sharing that there is a line from “Heathens” that plays out in my daily life:
“All my friends are heathens, take it slow.”
For some people, it sounds like rebellion. For others, irony. For those of us shaped by the justice system, directly or indirectly, it sounds like recognition; seeing each other the way that society sees us.
Because once you’ve seen how the system works, you stop expecting perfection.
Instead, you start valuing the hard work people put in and the honesty, growth, and repair it took to get there.
I Relate More to People Who’ve Messed Up and Gotten Better.
There’s a lot of stigma that comes along with someone having a conviction on their record, no matter what it is. I do not admire people who keep causing harm. I also do not excuse abuse, exploitation, or blatant refusal to change. What I do, very deeply respect, are people who:
- Made real mistakes
- Faced the consequences
- Took responsibility
- And then did the work to do and be better
Not people who pretend they were always flawless. Not people who rewrite history over and over to protect their ego and image. People who legitimately say: I did harm, and I won’t do it again.
That is not at all weakness; that is integrity. And it should be celebrated.
What the System Teaches You (Whether You Want It To or Not)
System-impacted people enroll in a tumultuous academy often referred to as the School of Hard Knocks. And they tend to learn a few things quickly:
- Life is not fair
- The rules are not evenly enforced
- Rich people get away with a lot of bullshit
- Power always matters more than truth
- Context is far too often ignored
- Redemption arcs seem to be optional
- But punishment is not
When you live close to incarceration, either through yourself, family, or community, you begin to understand how easily one bad day can become a life sentence of judgment. You stop believing that people should be defined by the worst moment of their lives.
Because if that were true, none of us would truly survive scrutiny.
Whether it’s one moment, or years of trauma even, the decisions made next carry what are referred to as collateral consequences. They impact job prospects, ability to apply for benefits, and in many cases, identity.
Accountability Is Not the Same as Permanent Condemnation
This is where a lot of people get stuck. Advocating for incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people does not mean:
- Ignoring harm
- Minimizing victims
- Erasing accountability
It means rejecting the idea that punishment is the end of their story. The harsh reality is that for many, they didn’t get caught, or they had money to wriggle out of harsh consequences. They didn’t have to reconcile with what they’d done.
True accountability, though, includes:
- Responsibility
- Repair
- Growth
- Reintegration
But no matter what, accountability should be getting better, not rooted solely in punishment. A system that only knows how to punish isn’t about safety. It’s entirely about one thing: control.
Why “Heathens” Resonates in Prison Advocacy Spaces
That song isn’t about chaos; it’s about trust built slowly. System-impacted people understand:
- All of us carry heavy things
- You earn trust through consistency
- People are complicated
- Redemption is messy
- Change takes time
There’s an unspoken understanding among people who’ve been through it: we know what it’s like to be reduced to a label. We know how dangerous and pretentious false moral superiority can be.
So we take it slow. With each other, with healing, and with the truth.
How People Can Broaden Their Understanding (and Actually Help)
America has a long way to go, even with the President of the United States of America having a felony conviction record (because of course, people do mental gymnastics to get around that, too). If you want to move beyond opinions and forward into meaningful advocacy, here are real ways to start:
Listen to System-Impacted Voices
Read work by incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people, not just about them.
Prison Journalism Project amplifies reporting from inside prisons, written by people who live there. It’s journalism rooted in lived experience, not assumptions.
Support Rehabilitation, Not Just Rhetoric
Organizations like Prison Fellowship focus on transformation, reentry support, and restorative approaches that recognize both accountability and humanity.
Challenge “One Strike” Thinking
Push back when conversations reduce people to a mugshot, a charge, or a headline. Dig deeper. Think critically and ask:
- What happened next?
- What work did they do?
- Who benefits from permanent exclusion?
Advocate for Second Chances in Practice
Support policies and programs that:
- Expand reentry services
- Remove employment and housing barriers
- Restore civil rights
- Invest in education and mental health support
Redemption only matters if it’s structurally possible.
Why This Matters Now
We live in a culture obsessed with exposure and punishment. But an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. If we don’t do something to change this trajectory, there’s little room for:
- Growth without spectacle
- Accountability without eternal exile
- Change without humiliation
System-impacted communities know the cost of that mindset, because they pay it every single day. If you’ve done your time, your debt to society should be over. Choosing to see people as more than their worst mistake isn’t naïve. It’s necessary.
Pulling It Together
I trust people who’ve struggled, owned it, and changed significantly more than people who insist they’ve never done anything wrong.
System-impacted people don’t expect perfection. We simply expect honesty, effort, and repair. So yeah, all my friends are “heathens.” Not because they’re dangerous. But because they’ve been tested, humbled, and changed.
And they know how to take it slow.
