A. Correspondence with Rick Sallinger
A1. Extract of a letter from Ted to Rick — March 7, 1999
A2. From Rick to Ted — March 17, 1999
At Colorado’s ADX, Kaczynski befriended two other high-profile inmates: Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and Ramzi Yousef, who was convicted in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. For a time, the three were exercise buddies who occupied neighboring prison cells.
Thanks for your letter of February 17.
In answer to your question, yes, I do share exercise time with Timothy McVeigh and Ramzi Yousef....
Dear Ted,
Thanks very much for your letter of March 7, 1999. As you requested I am enclosing copies of your letters and am signing them for you.
I appreciate your confirmation that you share exercise time with Mc Veigh ...
... DNA evidence. I think there’s good reason to believe that innocent prisoners have been executed, but I don’t see that that is worse than an innocent prisoner’s having to serve a life sentence. Of course, the argument is ... Oh, hell with it. I don’t want to say anything serious. Not in the mood for it.
I agree with you about the death penalty being “official revenge.” I mean, it was natural for the relatives of people killed in the Oklahoma City bombing to want McVeigh to die. That’s the law of nature. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life. But if they haven’t got the guts to take their own revenge, then they shouldn’t whine for the government to do it for them. I’m a great believer in self-reliance. If people want the government to do things for them, then they have no right to complain when the govt. charges them taxes or subjects them to regulations. They can’t have it both ways
* * *
Seriously, now, you don’t need to apologize for the birthday-card thing. And I do hope that things are going well for you.
Best regards,
Ted Kaczynski
Dear Dr. Sheptoski:
I have read your dissertation, “Ideology or Insanity? Media Presentation of Ted Kaczynski and Tim McVeigh.” I think you are quite right in concluding that the media tended to portray me as mentally ill to a much greater extent than they did McVeigh ...