“Write a Letter to a Mass Murderer”

A 2003 humor book titled “This Book Will Change Your Life” instructed readers to write a letter to a “mass murderer.” Kaczynski was on the book’s list of suggested killers that included Charles Manson, David Berkowitz (the “Son of Sam”) and “Night Stalker” Richard Ramirez.” Kaczynski received more than 100 letters and catalogued them all.

1.

Dear Mr. Kaczynski,

I was writing you this letter because I was just wondering why you decided to kill those people by sending them bombs in the mail. That’s all.

Sincerely,

P.S. DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?

2.

MR KACZYNSKI,

This is a short note to say Godspeed to you … and I hope you receive everything that is coming to you!

Cheers!

3.

Dear Mr. Kaczynski,

Hello, You don’t know me, but I purchased a book called, This Book Will Change Your Life. It is book that you follow for a year and you have to do a task each day. And today we had to write to a person in jail and I got your name and address from the book. If you actually get this then I would assume that you might get some others from other followers. People from all over the world are following this book. I am not trying to be rude or chastise you, but I thought you might want to get a letter. I wonder how many people will write you. So since I don’t know you I am not quite sure what to write. Can you believe that The Terminator is the Governor of California? Pretty weird. So do you get to read any books? Do you get to choose or do you have slim pickings from what they provide you with. Well if you get a chance to pick or if family members can provide you with a book, you should read, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. I just read it and it is a great mystery story. How about movies? I wonder if you get to see movies or if you are under heavy surveillance and have to stay confined to your cell. I don’t know how the prison system works. I have never been to jail, not even to visit someone. If you have a cellmate, do you get along ok? This is a little weird, writing to someone I don’t know. I don’t expect you to write back, I am just following the task for today from the book. Well I wish you that you find peace and compassion within yourself.

Thank you for reading this letter, even though it may seem weird to have gotten it.

4.

Dear Theodore,

Do you have to shave in prison? If no I think you should keep the beard. Just look at what it did for Abe Lincoln.

—[REDACTED]

5.

Hello.

was instructed to write to a Mass Murderer a letter. I read up on you. The only reason why I pic ed you was because out of all of the choices, you had killed the least about of people, how ever you had the intent of killing the most. I don’t know how many packages you had sent, but even one is to many. How can you take someone life? I am sure many people have asked you t at, but it is something that I can’t understand. Why do you think that you have a say in ®^ojie else s life? And these people had no ties to you, that I know of at least, why them? You didn t just affect the people that you killed, or the people that you injured, you affected their amily and friends. Those people are forever changed because of what you did. Where is this world coming to.

I see so many problems in this world. And it all has to do with the people. Why do we screw everything up. Everything. Pretty soon, we won’t have a planet to save. People are killing, rapinS, stealing. I suppose this is nothing new, but I just envisioned something better. People are capable of hope, and always hope for the best. I always hear about hope. But I think that is about as far as some people go. They hope, they pray. No one actually gets off their ass’s and does something.

I am not going to tell you that you are going to hell. Number one, I don’t really believe in it. Number two, I am not God. He will decide what happens to you. I guess all I really can do is hope. I hope that you see what you did was not fair to those you did it two. I hope you regret. I hope you grieve. And I hope one day you can forgive your self.

I am not signing this letter for obvious reasons...nor am T putting my address. That would be silly. I don’t want to die.

See ya.
Sincerely, Scared of Bombs in ML

6.

January 25, 2004

Dear Teddy,

Hello, how are you? I hope that everything is going good in Colorado. I am from Michigan and things here are very cold right now! I am writing to you because I am trying to change my life by building character, so today is my day to write a letter to a mass murderer.

So it says in my book that you killed 3 people....! was just wondering why? What was the reasoning behind the who bombing thing anyways? Although you are the only mass murderer in this book that has killed their victims with a bomb. Creative I guess, if you are into that type of thing, which I am defiantly not!

Alright well I think that is my letter for now. I hope you are having a great time in prison, and hey maybe you’ll get out someday...but I hope not, no offense!
Thanks a lot for all of your time. I hope that you enjoyed getting some mail.

Sincerely, Scared of Bombs in MI, [REDACTED]

7.

Ted,

I don’t know what to write to a mass murderer, but I guess I should say that I think you are a real jerk.

That is all.

8.

… for your brother to love you is [TEXT UNREADABLE], but that must be little [TEXT UNREADABLE] to your innocent victims & their families.

Do you ever think that you could use your intellectual gifts to do something positive? Or are you just a monster in a cage.

[REDACTED]

9.

BOOM.

10.

Jan 13, 2004

Mr. Kaczynski,

I think Will Ferrell used to do an excellent impression of you when he was on SNL. What do you think?

Signed,

A book reader
from St. Louis

11.

I believe you can change.

12.

:(

13.

Dear Unabomber,

What the hell happened, man? How did you ever end up in a federal prison in Colarado? You must have done something to really piss people, especially the government, off.

Oh wait... perhaps it was killing 3 people with those mail bombs you sent. …

P.S. I hope your pitally, cruel existance ends by your body spontaneously imploding, how ironic would that be?!?!?!

Once again, this has been,
[REDACTED], you smelly asshole!

14.

HOPE YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU DID.

15.

God Bless!

16.

20. February 2004

Dear Mr. Kaczynski,

I’m a college student in Boston writing to you because of a book that I bought. I’m sure you’ve actually had a few letters because of this book, ft’s meant to change one’s life. It hasn’t yet but I’m determined to stick with it and I hope that you can tolerate another one of these letters. Anyway, good luck. I wish you all the best while you are in prison and hope that you can one day make the world a belter place. Forgive me for not leaving a return address. I’m sure you understand.

Yours sincerely,

[REDACTED]

17.

… Anyway, this will be all for now. It was fun writing to you!

Sincerely,

(I would’ve written my name, but lots of people told me not to, sorry)

18.

1/13/05

Hey Ted,

How are you doing this fine day? It probably pisses you off to think I typed this letter on a computer. Sorry about that. I haven’t got the time to hand write this, not that you would be able to read it anyhow. I am just writing to you, mainly because this book I am following says I have to write to someone imprisoned for Mass Murder. I picked you, don’t you feel lucky. I don’t think you are insane, though you may think I am after reading this. I just think you are a man who holds really strongly to his beliefs. I agree in a small sense that the Industrial Revolution is killing our planet and all it’s living creatures and things. I don’t on the other-hand understand how killing or at least wounding a mass of people was really going to change all this. It will just breed sons and daughters who are that much more intent on doing as much as they can Scientifically/Genetically when they grow up, to live out their parents dreams. Too bad it didn’t work out for you, as your plan was a bit flawed. Hopefully in the afterlife you will pick a better way to express your views.

Good day,

(Yeah I know you think all women are manipulative, you are wrong about that too.)

P.S. — Hey maybe you should socialize in the prison yard today. It might be good for you.

19.

5/27/09

Dear Ted Kaczynski,

I am currently following a book called, “This Book Will Change Your Life”. In it are a series of tasks. One is to send a letter to a mass murderer and I chose you. I somewhat researched who you are through Wikipedia, which mentions that you were a child prodigy and were fairly smart. I am trying to understand, if you’re so smart, how is it that you chose the route you did to get to the goal you claimed to reach? Why did you think that blackmail would get your manifesto published? Some prodigies end up doing great things. What made you throw your ability away? I wish I was born a prodigy so I could do the things I do better. But here is a perfectly good explanation of waste. No offense. I think you could have achieved your goal in a much less violent approach. But now you have the rest of your life to figure that way out. Then if you ever get an opportunity, you could publish the ways in which you could have reached your goal, without violence and revenge. It seems maybe you should reevaluate the goal too. So maybe, when you were mad you felt like vengeance would fix it, although it didn’t as you now see, and you could come up with a better, more tolerable goal to society that is reachable. Too bad you chose the former.

20.

January 24, 2010
Theodore Kaczynski
Florence Admax USP
P.O. Box 8500
5880 Hwy 675
Florence, CO 81226

Dear Mr. Kaczynski,

I was inspired to write to you by a book I am reading. Perhaps this is not the first letter you have received in which someone has told you that. I do hope that you get a good amount of mail. I hope that at least some of it is pleasant and even merciful in nature. I know that I would want mail if I were in your place. I would want to know that the outside world is still there, still chugging along, still has not forgotten me. I hope that in your case, there are people who really knew you, for more than the bad things you have done, for more than your nickname, who haven’t forgotten you either. I really don’t know anything about you except for the bad things. But I am sure there were good things too. Even if there weren’t, you are still a person. And we as people are more than just the things we do. Our value is not made up of just those things. It is inherent. Unconditional. God tells me this, every day. He doesn’t forget us. And He hasn’t forgotten you. I hope that you listen to him, Mr. Kaczynski. I hope that He sends you mail. Good mail. Merciful mail. That’s the kind of mail He sends.

Sincerely, me