Update from SOA Watch

Watch Prisoners of Conscience released from federal prisons.
Pedro Guzmán released from the Stewart Detention Center!

We are so excited to tell you that Father Louis, David Omondi and Pedro Guzman have been released from prison!

Last Friday David was met by friends and family at Yazoo City, Mississippi, and Father Louie at the Lompoc Federal Correctional Institution, California. After serving six months in prison for crossing the line onto Fort Benning during the 2010 November Vigil, they are glad to see loved ones and open space. They've sacrificed a lot to help transform this culture of militarism into one of justice and peace.

Can you join them in taking a stand? If you haven’t already, contact your representative today and urge them to sign on to the congressional letter calling for the closure of the SOA/WHINSEC by executive order.

Following 19 months of incarceration at the Stewart Detention Center (one of the largest immigrant prisons in the U.S.), Pedro Guzman has been released! Pedro's unjust incarceration was the focus of a protest and civil disobedience action in the lead-up to the 2010 November Vigil.

As Father Louis, David and Pedro head home, and while the SOA Watch Prisoners of conscience Nancy and Chris remain locked up, we have been stepping up efforts in the halls of the Capitol to build support for two important Congressional sign on letters. If you take action today, it will help strengthen our case and bring us even closer to shutting down the SOA and archiving justice in Honduras.

Charges against SOA Watch activists still pending in Columbus, Georgia and Washington, DC
All charges against Kaelyn Forde and Jon Conway, two of the journalists who were among those indiscriminately arrested by the Columbus police during the 2010 November Vigil, were dropped on Thursday, May 19, 2010. Nineteen of those who were arrested in Georgia last November still have pending charges of "unlawful assembly," "demonstration without a permit" and "picketing" against them. The SOA Watch Legal Collective is working with them on their legal defense.

Fifteen SOA Watch activists are scheduled to go to court in Washington, DC on September 12. The 15 were part of the die-in on the White House sidewalk during the SOA Watch Days of Action in April 2011. They engaged in the nonviolent direct action to call for an end to U.S. militarization in the Americas and on President Obama to sign an executive order to shut down the School of the Americas.

Thank you for all that you do in this movement! Let us keep everyone who is being targeted by the criminal (in)justice system and Nancy and Chris in our thoughts, write to them in prison and help magnify the courageous actions of all the prisoners of conscience by turning up the heat in Congress to close the SOA/WHINSEC for good.

Yours in struggle,

SOA Watch

P.S. Already taken action? You can help spread the word about this vital work by sharing this action with your friends and family here.

Help SOA Watch accompany Honduran community leaders whose lives are being threatened.

Thank you so much to everyone who’s already given to our new Honduras Accompaniment Program. Since the 2009 coup led by SOA graduates, over 80 political assassinations have taken place in Honduras. As a recent SOA Watch delegation substantiated, the numbers of murders, detentions and death threats to community leaders and human rights activists have spiraled in recent weeks. Our partners in Honduras have asked that we send Spanish-speaking international accompaniers to vulnerable communities. The mere presence of international observers can literally save lives of those struggling for justice in Honduras.

Thanks to your generosity, we have already raised $4283. There is still time to help us reach our goal of $5,000 to allow us to launch this program in June. If you haven't already done so, please give today! www.soaw.org

Chris' new address

HI folks!

Here's another update from moms!

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Chris called and said he had a safe trip and a precious furlough of 24 hours flying to Chicago and getting to stop and visit in the wee hours with his friends and community members of White Rose Catholic Worker of Chicago before he presented himself at the downtown correctional institution which may be his "home" til July 3. His address is: 105 S. Ashland Ave Chicago, IL 60607

He was able to get a pass to walk to St Pat's Cathedral yesterday for Mass, but will need to stay on the grounds for the rest of the week getting 25 credits of classes toward "reentry". He has a SINGLE room and a job there of washing showers at 9PM. Then the next week he must be looking for work.

Blessings,
Marti

Reflection from Mom

Below Marti reflects on her visit with Chris today as he awaited his plane transfer to Chicago. It's very touching, please read!
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Dear Anne, Family and friends,

Chris' Dad and I were able to pick him up at FDC Seatac and spend some precious time with him before he flew to Chicago to serve the last 6 weeks of his sentence at a Salvation Army halfway house. It was a joy to be able to be with him during this transition. He actually got out a few minutes early and had a chance to just sit quietly in the sun and contemplate the building, the blue sky and red azaleas...Then we picked him up and took him 1 block down the hill to a park with hiking trails, trees, birds singing. After a little time he picked a spot and we had time for a family prayer along with the Eucharist we had brought (his #1 request). Then we had coffee with Dad before he had to drop us at the airport and head back to work. Chris and I had a lovely visit over a nice meal -- he chose veggie pasta and we got salad, a fruit plate and some other things he had had little of...

He expressed appreciation for all the support of prayers,books, letters and visits (and the prayer and SOA/US prisons information night that was co-hosted by the St Joseph's Sister Parish El Salvador Committee and the Spicer Family. That night May 13th, we had the co-leaders of the PacNW SOAWATCH sharing, a video about the SOA and prayers of fifty attendees).

Chris said that the letters have been deeply moving but he is overwhelmed knowing he can not respond to them all and is hopeful that people have referred to the jailhousegenesis blog for information and updates. For the next week, he will have no or limited ability to leave the facility and probably limited phone and e-mail capability. We don't even have an address yet.
Folks in Chicago can only visit when they have applied and been approved through the BOP system.

So a new phase of his prison experience begins! Thank you for prayers for his continued journey. He has been safe and learned and given along the way.

Anne, THANK YOU so much for all your work on Chris' letters and blog!!! It has really lightened his load! I will try to send a picture of Chris as he was picked up today when I get it back from developing.

Marti

Fresh Air!

Well, the day has arrived. Tomorrow, Thursday, May 19th, Chris will be released early to finish his sentence in Chicago at a halfway house! I haven't been able to talk with him since my visit, so unfortunately I cannot report on how he is doing. Please continue to pray for him as he makes his transition. He'll be in the halfway house until the completion of his sentence, July 3. After that, he is free.

It is likely that Chris will want to post himself on this blog once he gets out, to share directly with all of you. Please stay tuned for several more weeks. Chris and his family have greatly appreciated your prayers, support, encouragement, books, letters ...everything!

Blessings,
anne

The Tumult of Visitors Day

30 April 2011

Dear Anne,

"There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.... She said, 'If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.'" Mk 5:28

After our visitors left, Desmond said to me: "My son...he keeps asking when I am coming home so I can make pancakes. He tells his mom she doesn't make them right..." Anne, you say there's something hard about me. You looked around the visitors room and said "Some of these men look scary." If only you knew our own fear, how hard it is to enter that visiting room... Cole on Friday night was clean-shaven and studded out with slicked hair to greet his lover. Afterward, when there were only remnants of the neighborhood late night snack he had prepared, he sat sullen in his room with Don, who, hyper as ever, after failing to cheer Cole up was probably desperate when he fetched a peanut butter wafer for me. Cole said, "Part of it was my fault. I had left my ID in the kitchen and couldn't find it." That slip ate ten minutes away of the visit. his friend came at 6:55 but because of the delay Cole arrived at 7:35, meaning only an hour and twenty-five minutes remained for a visit. "They should punish us, not them," Cole said. "They shouldn't treat our guests like that Greg agreed. But always a visit is bittersweet. Today I felt numb trying to believe your presence in the blueness of the veins in your hands, how you flip your hair back, and the silver hoop swings from your ear.

Chris

My visit to see Chris

I am a changed woman after visiting Chris. Frankly, I'm still not sure what to make of it all. The visit was absolutely drenched in the Holy Spirit and I feel very blessed to be Chris' friend. This experience of being his advocate has opened my eyes to a world that has always been far, far out of my line of vision. My life and the lives of those in my family have been untouched by this kind of hardship. I haven't prayed through it all yet but here is the brief letter that I wrote to Chris with a few reflections on the experience.

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May 2, 2011

Dear Chris,

It was SO GOOD to see you, to wrap you up in a big bear hug! Our two hours went so fast, they are a blur. I can still see you as I walked out the door, standing by the window, gazing through its frosted glass as you imagine the trees swaying in the breeze. I got teared up leaving you behind.

It was a very moving scene for me – the whole thing. The other inmates in all their shapes and sizes, with loved ones leaning in to talk close across the invisible “no touch” barrier delineated by language. There was so much life in that visitors room. Children, wives, girlfriends, siblings. The image of the Latino inmate rocking his sleeping 2 month old in his arms as he caught up with his special lady is burned into my mind. I swear my heart shattered into a million pieces.

Even just pulling into the parking lot of the looming concrete prison I started to well up. “There are people in there,” I whispered to my radio. People. Caged. Cut away from the body of Christ like a cancer threatening the life of us. I know that they screwed up but I also know that things just aren’t that simple. Everything is reduced to black and white inside the gray walls so we can pretend that life is fair, clear cut, able to be controlled.

It struck me hard too how many faces were of color. There were a couple white guys, but so many more of Latino and African American descent, shouting volumes about the breakdown in the ideals of the country I love so much, our beloved Land of the Free.

And you. The last I saw you, you had just left the Jesuits. When you came from around the post, I was caught off guard by the hardened edge of your gait and for a moment I was taken aback. This is not the same Chris. And why should it be? You have scaled mountains since we last saw each other, and so of course the story of your sacrifice is being written into your body.

And then we talked, and underneath the hardened exterior it was still you. Still you. Still your bright eyed, gentle, compassionate, fiery, driven, Jesuit self. Thank God. Thank God. Maybe you are even more yourself since the last time I saw you.

It was SO GOOD to see you, to wrap you up in a big bear hug. I can still see you standing by the window, gazing through its frosted glass as you imagine the trees swaying in the breeze.

Love

anne

Hopeward Bound

The following is a letter from Louie Vitale, another prison of conscience in protest of the SOA. Chris' legal advocate Bob forwarded it to me. It's very touching so I am going to print it and send it to Chris and also post it here for all of you.
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To Louie's Family and Friends: We just received this letter from Louie, who will complete his six month prison sentence at Lompoc on Friday, May 20, 2011. He'll return to the Bay Area that weekend.

'Hopeward' Bound (May 1, 2011)

When I came here last year it was time for the U.S. Census. They instructed us to write in for home address "Lompoc Prison." Quite a number of inmates balked at this: "This is not my home." It has given me some thought. Yes, we must put on our return label "Federal Prison" and all phone calls insert messages to the callee that this call is from a Federal Prison.

But in many ways it is a home when we are here. We may not think of it with the familiarity of home. In fact I do find a lot of life here. There are times when I feel a conviviality that is welcome and even enjoyable. There is a lot of humor. Further there are a great number of times we see inmates pushing wheel chairs for others or in many ways assisting the infirmed, handicapped and aging. Residents make friendships and partners in various activities, meals, music, sports, games, even work projects. I shall miss these friends, companions, neighbors (bunkies).

For me the Chapel is a second home. I feel close to God there, participate enthusiastically in religious services, Bible Study, the sharing of our lives, a place to go for quiet, peace, prayer or to direct others who might need toiletries, shower shoes and such on arrival and most of all a warm welcome. We often give special attention to prayers for the inmates or members of their families in sickness or even in death. For most of us this locates our Faith community, perhaps for many the first they have had in many years.

In addition I am able to continue sharing our concerns about the School of the Americas, Nuclear weapons, especially from the adjacent Vandenberg Air Force Base. We witness the test launches of I.C.B.M. missiles, and most recently of gigantic "classified reconnaissance satellites" into space, which some see as an initial step in Space War.

These observances, as well as CNN news of Japan, Libya, etc., are shared together and offered as concern for prayer. At the same time we note a searching eye for HOPE. As Pope Benedict expressed in his encyclical on Hope...we need a reference beyond the immediate time and place...We need to base our hope on a benign creation that goes on long beyond our earthly struggle...

Jesus noted that this "kingdom" is already in our midst. We experience daily the compassionate love of our creator in our daily lives. For me this is almost palpable here, both in life with others, at the Chapel and in prayer. Our Gospel message challenges us to look beyond these fences and see the goodness, even of our neighbors, the beauty around us, esp. in the universe, to know there is still love, life, beauty available to us in this world and "the next."

I am happy sharing this journey with my companions here, and with those who have been offering me support in love and prayers. I am happy and most grateful. Please keep praying for my "home mates" even after my departure.....

With much Love and many Blessings.

I'M HOPEWARD BOUND,

LOUIE