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

Update from Mom Marti

Hey all,

I got this email from Marti a few days back. Chris had protested the low wages of his job as a justice issue and ended up in solitary confinement for 6 days! He is doing okay and will still be eligible for early work release if he continues to behave. Check out what Marti has to say.
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Dear White Rose Community,

Blessings to you this passion week!

When we visited Chris this Sat. he was well and feeling good about the ministry of presence he is involved in in the jail. For the last 2 weeks he had not been reassigned a work duty. Due to budget cuts in WA State, the education program has been cut so he can't do ESL for his job(He continues to work with one man on ESL informally.). He said that since it is getting closer to the May 16th date they might just let him slide...The other inmates respect him for his stance. After the 6 days in solitary they decided that for now they will still aim for the early release but took all but personal hygiene and health items of the commissary list as punishment for 90 days. Then when he bought toothpaste and exchanged it for candy bars and "boasted"of it in a letter out, which they read, they took his e-mail privilege away for 45 days (which he hasn't been using anyway).

He said that he can only be released to an "institutional" half way house"so he cannot stay in White Rose in mid-May. They are looking at somewhere in South Chicago.

Also, we are having a prayer vigil for Chris, POC's, SOA and prisoners in general at our church on May 13th. In the meantime there was a partial prison message on the phone from yesterday which means he tried to call, which he hasn't been doing since we have been visiting weekly. Don't know what that means but a friend is visiting today so we'll see.

We will see Chris for Easter, I am making cards for him and a prisoner he asked us to write to as he so wishes to have some mail...I WISH I could sneak some Easter candy in but we'll be there with hugs and prayers.

Easter blessings to you all
Marti Spicer

Read these Factoids about our US Prison System!

13 March 2011

Dear Anne,

"A stray sheep was Israel that Lions pursued; formerly the King of Assyria devoured her, no Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon gnaws her bones." Jeremiah 50:17

When it costs $0.30 for Ramen soup, the basic wage [in the prison] of $0.12 an hour doesn't do much good. "It's like I just read in Grapes of Wrath," Greg says. In one month's work, dorm orderly Greg makes $5.25. "That's forced labor." Indeed, we will be sent to the hole if we don't work.

Sunday concludes with some lessons from Greg:

• Rates of recidivism for probation violations -- 85%
• Double jeopardy is a myth. If you've done time on a state charge, you'll get brought in for a federal charge.
• Prison gives housing to third world refugees.
• Prosecutors force guilt with no proof theories. They have no evidence, just a witness who lays the blame in exchange for a reduced sentence.
• The basic cost of housing a federal inmate before medical is calculated by the Bureau of Prisons at $21,000 per year.
• 2.3 million people incarcerated, 200,000 in federal prison
• 25% more people per capita in prison in the US than anywhere else...per capita!
• Felons are no longer afforded the basic moral rights due Americans.
  

My homework is to compare the definitions of kidnapping, extortion, and blackmail to the ordinary injustice of the system.

Chris

Possibility of Early Work Release

Hi folks,

I spoke to Marti, Chris' mom, today. She saw Chris over yesterday and apparently there is a real possibility that Chris might be able to get an early work release, possibly as early as May 16th. That would be about 6 weeks early. If he were released, he would have to go to a halfway house and work at least part-time. It turns out that there is a possibility that the Catholic Worker White Rose community in Chicago could be his halfway house, which would be ideal. So please pray that this may come about, if it is God's will for Chris!

Blessings,
anne

Workin for THE MAN

Hi folks,

I got this update from Chris' dad Dave on March 28.

Hi Anne,
I had a great meeting with Chris tonight. He is doing very well and has adjusted to his new environment. He even has a paying job working in the kitchen handling sanitation related who-knows-what. Chris even manages a crew all for the hourly rate of 50 cents/hour. High pay since the lowest entry level starts at 12 cents. How do they get away with those wages???

Dave

Hmmm, that's a really good question. How do they get away with that? Does anyone know if SeaTac Federal Detention Center is run by a for-profit company? If so, they are making out pretty darn good. They get the cheapest labor around to work for their business, barely having to pay a buck for the labor it takes to run a prison. And on top of it, the money pay out really just goes back into their own pocket since the guys mostly use it for commissary where everything is marked way up. What a brilliant system they have orchestrated! Looks like Wall Street has been giving them lessons!