living with solidarity

on Tuesday, April 11th, twenty-nine beautiful compassionate souls reported to federal prison. They were found guilty of violating the laws of the U.S. government, for crossing the line at Fort Benning, Georgia, at the annual School of the Americas/WHISEC protest/vigil. They were sentenced to time ranging from 60 days to 1 year for this illegal trespass.

I was there that Sunday in November 2005. I stood with 19,000 people and read the Pledge of Nonviolence, and I struggled with the competing desires to cross that line, take up the time of the military and the court system that seems to uphold their illegal behavior, and to be just a participant, and not a leader, in this event. The SOA vigil was my big test -- could I feel the solidarity of Black Bloc anarchists with Catholic priests and nuns, and *not* fall back on old patterns of "Bring It On!" ?

The SOA vigil was where I faced my demons from MCI Framingham (where I spent my 23rd birthday) and from Seattle '99 (where the chaffing plastic handcuffs made me long for the cold metal of old), and I returned to Denver most confident in my ability to live with intention, to feel injustice and fight them by example and not with my fists. Perhaps someday I will be able to cross that line for all the right reasons, leaving my ego and my selfishness on the pavement.

For now, my heart goes to those 29 people who are paying the government's ransom for living with moral conviction. Please write to them. Prison is a dehumanizing experience, designed to strip you of all sense of solidarity. A letter from a stranger really does make a difference.

The photo above is of Joanne Cowan, a Friend (Quaker) from Boulder, Colorado. She and I travel in many of the same circles, and, although I have met her I do not know her well. In her Statement to the Judge, Joanne wrote, "...I took direction from the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who suggested in a speech I read that there comes a time when to remain silent is criminal. I stand before you today so as not to be morally criminal, regardless if I'm found to be legally criminal by your judgement. ... Violence and love are mutually exclusive."

Joanne is serving a 60-day sentence. You may send letters to her at:
Joanne Cowan #92566-020
FCI Phoenix
Satellite Camp
37930 N. 45th Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85086


Unlike Joanne, who had a Clearness Committee (the Quaker way of making weighty decisions) process to carefully make the decision to cross the line before she even boarded the plane to Georgia, Donte Smith, 19 years old, seems to have made his decision to cross the line on the spot, driven by an "acute case of social conscience." Donte was sentenced to 3 months, plus a $500 fine. His address is:
Donte Smith #91436-020
FMC Fort Worth
Federal Medical Center
PO Box 15330
Fort Worth, TX 76119

You can read Donte's Statement to the Judge, as well as details for each of the 29, at www.soaw.org. If you live in the Rcoky Mtn region, please join the Yahoo Group "RMSOAW" which is led by Brendan McCrann, currently a Regis staff member in University Ministry. I know that there are other regional groups, so you can get involved no matter when your live. And the 2006 vigil at the gates of Ft. Benning will be held, as always, the weekend before Thanksgiving. I rank the experience as one of the most meaningful of my life, and urge you to look into how you can support our efforts to close the SOA/WHISEC (either with your money or your energy). Please contact me if you would like to purchase the 15-minute documentary on the 2005 Regis University delegation. It's a fundraiser for our annual trip.

peace.