Tim, I liked this concept from the moment I read about it and now that I am involved in it I am so anxious to see what kind of responses we get from the first four letters I send out this week, fingers crossed! I am following this as well on the blog. So many good things going on and I am proud and blessed to be a part of most of it! Lynette
Tim, This proposal is a necessary one, too many inmates that are ill and are not getting the proper treatment. No person should have to suffer intentionally, I hope that everyone sees that this needed and that it moves forward and someday soon becomes a reality! Lynette
Tim, Is this newsletter available only on the site here or on the web? Or can one subscribe to it? Let me know ok? Does CURE-ARM have a newsletter?? Lynette
Tim, We will get this book written! Your poems are a reflection of who you are and what you have been through, of your struggle and all the good you are doing for others! Love these poems! Lynette
Tim, From this latest installment I can see that God is working through you and everyone involved in the effort to change things at Shirley and other prisons as well. Too many of us on the outside don't see the "big picture", inmates are human, they too are God's children, they have made mistakes, and they are paying for them, it doesn't mean that they shouldn't be treated as such, I am in awe at the work you and all involved are doing! Lynette
Tim, Wow!! This story hit home for me, not in the sense that it personally happened to me but in my criminal justice class we had to write on this exact same topic, two famous cases which I cant recall the names at present but both teens, both sentenced to life in prison, one deserved the sentence yet the other one didn't, this topic is one that has so many black, white yet grey areas! I hope to hear more on this subject! Lynette
Anyway, it occurs to me that there is great honor in making this decision. If he had continued to fight - continued to be the warrior that he was for all of his life - what would he have contributed to our evolving respect for native american culture? He would just have been another warrior that died. Sad - but he would have been largely forgotten.
Anyway, I know that it's hard to write and capture what you want - so I may not be putting this well. I'm really not saying you should do anything different - it's not about doing, but about the fact I think there is honor in many choices. I understand the honor in your choice - but I also see- perhaps, honor in theirs.
We (you and I) cannot know the honor they possess - because we have not walked in their shoes - and don't know the good they are doing. They could be sitting there as liars - having done no good - with no honor. Or they could be sitting there as brave men who are committed to change. To walking a very peaceful - good - path.
Perhaps someday they will become leaders for change. Or just everyday good men who take care of their children, their families and practice honor in their everyday life.
For me, giving some distance to the KNOWING for sure what happened - and not knowing for sure (as we don't) *also* softens the anger, - and the judgment. It allows life to have space (not everything is black/white).
And it isn't.
Anyway, that last piece is from MY experience of life, too. It's what I practice.
I do hope you are well and encouraged by the hearings - and all of the developments that I read about. You really do have my best wishes.
The first thing I thought of when I read your post was when to put things down. I kind of remembered the example of Chief Joseph (perhaps you remember the movie: From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more).
The thing is, he never stopped fighting. He fought his whole life. He went to Washington - he spoke out everywhere for his people.
He never got his land back - the thing that he wanted so much. But we (Americans who are not native to this land) remember him and his example. And he has contributed - these many years later - to ongoing reforms. At my child's school, they talk about what we did to native Americans at Thanksgiving. When I was a child, this would not have happened.
I'm not saying there isn't much to be done (there is - native Americans still suffer). But his example is a powerful one of hope, courage and strength. And it made an impression that lasted so much longer than his life -
I am not someone given to fighting - so I don't know what it feels like to have all of that energy in life. But I DO know what it's like to be angry and feel like you are right. I can feel very angry and very self righteous! And I also know how hard it is to change (I'm trying!)
Putting down those feelings is always (always!) very hard. But I know that there is also honor in letting go of the fight. I work on that quite a bit ;-).
I'm old (50 this year) - and it's still hard to realize that my opinions are not the center of the universe. I just got into an discussion today in which I KNOW I'm right :) - but I also have to let it go. There is honor in letting things go - in the service of better things.
Anyway, I am sharing my struggle - because I also struggle - like we all do. It's different than yours, but to me it feels very real and powerful.
RSS
I liked this concept from the moment I read about it and now that I am involved in it I am so anxious to see what kind of responses we get from the first four letters I send out this week, fingers crossed! I am following this as well on the blog.
So many good things going on and I am proud and blessed to be a part of most of it!
Lynette
This proposal is a necessary one, too many inmates that are ill and are not getting the proper treatment. No person should have to suffer intentionally, I hope that everyone sees that this needed and that it moves forward and someday soon becomes a reality!
Lynette
Is this newsletter available only on the site here or on the web? Or can one subscribe to it? Let me know ok?
Does CURE-ARM have a newsletter??
Lynette
We will get this book written! Your poems are a reflection of who you are and what you have been through, of your struggle and all the good you are doing for others! Love these poems! Lynette
From this latest installment I can see that God is working through you and everyone involved in the effort to change things at Shirley and other prisons as well. Too many of us on the outside don't see the "big picture", inmates are human, they too are God's children, they have made mistakes, and they are paying for them, it doesn't mean that they shouldn't be treated as such, I am in awe at the work you and all involved are doing!
Lynette
Wow!! This story hit home for me, not in the sense that it personally happened to me but in my criminal justice class we had to write on this exact same topic, two famous cases which I cant recall the names at present but both teens, both sentenced to life in prison, one deserved the sentence yet the other one didn't, this topic is one that has so many black, white yet grey areas! I hope to hear more on this subject! Lynette
Anyway, I know that it's hard to write and capture what you want - so I may not be putting this well. I'm really not saying you should do anything different - it's not about doing, but about the fact I think there is honor in many choices. I understand the honor in your choice - but I also see- perhaps, honor in theirs.
We (you and I) cannot know the honor they possess - because we have not walked in their shoes - and don't know the good they are doing. They could be sitting there as liars - having done no good - with no honor. Or they could be sitting there as brave men who are committed to change. To walking a very peaceful - good - path.
Perhaps someday they will become leaders for change. Or just everyday good men who take care of their children, their families and practice honor in their everyday life.
For me, giving some distance to the KNOWING for sure what happened - and not knowing for sure (as we don't) *also* softens the anger, - and the judgment. It allows life to have space (not everything is black/white).
And it isn't.
Anyway, that last piece is from MY experience of life, too. It's what I practice.
I do hope you are well and encouraged by the hearings - and all of the developments that I read about. You really do have my best wishes.
JT
The thing is, he never stopped fighting. He fought his whole life. He went to Washington - he spoke out everywhere for his people.
He never got his land back - the thing that he wanted so much. But we (Americans who are not native to this land) remember him and his example. And he has contributed - these many years later - to ongoing reforms. At my child's school, they talk about what we did to native Americans at Thanksgiving. When I was a child, this would not have happened.
I'm not saying there isn't much to be done (there is - native Americans still suffer). But his example is a powerful one of hope, courage and strength. And it made an impression that lasted so much longer than his life -
Putting down those feelings is always (always!) very hard. But I know that there is also honor in letting go of the fight. I work on that quite a bit ;-).
I'm old (50 this year) - and it's still hard to realize that my opinions are not the center of the universe. I just got into an discussion today in which I KNOW I'm right :) - but I also have to let it go. There is honor in letting things go - in the service of better things.
Anyway, I am sharing my struggle - because I also struggle - like we all do. It's different than yours, but to me it feels very real and powerful.
Change is VERY hard for everyone.