SHOWING OUR LOVE

 

 

GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH YOU TODAY.  IT IS GREAT TO BE BACK! 

 

YES, LOVE – LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOR IS MY SERMON OF TRUTH TODAY.  SO, WHO IS OUR NEIGHBOR?  I BELIEVE, WE ARE HERE FOR THE PURPOSE TO ESPOUSE ACTIVELY, LOVE AMONG EACH OTHER.  SO, OUR NEIGHBOR IS EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THE CAPTIVE, THE INMATE, THE PRISONER LIKE ME.

 

 LET ME READ TO YOU AN EXCERPT FROM ONE OF MY PRISON LETTERS.  AS YOU MAY RECALL, I RECENTLY RETURNED HOME FROM FCI WASECA IN MINNESOTA, WHERE I SPENT THREE MONTHS FOR TRESPASSING AT THE SCHOOL OF AMERICA’S.  I WAS ASKING THROUGH AN ACT OF LOVE AND CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE FOR THE CLOSURE OF THE SCHOOL OF AMERICAS (SOA) OR ALSO KNOWN AS THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY COOPERATION (WHISC).

 

(HERE IS THE EXCERPT):

 

APRIL 8TH, 2004

 

DEAREST FRIENDS & SUPPORTERS:

I KEEP ATTEMPTING TO WRITE THIS LETTER TO ALL OF YOU, BUT I GET HUGE KNOTS IN MY STOMACH AND WANT TO CRY.  I DIDN’T RECEIVE ANY OF MY MEDICATIONS FOR THE LAST THREE DAYS BEING LOCKED-UP LIKE AN ANIMAL OR SUB-HUMAN HERE AT FCI WASECA.  THE LACK OF THESE ESSENTIAL MEDICATIONS FOR MY SEVERE CONDITION OF FIBROMYALGIA IS HAVING MAJOR NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON HOW I FEEL HEALTH WISE.  BUT, I HAVE NO CHOICE.  I AM A LOWLY, WORM OF A PRISONER.  IF YOU COMPLAIN, YOU COULD BE SENT TO THE HOLE.  FOR ASKING QUESTIONS OR CLARITY TO RULES,ONLY MARKS YOU BEING “ARGUMENTATIVE” OR “DISRUPTIVE”.  MY DEEP SENSE OF LOSS, ISOLATION, BOREDOM AND FRUSTRATION LED ME TO BECOME DEEPLY DEPRESSED AND CHUCK FULL OF ANXIETY.  MY DEPRESSION FOLLOWS ME EVERYWHERE.  I PRAY FOR LIGHT AND ALL YOUR SMILING FACES.  IT TAKES EVERY FIBER WITHIN ME TO WRITE ONE LINE OF THIS EMOTIONALLY CHARGED LETTER.  I PRAY THAT THE PRISON STAFF FIND ME A JOB SOON TO MAKE THE TIME GO BY FASTER.  I FINALLY HAVE TO FACE ALL MY DEMONS – NO ESCAPING TO ALCOHOL!  THIS IS THE HARDEST ACT OF LOVE FOR MY NEIGHBOR THAT I HAVE EVER DONE IN MY BRIEF EXISTENCE UPON THIS EARTH.  IT IS LITERALLY A WAR ZONE, AN INTERNAL HELL PSYCHOLOGICALLY 24/7!!!

 

I WAS IN PRISON FROM APRIL THROUGH PART OF JULY THIS YEAR.  IT WAS A DIFFICULT JOURNEY TO HELP FURTHER THE CLOSURE OF THE SCHOOL OF AMERICAS (SOA), AND TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE DEPLORABLE WAY WE TREAT HUMAN BEINGS IN PRISONS AND JAILS ACROSS THE U.S. AND BEYOND.

 

  I SWORE NEVER TO BE SILENT WHENEVER HUMAN BEINGS ENDURE SUFFERING AND HUMILIATION.  WE MUST ALWAYS TAKE SIDES.  NEUTRALITY HELPS ONLY THE OPPRESSOR, AND NEVER THE VICTIMS.  SILENCE ENCOURAGES THE TORMENTOR, NEVER THE TORMENTED, AS FOUND IN OUR U.S. FEDERAL AND STATE PRISONS, AS REVEALED TO ME BY MY LIMITED, BUT EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE AT FCI WASECA.  I ASK YOU, MY FRIENDS, WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE SILENCE OF GOOD PEOPLE TO SPEAK UP, BEFORE NO ONE IS LEFT TO SPEAK UP FOR IN OUR SMALL, INTERCONNECTED, INTERDEPENDENT WORLD?  YOU ARE NOT FULFILLING YOUR HIGHEST POTENTIAL AS A HUMAN BEING, IF NOT CARING AND SHOWING ALL YOUR LOVE FOR ALL OUR NEIGHBORS THROUGHOUT OUR WORLD AND BEYOND.  WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORS WHO ARE DENIED RESPECT, REHABILIATION, FORGIVENESS, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND MOST OF ALL LOVE FOUND IN OUR U.S. PRISONS.

 

THE U.S. HAS THE LARGEST PRISON SYSTEM IN THE WORLD AT AROUND 2.1 MILLION MEN AND WOMEN.  IN OUR VERY OWN COUNTRY, WE DON’T UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF LOVE OF NEIGHBOR.  OVER HALF OF THE 2.1 MILLION PRISONERS ARE NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS, YET WE VIOLENTLY LOCK THEM UP LIKE YESTERDAYS TRASH.  WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BEINGS, WHO CAN CHANGE THEIR LIVES AROUND FOR THE BETTER, IF MET BY A TRUE JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT SEEKS TO LOVE THE HUMAN THROUGH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, AND NOT SEEK VENGEANCE AS IT DOES TODAY.  REFORM IS THE BUZZ WORD FOR TODAYS LOVERS OF LIFE. WHERE ARE OUR VOICES?  WE CAN’T JUST ADMIRE OTHERS, OR LISTEN TO OTHERS LIKE MYSELF, AND SANDY, WE TOO MUST ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND ACT IN LOVE FOR OUR, (ALL) OUR NEIGHBORS, REGARDLESS OF NATIONALITY, INCOME, RACE, COLOR, CREED, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, ECT.

 

THE FEDERAL SYSTEM IS THE LARGEST PRISON SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY, AND IS GROWING AT NEARLY DOUBLE THE RATE OF THE STATE POPULATION (5.4 PERCENT VS. 2.9 PERCENT).  THE FEDERAL SYSTEM’S GROWTH IS FUELED BY DRUG OFFENDERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE SERVING IMMORAL AND LENGTHY MANDATORY SENTENCES WITH PROSECUTORIAL ENHANCEMENTS ADDED ON AFTER SENTENCING.

 

“MANDATORY SENTENCES ARE FILLING FEDERAL PRISONS WITH LOW-LEVEL, NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS INSTEAD OF THE KINGPINS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO CATCH,” SAID FAMILIES AGAINST MANDATORY MINIMUMS PRESIDENT JULIE STEWART.  SHE GOES ON TO SAY,  “THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD LEARN FROM THE SUCCESS OF THE STATES THAT HAVE REFORMED THEIR MANDATORY SENTENCING LAWS, AND GIVE JUDGES THE DISCRETION TO FIT THE PUNISHMENT TO THE CRIME.”

 

THESE ARE THE GOOD MEN (OR AS I CALL THEM MY FRIENDS AND DEFINITELY NEIGHBORS), THAT I MET WHILE IMPRISONED IN WASECA.  THEY ARE HUNGERING FOR RESPECT, JUSTICE AND A CARING PERSON ON THE OUTSIDE TO COMMUNICATE THEIR STORY.  I WAS SCOTT DIEHL, NUMBER 92093-020, and (HOLD UP CARD).  MANY WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.  SOME OF THEIR NAMES, NUMBERS, UNITS AND ADDRESS ARE AS FOLLOW FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN CORRESPONDING WITH THEM:

 

ANTHONY MAJZER, #05225-090, UNIT B

TOM RICHARDSON, #11758-424, UNIT E

STEVE SAMBORSKI, #10838-041, UNIT C

VICTOR CAMUNAS JR., #88906-198, UNIT A

TIM O’BRIEN, #08569-030, UNIT B

JIM HARTIN, 07826-091, UNIT A

DANIEL WARN, #11056-041, UNIT A

SALVATORE LARIZZA, #15647-080, UNIT A

JERRY MYERS, #12448-045, UNIT E

 

FCI WASECA

P.O. BOX 1731

WASECA, MINNESOTA 56093

 

REV. MARTIN NIEMOLLER COMMUNICATED THE NOW FAMOUS SAYING THAT MOST PEOPLE SLAUGHTER, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW ITS EXACT WORDING, BUT IT GOES AS FOLLOWS; “IN GERMANY, THEY FIRST CAME FOR THE COMMUNISTS AND I DIDN’T SPEAK UP BECAUSE I WASN’T A COMMUNIST.  THEN THEY CAME FOR THE JEWS, AND I DIDN’T SPEAK UP BECAUSE I WASN’T A JEW.  THEN THEY CAME FOR THE TRADE UNIONISTS, AND I DIDN’T SPEAK UP BECAUSE I WASN’T A TRADE UNIONIST.  THEN THEY CAME FOR THE CATHOLICS, AND I ONCE AGAIN DIDN’T SPEAK UP BECAUSE I WAS A PROTESTANT.  THEN, THEY CAME FOR ME, AND BY THAT TIME NO ONE WAS LEFT TO SPEAK UP”.

 

I ASK YOU, WILL YOU SPEAK UP, BEFORE NO ONE IS LEFT ON THIS EARTH TO SPEAK UP FOR?  IF THERE WAS NO ONE COURAGEOUS TO SPEAK UP ON BEHALF OF THE POOR AND OPPRESSED, JESUS OF NAZARETH WOULD NOT HAVE INIATED THE FOLLOWING OF PEOPLE WHO NOW CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS.  IF NO ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN COURAGEOUS TO SPEAK UP ON BEHALF OF INDIA’S POOR AND OPPRESSED, GANDHI’S VISION FOR FREEDOM AND LOVE WOULD HAVE FAILED.  IF NO ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN COURAGEOUS TO STAND UP FOR THE POOR AND OPPRESSED IN TIBET, THE DALAI LAMA WOULD HAVE NO INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT, SO AMA ADHE WHO AFTER 27 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT BY HER TORMENTORS – CHINA, WOULD HAVE ALL BEEN IN VAIN.  IF NO ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN COURAGEOUS TO SPEAK UP ON BEHALF OF THE POOR AND OPPRESSED, THE CATHOLIC WORKER HOUSES STARTED BY DOROTHY DAY WOULD NOT BE HELPING THOUSANDS TODAY ON THE STREETS OF AMERICA.  IF NO ONE, LIKE SUSAN B. ANTHONY, WOULD HAVE BEEN COURAGEOUS TO STAND UP FOR WOMEN, WOMEN TODAY MAY STILL BE TREATED AS PROPERTY, NOT AS AN EQUAL HUMAN LIFE.  IF NO ONE, LIKE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., WOULD HAVE BEEN COURAGEOUS TO STAND UP FOR ALL BLACKS, ALL MINORITIES, ALL PEOPLE WHITE OR NON-WHITE WOULD NOT BE FREE FROM DISCRIMINATION.  GET THE PICTURE!  WE MUST BE THOSE COURAGEOUS, LOVING PEOPLE OF TODAY REACHING OUT TO LOVE ALL OUR NEIGHBORS BY SPEAKING UP.  ONE PERSON CAN AND ALWAYS HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

 

A TIBETAN SAGE, ONCE SAID, “WHAT IS NEEDED IS NOT MORE TEACHINGS, BUT MORE PRACTICE’.  THIS IS WHAT I AM ATTEMPTING TO SAY, NOTHING NEW, NO NEW GIMMICKS OR FADS, JUST TO FOLLOW AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE – PRACTICE LOVE UPON ALL OUR NEIGHBORS.  ATTEMPT TO LIVE IN PEACE AND HARMONY, NOT HATE AND VIOLENCE.  REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE IN A U.S. PRISON TODAY BY SENDING THEM A NOTE OR CARD.

 

PERSONALLY, IAM NOT ANYONE REMOTELY CLOSE TO ANY PROPHET, LIKE MOTHER THERESA OR BUDDHA, BUT I TAKE SMALL STEPS WITH GREAT LOVE, JUST AS MOTHER THERESA HERSELF ONCE SAID, “I DON’T DO ANY GREAT THING; I DO SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE.”  SENDING A LETTER TO A PRISONER WOULD BE A SMALL THING FILLED WITH GREAT LOVE.  JOIN FAMM FOR ONLY $25 A YEAR TO HELP REFORM PRISONS.  THIS TOO WOULD SHOW GREAT LOVE.

 

  I BELIEVE, IF THERE IS AN AFTERLIFE, THERE ARE NO LABELS THERE, SUCH AS GAY OR LESBIAN, JUST BEAUTIFUL HUMANS.  OR, EVIL PEOPLE LIKE HITLER OR RUSH LIMBAUGH, JUST BEAUTIFUL HUMANS; NO CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM OR ATHIEST, JUST BEAUTIFUL HUMANS; NO LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE, NO REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT (THANK GOD), JUST BEAUTIFUL HUMANS; NO AMERICANS, AND NO IRAQIS, JUST BEAUTIFUL HUMANS; AND NO RICH OR POOR, JUST EQUALLY DESERVING, BEAUTIFUL HUMANS. NO PRISONERS, ONLY BEAUTIFUL HUMANS.  THIS IS WHAT LIFE IS SUPPOSE TO BE – A VISION OF UNITY, NOT BORDERS AND WALLS THAT SEPARATE AND DIVIDE.

 

AS THE WORLD-FAMOUS RUSSIAN AUTHOR FEODOR DOSTOYEVSKY ONCE WROTE, WHICH, ELOQUENTLY SUMS UP MY FEELINGS?  “LOVE ALL GOD’S CREATION, THE WHOLE AND EVERY GRAIN OF SAND IN IT.  LOVE EVERY LEAF, EVERY RAY OF GOD’S LIGHT.  LOVE ALL THE ANIMALS, LOVE THE PLANTS AND TREES, LOVE EVERYTHING.  IF YOU LOVE EVERYTHING, YOU WILL PERCEIVE THE DIVINE MYSTERY IN THINGS.  ONCE YOU PERCEIVE IT, YOU WILL BEGIN TO COMPREHEND IT BETTER EVERYDAY, AND YOU WILL COME AT LAST TO LOVE THE WHOLE WORLD WITH AN ALL-EMBRACING LOVE”.

 

I LOVE YOU AND I THANK YOU.  GOD BLESS THE WORLD!

 

 

SCOTT P. DIEHL