|
Fred's Letters from Prison
Fred Brancel is the latest recipient of the Perry Saito Award for emboding social justice and common peace. This award is given annual by the Wisconsin United Methodist Federation for Social Action. You are invited to read Fred's letters and to release God's presence within you for the good of all. We thank our good friends at Kairos CoMotion for the opportunity to post these letters from Fred. E-mail letters can be sent to Fred at fredinjail@gmail.com A First Letter from Prison Rev. Amy DeLong and valued Kairos friends, Warm greetings as I sit in the sunshine at a picnic table next to the tennis court where "honest" Jimmy, cocaine dealer, is perfecting his stoke and two guitarists, one from Poland, enjoy sharing their music talent. I just received belatedly, for whatever reason, the thoughtful invitation from Amy to share my experience here with the Kairos community. While I do not feel qualified and consider it a challenge without access to files or computer, and finding it difficult to keep up with the "routine" mail received and my window washing job/work assignment, I cannot pass up the opportunity to share this privileged faith journey and spread the word about the notorious SOA (School of the Americas), the primary reason for my being here. Amy suggested that I begin with some background information about myself and the SOA. As mentioned in my trial statement, it’s not easy to condense eight decades of work and travel into two or three paragraphs. Details are available in the eight sheet timeline prepared on request for my 80th birthday BASH, August 21st at Whispering Pines United Methodist Camp, Frederic, WI, to which all are invited. A bio-sketch summary, for those who don’t know me. I have always considered myself fortunate / privileged/ blessed to have been raised by devoted Christian parents on a productive family dairy farm in Wisconsin. My parents were never in the field, or in a store, on Sunday and had an exceptional non-violent approach to problem solving which may have been a challenge with four sons in six years. I was nurtured and enriched and given direction by committed Sunday School, MYF and 4-H leaders, "opening doors" to/for growth and learning opportunities and providing role-models and life-long friendships. I learned at an early age of turning swords into plow shares and spears into pruning hooks. I became an admirer during my teens of Gandhi's non-violence based on the principle that "the human spirit is more powerful than tanks and aircraft." My commitment to this principle was nurtured and strengthened while a student at the University of Wisconsin. All of my working years were with the Methodist (UM) Church except for a two year interval directing a Peace Corps pilot-project, '62-'63, in St. Lucia, West Indies. Ten years as an agricultural (village improvement / community development) missionary in Angola, Africa were terminated with 3 months imprisonment and deportation by the Portuguese colonist government at the beginning of the independence movement. In '63 we returned to Africa as educational missionaries in South Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. My first wife died there in '65. My late-wife Joyce and I married in Switzerland in '68 and flew the next day to Kinshasa, Zaire with eight of our nine children. In '71 we returned to the U.S. via Sweden where we bought a new Volvo which was our one and only four-wheeled vehicle as we "raised" our eight teenagers at the time. I was the lay-associate at University UM Church, '72-'77, and the Director-Manager of Whispering Pines UM Camp, '77 till retiring in '88. An important experience at camp was hosting refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala enroute to Canada. This increased our awareness of and information about our government's involvement in Central and South America, and the atrocities the SOA graduates committed there. Widowed a second time in 2000, I am now blessed with another wonderful companion. Over the years, I have enjoyed numerous Volunteer in Mission trips and travel opportunities to Europe, the Near East, Central and South America, and the Caribbean, including Cuba, with various educations organizations. In '90 we had an exceptional 8 months and 2 days tent camping around the world with son Mark and family. And last July-August we had 5 meaningful weeks in Africa with the same son's family. I must not leave out the two weeks in Iraq in April '04 with the Christian Peacemakers Team. Last September I attended the Bring-Our-Troops-Home Rally in DC and in November, I attended my third SOA Watch at Fort Benning. Each of these experiences brought me information and insight not commonly available in our corporate-controlled US media. Inspired by a book study at church, and remembering President Eisenhower's cautioning about the impact of our military-industrial complex, I decided to commit civil disobedience at Fort Benning because of growing deficit, growing disparity, growing distrust, and growing discord/animosity, and the need I see to "change the direction of the wind." I mention each of these experiences, and I could include many more, because they have contributed to my perception of the world "community" and it's needs. These, along with my understanding of Christian discipleship, are part of the reason/motivation for my committing civil-disobedience at the SOA last November, bringing a three month sentence, $500.00 fine and four month's loss of social security. I have friends and relatives who think/say there are better ways to spend time and resources. Martin Luther King is quoted, "...when silence is betrayal ..." Each of us must choose. Gratefully, with prayerful wishes for grace and peace, Fred A Second Letter from Prison: School of the Americas Warm greetings, As I indicated before, this Part 2 is focused on the infamous School of the Americas. You have probably seen Mary Ann's [Fred's spouse] article in the May '06 Wisconsin Methodist Federation for Social Action's Plumbline. It has more information than I could provide and is probably better written. Affectionately, with gratitude and best wishes, Fred [Below is Mary Ann's article. Thanks to Mary Ann and the Plumbline for letting Kairos re-print it.] Jailed for Justice at the SOA Fr. Roy Bourgeois "connected the dots" early on as to what was happening at the military training center in Columbus, GA. In 1983, impersonating an officer, he entered the base at Ft. Benning, climbed a tree next to the Salvadoran barracks and after dark loudly played the tape of Archbishop Oscar Romero's last homily. He paid for that with 18 months in jail. In 1980, Bishop Romero had been assassinated while delivering his homily calling on Salvadoran troops to stop killing their own people. The same year, four American church women were raped and killed by the military in El Salvador. In 1981, 900 civilians were massacred in El Mozote. These documented atrocities had been carried out, in large part, by graduates of the School of the Americas (SOA). Surely exposing this information would bring change. But in 1989 came another massacre at the University of El Salvador: six Jesuit priests, their co-worker and her teenage daughter. Names of SOA graduates were among the accused. From this outrage and concern was born in 1990 the SOA Watch founded by Fr. Bourgeois: "an independent grassroots organization that seeks to close the SOA through vigils and fasts, demonstrations and nonviolent direct action, as well as media and legislative work." In 1996, after the Pentagon was forced to release SOA training manuals that revealed numerous passages encouraging torture, extortion, and "neutralizing" and in general are permeated with contempt for law and democracy, the school closed for a few days. It reopened with a new name: Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC). But no real investigation took place; manuals and curricula were not revised. The same atrocities continue today in Colombia, which at present sends more trainees to Ft. Benning than any other country. The goal remains: close the school and have a thorough investigation. Yearly demonstrations at Ft. Benning have grown from a few participants in 1990 to 19,000 in 2005. Legislative work has increased, too. Rep. James McGovern is presently inviting his colleagues to co-sponsor H.R. 1217, the "Latin America Military Training Review Act" [to that end.] So far 126 of them have responded. [In Wisconsin, Baldwin, Kind, Moore and Petri are already co-sponsors, thank them and contact the others.]... Fred Brancel, my husband, was one of 19,000 demonstrators in November of 2005. He was also one of the 41 who went under the fence to commit civil disobedience and make his voice heard concerning the injustices that result from the training at Ft. Benning. He was arrested, handcuffed and shackled, and taken to the county jail for the night. The following day he was released on bail. He returned to Columbus, GA for trial on Jan. 30, 2006. He pled guilty of trespassing on government property and was sentenced to 90 days of incarceration and a fine of $500. [Fred, age 79, began his sentence at the Oxford, Wisconsin federal prison on April 11, just a few miles from his birthplace farm, and will "graduate from Oxford” on July 8]. Fred feels privileged to join over 170 women and men who have served a total of over 78 years in federal prisons and local jails for speaking out for our sisters and brothers who suffer every day because of US policies. As Christians we are dismayed when our government is complicit in such wrong-doings and we say "Not in our name!" We are called to love all of God's people, especially the poor who cry out, but whose voices are not heard. "Faith is not just something we profess but something we must live in the real world." (Gail Phares, founder of Witness for Peace).A Third Letter from Prison Dear Amy and Kairos Co-Hearts, Guess what I just discovered as I began to write. Yes, that’s right, this is 6-6-06. And I had been thinking this might not be the right/best time to write. Well, the rain has stopped but it is still misty and chilly, so I went back inside (I’m at a picnic table under the shelter between the tennis and basketball courts) to get the sweatshirt which inmate Pat has loaned me. Consistent with my frugal-Fred nickname, the only thing I get from the commissary are postage stamps. Another inmate Joe has loaned me tennis shoes, which are rahter worn, but they are more comfortable than the boots provided and they are required to go into the gym. Characteristically, but "not-the-first-time", I’ve gotten distracted. And to complicate matters, Buddy, my co-prisoner of conscience and "leaning pole" who will be singing at my 80th Birthday Bash (have I told you and invited the Kairos Community? It will be August 11-13. All are welcome. More info from Mary Ann Litwiller, 608-221-2725. Note Mary Ann will be in Argentina with her family June 17-July 3). Back to Buddy, out reading and walking, as he does frequently, he provided interesting/discouraging data about the disparity of CEO's and worker’ earnings. The US has, of course, the greatest disparity at 400+ times. Thanks to the recent tax breaks legislation couples with two children and income of $1 Million + get an $84,000 rebate and lower income couples with two children, paying the same gas and other sales' tax, receive a $0 rebate. Then, the officers at Abu Ghraib prison at the time of the abuse scandal could not keep their jobs, so they were given promotions. Time for our regular 3:00 pm "supper", then awakened from nap by announcement of mail call which over-lapped with evening TV news out of Madison, during which Buddy thoughtfully/helpfully brought my record five pieces of mail (not including the day 26 e-mail came in one envelope and I had another one or two). Now we have enjoyed the beautiful sunset and fantastic array of clouds. Rosary is on in the chapel now and I'm going to the 9 pm mass because it will be co-prisoner of conscience's last one here. He leaves at 9 am tomorrow and I will then be the oldest, though not the wisest or richest, of the 240+/- inmates. Quite and honor? Now 10:30 pm The 10 pm evening inmate count is over and our four person popcorn farewell for Delmar after the mass. So I must hurriedly complete this and get it into the envelope. Back now to the original reason for thinking this might not be the right/best time to write. I received this morning a fax reply from the court in Georgia "denied as unwarranted" my request to attend my granddaughter's High School graduation in St. Paul, MN, Thursday evening. While disappointed that I won't be present for my granddaughter's valedictory speech, there are a couple positives: 1. Mary Ann will have more time to prepare for the Argentina trip. 2. I am better "equipped" to relate to Joel, a close inmate friend, as he will be missing his oldest daughter's High School graduation Friday. Now the challenge is in Amy’s "hands" to sift, condense, edit, decide if there is anything at all here of interest or relevance. I've not forgotten that I'd planned to write about diversity. That may still happen. Grace, peace and best wishes. Fred P.S. I received a note from Grantsburg pastor that they are remembering me in prayer. A Fourth Letter from Prison Dear Amy, Warm greetings once more from Oxford. Thank you for your thoughtful, affirming e-mail received yesterday. I'm glad my first "effort" from here fit into the acceptable category. I'm back to try again, feeling inspired even while lamenting not being present for my granddaughter's valedictory speech at her High School graduation in St. Paul tonight. My appeal for permission was denied as unwarranted by Judge Faircloth. My next appeal / motion is that the "un" be shifted from warranted to Faircloth [making un-Faircloth]. Back to the inspiration – I have just chanced to find the choir practicing "I’ve got peace (love, joy) like a river", in the chapel, where I've taken refuge from my room. Buddy, my other co-prisoner of conscience and my "leaning-pole", who will be singing at my birthday BASH, is now doing the choir solo. Inspiration keeps coming!! And here you may need to take sides as the evening TV news, Channel 27 from Madison, reported 1) A military officer refusing to go to Iraq, and 2) The killing of Zarqawi in Iraq. As you have probably read in the May Plumbline, Dave Morey and I are being honored by the Wisconsin Methodist Federation for Social Action with Perry Saito Awards. I am humbled and grateful. I am not acquainted with Mr. Morey but, from my current prison experience, I commend him for '...creating strong programs of rehabilitation rather than retribution..." The Oxford prisons have two gifted, devoted chaplains and a thoughtful counselor attempting to minister to some 2000 inmates. I can’t speak for the 1800 in solitary confinement, but the 240+ of us here in the "camp" could surely use more help. With the lack of attention given to rehabilitating, it is no wonder that 2/3 of those incarcerated with be returning / arrested again after released. Fortunately, there are individuals like Mr. Morey and organizations such as Money, Education and Prisons working to solve / correct the problem. Hopefully the Federal Bureau of Prison will soon acknowledge the need and shift funding priorities to address it. Until then the prison population will probably continue to gro extending our "lead" in the international community. A Fifth Letter from Prison Dear Amy, Warm greetings on another pleasant day in rural Oxford. Expect you're at Annual Conference and won't get this for a few days but thought I'd write anyway. So, where do I begin? I've come from my mid-day nap with a surprise, entertaining dream. The main focus now is today's devotional in the Upper Room Disciplines which Mary Ann ordered so that we could be reading together even though separated. The theme of this week's readings is Ordinary People and the Spirit of God. It was a difficult night and morning. As I prepared for bed, I offended an inmate by moving a paper. Angered, he grabbed my arm (a prison no-no) and threatened to knock me to the floor – challenging my pledge of non-violence. Another inmate jumped into the conflict with loud abusive language, popular/commonly used here. To my surprise, another inmate, usually the most vocal and loudest, remained silent in the room. Fortunately, an inmate across the hall heard the attack and came to my rescue asking where in his Bible, which he proudly carries around, he find the "mother f@#%ing, sh&% ... coming from his mouth?" This quieted the assault but did not bring peace of mind. I had four hours sleep for the night. I awoke distraught, finding the Disciplines, this writing tablet and the accumulated mail and treasures missing from their usual place on the cabinet. I hunted feverishly through all the trash containers and everywhere imaginable without success. Somewhat grief-stricken, I gave up, consoling myself that it was not "the end of the world" and that there may be more important things than our material possessions or even keepsakes. Also, through reflection and inmate counsel, I decided to be more consistent, one person more quiet / restrained / "normal" inside and out, recognizing that each of us has needs. The Disciplines devotion was about Ordinary People and the Spirit of God. We need to be sensitive to the other's needs and responsive in appropriate ways. I think that I came here unprepared / ill-equipped to respond helpfully. Thankfully, with eyes, ears and the hlp of my "surrogate grandson" / co-prisoner of conscience / "leaning-pole" Buddy (nicknamed "Jesus" because of his long hair and beard) and others, I’m still learning. Now back on the pleasant patio after our regular, early 10 am lunch, I'm resisting the temptation to napping to try to finish this episode report. I should say that I've not told Mary Ann any of this because I don't want her carrying extra baggage / concerns to Argentina. One of the positives, pleasant surprises yesterday morning was apology received from the "loud, abusive language" inmate. He said that he was distressed having just learned of a close friend's drug-related suicide, but he knew that was no excuse for "lashing out". The apology was accepted and appreciated, enabling a restful nap. I ended the day, as I do daily, RESB (as recommended by doctor son, Mark). R=Reflect, sunset with Buddy. E=Exercise, 12-15 miles on stationary bike in the gym. S=Shower. B=Bed. Unfortunately, when I returned from the shower the Disciplines, paper pad, and "treasures" were missing again. Another frantic , irritated, unsuccessful search, only to return to the room and be told that they had been moved from under my locker, where I've kept them for 2 months, to the of the locker, reachable but not in clear-view. No explanation required, none given!! It's the life we lead in Oxford. What's the place / role of conscience? It's not always clear. Maybe, with Buddy's good help, we'll figure it out. We'll keep on tryin' and try to minimize the cryin'. Thanks, again, Amy for whatever you choose, sort, edit, cancel – I trust you. Hope you’ve had a rewarding time if you went to Conference. Mary Ann enjoyed and relayed the affirmation given with the Perry Saito Award. Affectionately, with gratitude and best wishes, Fred, jailed for justice (hopefully) |