Going to Jail, Part I

Greetings friends,

I received the letter this evening with orders to report to jail for my 30-day sentence for civil disobedience at the U.S. Army School of the Americas. I will need to arrive at the McHenry County Jail in Woodstock, IL on Thursday, April 3rd, at 2pm. Oddly enough, the jail is located at 2200 N. Seminary Ave. Someone in the Bureau of Prisons may have a good sense of humor. Details about the jail: http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/Common/CountyDpt/Sheriff/ShrCorrections.asp

Woodstock, IL is 60 miles Northwest of Chicago. I know that this will come as a great disappointment to the many of you who have hoped to come visit me while I was serving my sentence. I also need to tell you that the visiting policy at this jail is quite restrictive. The details are listed on the website above; if any of you feel that you would still like to come, please let me know and we will see what can be arranged.

There is a third restriction that I will find intensely difficult: I will not be allowed to have any books, magazines, newspapers, or other media (including clippings or internet copies of the same) while I am in jail. In addition to class books, I had hoped to have my Bible and my closest companions of Bonhoeffer, Berrigan(s), and Dorothy Day to see me through the month. I will however be allowed to send and receive mail on plain paper/envelopes. You may not send any packages or gifts in the letters, including extra stamps or envelopes. I had been previously advised that the conditions in a county jail are more restrictive than in a federal prison camp; and that there was a chance they could send me somewhere outside Chicago and/or my hometown in Mason City, IA.

There are male and female prisoners in this facility, including one floor dedicated to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; as well as violent and non-violent offendors; and people awaiting trial as well as people serving sentences and/or awaiting transfer to other prisons for longer sentences. County jails receive funds from the federal government to take federal prisoners due to overcrowding. I am not exactly sure how prisoners are separated; I imagine I'll get to make quite a few new friends. I confess that I am far more afraid of the isolation than the conditions, though. I will look forward to your letters.

Some classmates have asked about the possibility of arranging a farewell event or service before I go in, and I would welcome this also, as it's quite possible I may not see many of you again until at least the fall. I see though that I will be leaving just after Reading Week and the Ministerial Institute, which may be a pretty crowded week already. When I return, it will be the middle of finals, another chaotic time. I would welcome the efforts of any friends who would like to think on this and arrange a time; and meanwhile, I'll start getting my bills and other things in order.

Finally, there are other things that would be helpful in support of my civil disobedience and to further the cause of closing down the SOA. First on the list is contacting your Representative to support House Resolution 1217, cutting funding to the SOA and thereby ending its continuing contributions to human rights violations in Central and South America. The SOA Watch website, www.soaw.org, has all the details. Second is learning more about the SOA, and if desired, I am able to provide several videos that could be played between classes on campus about the history of the School while I am away. [Susan Sarandon's in some of these, too, as one of her main causes, and I hear we like her a lot around here!] Third, if you would like to drive out to the jail on April 3rd to see me off, I believe there will be a caravan from among the peace community in Chicago and Northern Illinois. They'd love to meet you, and I hope you will enjoy their company.

Finally, I will welcome and lean on the help of my classmates in Dr. Terrell's, Rev. Karen's, Dr. Speller's, and Dr. Haldeman's classes for good notes. I will also need some friends to type my handwritten replies and forward them to others by email or share in class. Who knows? Perhaps I will find something of Community Transformation in McHenry County Jail. Can there be Worship that is/ as Transformative Art in jail? Perhaps being housed with so many other women, white and black, in jail, they will have things important to say to Womanist and Feminist Christologies, or on Religion in America. I hope the time can be of the greatest benefit to the most. I will let you know if I find out anything more.

peace to you,

Le Anne