We are in the early planning stages for a SOfAR Pilgrimage in western North Carolina during 2010. The most likely month is June and probable points along the way will include Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro and many others. If you are interested in our coming to your town, let us know.
If at any time between now and next summer you want to talk individually and/or have us talk with a group - whether you think you agree with our purposes or think you disagree with our purposes - we welcome the opportunity!
We have many stories to tell about the public witness and private prayer aspects of the Pilgrimage. We welcome converation with people who agree with us, who disagree with us and who are not sure.
Send email to Scott Bass at nazhouse@att.net
Monday, September 7, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
"You have got to be kidding"
Rev. William Barber looked up to God and proclaimed, "You have got to be kidding".
Nearing the end of our SOfAR pilgrimage, Rev. Barber had invited us to join his congregation for services at Greenleaf Church in Goldsboro. As we neared the church that morning, we saw a crowd gathered in on the host asphalt. As we came up to them, they called to us, they applauded us, the walked up to us a hugged us, thanked us, and gave us bottles of cold water. No one minded that we wore T-shirts and shorts, while everyone else was decked out in their Sunday finest. It was a warmer welcome than we could have expected. We were carried on a wave into the church. We brought in our walking sticks, crosses and our banners, and layed them down near the altar. Scott was asked to introduce us to the congregation. We sat down and waited for Rev. Barber to preach.
"Loving your friends in a capitalistic society is smart - they might have a stock tip. Loving your [spouse] or loving your friends - all that is is enlightened self interest. You love them, you get something out of it. It's altogether another thing when we got to love an enemy, someone who has your disgrace or your destruction as a goal." Rev. Barber went on, using humor, his deep booming voice, his charisma and commanding presense, to deliver a sermon about three not-so-simple words. We thought we knew what those words meant but soon realized there were new dimensions we had not explored.
It was a very human reaction to God's mandate, "Love your enemies." In front of his Greenleaf Christian Church congregation on Sunday, June 28, Barber tried to reconcile the two perspectives.
He read from Luke 6:27-28: "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you." To which Rev. Barber stuttered, "You... have got... to be kidding".
Rev. Barber knows our culture. He knows our nature. And he knows our temptations. But he also knows what God asks of us, in spite of it all. He continued, "To be a diciple of Jesus is to recognize that he is demanding. Jesus has this crazy notion that his followers should serve others rather than themselves. You have got to be kidding. That I am required of my discipleship - the cost of my discipleship - is to put others before myself - You have got... to be kiddin'."
"He expects us to show integrity when nobody's looking. He expects us to love. But not just people who on occasions have a bad day. He wants us to love folk who are enemies every day and show no sign of changing. You have got to be ..."
Nearing the end of our SOfAR pilgrimage, Rev. Barber had invited us to join his congregation for services at Greenleaf Church in Goldsboro. As we neared the church that morning, we saw a crowd gathered in on the host asphalt. As we came up to them, they called to us, they applauded us, the walked up to us a hugged us, thanked us, and gave us bottles of cold water. No one minded that we wore T-shirts and shorts, while everyone else was decked out in their Sunday finest. It was a warmer welcome than we could have expected. We were carried on a wave into the church. We brought in our walking sticks, crosses and our banners, and layed them down near the altar. Scott was asked to introduce us to the congregation. We sat down and waited for Rev. Barber to preach.
"Loving your friends in a capitalistic society is smart - they might have a stock tip. Loving your [spouse] or loving your friends - all that is is enlightened self interest. You love them, you get something out of it. It's altogether another thing when we got to love an enemy, someone who has your disgrace or your destruction as a goal." Rev. Barber went on, using humor, his deep booming voice, his charisma and commanding presense, to deliver a sermon about three not-so-simple words. We thought we knew what those words meant but soon realized there were new dimensions we had not explored.
"God says we gotta love 'em because God wants us free, and you canot be free as long as you hate someone."
Rev. Barber told the story of how Nelson Mandela invited one of his jailors to sit on the platform with him during his presidential inauguration. Visiting the jail where he had been incarcerated; it's horribly hot in the summmer, icy cold in winter. The political prisoners were forced to do hard labor in the lime quarry; digging the lime made them go blind. Mandela spent 27 years there for something he did not do. When asked after his release, "Weren't you angry?". President Mandela didn't give hime a lie. Rev. Barber parahrased Mandela's response: "Yes. And I was a little afraid, considering that now I had the power, and what I might do with it." What if you had the power to do back to folks everything they did to you? Mandela went on, "When I felt that anger welling up inside of me, I realized that if I continued to hate them after I got outside the gate, then they would still have me. And so I decided, I wanna be free. So I had to let it go because there was no way they were gonna lock me up for 27 years and God deliver me and then I get out and still be bound up."
Rev. Barber explained, "If we live up only to the world's standards, there ain't no need to be Christian. The world says, 'Hate works. Violence works' They lie to us and tell us '[the death penalty] deters crime.' But the hate doesn't work, living by the sword doesn't work, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth doesn't work. If it worked, you wouldn't have to have a New Testament that brings into fulfilment all that could not be fulfilled in the Old Testament."
Rev. Barber began the story of his conversion from death penalty supporter to death penalty opponent. "God, you got to be kiddin. Someone kill one of my children? You ain't gotta ask the law to kill them."
"What got me was not all the statistics. I know it didn't deter crime, because you can't deter crime with a crime, and the death penalty is a crime because we're killing innocent people. God said, 'Thou shalt not kill' and he did not put an 'i.e.' example on the end of that with a parenthesis. He didn't do an editor's note. He said, 'Thou shalt not kill.'"
When Rev. Barber was teaching in college, the class was debating the death penalty, both pros and cons. When some students asserted, "If someone kills your loved one, you cannot forgive them," one quiet student asked to speak. She said, "You all are discussing theory. But my family was there. A vicious person had killed a loved one - in fact, it was my sister. I want you to know that last week, we visited him in jail. I want you to know that we asked the judge not to give him the death penalty. I want you to know that my family believes in his deliverance and we hope that one day we will be able to come and look at him through the bars and know that now he is our Christian brother." I said, "Woman, you have got to be kiddin'." She said, "No, I love the Lord. I met Jesus and Jesus did something in my heart and in my family's heart."
He followed this with another story where parishoners whose daughter had been murdered asked him to speak against a death penalty sentence against her murdered. The told him, "We do not want our daughter's life to be marred with the blood of another person."
As we repeated throughout our pilgrimage, we believe that Christian faith and Christian church teachings are clearly against the death penalty. This passage, "Love your enemy", is clearly one of the reasons. Rev. Barber challenged us to look at it another way. Yes, we should strive to love that person, even though they may have committed a horrible act of violence. But to love them is to act as God wants us to. To not love them is to turn away from God, to reject God, to reject the possibility that God can act through us, that God can be a healing force in our lives, that God can redeem this sinner just as he can redeem us for our sins,
that God does not know how to free us to do is will.
So, we choose to believe that this forgiveness, even this love, is possible. We choose to free ourselves from hatred. We choose to let love conquer hatred and violence.
Rev. Barber started the sermon that June morning with the words, "I contend that the whole Christian experience in miraculous." Some day, we believe that the Christian experience will play a major role in ending the death penalty. Indeed, that will be miraculous. No kidding.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
We Made It This Far
This morning at 11:30 AM we arrived at the legislative building in Raleigh, North Carolina!
We were greeted by friends and well-wishers and held a brief press conference. We then gathered in a prayer circle around the NC State Seal on the plaza in front of the legislative building. Next we ate lunch and talked with some of our legislators about our journey, about our purposes in walking and about the NC Racial Justice Act, which should reach the floor of the House for a vote next week.
Then we went home.
Seems rather anti-climactic at this point.
The journey has been so intense - spiritually, physically, emotionally and in other ways. There are more stories to tell and experiences needing reflection. First, I need a little rest and a pause to reflect. I promise that we'll have more stories posted here soon...
In the meantime, consider inviting us for some conversation with a few individuals or a large group some time. We like that way of sharing Pilgimage stories as well.
We were greeted by friends and well-wishers and held a brief press conference. We then gathered in a prayer circle around the NC State Seal on the plaza in front of the legislative building. Next we ate lunch and talked with some of our legislators about our journey, about our purposes in walking and about the NC Racial Justice Act, which should reach the floor of the House for a vote next week.
Then we went home.
Seems rather anti-climactic at this point.
The journey has been so intense - spiritually, physically, emotionally and in other ways. There are more stories to tell and experiences needing reflection. First, I need a little rest and a pause to reflect. I promise that we'll have more stories posted here soon...
In the meantime, consider inviting us for some conversation with a few individuals or a large group some time. We like that way of sharing Pilgimage stories as well.
SOfAR Pilgrims arrive in Raleigh 11:30 AM today - Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sojourners for Abolition and Reconciliation
SOfAR
“We have come so far! We have so far to go!”
Please join us for the conclusion of the 2009 SOfAR Pilgrimage by participating in SOfAR Lobby Day on Tuesday, June 30th.
Our 300-mile walk of prayer and public witness through eastern North Carolina concludes on Tuesday, June 30th in Raleigh with a two-block walk to the NC General Assembly to talk with legislators about our journey, our goals and pending legislation that can move us in the right direction.
While one of our primary goals - abolition of the death penalty - is not on this year’s legislative agenda, we can take an important step in reforming our existing death penalty with passage of the Racial Justice Act, a bill that addresses racial bias in our capital punishment system.
Schedule for SOfAR Lobby Day
10:00 AM House Judiciary I Committee will hear the NC Racial Justice Act in Room 1228 of the Legislative Building, 16 West Jones Street.
11:30 PM SOfAR Pilgrims arrive in Raleigh: Press Conference in front of Legislative Building, 16 W. Jones Street, Raleigh, NC.
12:30 PM Greet and eat with Pilgrims at First Presbyterian Church, 111 W. Morgan St., Raleigh in Memorial Fellowship Hall. Bring your own lunch.
1:00 PM Brief orientation: “How to talk to legislators” and update on the Racial Justice Act.
1:30-3:00 Visit Legislators and talk with them about RJA and other concerns.
Our 2009 Pilgrimage is nearly completed, but our job is not yet accomplished. We have indeed come so far and we indeed have so far to go! Please join us for these next important steps of our journey!
Monday, June 29, 2009
SOfAR Pilgrimage 2009 nears conclusion
We wake up Monday morning in the retreat-like home of some old friends near Smithfield. We’ve walked some 283 miles and have 31 to go, which will push us beyond 300 miles. (It will take each of us doing a little extra to accomplish abolition of the death penalty and healing for families.)
This morning we’ll arrive at the Johnston County courthouse where we will pray especially for victims and perpetrators of homicide and the families of both and we will also pray for persons falsely accused, for judges, jurors, bailiffs, attorneys, reporters, clerks and all those who are pulled into the trauma around each homicide. Then we will seek five minutes of District Attorney Susan Doyle’s time to talk with her about our concerns for families and our issues with the death penalty. We will assure her that we want her to do her job effectively, justly, safely and with compassion.
We will walk out of Smithfield and through Clayton before stopping for the day on the east side of Garner. We hope to end today’s walking (and begin Tuesday’s walking) near the US-70 intersection with White Oak Road near Best Buy (this is not an ad for BB – it just provides a locatable landmark).
Look for information about Tuesday's schedule coming soon.
This morning we’ll arrive at the Johnston County courthouse where we will pray especially for victims and perpetrators of homicide and the families of both and we will also pray for persons falsely accused, for judges, jurors, bailiffs, attorneys, reporters, clerks and all those who are pulled into the trauma around each homicide. Then we will seek five minutes of District Attorney Susan Doyle’s time to talk with her about our concerns for families and our issues with the death penalty. We will assure her that we want her to do her job effectively, justly, safely and with compassion.
We will walk out of Smithfield and through Clayton before stopping for the day on the east side of Garner. We hope to end today’s walking (and begin Tuesday’s walking) near the US-70 intersection with White Oak Road near Best Buy (this is not an ad for BB – it just provides a locatable landmark).
Look for information about Tuesday's schedule coming soon.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Home Stretch!
The Home Stretch!
Here is a tentative look at our plans for the last few days.
Please pay special attention and consider joining us Tuesday.
Call for specifics! (910) 385-6787 or (919) 880-9343
If you plan to join us for any part of our home stretch, please call for precise starting locations and times and/or to locate us along the route. Note that we usually cannot give a precise starting location until 7PM on the preceding evening but we are usually easy to locate once we begin walking.
Also, if you come, be prepared for some narrow roadsides, unpredictable and uneven terrain and predictably hot, humid weather. While we welcome other walkers, it’s not a friendly environment for young children or pets and can even be difficult for adults.
A good time to walk with us will be the last mile or two as we enter Raleigh on Tuesday. Consider the 10AM committee meeting below then come meet us for our final approach and the subsequent events.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Start: 8:00 AM Starting point to be determined on US-70 about 10 miles east of Kinston.
End: Goldsboro
Sunday, June 28, 2009
10:00 AM Worship with Greenleaf Christian Church, 2110 N. William St., Goldsboro
12:30 PM (tentative time) Begin walking after lunch near Goldsboro.
Monday, June 29, 2009
8:00 AM - Start walking near Selma
End walking near Wake County line (intersection of US70 and Guy Road – Hess Station?)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
8:30 AM – Start walking near US 70 and Auburn-Knightdale Rd intersection
10:00 AM – Racial Justice Act in House Judiciary I. Pilgrims will not be there yet, but we hope you will be!
12:30 PM – First Presbyterian Church - Bring your own lunch and eat with the SOfAR Pilgrims. Also, legislative updates and “how to talk with your legislator”; then walk the final two blocks to talk with legislators.
3:00 PM – Final SOfAR Press Conference (Note: press event may be moved to before lunch)
Here is a tentative look at our plans for the last few days.
Please pay special attention and consider joining us Tuesday.
Call for specifics! (910) 385-6787 or (919) 880-9343
If you plan to join us for any part of our home stretch, please call for precise starting locations and times and/or to locate us along the route. Note that we usually cannot give a precise starting location until 7PM on the preceding evening but we are usually easy to locate once we begin walking.
Also, if you come, be prepared for some narrow roadsides, unpredictable and uneven terrain and predictably hot, humid weather. While we welcome other walkers, it’s not a friendly environment for young children or pets and can even be difficult for adults.
A good time to walk with us will be the last mile or two as we enter Raleigh on Tuesday. Consider the 10AM committee meeting below then come meet us for our final approach and the subsequent events.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Start: 8:00 AM Starting point to be determined on US-70 about 10 miles east of Kinston.
End: Goldsboro
Sunday, June 28, 2009
10:00 AM Worship with Greenleaf Christian Church, 2110 N. William St., Goldsboro
12:30 PM (tentative time) Begin walking after lunch near Goldsboro.
Monday, June 29, 2009
8:00 AM - Start walking near Selma
End walking near Wake County line (intersection of US70 and Guy Road – Hess Station?)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
8:30 AM – Start walking near US 70 and Auburn-Knightdale Rd intersection
10:00 AM – Racial Justice Act in House Judiciary I. Pilgrims will not be there yet, but we hope you will be!
12:30 PM – First Presbyterian Church - Bring your own lunch and eat with the SOfAR Pilgrims. Also, legislative updates and “how to talk with your legislator”; then walk the final two blocks to talk with legislators.
3:00 PM – Final SOfAR Press Conference (Note: press event may be moved to before lunch)
New Bern, Victim Services, Getting Smarter on Crime
This morning (Friday) we awake in New Bern. Yesterday (Thursday) we walked 18 miles along some of the straightest, flattest country roads you'll ever see, cherishing any tiny bit of shade we could find along the way from Cove City into NC's original capital city. This morning we hope to meet with the Craven County DA and then drive to Kinston to pick up where we left off up there. We'll only walk a few miles today and use the rest of the day for planning the weekend and SOfAR Lobby Day and resting up for the home stretch.
Upon arrival in New Bern yesterday afternoon, we cooled off with cold treats at the Trent River Coffee Company, talked with reporters there and then sought 5 minutes with District Attorney Scott Thomas, who was recently appointed by Gov. Beverly Perdue to the Governor's Crime Commission.
Mr. Thomas was unavailable but his administrative assistant, Ms. Creel, who also provides and coordinates victim assistance in the DA's office, talked with us briefly. We were very pleased to see on her shelf What to Do When the Police Leave (Bill Jenkins), a book for victim family members that offers guidance for the first few days after a traumatic loss. We talked further with Ms. Creel about the issues faced by victim family members and I left thinking that she must be quite a gift to persons in her district who have experienced the trauma of sudden, violent loss.
Unfortunately, our research indicates that victim services are very uneven from county to county with some counties and prosecutorial districts providing much more than others. Many victim family members say that they have only received support when they have been useful to the prosecution.
Victim family members report varying experiences with feeling like their voices are heard in the judicial process. For example, in my home Sampson County, a victim family member who was supporting the prosecution's pursuit of the death penalty in a trial last fall told me that she would "be satisfied with life without parole." When I asked her if the DAs knew that information, she stated, "They don't care what we think about that." In this case, the family was split by the prosecution's pursuit of a death sentence even while family members on both sides of the courtroom voiced clearly to me that they would be satisfied with life without parole.
What a waste of time, talent and money! What a cruelty to this family, heaping more trauma and strain on top of the horrible aftermath of the violence that had taken three family members from them! Where was the consideration of their voices and their needs?
But things seemed better than that in Craven County. Our hope is that Ms. Creel is as compassionate and available to victim family members as she seemed. What a gift!
Our hope is also that Scott Thomas and all district attorneys will do their jobs effectively, justly and with compassion and that they would be protected physically, emotionally and in every way. It must be a tough job and it is an important one. What these persons are exposed to must take a toll.
Finally, we hope that Scott Thomas and the Governor's Crime Commission as well as Secretary of Corrections Al Keller and his office, will help us become smarter on crime and move us away from the tired and too often empty rhetoric of 'tough on crime' that has prevailed for too long.
Upon arrival in New Bern yesterday afternoon, we cooled off with cold treats at the Trent River Coffee Company, talked with reporters there and then sought 5 minutes with District Attorney Scott Thomas, who was recently appointed by Gov. Beverly Perdue to the Governor's Crime Commission.
Mr. Thomas was unavailable but his administrative assistant, Ms. Creel, who also provides and coordinates victim assistance in the DA's office, talked with us briefly. We were very pleased to see on her shelf What to Do When the Police Leave (Bill Jenkins), a book for victim family members that offers guidance for the first few days after a traumatic loss. We talked further with Ms. Creel about the issues faced by victim family members and I left thinking that she must be quite a gift to persons in her district who have experienced the trauma of sudden, violent loss.
Unfortunately, our research indicates that victim services are very uneven from county to county with some counties and prosecutorial districts providing much more than others. Many victim family members say that they have only received support when they have been useful to the prosecution.
Victim family members report varying experiences with feeling like their voices are heard in the judicial process. For example, in my home Sampson County, a victim family member who was supporting the prosecution's pursuit of the death penalty in a trial last fall told me that she would "be satisfied with life without parole." When I asked her if the DAs knew that information, she stated, "They don't care what we think about that." In this case, the family was split by the prosecution's pursuit of a death sentence even while family members on both sides of the courtroom voiced clearly to me that they would be satisfied with life without parole.
What a waste of time, talent and money! What a cruelty to this family, heaping more trauma and strain on top of the horrible aftermath of the violence that had taken three family members from them! Where was the consideration of their voices and their needs?
But things seemed better than that in Craven County. Our hope is that Ms. Creel is as compassionate and available to victim family members as she seemed. What a gift!
Our hope is also that Scott Thomas and all district attorneys will do their jobs effectively, justly and with compassion and that they would be protected physically, emotionally and in every way. It must be a tough job and it is an important one. What these persons are exposed to must take a toll.
Finally, we hope that Scott Thomas and the Governor's Crime Commission as well as Secretary of Corrections Al Keller and his office, will help us become smarter on crime and move us away from the tired and too often empty rhetoric of 'tough on crime' that has prevailed for too long.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Hot, hard days (they're behind us)
Saturday and Sunday were our hard days - very hot weather on the walk from Bethel down to and through Greenville, then south through Ayden and Grifton. We had a great meeting an a cafe/bookstore in Greenville on Sunday afternoon, attended by five Greenville residents who came to hear our story. We had a light day on Sunday, attending mass at St. Gabriel in Greenville and attending a Unitarian Universalist meeting later that morning - our hosts (who provided lodging for Dave and Debbie for two nights) Edith and Carrol Webber are members there. Our friend Kelly provided lodging for a night, as did Mike. Kelly also cooked a homemade vegetarian dinner Sunday evening.
Yesterday (Monday, June 22) brought us from Grifton into Kinston. On the way, we were greeted by Rose and Denny Clark, whom Scott has known since he and Roberta provided family support around the execution of Rose's brother, Ernest Basden on December 2, 2002. Scott will write more about that reunion, so I'll leave that to him. We walked through downtown Kinston to the county courthouse and were met by The Kinston Free Press for an interview and prayer. We met briefly with the Assistant District Attorney, Ms. White for a very productive meeting. Rose and Denny treated us to lunch at Christopher's restaurant in downtown (thank you!), then we drove down to Jacksonville. There, we prayed in front of the courthouse and then met with the Onslow County Assistant DA - also very briefly. He was very familiar with our pilgrimage, having read about it in the News & Observer that morning.
We were a bit behind - it was 3:30 and we'd only walked 9+ miles in the morning. We put in three quick legs of 4+ miles each, through Jacksonville and towards Emerald Isle. The weather today was much, much nicer than the mid nineties we had on Saturday and Sunday coming through Greenville. We walked until almost 8:00 PM last night, then grabbed some dinner cand checked into a hotel generously provided by Rev. James Brown's First Baptist Church. We got caught up on some laundry and showers and finally had time for this catch-up blog entry this morning before we head back out for about 14 miles into Emeral Isle. We've now walked about 185 miles, so are very excited about the final week.
We look forward to this evening's event featuring Linda White at 6:00PM
Emerald Isle Baptist Church, 304 Emerald Plantation Rd. Emerald Isle, NC 28594-1910
(252) 354-8795. Please join us! Linda will tell her storing of losing a daughter to homicide, her need to meet with the person who committed the crime, and how she came to be a grief counselor. Those not near Emerald Isle can also hear Linda speak on Wednesday at 7:00PM at St. Augustus AME Church 318 E. North Street Kinston, NC 28502. We hope to see our friends, old and new, at either event.
Sorry for the infrequent updates - it is very hard to find time to write, and harder to find internet on our journey. But we will keep trying!
Yesterday (Monday, June 22) brought us from Grifton into Kinston. On the way, we were greeted by Rose and Denny Clark, whom Scott has known since he and Roberta provided family support around the execution of Rose's brother, Ernest Basden on December 2, 2002. Scott will write more about that reunion, so I'll leave that to him. We walked through downtown Kinston to the county courthouse and were met by The Kinston Free Press for an interview and prayer. We met briefly with the Assistant District Attorney, Ms. White for a very productive meeting. Rose and Denny treated us to lunch at Christopher's restaurant in downtown (thank you!), then we drove down to Jacksonville. There, we prayed in front of the courthouse and then met with the Onslow County Assistant DA - also very briefly. He was very familiar with our pilgrimage, having read about it in the News & Observer that morning.
We were a bit behind - it was 3:30 and we'd only walked 9+ miles in the morning. We put in three quick legs of 4+ miles each, through Jacksonville and towards Emerald Isle. The weather today was much, much nicer than the mid nineties we had on Saturday and Sunday coming through Greenville. We walked until almost 8:00 PM last night, then grabbed some dinner cand checked into a hotel generously provided by Rev. James Brown's First Baptist Church. We got caught up on some laundry and showers and finally had time for this catch-up blog entry this morning before we head back out for about 14 miles into Emeral Isle. We've now walked about 185 miles, so are very excited about the final week.
We look forward to this evening's event featuring Linda White at 6:00PM
Emerald Isle Baptist Church, 304 Emerald Plantation Rd. Emerald Isle, NC 28594-1910
(252) 354-8795. Please join us! Linda will tell her storing of losing a daughter to homicide, her need to meet with the person who committed the crime, and how she came to be a grief counselor. Those not near Emerald Isle can also hear Linda speak on Wednesday at 7:00PM at St. Augustus AME Church 318 E. North Street Kinston, NC 28502. We hope to see our friends, old and new, at either event.
Sorry for the infrequent updates - it is very hard to find time to write, and harder to find internet on our journey. But we will keep trying!
Monday, June 22, 2009
News Coverage of the 2009 SOfAR Pilgrimage
Follow the Pilgrimage in the News around North Carolina:
Group walks to abolish death penalty
Kinston Free Press, Tuesday, June 23, 2009
By Sarah Campbell
Anti-death penalty protesters walk through Jacksonville
Jacksonville Daily News, Tuesday June 23, 2009
By Lindell Kay
Group Walks Against Death Penalty
Front Page in the News and Observer, Monday, June 22, 2009
By Yonat Shimron, Staff Writer
Group walks to protest death penalty
From the Daily Reflector, Sunday, June 21, 2009
By Michael Abramowitz
Group Walks to protest Death Penalty
Journey of Hope Blogspot, Sunday, June 21, 2009
Walk Against Death Penalty Continues Journey in Scorching Heat
WNCT News, Saturday, June 20, 2009
By Rachel Gallaher, Weekend Edition Producer
Group goes on 300-mile walk to protest death penalty
WNCT News, Friday, June 19, 2009
By Laura Phelps
300-Mile Protest: Group wants death penalty abolished
The Daily Southerner, Friday, June 19, 2009
By Kimberly Bellamy, Staff Writer
Group hopes event brings attention to death penalty
The Daily Reflector, Friday, June 19, 2009
By Michael Abramowitz
300 miles to abolish death penalty
Rocky Mount Telegram , Thursday, June 18, 2009
By Geoffrey Cooper
Anti Death Penalty March Through The East
WITN News, Tuesday, June 16, 2009
By Christine Kennedy
Death penalty opponents walk NC roads in protest
Durham Herald Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Death penalty foes to march to N.C. coast
WRAL, Sunday, June 14, 2009
By Erin Coleman
Monday, June 22nd
This morning we will begin walking at a point 8 miles north of Kinston on Hwy 11. We'll walk to the Lenoir County courthouse, arriving about 10:30 or so.
Next we will drive to the Onslow County Courthouse in Jacksonville for prayer there. Onslow County is one of our counties with a disproportionate number of death sentences handed down. The DA from that district sought a death sentence in Sampson County (within the same prosecutorial district) last year for a man with severe developmental, social and emotional delays. The accused was charged with a very uncharateristic act of brutal violence against family members and had no previous criminal history. The death sentence was sought in spite of the fact that family members stated that they would be satisfied with life without parole. Pursuit of the death sentence unnecessarily and cruely split the family as some decided to support the prosecution and others supported the defense.
After prayer at the Onslow County courthouse at roughly noon, we'll walk toward Swansboro on our approach to Emerald Isle for the Tuesday evening event with Linda White.
Next we will drive to the Onslow County Courthouse in Jacksonville for prayer there. Onslow County is one of our counties with a disproportionate number of death sentences handed down. The DA from that district sought a death sentence in Sampson County (within the same prosecutorial district) last year for a man with severe developmental, social and emotional delays. The accused was charged with a very uncharateristic act of brutal violence against family members and had no previous criminal history. The death sentence was sought in spite of the fact that family members stated that they would be satisfied with life without parole. Pursuit of the death sentence unnecessarily and cruely split the family as some decided to support the prosecution and others supported the defense.
After prayer at the Onslow County courthouse at roughly noon, we'll walk toward Swansboro on our approach to Emerald Isle for the Tuesday evening event with Linda White.
Just a 'Typical' Day?
Thursday, June 26th – We began walking 8 miles east of Rocky Mount and walked through Tarboro, Princeville, Conetoe and Bethel, stopping just short of Parmele. I realize that most of you have never heard of these places, but we have met some very friendly, helpful and hospitable people in them.
One man, Michael J. (not Jordan), stopped me on the sidewalk in Tarboro and asked what we were doing. I told him about our work with murder victim family members and with families of people on death row and our opposition to the death penalty. He immediately began telling me about his spending a few years in Central Prison and how quiet and cold and eerie it was on the nights of executions. We talked more about his life outside of prison and about us. He invited us to eat lunch with him. So after prayer in front of the Edgecombe County Courthouse, we went to meet him at his usual lunch stop – the local soup kitchen. Although our prayer time and talking with reporters had made us miss the 12:15 closing of the lunch line, Michael advocated for us until the folks serving food relented and served each of us a full plate of food. While it might seem strange for us to eat this way, it was as if we had been invited to eat in this man’s home and to have said ‘no’ would have been rude and overly prideful.
After lunch we walked across the bridge into Princeville, a town known for its founding by freed slaves in 1865 and its devastation in the floods of Hurricane Floyd in 1999. The racial history of the area reminded us of the Racial Justice Act which is currently moving toward the floor of the NC House of Representatives – an act that aims to provide an avenue for removing some of the racial bias from capital punishment. Not from the entire judicial system, mind you, but just from that small piece of the judicial system associated with capital punishment.
In the evening we are settled down to sleep on cots at Bethel United Methodist Church in Bethel, NC. The pastor, Steve Smith, was most hospitable and accommodating. Pastor Heath Faircloth of Bethel Baptist Church helped us as well, delivering a fresh, homemade dinner of spaghetti, salad, bread and vanilla cream pie all made by one of his parishioners. He wanted to give us lodging in his home but he thought his one-week-old child might not cooperate with our need to get a full night’s sleep. These two pastors did not state clearly whether they agree with the entire purpose of our walk but they gave time from their busy day to help out some passing Pilgrims. They did so with a lot of love and kindness. For that we are so thankful!
After a good night’s sleep and a breakfast of spaghetti leftover from the previous evening, we went into the Bethel UMC sanctuary for our daily prayer and reflection time. Surrounded by eight stunningly beautiful stained-glass windows, we settled near the one that depicts a scene just after the execution of Jesus. A woman – probably Mary the mother of Jesus – clings to the stone base in which the cross – the instrument of Jesus’ execution – had been mounted. Part of Jesus’ robe lies torn on the ground and a beam of the broken cross lies nearby.
The scene evokes the grief of a mother whose son has just been executed. How often we forget that Jesus’ crucifixion was an execution and that the cross was the lethal injection paraphernalia of that era. I could easily – and painfully – imagine some of the mothers with whom we work laying themselves across the execution gurney as a modern parallel to this scene. Just as easily, I could see the image of another parent of a child was taken by violence inside or outside prison walls, laying across their loved one’s bed, seeking some continued connection with their loved one.
One mother of a man executed by the state of North Carolina told me (and gave me permission to tell others) that she has slept with her son’s tennis shoes as a way of dealing with her heartache for beloved son. We’ve heard similarly heart-wrenching stories of others whose loved ones were murdered.
After our bittersweet time of prayer and reflection, we set out walking toward Williamston. Near Robersonville, we encountered a young man walking. We immediately noted his distinctive t-shirt and listened as he explained that the t-shirt memorializes his brother who was shot to death on May 23rd of this year. Another grieving family member working out and walking out his grief.
On Friday evening, we had dinner with several of Willie Brown's family members. We first met them on the day of Willie's execution in April 2006. They were one of our first families at Nazareth House. It is difficult to describe the bond we formed with them through Willie's execution night and our subsequent contacts.
Courage - Ann, Villia, Teresa, Kendale, Trellis and Geneva (a family friend whose son is serving a life sentence) and Lorenzo (whose brother was recently shot to death). Courage, we will walk with you and for you.
Courage, brothers, sisters, families; You do not walk alone. We will walk with you!
One man, Michael J. (not Jordan), stopped me on the sidewalk in Tarboro and asked what we were doing. I told him about our work with murder victim family members and with families of people on death row and our opposition to the death penalty. He immediately began telling me about his spending a few years in Central Prison and how quiet and cold and eerie it was on the nights of executions. We talked more about his life outside of prison and about us. He invited us to eat lunch with him. So after prayer in front of the Edgecombe County Courthouse, we went to meet him at his usual lunch stop – the local soup kitchen. Although our prayer time and talking with reporters had made us miss the 12:15 closing of the lunch line, Michael advocated for us until the folks serving food relented and served each of us a full plate of food. While it might seem strange for us to eat this way, it was as if we had been invited to eat in this man’s home and to have said ‘no’ would have been rude and overly prideful.
After lunch we walked across the bridge into Princeville, a town known for its founding by freed slaves in 1865 and its devastation in the floods of Hurricane Floyd in 1999. The racial history of the area reminded us of the Racial Justice Act which is currently moving toward the floor of the NC House of Representatives – an act that aims to provide an avenue for removing some of the racial bias from capital punishment. Not from the entire judicial system, mind you, but just from that small piece of the judicial system associated with capital punishment.
In the evening we are settled down to sleep on cots at Bethel United Methodist Church in Bethel, NC. The pastor, Steve Smith, was most hospitable and accommodating. Pastor Heath Faircloth of Bethel Baptist Church helped us as well, delivering a fresh, homemade dinner of spaghetti, salad, bread and vanilla cream pie all made by one of his parishioners. He wanted to give us lodging in his home but he thought his one-week-old child might not cooperate with our need to get a full night’s sleep. These two pastors did not state clearly whether they agree with the entire purpose of our walk but they gave time from their busy day to help out some passing Pilgrims. They did so with a lot of love and kindness. For that we are so thankful!
After a good night’s sleep and a breakfast of spaghetti leftover from the previous evening, we went into the Bethel UMC sanctuary for our daily prayer and reflection time. Surrounded by eight stunningly beautiful stained-glass windows, we settled near the one that depicts a scene just after the execution of Jesus. A woman – probably Mary the mother of Jesus – clings to the stone base in which the cross – the instrument of Jesus’ execution – had been mounted. Part of Jesus’ robe lies torn on the ground and a beam of the broken cross lies nearby.The scene evokes the grief of a mother whose son has just been executed. How often we forget that Jesus’ crucifixion was an execution and that the cross was the lethal injection paraphernalia of that era. I could easily – and painfully – imagine some of the mothers with whom we work laying themselves across the execution gurney as a modern parallel to this scene. Just as easily, I could see the image of another parent of a child was taken by violence inside or outside prison walls, laying across their loved one’s bed, seeking some continued connection with their loved one.
One mother of a man executed by the state of North Carolina told me (and gave me permission to tell others) that she has slept with her son’s tennis shoes as a way of dealing with her heartache for beloved son. We’ve heard similarly heart-wrenching stories of others whose loved ones were murdered.
After our bittersweet time of prayer and reflection, we set out walking toward Williamston. Near Robersonville, we encountered a young man walking. We immediately noted his distinctive t-shirt and listened as he explained that the t-shirt memorializes his brother who was shot to death on May 23rd of this year. Another grieving family member working out and walking out his grief.
On Friday evening, we had dinner with several of Willie Brown's family members. We first met them on the day of Willie's execution in April 2006. They were one of our first families at Nazareth House. It is difficult to describe the bond we formed with them through Willie's execution night and our subsequent contacts.
Courage - Ann, Villia, Teresa, Kendale, Trellis and Geneva (a family friend whose son is serving a life sentence) and Lorenzo (whose brother was recently shot to death). Courage, we will walk with you and for you.
Courage, brothers, sisters, families; You do not walk alone. We will walk with you!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Weekend Checkin
It's been an amazingly full week. It's hard to believe we are less than halfway finished. We have indeed come so far - 143 miles - and we do have so far to go - 157 miles.
Today was very, very hot. We already miss the downpours of Monday and Tuesday!
Sunday we will attend two church services and then begin walking at about noon at roughly the intersection of Hwy 11 South and Hwy 903 about 4 miles south of Greenville. Call 910-385-6787 for help in finding us. We expect to walk about 18 miles through Grifton and on in the direction of Kinston.
We are behind on telling our stories and will do our best to catch up tomorrow.
Today was very, very hot. We already miss the downpours of Monday and Tuesday!
Sunday we will attend two church services and then begin walking at about noon at roughly the intersection of Hwy 11 South and Hwy 903 about 4 miles south of Greenville. Call 910-385-6787 for help in finding us. We expect to walk about 18 miles through Grifton and on in the direction of Kinston.
We are behind on telling our stories and will do our best to catch up tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Wilson to Rocky Mount
Thank your for filing our Phone In blog report, Guest Writer!
Tuesday morning met us with more rain, but it did not dampen our spirits. (Pictured: Scott, Dave, Neil.) We walked all morning in the steady rain, and it became very contemplative. We could not converse much, but we could reflect on the cleansing rain. We hope our Pilgrimage can also wash away years of the injustice (racial injustice, economic injustice, moral injustice) of how victims' families are often treated, how families of those on death row are treated, and of course the injustice of the death penalty.
As we stopped for lunch at Wilson Presbyterian Church just west of Wilson (thank you for your hospitality, Rev. Andy!), a TV crew from WITN came and interviewed Scott Bass and Neil Mohlman. Watch the story. (You can skip the viewer comments...)
In the afternoon, we stopped in front of the court house in downtown Wilson. (Pictured: Neil, Scott, Debbie.) We hoped to meet the District Attorney, Robert Evans, but he was not in Wilson at the time - he was in Rocky Mount. That was OK - we would be in Rocky Mount the next day!
We continued out of Wilson and finished the day a mile south of Elm City with a total of about 23 miles of walking. We ended up staying at a Wilson motel Tuesday night, but the wireless internet connection there was pretty poor and we simply could not submit an entry. Dave spent an hour in front of the motel clothes dryers, holding the doors shut while waiting for our shoes and other wet clothes to dry.
We were back on the road Wednesday morning, walking north towards Rocky Mount. We completed over 13 miles before stopping for a picnic lunch in the playground at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, where we were also offered lodging for the night.
After lunch, we walked to the courthouse where we did get to meet DA Robert Evans. He was very gracious in taking us in and hearing the story of our Pilgrimage and why we are walking. He is a newly appointed DA and is currently reviewing the issue of North Carolina's death penalty. He was also aware of the Racial Justice Act and also aware of the need for improved support services for victims' families. He said his judicial district has good services for child victims but less so for adult homicide and violent crime victims. We thanked him for his time and attention and left very satisfied with the meeting.
That left us with a short afternoon for walking - it was already 3:30. We did get in another 10+ miles, making this 25 mile day our longest yet.
Some of the beautiful Eastern North Carolina scenery we are walking past. The horses and this farm were on the road between Rocky Mount and Tarborro.
Tuesday morning met us with more rain, but it did not dampen our spirits. (Pictured: Scott, Dave, Neil.) We walked all morning in the steady rain, and it became very contemplative. We could not converse much, but we could reflect on the cleansing rain. We hope our Pilgrimage can also wash away years of the injustice (racial injustice, economic injustice, moral injustice) of how victims' families are often treated, how families of those on death row are treated, and of course the injustice of the death penalty.As we stopped for lunch at Wilson Presbyterian Church just west of Wilson (thank you for your hospitality, Rev. Andy!), a TV crew from WITN came and interviewed Scott Bass and Neil Mohlman. Watch the story. (You can skip the viewer comments...)
In the afternoon, we stopped in front of the court house in downtown Wilson. (Pictured: Neil, Scott, Debbie.) We hoped to meet the District Attorney, Robert Evans, but he was not in Wilson at the time - he was in Rocky Mount. That was OK - we would be in Rocky Mount the next day!We continued out of Wilson and finished the day a mile south of Elm City with a total of about 23 miles of walking. We ended up staying at a Wilson motel Tuesday night, but the wireless internet connection there was pretty poor and we simply could not submit an entry. Dave spent an hour in front of the motel clothes dryers, holding the doors shut while waiting for our shoes and other wet clothes to dry.
We were back on the road Wednesday morning, walking north towards Rocky Mount. We completed over 13 miles before stopping for a picnic lunch in the playground at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, where we were also offered lodging for the night.
After lunch, we walked to the courthouse where we did get to meet DA Robert Evans. He was very gracious in taking us in and hearing the story of our Pilgrimage and why we are walking. He is a newly appointed DA and is currently reviewing the issue of North Carolina's death penalty. He was also aware of the Racial Justice Act and also aware of the need for improved support services for victims' families. He said his judicial district has good services for child victims but less so for adult homicide and violent crime victims. We thanked him for his time and attention and left very satisfied with the meeting.
That left us with a short afternoon for walking - it was already 3:30. We did get in another 10+ miles, making this 25 mile day our longest yet.
Some of the beautiful Eastern North Carolina scenery we are walking past. The horses and this farm were on the road between Rocky Mount and Tarborro.
Day 3 Update
Guest writer update:Because of extremely long days and intermittent internet connections, Scott has not been able to update this blog over the last two days. For those of you who are keeping track of the walkers, a brief update of their progress:
The Pilgrimage continued from Knightdale to Middlesex on Monday and on to Wilson by Tuesday evening. Scott relayed that the Pilgrimage encountered two firsts: 1) Walking in the rain and 2) Continuing to walk despite torrential downpours! Though the group has now logged quite a few miles in less than ideal conditions, the Pilgrims remain in great spirits.
While walking in Wilson yesterday, the group stopped in front of the Wilson county courthouse for prayer and reflections.
There are currently three individuals on North Carolina’s death row from Wilson County:
- Patricia Jennings: for the 1990 murder of her husband, William Henry Jennings
- Abner Nicholson: for the 1997 murder of his wife, Gloria Nicholson and police chief Wayne Hathaway
- Terry Robinson: for the 1991 murder of his wife, Gina Robinson. Mr. Robinson was initially charged with assault in 1988, but was later charged and convicted of murder when she died from her injuries in 1991
Wilson Presbyterian Church was kind enough to provide lunch for the soaked pilgrims. While Rev. Andy Raynor was only partially supportive of the mission of the walkers, he and the congregation were incredibly hospitable and allowed the group a respite from the terrible conditions outdoors!
“Let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”(Amos 5:24, American Standard Version)
This powerful quotation from the prophet Amos, featured in Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech at the march on Washington for civil rights in 1963, became the inspiration for the group as they drudged on as rainwater flooded the streets and rushed in streams along their feet.
The group continues through Wilson and into Rocky Mount this evening. Local media has been in constant contact with the Pilgrimage, conducting interviews and taking photos and video. Hopefully we’ll see some wonderful press soon!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Reconciliation - Not Division
So, yes, we began the Pilgrimage today and photos are posted below. But in spite of the great start, it was with some sadness that this evening I checked out our first news coverage of this year's Pilgrimage. http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5354177/
Now, given how news coverage can be let me hasten to add that it could have been worse. But it saddens me when a reporter uses a person's pain to take a divisive route - in this case pitting one particular murder victim family member against us - especially when a 'higher road' is readily available. Not to mention the fact that this Pilgrimage is about more than ending the death penalty - although it is certainly about that, too!
This one particular murder victim family member deserves to have his story heard and his viewpoints valued. One of our society's failures is in not listening to murder victim family members. Part of the reason we walk is that we believe their experiences need to be heard and valued and their needs need to be known and addressed - and usually our society gives them only tough talk and lip service. On this Pilgrimage, we walk for them as much as for anyone or anything else. As I walk, I'll be remembering many names and faces and stories of murder victim family members I have encountered, including the person interviewed and including some who support the death penalty and many who do not.
My sadness is that the reporter could have interviewed dozens of murder victim family members in North Carolina who oppose the death penalty and support some form of healing and reconciliation, not even knowing exactly what that might look like. They don't want people who kill to be turned loose to kill again but they don't want to heap killing on top of killing either. Unfortunately, this reporter chose to use one person's pain to work a divisive angle and turn a march about reconciliation into a debate.
I actually told the reporter that I know many murder victim family members who oppose the death penalty and I know some of them would gladly speak out against it. I sat in a room with four such people just yesterday. I've heard from some of them that having experienced what they've experienced they would not want anyone to have to go through what they have gone through. And they certainly don't want to have any responsibility for inflicting that pain on another family!
Obviously, however, some murder victim family members do support the death penalty. Just not all of them - not by a long shot.
To learn more, check out one of our co-sponsors, Murder Victim Families for Reconciliation (MVFR) at http://www.mvfr.org/ . Consider coming to Emerald Isle on June 23rd or Kinston on June 24th and hear the story of Linda White. If I am among those who "just aren't qualified to comment on it" (in spite of my years as a family therapist, minister and grief counselor - I admit, I bristle a bit at that comment), then let's hear what a woman whose daughter was abducted, raped and murdered has to say.
(There's a hint at http://www.journeyofhope.org/pages/linda_white.htm .)
Isn't it time to offer murder victim family members something that really helps them begin to heal and survive the trauma they experience. They don't need our tough talk and lip service.
Now, given how news coverage can be let me hasten to add that it could have been worse. But it saddens me when a reporter uses a person's pain to take a divisive route - in this case pitting one particular murder victim family member against us - especially when a 'higher road' is readily available. Not to mention the fact that this Pilgrimage is about more than ending the death penalty - although it is certainly about that, too!
This one particular murder victim family member deserves to have his story heard and his viewpoints valued. One of our society's failures is in not listening to murder victim family members. Part of the reason we walk is that we believe their experiences need to be heard and valued and their needs need to be known and addressed - and usually our society gives them only tough talk and lip service. On this Pilgrimage, we walk for them as much as for anyone or anything else. As I walk, I'll be remembering many names and faces and stories of murder victim family members I have encountered, including the person interviewed and including some who support the death penalty and many who do not.
My sadness is that the reporter could have interviewed dozens of murder victim family members in North Carolina who oppose the death penalty and support some form of healing and reconciliation, not even knowing exactly what that might look like. They don't want people who kill to be turned loose to kill again but they don't want to heap killing on top of killing either. Unfortunately, this reporter chose to use one person's pain to work a divisive angle and turn a march about reconciliation into a debate.
I actually told the reporter that I know many murder victim family members who oppose the death penalty and I know some of them would gladly speak out against it. I sat in a room with four such people just yesterday. I've heard from some of them that having experienced what they've experienced they would not want anyone to have to go through what they have gone through. And they certainly don't want to have any responsibility for inflicting that pain on another family!
Obviously, however, some murder victim family members do support the death penalty. Just not all of them - not by a long shot.
To learn more, check out one of our co-sponsors, Murder Victim Families for Reconciliation (MVFR) at http://www.mvfr.org/ . Consider coming to Emerald Isle on June 23rd or Kinston on June 24th and hear the story of Linda White. If I am among those who "just aren't qualified to comment on it" (in spite of my years as a family therapist, minister and grief counselor - I admit, I bristle a bit at that comment), then let's hear what a woman whose daughter was abducted, raped and murdered has to say.
(There's a hint at http://www.journeyofhope.org/pages/linda_white.htm .)
Isn't it time to offer murder victim family members something that really helps them begin to heal and survive the trauma they experience. They don't need our tough talk and lip service.
We have come SOfAR!
Day one of the 2009 Pilgrimage of Remembrance is over and it was a great start!!!We began with a mass at the Doggett Center in Raleigh, with a special blessing by Fr. Alex and a wonderful procession after mass - the parishioners processed for the feast of Corpus Christi and also in solidarity with us. We had a wonderful nourishing brunch after the spiritually nourishing celebration with so many friends. We presented Fr. Alex with a T-shirt.
We gathered outside for a group picture. We're ready to walk!!We were soon on our way to Central Prison, a mere 6/10 of a mile from the Doggett Center.
At Central Prison, Tarrah, from the North Carolina Coalition for a Moratorium and her husband, and Will with the Fair Trial Initiative and his partner joined us. Fr. David from St. Francis of Assisi lead an opening prayer.
We waved to the prisoners in Central Prison and were soon on our way.
Ellen and Moira show the 2009 T-Shirts in front of Central Prison.
We stopped briefly at the NC State Capitol building, where Governor Bev Perdue may be called to make a life or death decision in future clemency appeals. We prayed that the death penalty will be abolished before that is needed.
We continued walking and stopped in a Southeast Raleigh neighborhood, the site of three murders so far in 2009. Rev. Hardy Watkins, pastor of a neighborhood church, spoke to us about the community efforts to stop violent crime in the neighborhood and what the violence does to the families who live there. The local churches are uniting in trying to give positive choices to the youth in the area - to let them know that someone cares for them. He also spoke of the effects of gentrification on the neighborhood - the small houses which get refurbished and priced beyond the reach of the current residents, forcing them to move.From here, we walked to the Women's prison off (ironically) Martin Luther King Blvd. About 1200 women are imprisoned here; four are on death row. We prayed for restorative justice rather than retribution.
We were soon walking again and picked up the pace - we had a long distance to go today. We put in another 8 miles, for a total of 13 miles today. Five of us ran the last two while our sag wagon driver's shuttled people to St. Mark's Episcopal Church where friends had assembled a pot luck dinner for us. It was a refreshing end to a wonderful start. We are anxious to go back out tomorrow and start walking again. We have SOfAR to go!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Complete Day One Schedule
“We have come so far! We have so far to go!”
Join us for the Day One of our 2009 Pilgrimage through eastern North Carolina. 1:00 PM, Sunday, June 14, 2009Central Prison, 1300 Western Blvd, Raleigh
Help us move North Carolina closer to:
- Support for homicide victims’ families
- Compassion for families of persons on death row
- Restorative Justice that helps individuals, families and communities heal
- Abolition of the death penalty
Schedule:
10:00 AM Mass - Doggett Center, NCSU Catholic Campus Ministry
601 Bilyeu St., Raleigh (across Western Blvd from Pullen Park)
11:15 AM Potluck lunch at Doggett Center
12:30 PM Walk to Central Prison (0.5 mile)
1:00 PM Official Beginning - Introductions, prayer and reflection at Central Prison
1:20 PM Begin walking toward State Capital (1.5 miles)
2:00 PM Rest and reflection at State Capital grounds
2:15 PM Resume walking via S on Fayetteville St. and E on Martin St.
2:30/2:45 PM Camden St./Haywood St. area of recent homicides with Rev. Hardy Watkins
3:00 PM Pause for prayer at Women’s Prison at Bragg St. and MLK Blvd (1.7 miles)
3:45 PM Nazareth House rest stop (1.4 miles)
6:00/6:15 PM End walking at Chick Filet at 6617 Knightdale Blvd/US 64B (6.9 miles)
Early arrivals and set up at St. Mark’s
6:30 PM Potluck Dinner and Celebration/Blessing Meal at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 1725 N. New Hope Road, Raleigh. Please bring food and drink!!
Contact Scott Bass at 919-231-9752 or 910-385-6787 with questions.
Join us for the Day One of our 2009 Pilgrimage through eastern North Carolina. 1:00 PM, Sunday, June 14, 2009Central Prison, 1300 Western Blvd, Raleigh
Help us move North Carolina closer to:
- Support for homicide victims’ families
- Compassion for families of persons on death row
- Restorative Justice that helps individuals, families and communities heal
- Abolition of the death penalty
Schedule:
10:00 AM Mass - Doggett Center, NCSU Catholic Campus Ministry
601 Bilyeu St., Raleigh (across Western Blvd from Pullen Park)
11:15 AM Potluck lunch at Doggett Center
12:30 PM Walk to Central Prison (0.5 mile)
1:00 PM Official Beginning - Introductions, prayer and reflection at Central Prison
1:20 PM Begin walking toward State Capital (1.5 miles)
2:00 PM Rest and reflection at State Capital grounds
2:15 PM Resume walking via S on Fayetteville St. and E on Martin St.
2:30/2:45 PM Camden St./Haywood St. area of recent homicides with Rev. Hardy Watkins
3:00 PM Pause for prayer at Women’s Prison at Bragg St. and MLK Blvd (1.7 miles)
3:45 PM Nazareth House rest stop (1.4 miles)
6:00/6:15 PM End walking at Chick Filet at 6617 Knightdale Blvd/US 64B (6.9 miles)
Early arrivals and set up at St. Mark’s
6:30 PM Potluck Dinner and Celebration/Blessing Meal at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 1725 N. New Hope Road, Raleigh. Please bring food and drink!!
Contact Scott Bass at 919-231-9752 or 910-385-6787 with questions.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
A Long Post Explaining My Motivations
What Motivates a Person to Walk 300 Miles?
(posted by Scott Bass)
I left readers hanging at the end of last year's Pilgrimage with a promise of sharing more reflections on that journey. I'll do better this year. Let me begin with some "preflections" on this year's journey.
My personal motives for organizing and setting out on this 300-mile* Pilgrimage begin with the work Roberta and I do with families of homicide victims and families of people on death row. Through our work at Nazareth House, a Christian community and house of hospitality in we co-founded in Raleigh, NC, I have spent time in conversation with and offering support to both sets of families.
My background includes working since the mid 1980s in various ministry capacities and as a marriage and family therapist (since 1994) and often working with people who have experienced traumatic loss. In the past few years, I have talked with family members whose children have been murdered outside of prisons and with those whose children have been executed by the state inside of prison. I sat with one mother during the very hour of her son’s execution. While their experiences are certainly not exactly the same, they have so much in common.
My experiences with these families have taught me that we too often give only lip service to victims’ families, at least after the first few days and weeks, and we outright abandon the families of people who commit homicide. My experiences with both these sets of families and my learning more about our death penalty system has led me over the years to move from passive support for the death penalty to passionate opposition to it.
I have other motivations for this Pilgrimage. One is my deep love for my native eastern North Carolina – its people, its culture, its land, etc.. Having grown up living (and working!) on an eastern North Carolina farm (in Sampson County), the region is in me forever. I also have a deep devotion to my Christian faith and love for the Church – both Catholic and Protestant. My experiences with the above-mentioned families, my love for eastern North Carolina and the faith I embrace make this experience a deep personal and public journey. The Pilgrimage is truly a spiritual experience of praying for the people already mentioned as well as for the people whose communities we will pass through. At the same time, we want to raise questions especially among my fellow eastern North Carolina Christians, like, “What does our faith say about how we behave toward these families, toward both victims and perpetrators of violence, and what does our faith say about support for the death penalty?”
While I have come to strong conclusions already, I don’t care to impose my conclusions on others. I do want to engage in private conversation and public dialogue and to propose that Christian faith – as well as many other faith perspectives - requires us to pray both for people victimized by violence and people who commit violence and requires us to give compassion and real support to the families of both, not just tough talk and lip service. I also propose that support for the death penalty in our modern society is inconsistent with Christian faith and that people of our faith* must insist on responses to crime that prioritize reconciliation over retaliation, prevention over revenge, and some form of restoration over extermination of human beings.
In response to an anticipated criticism, let me say that I have been too close to the trauma and tragedy of homicide to keep any naïveté’ about what I am saying. I understand that there are serious justice issues, safety issues and many other issues to be considered and addressed. I do not claim that it is easy or simple. I do say that it is what I understand our faith to require and that it is what my fellow citizens and fellow human beings deserve. Therefore, though difficult, these things need to be addressed.
We will conduct this Pilgrimage under the name, Sojourners for Abolition and Reconciliation (SOfAR). On this walk and on these larger issues, “We have come so far. We have so far to go.”
* My personal hope is that if I make it through the 300 miles of this Pilgrimage, I will continue the journey later this summer to complete a total of 404 miles – one mile for each execution that has taken place at Central Prison.
**I say “our faith” in reference to the Christian faith that I embrace and the faith perspective of my primary audience. I do not mean to exclude others; I just do not believe I have the authority to say what other faith perspectives require.
(posted by Scott Bass)
I left readers hanging at the end of last year's Pilgrimage with a promise of sharing more reflections on that journey. I'll do better this year. Let me begin with some "preflections" on this year's journey.
My personal motives for organizing and setting out on this 300-mile* Pilgrimage begin with the work Roberta and I do with families of homicide victims and families of people on death row. Through our work at Nazareth House, a Christian community and house of hospitality in we co-founded in Raleigh, NC, I have spent time in conversation with and offering support to both sets of families.
My background includes working since the mid 1980s in various ministry capacities and as a marriage and family therapist (since 1994) and often working with people who have experienced traumatic loss. In the past few years, I have talked with family members whose children have been murdered outside of prisons and with those whose children have been executed by the state inside of prison. I sat with one mother during the very hour of her son’s execution. While their experiences are certainly not exactly the same, they have so much in common.
My experiences with these families have taught me that we too often give only lip service to victims’ families, at least after the first few days and weeks, and we outright abandon the families of people who commit homicide. My experiences with both these sets of families and my learning more about our death penalty system has led me over the years to move from passive support for the death penalty to passionate opposition to it.
I have other motivations for this Pilgrimage. One is my deep love for my native eastern North Carolina – its people, its culture, its land, etc.. Having grown up living (and working!) on an eastern North Carolina farm (in Sampson County), the region is in me forever. I also have a deep devotion to my Christian faith and love for the Church – both Catholic and Protestant. My experiences with the above-mentioned families, my love for eastern North Carolina and the faith I embrace make this experience a deep personal and public journey. The Pilgrimage is truly a spiritual experience of praying for the people already mentioned as well as for the people whose communities we will pass through. At the same time, we want to raise questions especially among my fellow eastern North Carolina Christians, like, “What does our faith say about how we behave toward these families, toward both victims and perpetrators of violence, and what does our faith say about support for the death penalty?”
While I have come to strong conclusions already, I don’t care to impose my conclusions on others. I do want to engage in private conversation and public dialogue and to propose that Christian faith – as well as many other faith perspectives - requires us to pray both for people victimized by violence and people who commit violence and requires us to give compassion and real support to the families of both, not just tough talk and lip service. I also propose that support for the death penalty in our modern society is inconsistent with Christian faith and that people of our faith* must insist on responses to crime that prioritize reconciliation over retaliation, prevention over revenge, and some form of restoration over extermination of human beings.
In response to an anticipated criticism, let me say that I have been too close to the trauma and tragedy of homicide to keep any naïveté’ about what I am saying. I understand that there are serious justice issues, safety issues and many other issues to be considered and addressed. I do not claim that it is easy or simple. I do say that it is what I understand our faith to require and that it is what my fellow citizens and fellow human beings deserve. Therefore, though difficult, these things need to be addressed.
We will conduct this Pilgrimage under the name, Sojourners for Abolition and Reconciliation (SOfAR). On this walk and on these larger issues, “We have come so far. We have so far to go.”
* My personal hope is that if I make it through the 300 miles of this Pilgrimage, I will continue the journey later this summer to complete a total of 404 miles – one mile for each execution that has taken place at Central Prison.
**I say “our faith” in reference to the Christian faith that I embrace and the faith perspective of my primary audience. I do not mean to exclude others; I just do not believe I have the authority to say what other faith perspectives require.
How you can help now...
Many of you have asked how you can help. At this point here are some of our needs. The top three are our most pressing needs at this point. While this list is longish, any need with which you can help will be of great importance to the fulfillment of this Pilgrimage.
1. Lodging for 6-8 people (church floor, a home, motel, etc.)
We currently do not yet have confirmed lodging in: Wilson, Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Goldsboro, Washington or Wilmington.
2. Dinner for 6-12 people.
3. Lunch for 12-15 people (or as few as 6-8 depending on number of local walkers on a given day...)
4. Event opportunity. We can provide a speaker, a forum on the death penalty, a panel discussion, etc. to share information and stories about the struggles of real families - both families of homicide victims and of people on death row. We need venues and people to talk with and listen to.
5. Local walkers to join us for a few yards or miles, depending on health and heat. This is a strenous event and is not the place for strollers or pets. However, if you want to walk with us in your town, we'll slow down the pace for a mile or two.
6. Breakfast for 6-8 people
7. Water, sports drinks and snacks
8. Support Vehicle drivers
9. Local pastor and/or lay persons to offer spiritual encouragement through prayer with us, offering Communion or Mass, etc.
10. Pray for us or, as the Quakers say, "Hold us in the Light" wherever you are.
1. Lodging for 6-8 people (church floor, a home, motel, etc.)
We currently do not yet have confirmed lodging in: Wilson, Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Goldsboro, Washington or Wilmington.
2. Dinner for 6-12 people.
3. Lunch for 12-15 people (or as few as 6-8 depending on number of local walkers on a given day...)
4. Event opportunity. We can provide a speaker, a forum on the death penalty, a panel discussion, etc. to share information and stories about the struggles of real families - both families of homicide victims and of people on death row. We need venues and people to talk with and listen to.
5. Local walkers to join us for a few yards or miles, depending on health and heat. This is a strenous event and is not the place for strollers or pets. However, if you want to walk with us in your town, we'll slow down the pace for a mile or two.
6. Breakfast for 6-8 people
7. Water, sports drinks and snacks
8. Support Vehicle drivers
9. Local pastor and/or lay persons to offer spiritual encouragement through prayer with us, offering Communion or Mass, etc.
10. Pray for us or, as the Quakers say, "Hold us in the Light" wherever you are.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Counting down
A 300-mile Pilgrimage through eastern North Carolina
“We have come SOfAR! We have SOfAR to go!”
Join us for the start of our 2009 Pilgrimage through eastern North Carolina.
1:00 PM, Sunday, June 14, 2009
Central Prison, 1300 Western Blvd, Raleigh
Help us move North Carolina closer to:
- Support for homicide victims’ families
- Compassion for families of persons on death row
- Restorative Justice that helps individuals, families and communities heal
- Abolition of the death penalty
Last year we walked 300+ miles from Raleigh to Washington, DC. This year we will walk 300+ miles through our own eastern North Carolina. We begin at 1:00 PM on Sunday, June 14, 2009 at the site of the most homicides of any address in Raleigh in the past century – Central Prison. We will wind past sites of recent homicides in our city and the women’s death row facility and then proceed eastward out of Raleigh.
The first miles will take a slower pace so as to accommodate a wide variety of participants. It will be hot and humid, so plan accordingly. As the day progresses we will pick up the pace as we head eastward out of Raleigh. Be aware that the route and conditions will be challenging at times.
Additional information about the Pilgrimage, including the full route, event schedule and the many ways you can help will be posted on our blog and at our 2009 Pilgrimage of Remembrance calendar (opens in a new tab or window).
Contact Scott Bass at (919) 231-9752 or (910) 385-6787 - Nazhouse@att.net .
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
We're walking again!
Yes, We're Walking Again! It's a new year, and we have a new journey ahead of us. Our theme this year is SOfAR - Soujourners for Abolition and Reconciliation.
We're planning another pilgrimage to bring about restorative justice, compassion for all victims of violence, and to abolish the death penalty . Like last year's 300 mile pilgrimage from Raleigh to Washington D.C. (“We have come SOfAR”), we have several goals:
- Support for homicide victims’ families
- Compassion for families of persons on death row
- Restorative Justice that helps individuals, families and communities heal
- Abolish the death penalty
This year, we will walk through eastern North Carolina. Our plans are still tentative, but we plan to walk from Raleigh to places like Wilson, Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Williamston, Greenville, Vanceboro, New Bern, Maysville, Jacksonville, Beulaville, Kenansville, Kinston, Goldsboro, Smithfield and points in between before walking back into Raleigh to the State Capitol. We can visit other communities, depending on interest.
We currently plan to depart Raleigh on Sunday, June 14 and walk for 14 to 16 days, averaging about 20 miles a day for a total of 300 to 325 miles. ( “We have SOfAR to go.”) We hope to have events along the way - talks with church groups or community organizations, panel discussions, film screenings, Bible studies, talks with victim's families or with death row relatives, meetings with legislators or town councils, and so on. We're looking for local people to help organize events in their towns.
We hope you will join us on the road or in spirit. This event is physically and spiritually strenuous, but there are many ways to participate. We need walkers and companions — either core walkers who want to go the distance, or friends who want to join us for a morning, an afternoon, or a couple days.
But we also need a lot of support, including:
- meals,
- lodging,
- water and other essentials,
- "sag wagon" drivers and other transportation,
- home town event organizers,
- donations (monetary or in kind, including a mid-journey rest stop location),
- home town media contacts (newspapers, etc.),
- and much more.
This pilgrimage will be both a prayerful experience and a call to public conversation about the issues above, with an emphasis on ending the death penalty and supporting all persons impacted by homicide. It will be grounded in Christian spirituality, while remaining respectful of other faith perspectives and will be open to persons committed to prayer and nonviolence regardless of their formal religious faith. We need to hear from people like you. We need partners to walk and to provide the crucial support needed by the Pilgrimage in various forms.
Our 'friends' on this year's pilgrimage include: Capital Restorative Justice Project, Murder Victim Families for Reconciliation, People of Faith Against the Death Penalty, and many others. We hope to include you in our list!
Please direct inquiries to Scott Bass at Nazareth House, (919) 231-9752 or email us at nazhouse@att.net
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)