• Need to talk to Obama. He says he supports death penalty for crimes for which the community needs to express their “full outrage.” #
• But why is it that when people of color are killed it’s acceptable, hardly any outrage, d.p. seldom pursued? “Outrage” is not a valid basis. #
• Eight out of ten on death row are there for killing whites, even though people of color are 50% of all homicides. #

Filed under: journal | 3 Comments »

• I’m off to Wyoming to write my spiritual memoir, River of Fire. Will be writing all summer beneath the Big Horns. #
• @StaceyMonk I love it in Wyoming, too. Charges my soul. #

Filed under: journal | 1 Comment »

• Worth listening to NPR interview with Rev Pickett, death house chaplain for 13 years in Huntsville, TX. http://moourl.com/deathhousepickett #
• Mike Farrell is in town. Having dinner with him after his book signing at Octavia Books tonight. #
• Mike is one of the best teachers & longest-standing opponents of the death penalty. Started DP Focus in CA. Great guy. So knowledgeable. #

Filed under: journal | 3 Comments »

• Heading home to New Orleans today. Been so busy on the road barely had time to tweet. #

Filed under: journal | 3 Comments »

• The death penalty is in decline in states with large # of Catholics. NJ, which recently abolished the DP, has 3rd highest # of Catholics. #
• States in Bible Belt with fewest # of Catholics, under influence of Southern Baptist Convention have largest death rows, most executions. #
• It seems like a good time to be galvanizing Catholics to end the death penalty. #
• Presently there are five Catholics on the U.S. Supreme Court: Roberts, Kennedy, Scalia, Thomas, Alito. #
• If the Catholic community in dialogue with these justices could persuade one of them… #
• … to allow his ethical lens to open wider his interpretation of the Constitution’s mandate of "equal justice under law"… #
• …we would have the 5-4 vote needed to declare the death penalty unconstitutional. #

Filed under: journal | No Comments »

• Tim Robbins’ play of Dead Man Walking, which he gave over to US schools and colleges, has now been performed in well over 100 schools. #
• I saw a production by grades 6-12 at Buffalo Academy for Visual & Performing Arts last week. Minimal set, extraordinary acting - fantastic. #
• We also did a 3-day non-violence workshop. So wonderful to see alternatives to violence being taught in schools. #
• @yostsa What is the link to your blog about the peace camp? #

Filed under: journal | No Comments »

• Truly hopeful: In Virginia last week, I met Tyson Daniel, a capital defense lawyer. 12 capital cases went to trial, 0 death penalties. #
• To date, Virginia has been one of the killingest states, 2nd to Texas. Now, VA hasn’t had an execution in 4 years, with 30 on death row. #
• They’re shutting executions down using the Colorado method: work with the juries all the way from the voir dire. #
• @ericagee It’s also to help jury recognize the bent of the constitution is towards life; must have an extraordinary reason to choose death. #
• This approach helps counterbalance the terrible bias caused by the automatic exclusion of any juror who says they oppose the death penalty. #
• All juries on death penalty cases must be "death approved". Doesn’t that seem unfair? That juries are loaded with DP supporters? #

Filed under: journal | No Comments »

• I’m spending the day at Angola prison in Louisiana, visiting Manuel Ortiz who not only should not be on death row, he should not be in jail. #

Filed under: journal | No Comments »

• I’m very excited about using Twitter to connect with people. I’ve written in my blog about it. http://www.sisterhelen.org/?p=31 #

Filed under: journal | No Comments »

• Been reading Constantine’s War by James Carroll. In 326AD for the first time the cross of Jesus was held up as a symbol of victory in war. #
• It ties in with my meeting with Episcopalians in Asheville, NC, last week. Making the connections between religion & violence. #

Filed under: journal | No Comments »