October 5, 2011 · 12:50 am

Stay in Georgia, scheduled in Alabama

A judge in Georgia has ordered a stay of execution for Marcus Ray Johnson who was scheduled to be executed today. Johnson was found guilty of the murder of  Angela Sizemore. Two factors appear to have played a role in the stay: “police in Albany presented Johnson’s defence team with a new box of evidence that has never before been examined. Johnson’s lawyers argued the box could change the understanding of the case.” In addition, the judge agreed to allow DNA testing to take place.

I pray for the family and friends of Angela Sizemore. I pray for the judges, attorneys, and others involved in the case. I pray for the Marcus Ray Johnson and his friends and family.

Christopher L. Johnson is scheduled for execution by the state of Alabama on October 20. Johnson has been convicted of killing his six-month old son – Elias Ocean Johnson. Reports are that he has admitted the crime. He has apparently refused to pursue any appeals and has filed court papers saying that he does not want anyone to file appeals on his behalf.

My mind reels as I ponder his crime. And yet – his execution will not bring back Elias – his execution will diminish us as does any execution carried out by the state.

I pray for those who loved (and still love) Elias Ocean Johnson. I pray for Christopher L. Johnson and his family and friends. I pray for the judges, attorneys, and others involved in the case.

May God have mercy on us all.

See you along the Trail.

Leave a comment

Filed under Capital Punishment, Death Penalty

Tagged as , ,

October 5, 2011 · 12:18 am

More on mismatched names

Yesterday I described a recent travel experience in which my boarding pass had the name people call me by and not my legal first name. Between two gate agents and two security check points only once did this draw a comment.

A trusted friend reminded me that this was an experience of privilege. And she is right. I believe that her “wild guess” that “this would not have happened so favorably to others” is correct. I was privileged in my treatment and in how I viewed that treatment.

Am I asking that I should have been hassled? No. But I do think everyone should be treated the same and if that means I should have faced more complications because others do, and others would, then so be it.

See you along the Trail.

Leave a comment

Filed under Friends, Travel

Tagged as , , , ,

October 3, 2011 · 9:19 pm

Under a grey blanket

A grey blanket
envelopes the airport,
the constant drizzle
enhances the atmosphere –
the dreariness exceeded
only by my mood.

2 October 2011
CLE

Leave a comment

Filed under Poem

Tagged as , , , , ,

October 3, 2011 · 9:16 pm

Aircraft movement

Still sat the plane
at the gate,
wheels chocked,
jet bridge attached,
going nowhere.

I gazed at the
screen in the seat in front of me,
where complimentary Direct TV service
would play,
entertaining me with visual delights.

But “due to aircraft movement”
by the chocked-wheels,
attached-to-the-jet-bridge
aircraft going nowhere
the service was not available.

And I wondered at the cause:
had a crew member set a wrong switch?
Did sensors somewhere think the plane was moving?
The more I wondered, the less, I wanted to know.
I fell asleep.

3 October 2011
CO 1575

Leave a comment

Filed under Poem, Travel

Tagged as , , , , ,

October 3, 2011 · 8:53 pm

Mismatched names

The printer whirred and spit out my boarding pass. My heart sank as I read the name. Mark. The name everyone knows me by, but not my first name. Not the name on my ID.

Trouble lies ahead, I thought. Visions of becoming far better friends with a TSA agent than I ever desired danced through my head. I paused and looked at the pass.

Finally realizing that no other options existed, I pulled my driver’s license from my wallet and handed it, along with the boarding pass, to the gate attendant. Who took a look, checked off the pass and took my bag. The folks at security screening said nothing either.

Four times on this trip – twice going and twice coming, the process repeated. Only once did someone notice the mismatch of the names. Only once did I have to show additional identification – and a credit card sufficed.

While I appreciated the lack of hassle, it made me wonder. I will take care to make sure it does not happen again (others purchased the ticket for me). But I still wonder.

See you along the Trail.

3 October 2011
CO 1575

Leave a comment

Filed under Antiracism, Travel

Tagged as , , ,

October 1, 2011 · 11:20 pm

Cold night in Wooster town

The damp cold seeps
into his bones,
makes muscles ache,
and sinews moan,
Stirred by the pain,
but half awake,
he reaches out
across the grate,
hunting warmth and
seeking comfort.
Finding no one,
he sighs deeply,
shivers once, twice,
then tightly curls
into a ball,
pulls closer the
tattered blanket,
and tries to find
sleep yet once more.

1 October 2011
Wooster, Ohio

Leave a comment

Filed under Poem, Travel

Tagged as , , ,

September 29, 2011 · 9:12 pm

Not the answer in Georgia, not the answer in Iran

I sent a fax tonight to the State Board of Pardons and Paroles in Georgia. I wrote on behalf of Marcus Ray Johnson. The state has scheduled his execution next Wednesday. He was convicted of raping and murdering Angela Sizemore. His advocates indicate there are reasons to doubt his guilt. Even if there are not, I would still have sent a fax. I do not believe that putting someone to death is the answer. It is an act that tears the soul of society. It inflicts further wounds. As much as we may feast on the act, we are feasting on ourselves. I grieve for Ms. Sizemore; I tremble at what was done to her – an unspeakable violation. I grieve for those who love her. Yet, killing the person convicted of this crime is not the answer.

I sent an email tonight to the Iranian Embassy. I wrote on behalf of Youcef (or Yousef) Nadarkhani. Pastor Nadarkhani stands convicted of apostasy. CNN reports that he heads “a network of Christian house churches in Iran” and “could be executed as soon as midnight Wednesday in Tehran for refusing to recant his religious beliefs and convert to Islam.” Iran has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article 18 of the covenant includes a provision that the “freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief.” On this basis, Iran should halt the execution. But even without the Covenant, capital punishment remains an unacceptable response in this or any situation.

The taking of a life by a state – for whatever reason – is not the answer in Georgia. It is not the answer in Iran. It is simply not the answer.

I faxed. I emailed. Will you join me?

See you along the Trail.

Leave a comment

Filed under Capital Punishment, Death Penalty, Human Rights

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

September 28, 2011 · 5:10 pm

Grazing the flora buffet

A movement caught my eye.

I sat at the kitchen table in Cleveland Heights, working on one of the presentations I will make in Wooster this weekend.

The blur of dusky brown drew my attention from the computer. Deer appear regularly at the Erie Shire; more regularly than I do.

On this late afternoon, three doe (yes, only two appear in this picture) grazed the buffet of flora that our back yard offers. Not wanting to frighten them, I took pictures through the window.

Did she hear the shutter? I find it hard to believe, but doe closest to the window turned when she I took the first picture. It appeared to me that she gazed through the window, staring at me, posing the question, “Just who belongs, and who is the visitor here?”

See you along the Trail.

2 Comments

Filed under Cleveland Heights, Family, Photo

Tagged as , , ,

September 27, 2011 · 8:42 pm

Execution set for September 28 in Florida

Barring a stay, the state of Florida will execute Manuel Valle tomorrow – September 28 – at 4:00 p.m. Valle, now 61, was convicted of killing Coral Gables police officer Louis Pena 33 years ago.

As officer Pena’s daughter noted, her father gave his life doing his job. I give thanks for his service and mourn his death. My prayers are with his family and friends.

But killing Manuel Valle will not bring officer Pena back. It will be an act of revenge. It will further tear and wound our society.

Opponents of the execution cite several reasons for Florida Governor Rick Scott to see that Mr. Valle receives clemency:

  • Mr. Valle is 61 years old; he has been on death row for 33 years – more than half his life – and has never been offered a meaningful clemency process.
  • His execution will use new lethal injection cocktail that has not been medically tested or approved, putting him at risk of grave pain and suffering.
  • The length of time spent on death row combined with the lack of clemency process and the experimental and potentially torturous execution procedure makes this a serious violation of Mr. Valle’s fundamental human rights.

The death of any person diminishes us all. Many deaths cannot be prevented. Deaths that result from state executions can.

For these reasons, I pray for Manuel Valle and all who mourn for him.

And I have contacted Governor Rick Scott. I invite you to do so as well:

Gov. Rick Scott
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399PHONE: 850-488-7146
FAX: 850-487-0801
See you along the Trail.

3 Comments

Filed under Cleveland Heights, Death Penalty

Tagged as , , , , ,

September 27, 2011 · 12:26 am

Reminded of New Orleans

I watched a movie tonight. Well watched might be too strong a word.

I had a movie playing while I worked on the computer. It was diverting enough although not so engaging that it distracted my attention.

My movie watching goes through phases. An actor, an actress, a director. Something or usually someone catches my fancy, who knows why, and I place a number of that person’s films in the good old Netflix queue.

At the moment it is Errol Flynn. Obtaining one of his pirate films brought the opportunity to order a disk with two movies. Thus I watched Buccaneer’s Girl tonight. Well watched might be too strong a word, although we have been there before.

The plot of the film failed to catch my attention, but I did notice the setting: New Orleans. Of course there were very few scenes, if any,  that actually showed the city. Most were interior shots and scenes set on a boat aboard the bounding main. I did have the feeling that I had seen some of the players other movies, although I could not confirm that quickly on IMDB. But they said the name New Orleans frequently enough to piqué my interest, for that reminded me of the last time I visited the city.

At Christmas, 2009, we went to the Crescent City with Tricia’s family. It was a wonderful vacation. We did some rebuilding, ate way too well and way too much, watched a football game on Bourbon Street, saw the lights at New Orleans City Park, checked out Jan Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve and the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. We ate multiple beignets and drank much coffee and hot chocolate on several trips to Cafe du Monde.

More than that, it was a wonderful, wonderful time with family. The memories comfort me still.

See you along the Trail.

Leave a comment

Filed under Movie, National Park

Tagged as , , , , , , ,