Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Facing Prison for Darfur. Day #6 Hunger Strike in DC

It seems I face up to 6 months prison for fighting to stop the Darfur Genocide. Small price to pay.

In Januray I was on 23 hour/day vigil for Darfur at the White House. An old-school park police officer was on duty one night and decided he wanted me out of the park. After 60+ nights in the park vigiling for Darfur without arrest, he decided to chase me out. I would not leave my Darfur post. It was a nasty arrest. The next court date is March 21st.

The activists that have been demonstrating in the park for years agains war, nuclear weapons, etc. are kind of tired I think of my praising the professionalism and humanity of the police in the park. This gentlemen, this night, was a horrible exception.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

"Working" Hunger Strike for Darfur Day #3

Thomas is in the hospital. Yesterday we were a bit worried we might lose him. He couldn't breathe and by the 2nd day in the hospital they didn't know why. By yesterday afternoon they had him diagnosed with a degenerative lung blockage disease that had flared up. They placed him on a regimen of inhalation of medicine and he, it seems, pulled out of the danger zone. We cannot afford to lose Tomas, saint Thomas. Be a prayer for him.

Having begun the Hunger Strike for Darfur, almost literally on my way to the White House the morning of March 1st I came upon Thomas who was returning from his 25 year vigil. He reached his operations base and was obviously in great distress. I was asked to stay and help watch things while he was taken to the hospital. "Of course," I replied. Later in the day Thomas's wife Ellen called and said, "Thomas is hoping you will take his place at the 25 year vigil tonight." "Of course," I responded. It looks like it will be some days before Thomas can return. I've been asked to stand in until he can return. It is my great honor and privelage to take his place (inadequately as I can) until he can return. Ellen said I was the answer to many, many prayers. I am devestatingly humbled.

What about Darfur? Darfur is dying for Heroes, for lack of global brotherhood / humanity / Love / Otherishness / Spirit. Our Darfur Family can only be saved by the "Ransom" of This in the hearts of people. That is the work of the 25 year Peace Vigil. By working there I will be working for Darfur, although not as directly as I had planned, for now.

"Working" Hunger Strike? It is about a mile to the White House which I cover four times per day at 5:45am, 10:30am, 4:45pm and 10:30pm. Also, as time and energy permit I continue at construction on Thomas's base of operation. I figure this is 3-500 calories per day of energy I'd not be spending if I were stationary at the White House. I expect to consume this many calories per day as an offset.

Why Hunger Strike? How long? A hunger strike, if done out of the Spirit of brotherhood/Solidarity/Love/Service is a way of turning that Spirit, that Flame, up to high - turning up the Heat, Light, and Firemaking potential to maximum. Can it Ignite a bunch of people? As soaking wet as most of us, the wood, are? Hardly. But it might ignite a twig or so that happens to come near enough and be ready enough, and together we might then ignite a third.... And it will begin drying some of the other wood. Or not. G d knows.

Burning that hot (Hunger Strike) burns up the candle, the body. I'm expecting to continue for 45 days on only water. I've done electrolytes previously and this is too high tech, to "material." I expect to consume only water this time. At 45 days (it will not be a "working" hunger strike by then) I expect to consume about 400 calories per day for another month or so. This will be tough, but I'll probably make it through without too much damage to my body. No matter. What matters is that a Fire (Life) starts, and we stop the Darfur Genocide. Now.

Will this Hunger Strike do any Good? Certainly. Enough? Almost certainly not. Almost, certainly not.

Think of something more hopeful that I could do. If you succeed, tell me.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Darfur Hunger Strike Resumes

My delay in returning to the White House is at an end. I have had a wonderful opportunity to contribute to some folks that have been waging a heroic war of brotherhood for all humanity for many decades. I hope I've been of some help to them. It is time to return to the Darfur side of my family.

Beyond that there is not much to say except what I've already written:

How does an outsider live in the face of Genocide?...

Darfur Hunger Strike March 1st; Ascent Begun

JESUS LED US TOWARD SUFFERING. Less we'll do for ...

Dave Dellinger Quotations Blog

I'm a bit worried about doing a Hunger Strike in what remains of winter. But, I'm even more worried about delaying any longer, just like what everyone else is doing. In killing time we are killing Darfur.

My Spirit is very good by the way. There has not been a second in as many months as I can remember now where the teaching's of Jesus (Tolstoy's "Gospel in Brief") have not demonstrated themselves to me as a better compass toward Joy / Life / Love / Peace / Truth / Heaven on Earth than everything I have ever known that says the contrary - that Stuff, Superiority and Systems/Institutions (even the worship of the "my" family Institution. ESPECIALLY "MY" FAMILY...) are the way. They are not. Waging TOTAL Love/Brotherhood is the way. As Ashley Montegue said, "The evils of the world are not due to the absence of love, but rather the presence of tribal love." (or something like that.)

Last night is the first time that the following has occurred to me, but in flashes such as what occurred this is how Jesus brilliance comes to me. I can see that once the System got a clear experience with Jesus, Jesus' days were numbered. They would dispose of him quickly. Not that it was a simple matter of plot or malevolence. There really is no malevolence in a pit bull. Killing life is simply what pit bulls do.

And, it is not quite that simple either. HEROES: Heaven on Earth (by whatever name you call it) is the Reign of Otherishness displacing Selfishness. Jesus was a Hero. Both Otherishness and Selfishness cannot reign. They are mutually exclusive. They literally kill/displace each other. Well, in Jesus day Selfishness reigned. The prevailing Systems/Institutions "sensed" Jesus as a mortal threat; He was. Their very being required that they be drawn toward killing Him before simply by His being and infecting others with Otherishness He killed them - the Systems/Institutions. Well, you say, but men killed Jesus. Men had in Truth enslaved themselves to the God of Mammon - Systems/Institutions. It is the same today, but much, much, much, much more so.

We may be laughing at j's delusionalism weeks or months ahead - his aggrandizement, and demonization of U.S. Systems/Institutions/Way of Life (Death). My guess is that we will not be laughing. Once I enter the system (the wrongful "Camping" at the White House on 23hr/day Darfur Vigil arrest has a court date of 3/21; Guantanamo arrest - April something; next; etc.) they will have to destroy me. They will want me to accept the inhuman treatment we Americans administer to millions of prisoners, and I suspect I will refuse to cooperate. As Gandhi said, "It is as much my moral obligation not to cooperate with evil as it is to cooperate with good." If they do not destroy me, my example will be a great threat to them. What would the other prisoners do?

No matter. What matters is that we Rescue and Restore Darfur. Now. Join the Heroes. Darfur is Dying for Heroes.