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Catholic
War Resister goes to Jail with JOY
2 January 2008
As many of you have heard
or read about me, I will be going to Douglas County Jail for 2 days. This was
my sentence given to me by Judge McQaude on Dec 14th. He sentenced me and Fr.
Jack Mc Caslin with a $75 fine plus court costs to equal a total of $119.
Because of the financial situation of myself living and working at the OCW,
with no pay I asked for an alternative to paying any money to the injustice
system. I informed him that any money I receive for the OCW goes directly to
the needs of the poor. Many of you have given gifts for the work of the OCW
since it's beginning. I told the judge that I could not receive any funds given
for the work of the poor to another institution. I try to the best of my ability
to follow a conscience based on the gospels as I see them, and good stewardship
with what God has provided. Paying the fine and court costs would not be good
stewardship.
So I was given the opportunity to present myself at the Douglas County jail
before January 14th to do my 2 days in jail.
It has been worked out with my fellow community members and a volunteer that
I would present myself on/ or around January 11th.
There has been a lot of news about the Douglas County jail and the City of Omaha
jail in the Omaha World Herald. I look upon this time away from the OCW not
as a punishment. I am honored to do this time as a witness against war. It is
only 2 days. I have spent much longer time in prison and some county jails before.
This time, I will spend it honorably reflecting and in reading and contemplation
about the state of our jails and the lack of health care and mental health care
that is afforded to the poor while incarcerated.
One of my mentors, Thomas Merton, a monk who died in 1968 will be coming with
me. The solitude is good. There might not be quiet in this jail, but it is a
solitude and awareness that one brings to the place.
From a CW perspective, I have always like the opportunities that are presented
to us while in jail or prison. I have found a solidarity with the poorest of
the poor here in America.
It is an opportunity to get to know them as an equal. For the most part from
the perspective of the jail system we are all numbers.
From the CW perspective, we all share in the same life and seem to find hope
and love within the same experience. I cherish those times that I have been
in jail and sitting side by side others.
So, my dear friends, please do not feel bad or sad for me. I wish that many
others might have this same opportunity. Location, Location, Location, teaches
us a lot more that we think.
Reading the gospels from the underbelly of our "justice"system is
a unique perspective.
I will be home soon. I look at this time as one of prayer and awareness and
opening up my eyes once again to the cost of what the poor really have to live.
I don't always like it, but the poor are our teachers, if we let them teach
us about faith, hope and love. I will be going in on January 10th, maybe 11th
and return home on the 12th of January.
January 11th is the date 6 years ago that we opened Guantanamo Prison in Cuba.
Let us all remember the torture that remains there.
Let us join together in prayer for those in jail and the system that seems more
concerned about punishment, than reconciliation and justice.
Thanks so much for all of your support.
Jerry Ebner
Charles Bergman and Jerry Ebner
Omaha Catholic Worker
1104 N. 24th St. Omaha, NE 68102
www.no-nukes.org/cwomaha
cwomaha@gmail.com
402- 502- 5887
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