SOA Watch Sacramento: Leisa Barnes Is Free!

From:
Janice Freeman
President, Sacramento SOA Watch
July 2, 2004

Dear Leisa Barnes supporters and friends,
She is out of prison!   What a day this has been!
Knowing that there would be a group of supporters and media present at the scheduled 8:00 AM release time, a guard woke Leisa up at 2 AM this morning and said “get-up you’re outa here”.  The male guard followed Leisa into the bathroom while she dressed, after which Leisa was made to wait about an hour or so.  They proceeded to escort Leisa out of prison and left her at the Bart Station parking lot.  It was cold and they would not provide her with a sweater or jacket.  They gave her the remaining $44.00 (in bills) and some change.  Keep in mind that Leisa was alone and a bit scared -- it’s still dark at that time of the morning.  Somehow, she managed to get to a pay phone to call us collect to let us know.  We advised her to try to get a taxi and get to a safe place and wait for us.  When Leisa was released, her papers stated that she was being released to a private car.  When Leisa pointed out that there was no private car and that they were leaving her at the Bart, they had no comment.  Mind you, this afternoon they are denying much of this!!!
We arrived at Denny’s with Leisa’s beloved son Luke.  It was a wonderful reunion and there were tears of relief and joy.  After spending some time there, our small group (Paul Burke, Pat Driscoll, Denise Christine, Luke and I) drove over to the entrance of Dublin Prison to meet all the other supporters.  Our original plan was to meet there at 8:15.  Most of the supporters had no idea that Leisa had already been released.   Prison officials told Peg Morton’s supporters (she was also arrested at Ft. Benning) that Peg would not be released until 11 AM.  There was a large group of supporters present for both women including Leisa’s 2 brothers and Sacramento’s Channel 10 News.  We realized that as long as we stood outside those gates to await the release of Peg, the prison officials were going to out-wait us!  We decided to go down to the IHOP restaurant en masse, while Peg’s supporters waited in their cars for the call to enter the prison for Peg.  We figured that if they thought we had all given up and left that they would then release her.  We’d barely walked into the restaurant and sat down, when the call came that Peg was on her way out!  When Peg arrived at IHOP, she was greeted with flowers and cheers while the  Channel 10 camera rolled.
Inside the restaurant, Leisa and Peg received a standing and resounding ovation.  Believe me it was quite a scene.  Peg (73 years old) hopped up on a chair and spoke eloquently about the School of the Americas and why she was willing to sacrifice 3 months of her life in prison.  She also spoke about Sr. Dianna Ortiz who was kidnapped in the late 80’s and was a victim of torture.  (To learn more about Sr. Dianna and her work, read her moving book  “The Blindfold’s Eyes” and web search TASSC).
It was quite a morning!  So many activists from the Bay Area, Davis and Sacramento traveled to Dublin to continue their support of these 2 wonderful women.  We remembered together  that at various prisons around the United States, other SOA Watch Prisoners of Conscience were being released or are about to be released.   We remembered together, that the School of the Americas (now known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation) has left a long trail of blood and tears and human rights abuse throughout Latin America.  We remembered together all of the other SOA Watch Prisoners of Conscience who have sacrificed days, months, and years of their lives in order to keep the issue of closing down the SOA before the public.  Many people have asked me why the SOA Watch continues to carry the torch of closure for the School of the Americas….many people have asked me why POC mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and friends are willing to risk arrest each year at Ft. Benning.  It is because we are outraged at the inhumanity that is taught at the SOA.  We continue to burn a spiritual candle for those in Latin America who have been tortured, murdered and disappeared at the hands of SOA graduates.
“We still sing, we still ask
We still dream, we still wait
In spite of the blows aimed at our lives
By the resourcefulness of hatred
That banished our loved ones to oblivion
Make them tell us where they have hidden the flowers
That used to adorn the streets living out a destiny
Where, where, have they gone”    Victor Heredia
To know more about the School of the Americas please go the website at www. soaw.org or contact Sacramento SOAW     janice [at] compudigital.com    916-812-7680.   Each of us has a particular gift that can be used in the effort to close the SOA.  Prayers, letter writing, phone calls…..there is something for every interested person to do even if you are housebound!
I know that you will be hearing from Leisa very soon.  Meanwhile, I want to thank all of you for your prayers and support during the past 3 months.

Janice Freeman     Sacramento School of the Americas Watch


Paul Burke
Sociology Department
CSU Sacramento
University of the Pacific
(916)278-6792