Eris Parader, Willy Watkins; Halfway Home.

Its day 23 of a 45 day sentence in OPP for Willy Watkins, who was railroaded as a scapegoat in the arrests made during the 5th Districts brutal assault on the Eris paraders, most of whom had nothing to do with the vandalism that followed some distance behind them.

What follows is an excerpt from a letter from my contact within those ranks. I find the idea of helping whoever you can, however you can, wherever you are, to be as sublime an act as humans can commit. It seems that Willy, rather then spend 45 days lamenting his fate, as many would tend to do, has been otherwise occupied;

"In a related matter, I've just heard from Willy... he still has another few weeks, but he's been so buoyed by all the mail everyone has sent, as well as the commissary $$$. Among the folks Willy's met in prison is a young New Orleanian named Gert who composes poetry and freestyles. After a week of doing field labor alongside him, Willy was so impressed with Gert's lyrical talents that he used some commissary funds to buy Gert writing paper and a pen (both of which are expensive and hard to come by inside Orleans Parish Prison) and has begun helping him with writing down and preserving some of his poems and raps. Am I an old softie for getting verklempt over that? Basically, Willy is a sweetheart, and the generosity you-all have shown Willy has even had a small ripple effect within the environmental misery and desperation of OPP at large.  So, thanks... and please, keep writing!"

Details on reaching Willy can be found here.

 We are living in a time of profound awakening. The effect of the internet on social consciousness has been a fledgling imitation of collective awareness, perhaps a simulation of what it is to come, as humans continue to imitate God.

Rather than doing this by controlling others, reserving the judgement of Life & Death, as so often has been the case, it is happening in the coming awareness the We Are All Connected, and the responding compassion that goes along with such an understanding. It is in large groups, too big to deny, and in the smallest individual acts, that this is playing out.

I would like to offer my personal thanks to each and everyone of you who acted on this awareness, by reaching out, offering assistance, spreading the word, saying a prayer, or simply imagining yourself in the shoes of those less fortunate than yourselves.

It is actions such as these, from those like yourself, that will, in time, change the world to a better place.

My heart goes out to all of you.


best;
LD