Reflections on a short visit visit to the US
The USA is in desperate need of healing - Big time!
The Institute is on the way to opening an office in New York
For the last 10 days, Madoda Gcwadi and I have been in New York
At "the castle", we did an introductory healing of memories workshop with those who have been
incarcerated for up to 45 years including former political prisoners from Puerto Rico
We met a group of native women from Maine with whom we are exploring a partnership involving
healing of memories. They spoke inter alia about internalised oppression and the major role
in their oppression caused by the Catholic church to this day.
One evenng we met a retired General of the US military court, Jim Cullen who lead the
campaign within the military against the use of torture.
Intersections - a program out of Marble Collegiate invited us to join them
as they explore the possibilities of working with war vets especially from Afghanistan
and Iraq. How do you heal wounds that are still being created in wars that have not ended?
War veterans often feel that their experience is unique and yet war touches
every one: families and friends are often affected dramatically by the ones
who return from war changed for ever.
...And what about the other ... those we fought against.
Many Vietnam vets returned to Vietnam, to say sorry, to do penance and acts of restoratve
justice.
Larry Winter, a vietnam vet and now a drama therapist spoke of the intimate relationship
with those you have killed. "The war continues but noone is speaking about it"
Ed Tick said he went to North Vietnam and there was an absence of PTSD. Isit because the
Vietnamese saw themselves as fighting a just cause while US soldiers have not been able to convince
themselves?
Two days ago we came to the Minnesota.
The night we arrived in Minneapolis we went to speak with homeless vets at a veterans
hospital.
When I finished my spiel an African Amercan vet spoke about his experience of feeling
not second class but rather as a third class citizen - of being third class in the
military and how even returning home he was rejected by his family.
As a soldier he wasnt supposed to express his emotions -
now he cries alone.
Another said that if he was an Iraqi he too would support the insurgency.
Two days later a staff person came to a meeting and presented me with a special coin given
to those who support vets, the gift given to me at the request of the vets.
I am reading a photographic account by Riley and Monica about Riley's experience as a
nurse in Abu Ghraib prison
"..Earlier that day We treated several of the men who killed the marines...it is a
heavy burden to carry, deciding what treatment to give those who killed your brothers. When asked about
this experience, folks who have not experienced this dilemna in person frequently
respond one of two ways:
1. Of course you must treat the marines and the insurgents equally.
They are both human and deserve equal treatment.
2. Of course you dont treat them the same. It is war and they are the enemy.
Next time you had better kill them the first time.
The USA is in desperate need of healing - Big time!
The Institute is on the way to opening an office in New York
For the last 10 days, Madoda Gcwadi and I have been in New York
At "the castle", we did an introductory healing of memories workshop with those who have been
incarcerated for up to 45 years including former political prisoners from Puerto Rico
We met a group of native women from Maine with whom we are exploring a partnership involving
healing of memories. They spoke inter alia about internalised oppression and the major role
in their oppression caused by the Catholic church to this day.
One evenng we met a retired General of the US military court, Jim Cullen who lead the
campaign within the military against the use of torture.
Intersections - a program out of Marble Collegiate invited us to join them
as they explore the possibilities of working with war vets especially from Afghanistan
and Iraq. How do you heal wounds that are still being created in wars that have not ended?
War veterans often feel that their experience is unique and yet war touches
every one: families and friends are often affected dramatically by the ones
who return from war changed for ever.
...And what about the other ... those we fought against.
Many Vietnam vets returned to Vietnam, to say sorry, to do penance and acts of restoratve
justice.
Larry Winter, a vietnam vet and now a drama therapist spoke of the intimate relationship
with those you have killed. "The war continues but noone is speaking about it"
Ed Tick said he went to North Vietnam and there was an absence of PTSD. Isit because the
Vietnamese saw themselves as fighting a just cause while US soldiers have not been able to convince
themselves?
Two days ago we came to the Minnesota.
The night we arrived in Minneapolis we went to speak with homeless vets at a veterans
hospital.
When I finished my spiel an African Amercan vet spoke about his experience of feeling
not second class but rather as a third class citizen - of being third class in the
military and how even returning home he was rejected by his family.
As a soldier he wasnt supposed to express his emotions -
now he cries alone.
Another said that if he was an Iraqi he too would support the insurgency.
Two days later a staff person came to a meeting and presented me with a special coin given
to those who support vets, the gift given to me at the request of the vets.
I am reading a photographic account by Riley and Monica about Riley's experience as a
nurse in Abu Ghraib prison
"..Earlier that day We treated several of the men who killed the marines...it is a
heavy burden to carry, deciding what treatment to give those who killed your brothers. When asked about
this experience, folks who have not experienced this dilemna in person frequently
respond one of two ways:
1. Of course you must treat the marines and the insurgents equally.
They are both human and deserve equal treatment.
2. Of course you dont treat them the same. It is war and they are the enemy.
Next time you had better kill them the first time.
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