The Lord seeks justice
for all who are oppressed.
(Psalm 103:6)
Dear Anna,
I read your papers. The one on the Indian occupation of Alcatraz, brought back all sorts of memories for me. Grammy and I lived in San Francisco in those days—the late 60s. A close friend of ours, Ellen Bear (I wonder where she is now?) was a nurse and spent time on the island providing medical assistance to the tribes. She would come back with stories filled with deep concern and activist passion. Lots of activist passion in those days.
Anyway… where was I. I drifted off for a spell. Oh yes, back to your paper. I love your first paragraph, beginning with: “Islands have stood as symbols of resistance and freedom for hundreds of years.” Then you speak of Liberty Island with its Statue of Liberty and Alcatraz, an island of imprisonment. And you spoke of Snake Island and its “brave Ukrainian fighters” resisting the powerful Russian invaders.
What if we held all three of these islands in our consciousness: 1) Liberty Island with her Statue of Liberty—America at her best; 2) Alcatraz with her Indian occupiers reminding us of our faults; and, 3) Snake Island, reminding us that liberty is still worth the fight.
Love, PAPA
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