Dear lovers of peace with justice,

I am filled with gratitude for every blessing, for every experience (the highs and lows), for the things I've learned, for the people I've met and befriended during my 50 years of Dominican Sisterhood. Thank you God and Dominican Community! I join with you in spirit as you gather for Jubilee celebrations at the Motherhouse on the weekend of August 6 th and 7 th . I feel your presence with me in spirit in this prison.

August 6-9

In this month also, there are commemorations of the 60 th anniversary of U.S. use of atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. People who never want to see threats of use or use of weapons of mass destruction ever again are planning presence at key sites to speak their deeply held convictions. We stand together, wherever we are, in fasting, prayer, repentance and commitment to reject the ‘reign of terror' of war. At this prison we will gather on August 6 th sharing poetic and prose readings and our convictions in solidarity with all of you. We lift up all nonviolence training, all practices of justice and principles for meeting basic human needs.

On My Mind

My completion of John Dear's book The Questions of Jesus : Challenging Ourselves to Discover Life's Great Answers provoked my own reflections. I also finished a printout of “Fascism Anyone?” Free Inquiry regarding 14 characteristics of Fascism (a 2003 writing) by Dr. Lawrence Britt, who records the common elements he concludes in his study of former fascist regimes.

Influenced by John Dear's book to recognize 307 questions posed in the four Gospels, I began reading material and asking my own questions. In fact, I agree with Rainer Maria Rilke in a Letter to a Young Poet “Try to love the questions themselves” and “Live the questions now”. Richard Rohr in the forward to John's book acknowledges that Jesus only answers directly three of the 183 questions that he himself is asked in the four Gospels.

So when I read Dr. Britt's analysis of fascism I asked the question, “Is this being practiced in my country?” “Are we guilty of empire building and allowing a fascist regime?” Lest you have not seen the study I share excerpts for you to ask questions also. Dr. Britt states that fascist regimes:

1. tend to be extremely nationalistic and powerful, using mottos, slogans, songs and symbols in public displays.
2. persuade people to accept the use of tactics such as torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations, etc., ignoring human rights.
3. rally the people to eliminate a perceived common threat, foe, terrorist, enemy.
4. build up the military continually, giving disproportionate government funding to it while neglecting domestic needs. Military service is glorified.
5. consist almost exclusively of male domination and sharply defined gender roles.
6. control the media directly or indirectly by government regulation. Censorship is extensively applied.
7. uses fear as a motivational tool over the masses of people. National security becomes an obsession.
8. uses common religions to manipulate public opinion by co-opting religious terminology and symbols, though the religion itself may be diametrically opposed to the governmental policies and actions.
9. put industrial and business leaders in places of authority and they in turn lend support to selection of leadership politically, creating a mutual give and take relationship.
10. suppress labor unions or eliminate them as a threat.
11. censor, openly attack or silence professors and academic centers or threaten loss of funds for the universities and fine arts.
12. give the police limitless powers while the people are often willing to forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. Police abuses are frequently overlooked.
13. practice cronyism and corruption in appointing each other to government positions and rewarding each other with perks, honors, resources and treasures.
14. manipulate fraudulent elections, offer smear campaigns, use legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries. Judiciaries are used to control elections.

My reflection centers on these fascist principles and my questions formulated relate to my conscience and Gospel values. I hope they stir up your thoughts too.

For Mind and Spirit Nourishment

Books are still arriving. Many, many thanks for all of these along with subscriptions, Xerox materials, magazines and your loving messages.

1. Other Lands Have Dreams by Kathy Kelly
2. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
3. A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
4. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
5. Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh
6. Changing of the Gods by Naomi R. Goldenberg
7. Fragments of My Life by Catherine de Hueck Doherty
8. Summer: A Spiritual Biography of the Season ed. by Gary Schmidt and Susan M. Felch

Prison Update

More women come to Danbury by self-surrender and transfers from other jails or prisons than the number of women released. One of the dorms made into a room for religious services, multi-purpose room (without a TV) or area for quiet study has been returned to a dorm for 12. This unit is crowded, longer lines and stacks of paperwork burden the two major staff personnel. The budget cuts can certainly be felt, but I see little relief coming from the courts. Recidivism abounds. The system is a failure. Alternatives to prisons should be designed to truly help all women with nonviolent crimes.

What is Love?

Out of the mouths of children:

1. My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night. Clare – age 6

1. You really shouldn't say ‘I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget. Jessica – age 8
2. Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well. Tommy – age 6
3. Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day. Mary Ann – age 4.

Well, just in case you are forgetting – I love you.

With gratitude,
Ardeth Platte, OP # 10857-039
Federal Correctional Institution
33 ½ Pembroke Station
Danbury, CT 06811

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