The Things That Change Us

I went to Brea today to hear Helen Prejean, the author of Dead Man Walking. I heard Helen before, about 12 years ago. She spoke at the Manchester Church of the Brethren. She was engaging then and she was engaging today. Prejean is a nun with the Sisters of Joseph.

I want to tell you what I learned today. In California, 1 in every 3 black men between the age of 20-29 is in prison. Seventy percent of those in prison for drugs are people of color. Statistics show that more caucasians are drug users than people of color. Currently, California has 700 people on death row. In a thirty year period, California built one university and 27 prisons.

Prejean didn't just bombard us with statistics. She shared with us the story of how she got involved with death row inmates. It all began with a request from a friend that she become a pen pal to someone on death row. This work has defined her life ever since. She told us we didn't need a blueprint for our lives. We just need to be a neighbor. The things that change us are the times we see suffering and we can't ignore it.

Tonight I went to the Claremont City Council meeting to see Joe Lyons sworn in as a new City Council member. He campaigned on a message of sustainability. Congratulations, Joe. I am glad he is a council member.