Collision

We all have two parts to ourselves.

The Terrorist Next Door

what happens when everyone becomes an enemy? The places where I can read real investigative journalism is narrowing. One of my favorite journalists is Glenn Greenwald. He is a liberal who resigned from The Intercept, a company he co-founded, over censoring of an article he was writing on Hunter Biden. A few days ago, another […]

TRAVELING THE HARD ROAD

I just received a phone call. “Governor Brown signed her release!” My heart soared. It was Silvia’s sister, Veronica, telling me that after twenty years in prison, Silvia was going to be set free. I met Silvia in 1996, at Central Juvenile Hall, where she was awaiting her trial for a murder committed by her […]

SCALIA THE “MASTER OF WORDS”

Yes, I’ve heard a lot about what a great word master he was since his death. How about this… “Mere factual innocence is no reason not to carry out a death sentence properly reached.” Scalia. Hmmm, I wonder how he will plead about that now?

REFLECTIONS FROM ISTANBUL revisited

reflections from Istanbul revisited. In light of the recent terrorist attacks I thought I would revisit my essay Reflections from Istanbul. New Millennium Writings Nonfiction Award for 2015. I was in Istanbul last summer right as the war in Gaza broke out. Istanbul is the link between East and West. if that link breaks, we […]

FIGHTING FEAR WITH LIGHT

Life is strange. Here I am in this beautiful place by the sea in Costa Rica, in a little outdoor restaurant, lights twinkling, the hypnotic sound of the waves, and I am at the same time watching on the news the carnage and suffering in Paris, and thinking next Friday I will be in Marrakech […]

SILVIA ON MY MIND

For those who remember, I am supporting the release of Silvia Sanchez after twenty years in prison. I do not cease to think of her every day. Here I am, twenty years later, on a hillside above Lake Arenal, Costa Rica, listening to the driving rain, thunder and lightening and reflecting on how mysterious life is and magical […]

Saying Good-Bye

“Without a vision, the people will perish.” Proverbs 29:18 Dear Karen, Hello, it’s me, Silvia. I decided to write you this letter to say good-bye. Yes, my time has come. I hardly cry. I haven’t cried for a long time, but today I shed some tears as my friends brought memories of my trial and […]

Memories of Silvia Sanchez

Here are two photos that I found from the past: Silvia and her date at the prom with me in the background, and Silvia being crowned as Prom Queen at the first-ever prom held at Central Juvenile Hall, June 24, 1999. Follow-up to my essay WHY I CHOOSE TO REMEMBER MY 50TH BLOOD-BATH OF […]

JUSTICE FOR FERAS MORAD

Please share this eloquent cry for justice! I have written often about my experiences raising teenagers on the mean streets of Los Angeles and my work with incarcerated youth. I have lived abroad and traveled extensively. The United States of America is a police state ruled by fear and greed. My name is Shawn Haq, […]