Peace Threat
Sojourners staff intern Michele Deramo recently sent an origami peace crane to a prisoner in Texas with whom she corresponds. The folded paper crane was confiscated by prison officials. Michele later received a form from the prison warden explaining that the correspondence she sent "contains contraband in violation of Rule 3.9.1.8. ... one folded handmade bird denied, UNINSPECTABEL [sic]." Just how many folds can an origami bird have?
Isn't It Ironic?
Days after a congressional committee and scientific experts declared that the Strategic Defense Initiative ("Star Wars") would be a technical disaster, the House of Representatives passed a bill providing $3.5 billion for its development. The vote had to be taken by verbal roll call. The House voting computer had malfunctioned.
Saints and Martyrs
Our most frequent "H'rumphs" contributor, Jim Levinson of the Noonday Farm community in Massachusetts, has done it again. This month's story took place at a support gathering in Boston for participants in the Transfiguration Plowshares disarmament action.
At one point in the evening, those gathered were invited to call out the names of people who were to be remembered for their contributions of faith and courage. A litany of martyrs, saints, and prisoners of conscience followed. "Gandhi," "Dietrich Bonhoeffer," and "Dorothy Day" were being called out as 4-year-old Justin Schaeffer-Duffy, son of former Sojourners receptionists Claire Schaeffer and Scott Duffy, entered the room. Quickly taking account of the proceedings and hearing a recitation of familiar names, Justin stood up on a bench and yelled with all his might, Pee Wee Herman!"
Shelf Life
Read the Full Article
