On my way home from Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana I had hoped to go by the Louisiana State Penitentiary, aka Angola Prison, but we got to the Angola Ferry landing and found that it apparently doesnt run anymore---probably because of the amazing new Audubon Bridge near St. Francisville (see an image at: 4.bp.blogspot/-x68C7QfuVac/TgfYgpVAJeI/AAAAAAAAAYE/b-N0tn0W0xI/s1600/Bridge+2.jpg). While I enjoyed going over the new bridge, the route was too long to get back to New Orleans in time for Kathryns flight so no prison time for me on this trip. Plenty in the future Im sure. Disappointed about that, I found myself searching on my kindle for books about Angola and came across Sister Helen Prejeans book, Dead Man Walking. I was a bit surprised that I had never read it, nor had I seen the movie made from it. So I downloaded it and read it cover to cover on my flight home, and found it to be nothing short of a revelation. Ive long been opposed to the death penalty and thought I knew something about it, but I think that is only true now. Amazing woman, wonderful writer, and a heartbreaking story of violence begetting violence. I hope that this post will lead even one more person to read this book and learn about what this woman is doing, and what all of us are doing and not doing. I had to think about it for a day before deciding to post about it, but obviously I decided to do it, and apologies in advance (get those unfollow buttons ready!) but there will be more to come.
Posted on: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 15:40:18 +0000