Prisons and the future of Palmer

Nov. 21, 2006

SPECTRUM/Howard Bess

Editor's note: What follows is taken from literature handed out by Rev. Howard Bess at last week's public hearing about a proposed prison site south of Palmer.

I am an 18-year resident of the Palmer area. I am the pastor of Church of the Covenant, an American Baptist Church in Palmer.

I care very much about the future of Palmer and Palmer quality of life. Very few people have given more time, effort and money to enhance the quality of life in Palmer. I have given myself to Palmer Arts Council, Palmer Museum of History and Art, the Mat-Su Miners, the Palmer Skateboard Association, Radio Free Palmer, Matanuska Valley Youth Basketball, Daybreak Services Management, and Valley Residential Services.

Everything I have done I have seen as an expression of my Christian faith and my commitment to being a follower of Jesus of Nazareth.

I have to consider the proposal to put a 2,251-bed mega prison just south of Palmer in the context of my Christian commitment. In his teachings, Jesus gave priority concern to the sick, the homeless, the widows, the poor and those in prison. He often showed disdain for the wealthy, the powerful and the privileged.

For those who do not consider themselves Christian and have no affiliation with a Christian church, those remarks are completely irrelevant.

There is now a powerful movement to send the new prison anywhere except Palmer. Those who are involved are making their appeal on the basis of selfishness, fear and misinformation.

A viable community (I am now speaking of Palmer) cannot be built on selfishness, fear and misinformation. A prison south of Palmer is far more compatible with community than selfishness, fear and misinformation.

Wherever the prison is built, the people imprisoned will look very much like the general population. They are us!

Over the years, as a pastor, I have been amazed at how many of my parishioners have spent time in jail and have family members in jail. I have spent

a lot of time visiting people

in jail.

Many of my best friends are ex-jailbirds. Several of them I first met in jail. The &#8220us and them” mentality displayed by those who oppose the prison south of Palmer is scurrilously dishonest.

The fear tactic is tragic. The placement of the prison should be decided by a careful process of discussion filled with facts. Few good decisions are made out of fear.

In the teachings of Jesus, he has more concern for a prisoner than for a wealthy homeowner. Jesus is more interested in how we welcome a prisoner upon release than he is in the maintenance of property values.

I am not absolutely sure of the best place to build the prison. I am certain that we will get the wrong answer if we do not value the prisoner and his family as much as we value our own.

&#8220Love your neighbor as

yourself.”

The Rev. Howard Bess is pastor of the Church of the Covenant, an American Baptist Church in Palmer.