Están Libres!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k2fxIz-XF8&feature=related

I am glowing! absolutely ecstatic. Yesterday, as I typed Centro Las Libres into the news which I do every few days now, a new article appeared "Guanajuato Reduces Sentences against Women." After years of work, a flood of international pressure, and the published story of Alma, the Guanajuato congress responded. This past week they reduced the sentence for infanticide from 25-35 years to 3-8 years if the infanticide occurred within 24 hours of birth. This solution is far from ideal because it hardly addresses the problem of falsely accusing poor women and the six women I worked with will be set free as criminals who served their time. My guess it that the politicians hope that if they get these women out of jail the UN will stop breathing down their necks and feminist groups from around the world will stop calling them monsters. It is a cowardly band aid, but it represents a victory and a huge step. A process we thought would take years and tens of thousands of dollars has been partially completed, and with their freedom the unjustly incarcerated women will work with Las Libres for complete justice. By this Sunday, all six women I worked for in Guanajuato will take their first steps out of prison in half a decade. I am so proud of Las Libres, and happy to have been able to work for them for such an extended period of time. Their story demonstrates the power of a group of small, passionate, dedicated individuals.

I'll end this e-mail and my Mexico e-mails with this prayer (a professor read it at the faculty address this year and I thought it was relevant and wonderful):


May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships,
So that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war,
So that you may reach out your hand.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done.