Editor's Notes

by Chuck Armsbury, Senior Editor

This issue is getting to readers later than we'd planned, and for that we apologize, but not for the nasty flu that shut all us down for a few real sick days in February. In these 32 pages containing personal stories, legal analysis, book reviews, special interviews and lots of news from different states, we hope you'll again find insights, direction and encouragement in this long struggle for justice. Enjoy this spring 2002 issue; use it for education and pass it along to others when you're done. There will be more to come!

Jerry Alexander is our newest office volunteer. He and his wife, Sue, live near Colville, and Jerry is a retired postal letter carrier. Sue is native to this area, works as a nurse at our local hospital, and with Jerry has been actively corresponding, visiting, and assisting prisoners for many years.

Jerry is the first person to process mail your mail, prepares shipping and does some bookkeeping here at our home/office. He's the kind of volunteer one might call uncommon because few like him show up at our door. He was already familiar with many criminal justice issues when we first met, and from years of public service he knows how to work and get a job done. Though you might not see it in this mild-mannered man at first, he carries around enough anger about social injustice to keep him awake, dedicated and involved in these harsh times. He still can't believe he found likeminded souls here in Colville, a town of 5,000 in sparse Eastern Washington State. Please welcome this fine man into your hearts and think of him when you write November Coalition.

This Razor Wire issue was 'laid up for printing' primarily by Tina Cummings, her first attempt to do this demanding job here in the office. She deserves special appreciation from readers for the care, thoughtfulness and work ethic required to electronically 'paste' together this special 32-page issue to our usual standards. Credit Nora with the unheralded, usually thankless, and difficult job of office oversight; for she is a good teacher on these iMac computers and has earned respect and thanks from all of us who are just plain thankful to be learning something new, and serving you all as we do it. Keep those cards and letters coming.