Hey, my name’s Running River with AMPA {American Indian Movement People’s Alliance] and our Prison Sweat Lodge Campaign. Last Monday, December 22, I was arbitrarily targeted by a chaplain of my own faith group, Jonathan DeSalle, who’s employed here at SCI VA. While at our Native American feast meal, I elected not to participate because of his lack of knowledge of how to hold a feast in traditional manner. After addressing my concerns about the use of styrofoam cups during a sacred– what’s supposed to be Indigenous ceremony– I was pressured into violating my tribal beliefs by — to drink water out of a styrofoam cup. Instead of respecting my belief and concern, my rights were violated as he asked me to please leave.
I did fakingly knock my cup on the floor, attempting to make it appear accidental in order to stop him from pressuring me to drink what I believe to be contaminated water, polluted with forever chemicals, which is not traditional to me. I will be pursuing a lawsuit against this individual, for I feel it was my right to decide which religious practice I wish to participate in or not participate in. It’s my position that this chaplain could have afforded me the opportunity to step off to the side, which I asked him to allow me to do. I’m sharing this in hopes that things like this never happen again to anyone else.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
