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Inspiring People:  Kathy Kelly

by Terry Leichner, Psychiatric RN and founding member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War

I've been fortunate in my life to meet or see some incredible people. And it always seems just as the night does reach its darkest hour these people happen by and become the dawn of new energy and hope. Such is the case of Kathy Kelly, a radiant and shining person of sunlight for the soul. I was lucky enough to see Kathy's presentation for the Grand Valley Peace and Justice Center on May 31st. The setting was an intimate room at Mesa State. Kathy showed her passion and love for people with stories of her family, her cell-mates, her jailers and abusers, her Iraqi friends and American soldiers.

  Words like passion and love are often trite but in the case of Kathy Kelly they don't do the justice she deserves. She demonstrates the one quality I've long aspired to have; the ability to see all people's goodness. In reviewing the many arrests and many situations where "bad guys" were abundant, Kathy always had a story of personal moments of kindness from even those who sought to oppress her.

On her prison experience, Kathy showed an entirely white audience who goes to prison the most and why. She led us into a role play of one group playing a child needing new shoes and the other group a beleaguered single parent unable to keep up with bills and behind on rent. The child was to try to convince the parent to buy the shoes while the parent was to say they couldn't afford new shoes. The roles changed then to the child needing eye-glasses and the parent having to say, "No". Just this little role play gave a sense of the desperate feelings of both child and parent in situations of poverty. The role play was followed by a scenario presented by Kathy about the parent having an opportunity to get the money needed. The cost would be breaking the law by acting as lookout for the crack dealer down the street. A show of hands was asked for those who would take the risk. Most hands went up.

The humanity of oppressors was also spoken of by Kathy. She recalled several occurrences of small acts of kindness and compassion by the very people who intended to arrest her or had her in custody. She presents the duality of men and women in their goodness and their hateful and hostile ways. To demonstrate that very thing Kathy told us of caring for her dying father who she loved dearly. After several nights of being wakened by him, Kathy spoke of her fatigue getting the best of her. On one particular night she tried in vain to get her father cleaned, his sheets changed and have him drink a cup of cranberry juice. After the second failure to do so because her father's condition had weakened him so he was unable to cooperate, she lost it. She grabbed her father by the shoulders, shook him and yelled he was going to drink the "damn" cranberry juice. As a person who took care of dying parents, I knew exactly the scene Kathy presented. You so much want to nurture and love them but life is not always so simple. Fatigue, frustration and anger at the great loss about to happen get in the way. Even for the most compassionate.

The story most compelling for me was Kathy's interaction with Marines on the outskirts of Baghdad immediately before they entered the city. Apparently the Marines arrived just before released prisoners or men of ill will for Westerners came looking to kidnap or harm them. Kathy admits she felt a great relief to see American fighting forces arrive though her whole mission was to act as a shield for Iraqi people against that very force. Over the next few days as the Marines waited while Baghdad was under aerial assault, the two groups had more and more interactions. Kathy found a young Marine reading the novel, "Heart of Darkness" by Conrad for the umpteenth time. She saw young men polite and considerate toward the group.almost protective of them. The kindness of the Marines was in stark contrast to what they were trained to do and would later actually do. As she spoke, I felt a wave of emotion as I recalled my own experience in combat. I was 18 like many of the Marines Kathy spoke about. I knew I would be asked to kill and yet I still struggled to maintain my humanity. She saw and understood that struggle in those Marines she encountered. She passionately told us we should never blame them for what their leaders had trained them to do and what they would do. They were being led to do evil believing they were doing good.

Kathy Kelly expressed a forgiveness and understanding few people have in all the 37 years since I was an eighteen year old Marine in the situation of committing acts of violence with the belief it would bring good to the world. She passionately urged us not to judge young people in such terrible situations. It would be hard to explain or describe the person I encountered on the 31st. I'd compare her to Ardeth, Jackie and Carole. To Gino Strada. A glowing light in a darkened world. As I said I've been fortunate in my journey here on Earth to have my path cross, for however briefly, incredible people. They sustain my hopes and will to carry on in the struggle for peace and justice. Those mentioned are not the only ones held in such high regard. There are many in this coalition. People like Kathy just remind me of that fact. Thanks to all you peacemakers. I've been blessed to be in your company so often.

Terry Leichner on June 2, 2005

Learn more about Kathy Kelly and her work at Voices in the Wilderness

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last updated August 24, 2005

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