Beth Tellman: Explaining genocide to a child

Beth Tellman carrying a white cross inscribed with that name of a Latin American martyr at the SOA funeral procession outside Fort Benning, Ga., last year. Beth Tellman is a sophomore at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, Calif., and will represent the school at the Ignatian Teach-in on Friday night, Nov. 17. She attended her firs SOA protest as a junior in high school and has been back every year since. Beth is in an individual studies program studying sustainable globalization. She says of herself: "I love social justice and activism. I am the social justice intern for campus ministry. This past year we have focused on Darfur genocide awareness. For a week, we slept in a tent and fasted, eating only 1,000 calories a day. We also raised $2,500 to donate to the Darfur cause." Beth says to watch for the Santa Clara group in Georgia. "Our motto is 'Educate yourself. Take action. Stop genocide.' You will see our bracelets, buttons and pins, and shirts because we will be selling them throughout the weekend."

Here are a few thoughts I had after Sunday morning’s vigil.

The past few days have been filled with so many tears and so much laughter: From Sr. Helen Prejean’s inspiring speech on human life and the death penalty, to touring the WHINSEC (Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the School of the Americas) facilities to hear the other side of the story, it has been a weekend of contrasts.

I felt so much joy to be with my Jesuit family at the Ignatian Mass Saturday night, and so much sadness as I remembered the thousands massacred as we sang Presente at Sunday morning’s vigil. I felt a mixture of pride and joy as I learned that two friends made the decision to cross the line, and possibly face up to six months imprisonment.

Perhaps the moist poignant moment of the day came near the end of the vigil. My Santa Clara group sold the remainder of our Darfur Genocide shirts (green-sweat-free shirts that we spray painted). A child who could not have been more than 5 years old came up to our table all by himself and asked us what Darfur was. My friend Francesca attempted to explain to him the situation, but she had a hard time explaining genocide, such a violent atrocity, to a child. He walked away gleefully from our table with buttons and bracelets, and I couldn’t help but wonder about Latin American children. Many Colombian parents are being forced to explain the realities of the current war to their children. So many children around the world are not separated from such violent atrocities; they experience it each and every day.

What a privilege that I get to protest the School of the Americas, and be at the vigil, while others experience continuing oppression.