JANUARY 1, 2004 code orange

A new year has begun. I wish I could say that I was awake and on my knees

until the wee hours of the morning spending the time on New Year's Eve in

fervent prayer. Actully I went to sleep early.

Last night I was very tired and exhausted. I slept through the usual

jailhouse merriment which consisted of nothing more than a handful of guys

screaming "Happy New Year!" at the top of their lungs.

Generally, in prison, there are seldom many open displays of celebration

that people on the outside normally experience. Holidays such as Thanksgiving,

Christmas and New Year's are usually quiet and uneventful. In here these

holidays are very subdued, but they're not somber.

Presently, because of the alleged reports about the increased possibility

of a terrorist attack happening on United States soil, New York's prison system

is back to a "Code Orange Alert."

Like the last time the Code Orange level was declared, this facility

closed its doors to all the civilian volunteer ministers who come here to teach

their Bible classes or to conduct worship services.

Thus almost all of our daily chapel events have been cancelled. All of

the ministers have been ordered to stay out.

Don't ask me the logic of this. But this has happened before, and the

cancellations of most of our services and studies will continue until this Code

Orange is reduced back down to a mellow Yellow.

David Berkowitz

January 1, 2004