"Softening up" Iraqi prisoners, an aberration? Carried out solely by irresponsible, untrained, under-supervised reservists? Uncharacteristic of American military ideals? Really?

I was the one being "softened up" in February, 1977. After being escorted between armed guards into the central command of La Guardia Nacional, located on Troncale Norte, El Salvador, some men grabbed me from behind, put a wide blindfold over my eyes and then pulled me outside where they kicked my feet out from under me, setting me tumbling. A larger group began to laugh and taunt and I curled into a fetal position to absorb the expected blows. Rather than protest I recieted memorized prayers in a loud voice. The kicking never began but the interrogation did: "Who were the priests who said Mass with Father Grande at the Apopo outdoor Mass? Who attended from you parish? Why are you priests preaching communism to the people?" In the background I could hear an American (military adviser?) talking to my interrogators. Then, still blindfolded, I was shackled spread-eagle to bed-springs for the night. To my knowledge, no one took photos; the President didn't go on TV to apologize; the Secretary of Defense was not called to testify before Congress; no heads rolled.

Quite the contrary: Withing weeks Father Grande was machine-gunned to death driving to celebrate a village Mass, followed by the killings of a dozen priests more. None were taken prisoner; it was straight to an extrajudicial execution. And not just in El Salvador, but throughout Latin America.

What provoked this flood of nasty behavior? Who encouraged it? Who enabled the torturers? Answer: The US Army's SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS (WHISC). The facts can be found at: ; in books like: School of the Assassins (Orbis Books, Tel: 914.941.7590; and videos: , etc.

To head off embarrassment for the country, Father Roy Bourgeois founded the School of the Americas Watch (SOAW) movement calling for a Congressional investigation. Since 1990 hundreds of protesters at the Ft. Benning GA site have gone to jail, while the trainers and violators walk free. More seriously, US Catholics and Citizens have grown indifferent to this tax-funded misbehavior.

What else explains that Pennsylvania still has Representatives who have not done the right thing as proposed by Amnesty Int'l's Year 2002 report, and cosigned legislation to close the SOA, HR 1258, which is before the 108th Congress? When will citizens hear a clear message on how we are all implicated by the "SOA"? Otherwise, don't we signal by covering up over 50 years of training in abuse in Latin America something even more serious than that done by a PFC Lynndie England or a Specialist Charles Granar in Baghdad?

At our daily (5:15) prayer circle here at Federal Correctional Intitution McKean, I pray that readers will rouse themselves to join in the call for Mr. Rumsfeld to step down and their Representatives to step up to say: CLOSE THE SOA!

At ready to inspire is Pax Christi USA () and after my July, 2004 release from prison, I'm willing to witness for peace by traveling to Ft. Benning, GA on November 19-21.

Call you Representatives NOW and say NOT IN OUR NAME!
Sincerly,

Father Bernie Survil
# 92104020
FCI McKean,
PO Box 8000
Bradford PA
16701