May 19, 2004. The first person charged in the Iraqi prison abuse scandal went on trial in Baghdad today. We were reminded of how easy it is to pin the blame on others for human rights abuses — whether it be Saddam Hussein last year or American guards and interrogators this year. In this way we keep the problem over there, the world divided into easily identified categories of the abusers and the abused.

Since September 11, we have had a spiritual practice of writing "I am" prayer/poems. Read more about this practice with links to some of our prayers. Today's events prompted us to write a new one.

WE ARE ONE WITH EACH OTHER
by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

I am a U.S. military reservist who mistreated Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib, and
I am an Iraqi citizen who was tortured and sexually humiliated there.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am a private contractor interrogation officer at Abu Ghraib trying to elicit needed information, and
I am an Iraqi detainee whose human rights have been violated.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am a military intelligence officer at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, trying to soften up prisoners, and
I am a prisoner from the war in Afghanistan wondering if I will ever go home.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am a guard at a prison in Texas who makes sure that the prisoners know who is boss, and
I am an inmate who has witnessed others being beaten regularly.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am a father who wants my son to be tough and learn how to take punishment, and
I am a son who is frightened of his father's physical power.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am a high school bully who enjoys showing off to my buddies by dominating weaklings, and
I am a shy boy who cannot defend myself against this tormenter.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am a boss who regularly humiliates my secretary as part of the way I do business, and
I am a secretary who fantasizes how I can get even with my boss.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am a football coach who teaches my players to crush the competition, and
I am a player on the team who grows weary of the destroy-the-opposition rhetoric.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am a teacher who believes in expelling students from the classroom for their lack of discipline and accomplishment, and
I am a student who has decided to quit trying to satisfy this domineering teacher.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am the resident of an expensive apartment building who takes for granted the people who work there, and
I am the building's doorman who feels that people treat me like I am not as good as they are.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am a busy woman on my way to work who brushes aside a homeless person asking for food, and
I am that person living on the streets who feels invisible.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am a young person who hates going into a retirement community where the ravages of age are so evident, and
I am an elderly woman who is treated with little respect.
May we see that we are one with each other.

I am a child of God who believes that we are all children of God and we are all part of one another.
May we all know that we are one.