Lonnie
03-26-2007, 11:22 PM
The following is from a letter I received from a Federal Inmate this week...
Feel free to pass this along as you see fit...
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You need to be made aware that the approved book, audio, and video list been issued to the FBOP Religious Services Dept. This list is the BOPs reaction to the Congressional Hearings held in Sept. 2006 where the self-proclaimed counter terrorism expert Daveed Gartenstein-Ross testified that subversive religious material is being sent to inmates via charitable organizations, in particular Muslim organizations.
The "expert" on paganism i.e., Asatru, Odinism, Wicca, Druidism, etc. is Sister Susan Van Balin (ph. spelling). She is a Catholic Nun working for the BOP Central Office as a religious advisor. We have noted that the Catholic approved material list is about an inch thick while the Pagan list is about one quarter of that size.
It is my understanding that this list can be modified in the coming months. There are some books we would like to see added to this list and would hope that some of our people from the streets will take the time to contact the BOP and try to advise this "expert".
Books that are NOT on the list include:
The Mask of Odin by Titchnell
The Poetic Edda - Hollander translation
Futhark by Thorsson
Heimskringla by Snorri
The Icelandic Sagas
Egils Saga
Njals Saga
Flateyarbok
The Orkneyinga Saga
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles
Beowulf
and other various sagas and books as you deem appropriate.
Feel free to pass this along as you see fit...
************************************************
You need to be made aware that the approved book, audio, and video list been issued to the FBOP Religious Services Dept. This list is the BOPs reaction to the Congressional Hearings held in Sept. 2006 where the self-proclaimed counter terrorism expert Daveed Gartenstein-Ross testified that subversive religious material is being sent to inmates via charitable organizations, in particular Muslim organizations.
The "expert" on paganism i.e., Asatru, Odinism, Wicca, Druidism, etc. is Sister Susan Van Balin (ph. spelling). She is a Catholic Nun working for the BOP Central Office as a religious advisor. We have noted that the Catholic approved material list is about an inch thick while the Pagan list is about one quarter of that size.
It is my understanding that this list can be modified in the coming months. There are some books we would like to see added to this list and would hope that some of our people from the streets will take the time to contact the BOP and try to advise this "expert".
Books that are NOT on the list include:
The Mask of Odin by Titchnell
The Poetic Edda - Hollander translation
Futhark by Thorsson
Heimskringla by Snorri
The Icelandic Sagas
Egils Saga
Njals Saga
Flateyarbok
The Orkneyinga Saga
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles
Beowulf
and other various sagas and books as you deem appropriate.