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Dear Friend,
I believe you will be glad to know there is a place in the world where one can be restored... placed back into society as contributing members without the need for punishment in prison. There is a place where we can all be restored... placed back into our deepest heart, and the center of our being. Our world is headed there. Take a brief journey with me, in this newsletter, to Hull, England where I recently traveled, and to the heart of forgiveness where we may all reside ... in peace.
Peace and purpose along the path.
~ Azim N. Khamisa
OTHER LINKS:
For Azim's Facebook link, click HERE.
For Tariq Khamisa Foundation link, click HERE. |
PICTURE OF THE MONTH - WELCOME MIYA
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Azim welcoming granddaughter Miya to the family. |
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
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"Restorative Justice puts a human face on the handling of crime and violence. Rather than being purely punitive in approach, restorative justice involves the entire community."
~ Carol Palmer
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| Azim's Monthly Musings |
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On a Trip To Hull, England, a chance to see Restorative Justice in Action
Have you wondered why our criminal justice system is in disarray, why our criminals are not being transformed,why we continue to fill prisons and reform few, and why the justice system fails miserably in delivering justice at all?
I have as well, but in my journeys I have been able to recently see it another way. In late July, I was able to make a special trip to a special city that knows not of such a failing system.
July was quite a busy month - I led a well-attended weekend forgiveness course, spoke at the Leavenworth Prison, and - as stated before - I was blessed to visit the city of Hull in northeast England. This is the only city in the known world committed to run entirely on the principles of Restorative Justice. These are principles different than the punitive system we presently practice - with rulings of "guilty" and "not guilty," and punishments in the form of fines and incarcerations. My visit to this magical city was memorable and in total sync with my beliefs to create a crime-free and violence-free society.Hull has no gangs and zero gun-related violence, and this is in a city with a population over 300,000. They are well on the way to create a totally safe city.
On my visit to Hull I was touched by the commitment of all the professionals to espouse the principles of Restorative Justice. Even the children ages up to five practice these principles in which everyone is restored. It was an eye-opener for me to see the passion and enthusiasm in all the staff and caregivers. This is the opposite of what you experience in detention centers that run on the punitive systems.
So what is their secret?
It's called Restorative Justice (RJ). To understand RJ you first need to understand our current criminal system. As the early Pilgrims arrived at the colonies from Europe, our criminal code and laws were based on European law. Most of Europe - run by a monarchy king or queen who owned both the land and the people - held crimes as being being against the King or the Queen. Since we in the USA are not run by a monarchy, the State takes on that role. So in the case involving my murdered son, it was the State of California vs Tony Hicks. RJ argues that crime is committed in the context of community, and the State can not be a party to the judicial process. It can act as a facilitator but not a direct party. In every offense, the direct parties are:
1. The victim
2. The offender
3. The community
In this system, justice is not met until the following goals are fully achieved:
(a) The victim must be made whole. In my case this is a difficult order, because you can not bring Tariq back to our family. But working with Tony (the murderer) or Ples (Tony's grandfather) does restore my family in a sense, helping to make Tariq's death meaningful, as less and less kids are ending up in gangs, in prison or dead.
(b) The offender must be returned to society as a functioning and contributing member of society. Tony has been restored as he is an integral part of our story, and we use his testimony in the programs offered to schools by TKF (Tariq Khamisa Foundation). In fact TKF employs several ex-convicts as employees and panelists in our assembly. They are all very committed to the kids and their choices to NOT follow their criminal patterns.
(c) Lastly, the community must be healed. TKF is active in our schools and through extensive speaking engagements and writing so that our community is healed and transforming.
I personally believe in every crime there is an opportunity to improve society. That will never happen in our current criminal justice practice. However, if we shift to the principals of Restorative Justice as done in Hull, England, we can create a better society and a crime-free life. What we need is empathy and compassion. We need less judgment and punitive mindsets. It can only help to transform our "criminals" into contributing society members; it can only bring us more peace in our neighborhoods; it can only bring not a punishing system but a system that restores us all into wholeness.
Hull, England has shown me that it can be done.
Azim N. Khamisa
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| FUN WITH CARTOONS OF PEACE AND PURPOSE |
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Train the Trainer In San Diego - One More Week
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Learn to Teach Principles of Forgiveness and Peace
Destination Peace
The Journey of Forgiveness
Train the Trainer Certification Program
CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES:
Terri Shofner, Lori Weiner, Jerilyn Stapleton, Gwen Stowers, DeAnna LoCoco, Amy Hennelly, Sara Grigsby, Altaf Amlani, Judith Lefler, Benita Page, Aria Raphael, Seth Weiner, Clara Amador Watson
2 TESTIMONIALS
The Train the Trainer weekend was an amazing experience. The amazing part was the people who gathered together for this time. I discovered so many amazing links with each person who participated. The weekend definitely brought more light into my life and gave me help with new directions.
- Gwen Stowers
I am a graduate of Azim's first Train the Trainer last year and really enjoyed going through the class again. It proved to be a moving and inspiring experience as was last year. I left this weekend feeling recharged and empowered to start teaching myself in August, 2011. I am honored to say I am a graduated of Azim's Forgiveness training.
- Jerilyn Stapleton, The Peace Alliance
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ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL TRIP TO LEAVENWORTH
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Azim's July's Journey to Kansas Prison Brings Hope
I traveled to the Leavenworth prison in July and spoke with the inmates there, sharing about forgiveness, atonement and hope. Invariable every time I go here, I see grown men in tears. I get many handshakes and hugs and hear stories about how they want to atone for their criminal past and help make a better society. Many wish to connect later so when they are released, they may be referred to organizations for which they can contribute. On one occasion I talked with the lawyer of a convicted murderer and helped create the opportunity for the perpetrator to achieve forgiveness with the victim.
At the prison talk, I focus on the importance of prisoners taking responsibility for their offense and taking the steps necessary to atone. I also show a deep sense of empathy for their own victimization. In the last 16 years I have met many offenders, and all of them was previously a victim. The worse the crime, the worse the victimization that prisoner had suffered. Nobody was born a criminal. We must remember that even though some criminals have committed crimes, this does not make them in-human. There is a deep potential in them to help us make a better society.
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PRODUCTS FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY
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Twin Pack of Azim's First Two Books
Azim Khamisa 
combines his award-winning bookFrom Murder to Forgiveness with his second book,From Forgiveness to Fulfillment
in a special price for online purchases.
Both tell the powerful story of forgiveness, as Azim starts and then continues his journey - from the murder of his only son, to the partnership with the murderer's grandfather, to the visit with his son's murderer, to the establishment of the Tariq Khamisa Foundation, a foundation, named in honor of his son, that is helping children choose a path of nonviolence and peace.
ONLINE SALE - On Azim's Site
Retail $40 / Online Price $29
Click HERE.
For all Items in Store, click HERE.
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