Kevin Costigan:  

Dear Old friends / Classmates / Neighbors / Brothers and Sisters, I hope this finds you and yours, well. I would like to share with you; the course my life has taken. Part of it involves giving voice to controversial subjects. Whose life hasn't included controversy? We've grown old and had widely-ranging experiences; with people from different parts of America and the world. We bring to our lives with each other, both change and continuity. No-doubt, the range on controversial subjects, has become quite diverse. I know how stressful, life in the modern world is (i.e. family, job, etc.). Given the multi-faceted and horrific, government and attorney corruption scandal, I'm trying to expose and get redress for; I know that: Unless one has had sufficient specific and/or general experiences, predisposing one to be interested in this type of issue; then, it would be both unrealistic and unreasonable of me; to expect anyone to have interest in my fight; beyond, what I believe, is the success everyone wishes for me. Even if such interest is absent; I believe we meet; in a spirit of love; which flavors our our experiences shared with each other: A feeling as though we're still in Mater Dei. I'd like to hear your thoughts and feelings; about what I have to say. I'd like to hear about your life, too. By way of transitioning to some life history; this brief allusion: I have irrefutable, authentic, primary source, government documents (i.e. State of New Jersey recorded audio-video and 3 photographs excerpted therefrom; and report by the Houlton, Maine Police Department). I have delivered them and additional primary source documents, to a prominent former New Jersey Attorney General; and the current New Jersey Attorney General's Conviction Review Unit; vis a vis my actual innocence petition. It is based on fact truth, and only thereby, consequent legal truth. Once established; I know that you'll know; that which you have shown me, you have faith in: Cos didn't let you down. Growing-up, in an Irish-Catholic family; with my aunt Margaret Costigan in the Sisters of Mercy (her convent name, was: Sister Clarence; in memory of her sole younger sibling); I had aspirations to the priesthood. So, I joined the altar boys. This enhanced my enthrallment, with the messages and actions (covered on nightly TV news) of Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. It was easy for me; to recognize the righteousness of Rev. King's civil rights agenda. I was raised to be conventionally patriotic. My father fought in WWII; the Battle of the Bulge. So, it took more time; for me, to recognize the righteousness of what Rev. King spoke about; on April 4, 1967 (a year to the day; before being assassinated): "The war on poverty, in America; is being lost; on the battlefields of Viet Nam." I eventually came to interpret this, as consistent with the warning, issued by president Dwight Eisenhower (my father's former WWII Supreme Allied Commander); vis a vis "The Military Industrial Complex." Several other factors, guided me towards my epiphany; dedicating my life to peace-with-justice / pro-civil rights / antimilitarism. One involved a trauma; which I have never fully resolved: The loss of my conventional patriotism; caused by the revelation: America's leaders betrayed the faith of those, whom they deceived into believing: They were serving our country; by fighting in the undeclared war in Viet Nam. And if we lost there; we'd have to fight the Communists, all over Southeast Asia; and eventually on our West coast; known as "the domino theory." I personally know, several members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) and Veterans For Peace (VFP); both of which, have embraced me, as a member. I especially miss Dave Cline, Mike Pahios and George Kelly (all 3: fellow VVAW and VFP). I shared many pro and anti protests with my, now late dear friends. As you recall: During the 1950s-1960s, there developed, a mode of cultural expression; which evolved into a new form and meaning. It fueled the peace-with-justice / pro-civil rights / antimilitarism movement; counter to domestic racism and foreign undeclared wars: ROCK'N'ROLL MUSIC!: The Beatles and many others on "The Ed Sullivan Show;" Scott Muni and company's WNEW 102.7 FM; Monterey; Woodstock; The Concert For Bangla Desh; (eventually expanding, to include the likes of Paul Robeson's 1954 Carnegie Hall Concert); etc. Furthering the cause were the revelations: The Pentagon Papers, Watergate, Senator Frank Church's hearings into America's subversion of other nations' governments (i.e. overthrowing both Chile's duly-elected president Salvador Allende and enthroning the dictator Augusto Pinoche; and Guatamala's Arbenz; etc.) and eventually Iran-Contra. In order to deal with these issues; I still find inspiring: PBS (i.e. Frontline, Bill Moyers' "The Power of Myth with Joseph Campbell," "The Secret Government: The Constitution In Crisis," etc.) NPR, and alternative media (i.e. WFMU 91.1 FM). In my early to mid-20s,I worked as a paraprofessional social worker: 2 jobs in Manhattan and 2 jobs in San Diego; as institutional foster care parents / child care workers. I decided to develop my contribution to peace-with-justice / pro-civil rights / antimilitarism, by trying to earn a Master of Public Administration degree; at California State University at San Diego. ( I eventually earned a Master of Social Work degree, there, in 1986.) During that time, I joined The Peace Resource Center of san Diego. One of our most important efforts, was supporting Ben Sasway; who refused to register for the draft. Upon returning "back East;" I worked as a professional social worker at 2 jobs in Manhattan (direct service case worker; and trainer and curriculum developer) and 1 job in Brooklyn as a direct service caseplanner. During 8 of those 10 post-MSW years; I "adjuncted" on the undergraduate level; as a professor of sociology, psychology and overview of social and behavioral sciences, at: Saint Peter's College; Jersey City State College; University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (Newark Hospital); Hudson County and Brookdale Community Colleges. In August of 1997, my great "2nd chance;" at a full-time social work career; began its meteoric rise and descent into Hell: The Houlton (Maine, on the Canadian border) Band of Maliseet Indians, hired me; as the tribal Licensed Clinical Social Worker / Behavioral Health Counselor. A mere 4 months later: The Acting Tribal Chief, who hired me; lost a run-off election. That set in motion, that which many Native American tribes are infamous for: Intra-tribal factional hatred for each other. They dragged me down; into their latest in a series of intra-tribal factional conflicts. It set the "snowball effect" into motion; which I'm fighting against, to this very day. I must give this message, a send-off; on an extremely positive note. I'm inspired by the legacy, of innumerable fantastic, great times, I shared; with 3 of my dearest, best friends: Our late brothers Bob Schulz, John Clancy and Dave Crosby. How many basketball games, concerts and "mind-expanding experiences!" I'm laughing, now; at the memories. Bob asked me; to accompany him; to D.C.; to find his apartment; while attending Georgetown. In the spirit of genuine, platonic brotherhood, mind you: For approximately 2 months; Clancy and I shared a king size bed; while he went to J.C. State and went to St. Peter's. WOW! Did he snore! Dave and I had many-a-heavy rap session; about life; mostly about girls! One time, though; he turned to me and asked: "Are you a hippy?" I hear them, in my mind's ear; when I need inspiration, to share joy, etc. Please accept, my great thanks; to all who read this! Please get back to me; when you get a 2nd chance. Likewise, for whomever put the photo (below, on this page) of me, Danny Hammond, '74 (a great guy and basketball player) and Judy Gradinetti, '75, on this "page?" Who are you?! Thanks, so much! Once I figure-out, how to place a current photo on, I will. I still believe, in the best of the conscience-raising movement of the 60s-70s, So, as brother Ringo, always says: "PEACE AND LOVE," Cos ...Expand for more