Original Article Humanitarian aid isn't a crime Dec. 3, 2005 12:00 AM The holiday season represents a time of giving, a time when we try to be less selfish and think of others less fortunate than ourselves. So imagine if you came along three individuals in dire need of medical attention. One was severely dehydrated and vomiting. You called a doctor who advised you to get them to a hospital as soon as possible. So you did. But before you got to the hospital you were pulled over by police and arrested for transporting these people. You would likely protest. On principle you might reject a plea bargain offer of admitting your guilt on a lesser charge. You would ask how can it be illegal to try to bring medical assistance to someone in need? In the Bible, the parable of the Good Samaritan tells a similar tale. A man is beaten and robbed and left to die by the road. A priest scurries past, then a Levite (a priestly order of Jews) does the same, but the Samaritan stopped. The priest and the Levite held to a doctrine of religious purity which forbids contact with those who did not strictly follow the rules of the faith, including contact with non-believers. They thought themselves to be upholding God's law by ignoring the man, yet it was the Samaritan, the outcast, who nursed the injured man and paid for his stay at an inn. This summer in southern Arizona, the Good Samaritan was arrested. The crime that Shanti Sellz and Daniel Strauss are charged with is helping reviled people who were crossing into this country illegally. They came across a father and a son and a third man, Emil, who were severely dehydrated. Emil was vomiting and had bloody diarrhea. In this condition people often vomit when they try to hydrate by drinking water. They need an IV or can soon die. Shanti and Daniel consulted a doctor and a lawyer affiliated with their organization, No More Deaths, before acting. Time was of the essence, and they acted as I hope all of us would. They sought to save another's life. To the U.S. government, this act of humanitarian concern is considered a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison with a $500,000 fine. The holiday season reminds us of what our values are supposed to be. It's easier to call illegal border crossers aliens than confront our shared humanity and, for many, our shared religious traditions. So perhaps it's fitting that their trial is scheduled to commence Dec. 20 in Tucson. What do you do when faced with an instance of unjust prosecution? Rosa Parks knew. On Dec. 1, 1955, Parks was unjustly arrested for refusing to yield her seat to a white passenger. By Dec. 5, the community responded with a bus boycott involving thousands of ordinary people who worked together praying, singing, walking and carpooling for 380 days until they succeeded. Many of us hope if given a similar opportunity, we, too, would be part of the long walk for justice. While I appreciate your reading this far, I ask you to go one step further and follow the spirit of Rosa Parks. Sure you're busy, but take a few minutes and clip this article or a write a note and mail it to: Mr. Paul K. Charlton United States Attorney District of Arizona Two Renaissance Square 40 North Central, Suite No. 1200 Phoenix, AZ 85004-4408 Tell him to drop the charges because humanitarian aid isn't a crime. Set aside Saturday, Dec. 17, for a march in Phoenix. Then mark your calendar for Dec. 20 in case you need to travel to Tucson to bear witness. Dave Wells of Tempe holds a doctorate in political economy and public policy and teaches at Arizona State University. Reach him at Dave@MakeDemocracyWork.org.