I'm A Jailbird Now

At 3PM today I was released from Palm Beach County lockup. I was arrested at about 11:30 yesterday morning. Why? For trying to attend chapel on the campus at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Let me start from the begging.

We got to Palm Beach FL Saturday afternoon after a long 10 hour drive from Atlanta. We settled into our hotel and had a meeting about the coming days. PBA had offered us a meeting with a “select group of students at an undisclosed location.” This was only after our stop at Columbia International University. We rejected that offer because it did not further our mission to speak to as many students as possible. We held a picnic in a local park where some PBA students showed up. We got to talk to them as well as some community members. A few students assured us that we would be able to got chapel with them. That evening we talked about our day on campus and what that would like. Nicholas, Jarrett, Enzi, Lauren, Danielle and I decided we would attempt to go to chapel. I thought you know, its chapel. Its the house of God. Everyone is welcome.

When we pulled up to chapel police were already on stand by. We waited outside and talked to students until chapel began. When we heard the bells signaling it was time for chapel to start, I still held out hope that PBA would not arrest us for trying to go to chapel. As we approached, we read a warning by a PBA official that stated that we were “unwanted guests.” Unwanted? In God's house? It was true. I looked at Jarrett for direction who stepped forward and said “I am going to chapel.” I repeated what he said and took a step forward. The others followed suit and we were arrested for trespassing. We were arrested for trying to worship, with students in Gods house.

As the six of us were put into the back of police van I head the songs of my fellow Riders echoing out. Just As I Am and Om Shanit. I watched students tear up at the sight of the six of us getting arrested. I locked eyes with my fellow Rider Cait and in the moment I knew she was with me. I also saw the look of hurt and pain in her eyes.

We were taking to a local precinct and processed and then hauled off to county where we were placed into a holding cell with about 15 other guys. Jarrett, Nicholas and I were split up from the female bodied folk. We were asked “So why are guys here?” We were dressed in our polos, dress pants and nice shoes. We told the guys we were in holding with what had happened and they had same reaction, confusion and anger, that we were locked up for trying to go to chapel.

After holding we were then taken to shower and given a change of clothes. We were spending the night and were taken up to a block. Each block held 40 guys and ours was nearly full. When I walked in they were watching the news of us, and the rest of the guys in the block looked us and looked at the TV and quickly made the correlation. Some asked us questions about it, others just nodded and said “Good work.”

For me it was a sleepless night. I kept waking up and panicking because I forgot where I was. It was an early morning at 4:30 they woke us all up for chow. We then waited till they called us out to go to court which was held in the same building. At court was the first time we had seen the female bodied folk in while. We looked at each other and nodded. When we went in we were given a court date later in in November because no representative from PBA was present. We were released on our own recognizance with no money owed to the county.

We then had to go back up to our block and wait to be released. At around 2:15 we started the release process. Handing back our bed sheets, getting out belongings, and changing back to the clothes we were in when we came in. When I walked out the the final room of paperwork I saw Cait, Nick and Manny waiting for me. To see them waiting on me and giving me big hugs made me feel all the better when I walk outside the sky was blue, the sun was and there were more riders, Danielle and Lauren and Nicholas too. Hugs were given and after taking in the moment I headed down a long overpass and saw Bill make his way up the stairs. Again, hugs and words of encouragement ensued. When I reached the bottom the stairs there stood Katie and Taurett. Giving me hugs. I could not stop smiling and neither could they. The smiles were saying, we love you, we missed you and we are glad you are okay. I hoped on the bus, changed clothes and then waited for Enzi to be released. When I got to the bus, My fellow riders had decorated my seat with letters, notes and streamers. Welcome back. We missed you. Thank you for being brave for all of us.

I was curious to know what the PBA students said about us getting arrested for going to chapel. My fellow riders said that one student who I was talking to, John, said he hated to watch me get arrested for going to church. Another student, who told me he was gay, told the other riders that he wished he could have been with us.

So many things went through my mind the entire time I was in jail. Two things stood out. The first, is that God puts exactly where you need to be, even if it is in a cell block. The conversations I had with a few guys really reminded me of that. The second is that no matter what, when I get arrested I am following in the footsteps of Equality Riders before me, Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi all who stood their ground for what they believed in as well.

I am proud and humbled,mostly humbled, to say that I, Zak Rittenhouse, know what its like to go to jail for justice.

Yours From The Road (And Now A Former Jailbird),

Zak Rittenhouse