The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog

The son of the late Ralph Fusen Brentlinger and Pattye Wallace Brentlinger, John was born in Sapulpa, Okla. during the Depression. He enlisted in the Navy during the Korean War, and was stationed in Guam. While on Guam he was accepted at the University of Chicago, where he earned his baccalaureate degree. He went on to complete his Ph.D. in Philosophy at Yale University, was hired to teach Greek philosophy in the University of Massachusetts Philosophy Department, and taught undergraduate and graduate philosophy until his retirement in 1996. His first book, The Symposium of Plato (1970), illustrated by Leonard Baskin, continues to be regarded as an important contribution to the field of philosophy.

John was profoundly influenced by and came to political maturity during the 1960s and 1970s, a period of intensive and exciting political and cultural transformation. During those years John turned Left and never looked back, becoming a Socialist, a Marxist philosopher, and an activist. In 1973, he and Ann Ferguson were among the co-founders of the Socialist/Feminist Philosophers Association (SOFPHIA), which continues to support the innovative work and thinking of a national network of progressive philosophers. In the early 1980s John was inspired by land rescuers in Puerto Rico, documenting their struggle in his book Villa Sin Miedo: Presente!. It was during that era that John was also first introduced to the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua. What began as a burgeoning political interest blossomed into a committed life-long love affair, particularly with the community of artists and artisans of Solentiname. In Nicaragua, John found "sacred places and events created by people in an unself-conscious, communal process of self-definition" and in those places and with those people, John felt a deep and loving solidarity. His book, The Best of What We Are: Reflections on the Nicaraguan Revolution (1995), noted to be of "immense philosophical significance," is based on John's experiences in Nicaragua over a period of more than 20 years. In 1999 he founded an NGO, the Solentiname Friendship Group of Western Massachusetts, which works with its Nicaraguan counterpart, the Union de Pintores y Artesano de Solentiname, to promote education, healthcare, sustainable agriculture, alternative energy, and eco-tourism. While the material aid and support to the Nicaraguan community is significant, the reciprocal relationships established through this solidarity work improves the quality of life for all the participants. In this spirit, John organized and curated Solentiname art exhibits throughout the United States, with all proceeds benefiting this project.

John was a long-time resident of Leverett and moved to the Bay State community of Florence in 2003. As a member of this community, John became active in and gave sermons at the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence as well as other congregations in New England. At the time of his death, he was completing a new book, The Unbroken Circle: U.S. and Nicaraguan Communities in Solidarity.

Besides his wife and children, he will be mourned by his adored grandchildren, Zara, Zamyaa, Preston, Evan, and Rayyan; his brother, William Wallace Brentlinger, and his wife, Ruth; sister Frances Joiner; a loving extended family, including Henrietta Mandel, Ann Ferguson and her partner Carol Shea; Elena Pineda and her family, many close friends; the members of the Solentiname Friendship Group; and the people of Isla San Fernando/Elvis Chavarria, Solentiname, Nicaragua.

A memorial celebration of John's life will be held on May 6 at the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence at 4 p.m. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Solentiname Friendship Group/Education Fund, c/o Ann Browning, P.O. Box 2006, Ashfield, MA, 01330 and the Cancer Connection of Florence, MA, 01060.