A month later, after receiving disturbing reports about the recovery efforts, the AFSC Community Relations Division put together a team to monitor the post-hurricane relief. I was part of that four person group, led by Ed Peeples, professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Camille’s scope and destructive power remained highly visible for weeks afterward. But our focus was on the human damage, particularly the underreported impact on the poor, many of them Black. (We knew that this was Mississippi, the state most resistant to the civil rights movement, and only five years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act.)
For more than a month, our team documented stories of discriminatory treatment in receiving services and the dispersal of relief aid; delays in getting replacement housing; and a general lack of attention and priority by state and federal agencies to those who had the least.
AFSC published its findings in a public report that received broad media coverage, including an interview on the Today show. Perhaps most to the point, the report had an impact on public policy. Agencies such as the Red Cross revamped their policies and practices in the wake of criticism of them.
In the wake of the publicity and with the assistance of Washington based staff, the US Senate held hearings on the Gulf Coast about Camille assistance. Those hearings focused on the performance of federal and other relief agencies; they also helped facilitate a broad reexamination and change of federal disaster policy.
AFSC is drawing on its previous experience with Camille to respond to the needs of victims of Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, it is clear that after 36 years the patterns of needs remain the same, though it seems that there is more public recognition of it now. AFSC’s Board of Directors has approved a short-term response plan for Hurricane Katrina totaling $2,065,000. The plan combines initial relief work, recovery phase startup funding, and work to help the public understand the policy failures that magnified Katrina’s destructiveness. Up to $1,000,000 was approved to partner organization Interfaith Ministries for Houston to cover the expense of feeding refugees in Houston’s Astrodome. In a news release it said:
“In the wake of Katrina, we will assist communities that are being underserved and we will address the larger systemic issues that contributed to this tragedy.
AFSC’s mid- and longer-term response plans focus on vulnerable populations – the poor and immigrant communities who have borne the brunt of the hurricane's wrath. Natural disasters intensify inequalities that existed prior to their occurrence. The scale of Katrina’s devastation is magnified by its catastrophic impact on those who were forced to remain in harm’s way because they have no place to go or were without financial means to leave the area.”
KatrinaOnly half-expected, Hurricane Katrina swept across southern Mississippi and Louisiana, tossing the inhabitants across the country. Many came to San Antonio and the very best of Christian action among the churches was called out. Here are some accounts from Meeting members:
Carol Redfield’s experience: "Joe and I went with another friend to the Levi shelter and volunteered for the Red Cross. We had our very simple, hand written sticker name tags and the people from New Orleans staying in 'our space' had plastic wrist bands. They were branded, in a sense, in many ways. Our first encounter was in just walking on the side walk up to the building. "I asked a fairly large gentleman how he was doing. He very enthusiastically said he was doing great. I said that this was amazing. I asked him what he was working on right now, and he said he was most concerned about finding his family. I think it was on most people's minds. "Joe ended up giving out some shoes and sorted through hundreds if not a thousand shoes, putting them in the right pile for the size of the shoe. There was every kind of shoe you could think of in one good sized office room, with the piles edging up the walls. There was barely an aisle around a large pile in the middle of the room. "There were rooms, and rooms of different types of supplies -- baby stuff, clothing, toiletries, and so on. There was one large serving room for food, available to the people in the shelter at any time. They just had to wipe their hands with sanitizer before they went into the food room. That cleaning was their ticket in. "And then there was the room of phones, looking like old, red, rotary-type phones, but they were push button, just the wrong direction. Made you wonder what they were originally intended for. Our friend, John Kemmy, had the task of giving out a phone number with voice mail to anyone who wanted or needed one so family members, friends and prospective employers could contact them. John got to give the numbers out and train people on how to use the voice mail. In particular, John had the honor of training a 90-year old woman on how to use her new voice mail. She had never had one before. Neil, unfortunately, could not volunteer because he is under 18. My very grown-up 12- year old was discouraged, but then helped to arrange a school supply drive at his school, Luna Middle School, through the National Junior Honor Society.” Meredith McGuire says,”Hi! No stories, but yesterday I learned of another injustice befalling victims, and disproportionately those who are working class African Americans: because they are more likely to have "subprime" mortgages if they have purchased their own home, they are now less likely to receive the same "grace" period in paying their mortgages. Of course, even then, most will have to declare bankruptcy because their homes are worthless and they are likely not to have had flood insurance. It would be good if the Peace Center and likeminded churches took a strong stand against the injustice, and demanded that Congress immediately rescind the new ("tougher") bankruptcy law, while guaranteeing these citizens new homes with fair mortgages.” Gayle Copeland says, “Jim's sister and brother-in-law lost almost everything. They live(d) in Biloxi, but were traveling in their motor home at the time, so they are safe and at least they have the motor home to live in while they recover their lives. Their home and some rental properties were destroyed. The rental properties were their retirement income, but they are most concerned about their tenants who lost not only their homes but also their jobs. Like nearly everyone else, their insurance won't pay because the damage is from rising water instead of wind.”
And Josefina Castillo, Austin AFSC received ths message:
Duncan later wrote to Janet Southwood: Barbara Miles collected information about obtaining Texas driver’s licenses, where the offices were, what they needed, when the best time to go, and how to call to avoid wasting time. Marian Carter spent time at the Red Cross offices answering telephones. Margaret Mayberry writes, ”I am visiting, talking with, listening to and helping to supply an evacuee from New Orleans, but unfortunately I can't talk about it because, as a Stephen Minister for AHUMC I am expected to maintain the strictest confidentiality, unnecessarily strict probably.” She also said, “A plane load of 50 pregnant dogs was destined for San Antonio and New Mexico but was diverted to California. We should hear on Tuesday about another 'plane load, but they are keeping most now in Louisiana where it is easier to match dog to owner. I'm not sure how long they can hold a thousand dogs before they have to move them out of state.” From Janet Southwood: “The Winters family came to the City, fleeing the hurricane. They lived in the East of New Orleans, a poor area, and one of the most badly hit when the hurricane struck. The family consists of Jamieson and Lauren with their two little ones, Jaire two years old and Jadyn just 3 weeks, and Cheryl, Lauren’s mother, with her other daughter, Deja, who is nine. There were a couple of friends along too. We heard of their need for help from Andrew Southwood who had been helped in other circumstances by friends of theirs in Atlanta. The company they worked for found them a temporary place to live, but they had few possessions. "Their most urgent needs when they arrived were formula for Jadyn and clothes for all the children. Meeting rallied round providing useful phone#s and addresses for helping agencies, found a porta-crib for the baby, a book bag, full of school supplies, and school uniforms for Deja, toys and books and lots of clothes for everyone in the appropriate sizes and a gift certificate. The Winters family feel cared for by Meeting and by the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. They think they’ll stay here since they don’t know what still remains of their former life. We’ll all keep in touch.” Ken ad Janet Southwood went to the Churchill Baptist Church, where Ken was able to help in getting bus route pamphlets and maps. The large room had about 100 cots. A volunteer squatted on the floor playing dominos with two little children. A woman was sitting talking with a woman and her new baby. They wondered if another woman had had her baby yet. At the office, staffed 8-6 by a volunteer, she was lovingly trying to help an old man in his decision to take an apartment. Clothes, toiletries, toys, shoes, and cosmetics were all attractively displayed. Evacuees sat outside under the trees and children played in the playground. The scene was love in action. Ruth Lofgren suggests, “My personal bias is that New Orleans should be rebuilt after scientifically redesigning the special protections and making wetlands of the lowest areas, etc. It was a very charming city, one of 4 in the USA, Boston, San Francisco, San Antonio and New Orleans!”
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Advices and Queries selected by Ministry and Oversight Committee are read each month during meeting for worship.
Austin American-Statesman [TX]: Austinites Voice Support for Fallen Soldier’s Mother“The mother of a fallen U.S. soldier got a show of support from a crowd of Austinites outside federal offices downtown Wednesday. About 50 people, including state Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, huddled in the rain between the Thornberry Judicial Building and Pickle Federal Building to protest the war in Iraq and to support Cindy Sheehan, who has been camped out in Crawford requesting an audience with President Bush.‘The government should open (its) ears to hear the clamor of the people,’ said Josefina Castillo. ‘Not listening thickens the wall between those who want peace and those who make decisions.’ ‘We love this country; we love this Constitution just as much as anybody else,’ said Burnam, who is a Quaker. ‘All of us are here today to thank Cindy for her role in drawing attention to this matter.’” Josefina Castillo is Program Coordinator of the American Friends Service Committee office in Austin.
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"For the faith which produces its effects by love cannot exist without works. For as Galatians 5:22 says, love is part of the harvest of the Spirit, and the new creature who is necessarily formed by it cannot exist without the good works that come about naturally." Robert Barclay.
The Clerk told Meeting that we had received a minute from Fort Worth Meeting opposing a Texas constitutional amendment which would ban any benefits for unmarried couples. It appears to be aimed principally at same-sex couples but could affect common-law marriages. It was agreed to refer this to M&O and to season this message until October, but meanwhile to go on record as being opposed. There will still be time to register our opposition in October.
Craig Bejnar, Treasurer, presented two reports, for August and September. Contributions have exceeded expenditures and the General Fund balance has increased by over $8,000. The Pax World Fund account has been closed, with the proceeds, including $20,000 reserved for furnishings, going into the Building Fund. With change orders, there is sufficient in the Building Fund plus unallocated general funds to meet building costs.
Marian Carter reported for M&O. She said that the discussion of Quaker By Convincement had gone well and reminded Friends that the midweek [and midmonth] meeting for worship at the Drennons’ would now be held on the third Wednesday of each month instead of Thursday. The committee is hoping to arrange for a speaker on after-death arrangements and for a forum on Clearness Committees. It is also considering renewing consideration of a spiritual companionship program. The committee discussed conditions for use of the meetingroom.
Carol Balliet, reported that Peace and Social Concerns is working on providing comprehensive information to young people on alternatives to military service. Carol Redfield has been developing web pages and these can be the basis of pamphlets to distribute in schools. The committee hopes to make a connection with a teacher to develop a plan for reaching students personally. It is planning a forum to explore effective communication with others who disagree so that we can better seek and find common ground.
Many ideas were aired at the forum on aid to hurricane victims, particularly for the longer term. There is interest in forming “listening groups” to empower displaced survivors, and in obtaining an AFSC worker for this kind of project. But we must be careful not to take on more than we can complete.
Janet Southwood spoke for Outreach Committee, judging that the cookout was very successful and announcing another Bring and Share evening on October 7. Regarding use of the new meetingroom by others, she said that the Interreligious Council has now decided to meet at the Bahai Center, which, the Council’s aims being dear to Bahais, will be provided free of charge.
A new looseleaf Meeting Handbook is almost complete. Details have been reviewed by clerks of committees and it will be handed out soon, to be reviewed by meeting within another year.
Ruth Lofgren, reporting for First Day School, said that the committee was preparing a program on the rights and wrongs of discrimination and the need to make choices. The ages and numbers of children present varies greatly from week to week and there is as yet not enough room to accommodate the older children, though there will be soon.
For Meetinghouse Development, Ken Southwood said that small problems kept arising, most recently on two incorrect bills. There will be more change orders requiring payment and completion may be within two weeks [but two inordinately long and stuttering weeks.]
Jen Moran, for the Property Committee, obtained approval of placing orders for a new vandal- and frost-proof drinking fountain at a cost of $1300-1400.
Meeting closed with silence.
Bring and ShareWe shall have another evening of Bring and Share at the meetinghouse at 7 o’clock on Friday evening, October 7. Share stories, experiences, artwork, things you love, with everyone else. And there will be a Fiesta and Plant Sale at Mitchell Lake on Saturday, October 22, 8am-4pm.
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But perhaps we should consider following the precedent; perhaps less controversially to start with, like a ‘GO, SPURS!” sign, then moving up through the local CHINESE TAKEOUT against the wall of the salon (which should receive a cut) up to a tasteful WALMART ad on the stone wall at the entrance. And perhaps, later, one for HOOTERS on the north wall of the new meetingroom where it can be easily seen from Eisenhauer.
Thomas and William Osborne came home from spending part of the summer with their father. They had a wonderful time but were glad to be home again. A brief message from Boyce Rummel says, “I quit the door factory. I just couldn't do it anymore. boyce” He has been working long, long, hours, including weekends, as the demand for the product increased. he says, “The bottom line on this is that it was no longer fun and was negatively impacting my health and well being. I am going into the real estate/manufactured home business with my brother Charlie. This is new for me yet I seem to be well qualified for this as many customers only speak Spanish.”
We asked Melissa Miller when she learned about Texas plantlife.Her reply: “I knew nothing about native plants when I arrived here in the fall of 1999. One of the things I wanted to do to get myself oriented here was to learn about the natural world, a love of mine since I was little. My father was a hiker and bird watcher. He came from S. Texas. And of course, Texas was very different from Hawaii. So if I was going to get to love this place, I had to learn about it. So, I splurged on expensive picture books of Texas natives and studied them intensively. The next spring, I heard about the Native Plant Society and joined and haven't looked back. And I had a pretty lifeless yard that had held 9 dogs just a couple of years before, and I wanted to have birds and critters in it. This year, for instance, I have been visited by a painted bunting, common yellowthroat, and a pair of black-backed lesser goldfinch raised a brood on my common sunflowers that I let grow in profusion this year.”
Gary Whiting and Vivian Rule were away from meeting one Sunday and Gary tells us, “Viv and I were out in the woods Sunday morning, as we are regularly drawn to do....there is a spot in Guadalupe River State Park called Honey Creek, that is typically closed to the public, though there is a back way to it, and it is a truly beautiful spot....two ravens flew off as we approached, big birds, making that guttural noise that they do, then we spotted a kingfisher, and actually got to watch it dive for fish...very exciting....”
When the Southwoods’ first daughter was born in Penang, in 1953, they had Malayan friends, S. K. and Sok Sundaram, whose son was born three months earlier. Despite every appearance of loyalty to the Empire, they named him Jomo Kwame after Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya and Kwame Nkrumah of the Gold Coast, both nationalist rebels against British rule. 24 years later the Southwoods met Jomo by chance in Malaysia when he was a grad student in Economics. Since then they had discovered that he became a gadfly on environmental and aboriginal issues. When Jonathan Hook went to Malaysia to speak on these, they suggested he look out for Jomo. Surfing the web to tell Jonathan more, they found this: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan Appoints Jomo Sundaram (Malaysia) as Assistant Secretary-General on Economic Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs They sent him a message of congratulation and got a very warm reply.
Janet Southwood received this message from an Illinois friend:
“I just had to tell you that I had such an amazing thing happen two weeks ago during a visit to Oslo, Norway. I was watching a documentary that is part of an exhibit at the Contemporary Art Museum in downtown Oslo - it's a piece done by filmmakers from Glasgow, I believe. Anyway, as I was watching, whose face should appear but yours!! I thought to myself, "I know that person!" So there you are speaking for peace in unexpected places. You were quite articulate, by the way, and a very good voice of reason and compassion.
Keep up the good work!”
Perhaps, in the revised list of responsibilities of Outreach, we should include “international outreach.” Janet’s sister in England sent her a message – “A friend just back from a family holiday in Northumberland said that while there a van passed them with a 'Quaker Lady for President' sticker on it!” Janet says, “This is getting ridiculous.” Ridicule of this kind we can endure.
Jim Turner’s brother Bob, a nationally known potter, died in August. Pauline Turner went to Washington to be with his family at the Quaker memorial meeting. When she got back her son and his family, fleeing New Orleans, came to stay with her until the danger was past Gayle Copeland and Jim Jacobs spent time at the Quiet House, a retreat for adults with Laity Lodge and the HEB Foundation, website:
http://www.laitylodge.org/LaityLodge/Wayfarer.asp.
“It is actually called Wayfarer’s Cottage on the web site and in their brochure, but is called Quiet House in other places on both. It is a wonderful place for contemplation and deeply listening to one’s soul again. Jim and I have gone there for three years now, and plan to go back yearly.
“This year we didn’t observe silence, but talked and painted and read. The house was built in the 70’s, and has all the wildlife you could ever imagine. Deer come for deer corn several times a day, birds of all stripes, raccoons, squirrels, one ring tail, and...chiggers in the summer time. There are trails to hike if one is so inclined. Being unplugged is wonderful.”
Winston S. Churchill, My Early Life (1930)
"It is not your obligation to complete the task of perfecting the world], but neither are you free to desist from it."
Postlogue to David Albert’s e-mail. David is Austin Chapter Chair of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace, a network of tens of thousands of American Jews, striving to help bring about a negotiated two-state settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He came to speak to Meeting last year.
My heart goes out to the people who survived one of the largest national disasters in our country’s history.”
Patty Raspino, who visited Meeting a while back, says, “ Our hearts go out to all of the victims of this disaster. New Orleans is my husband Darryl's home. Thankfully, all of his family seems to have gotten out in time and have places to stay for now-- lucky for them they are white and middle class.
My Students for a Peaceful Society members began collecting funds Friday at lunchtime and then Friday night at the game- they have gathered over $1200. I am so proud of them. They are using it to buy necessities for the refugees at Kelly. I am thinking we ought to do some kind of bigger fundraiser as well-- maybe a "New Orleans" festival or something- to pull in some big funds. We'll see how it comes together. Blessings to you and the Friends in all of your efforts.” patti
“On Sunday two licensed beauticians, Kim and Barbara, heard an APD officer at church volunteer that she would collect Black hair products and take them to the Convention Center. Kim and Barbara invited friends of Black hair to meet them at Sally Beauty Supplies, near Fiesta, and use their professional discounts to stock up with stuff to give to the police officer.
Meanwhile, Priscilla and Mere set up ‘Shug’s Beauty Shop’ by the table out in back of the Convention Center, next to the showers where the hair care products are stashed. Ana wrote ‘There will be a salon set up by licensed hair folks tomorrow (on the second floor).’ And, Priscilla called to say…the people are dancing to Zydeco…
Shalom, ana
I say praise be; people have power and are succoring themselves.”
Love, Judith (AFSC, Austin)
On his website he says over 10 million people have been touched by “His Noodly Appendage.” He says he believes that the universe was created by the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and he plans to sue the Kansas Board of Education demanding equal time in the classroom. He has been flooded with e-mail messages, 95% favoring teaching Monsterism in the schools, while five percent suggested that he would be going to hell.
New York Times, August 29
Years ago, when British Methodists and Anglicans were discussing uniting, an obstacle arose in that the Methodists had no bishops and, to acquire them, would have to accept ordination by Anglican bishops. This roused Janet Southwood’s Quaker father to a long and deep chuckle.
Discovering the problem introduced by the Friends Meeting in Ann Arbor many years ago, the local Council of Churches relaxed its creedal requirements for membership. ”It is worth stressing that the barriers against a Quaker participating in the offices or sacraments of any other church can only come from that church; the Society itself makes no objection. (Hubbard again.)
The most important thing, surely, is that all can work together with love and respect, extending this to other, non-Christian, religions. Liturgies and creeds erect barriers. Our responsibility is to look beyond them to find the nature of the spiritual experience they may foster and the loving inner spirit within their practitioners.
Did anyone tell her he was forced to resign in disgrace?
October 2, Sunday .... Potluck lunch. October 7, Friday .... Bring and Share evening, 7 pm. October 9, Sunday..... 9 a.m ., Quaker By Convincement, Ch. 6, Pt. 2, The Spiritual Experiment. Forum on Nonviolence. October 16, Sunday.... Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business. October 25, Thursday.. Midweek meeting at the Drennons, 7 pm October 21, Friday ... Quarterly meeting at Stonehaven through Sunday. October 23, Sunday ... No Forum due to Quarterly.. October 30, Sunday ... Forum – discussion of State constitutional amendments being planned.:
Each Thursday, at 4-5 pm, a silent peace vigil is held at the NE corner of Main Plaza (Commerce and Dwyer or Commerce and Soledad, which is the same thing) near the San Fernando cathedral.
Clerk: Bill Wilkinson, e-mail: bdwilkinson@earthlink.net
Newsletter Editor: Ken Southwood, e-mail: jksouthwood@grandecom.net
Website: http://www.sanantonioquakers.org/.
Donations may be made to Friends Meeting of San Antonio, P.O. Box 6127, San Antonio TX 78209.
Meeting telephone to leave a message: (210) 945-8456.
Friends Meeting of San Antonio,
7052 N. Vandiver,
PO Box 6127 San Antonio TX 78209