Bill Sinkford is angry - and so should we be. (America, experience)

[Green Gaia]

Pastoral Letter from the Rev. William G. Sinkford President, Unitarian Universalist Association

A Gentle, Angry People

(Tuesday afternoon, September 6, 2005)

I am so angry. I've had to stop watching coverage of the disaster along our Gulf Coast. The statements from our political and military leaders that we have "turned the corner," that we have a unified disaster command with "perfect coordination," in response to this "natural disaster" are more than I can bear. I cannot watch one more press conference with congratulations for the "heck of a job" FEMA and the military have done.

Natural disaster? Katrina was certainly a force of nature, although there is substantial evidence that the global warming so many deny increased the fury of the storm. But we cannot lay responsibility for our response at the feet of Mother Nature.

Perfect coordination? I shudder to think that our nation's delayed and inadequate response to the suffering left in Katrina's wake might be proudly claimed as a plan.

I am fighting not to sink into paranoia, though as a person of color I have a lifetime of experience which would provide ample justification.

More at link

[Terrywoodenpic]

You must be proud of him making a stand.

Terry
______________________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.

[Green Gaia]

Well for days I've been holding back the criticism, on this forum even. Thinking it was better to pull together than point out mistakes. I think Rev. Sinkford is right when he says,

"We know that now is the time to provide relief and support for the citizens of the Gulf, and we are working as hard as we can to do our part.

But it is not too early to begin learning from this disaster. ... We are a gentle and generous people. But let us not forget our anger. May it fuel not only our commitment to compassion but also our commitment to make fundamental changes"

He spoke directly to the conflict I've felt myself. Torn between compassion and anger. He points out very well that there is room and a need for both.

[Fluffy]

I agree with Rev. Sinkford whole heartedly. Many would disregard his words has "politicising" an event for his own agenda but that is another aspect of Katrina I am starting to grow sick about. Learning from mistakes is important and there should always be room for constructive criticism, even in times of tragedy.

[Feathers in Hair]

A beautiful, beautiful message, and extrodinarily heart-felt. I echo you in saying that he speaks directly to the conflict I feel.

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

I agree with Rev. Sinkford whole heartedly. Many would disregard his words has "politicising" an event for his own agenda but that is another aspect of Katrina I am starting to grow sick about. Learning from mistakes is important and there should always be room for constructive criticism, even in times of tragedy.

Unfortunately many are politicizing the disaster and that's part of my anger and I feel Rev. Sinkford's as well. People are too busy blaming someone else to work on fixing the real problems and addressing real issues.

[Davidium]

I sat down tonight to write my journal entry, and after going back and reading it decided that maybe I should share it.

The past few weeks have convinced me that the societal problems exposed by the disaster in New Orleans could well be the downfall of American society.

Anyway, call it a short essay that may someday be a sermon, these were the thoughts as I woke up from my first good sleep in over a week.

I think that I am along the same lines a Rev. Bill, but looking at it not from the perspective of the national media, but rather from the perspective of being invloved with the evacuees....

This is not a natural disaster, but rather a man-made one. And I am not talking about the levies either.

My journal entry for tonight:

I have been giving some thought to some of the lessons I have learned from this disaster. One is that the class dichotomy in this nation is more profound and pronounced than I had imagined.... and I thought I understood it.

There is an undercurrent of people that you only see when the system is upset... because otherwise they are kept from sight by the system.

In this case though, they have been brought to the forefront. I have had conversations with them, counseled with them, and have begun to think about the system that keeps that undercurrent where it is. I have begun to realize that though I have never had much money in my life, I have always had light colored skin... and how much of an asset that is.

At first I was a bit perturbed by the hundreds of people, not shelter residents, but others who have been coming in all but demanding that the Red Cross give them money. Vouchers, or Checks, or just plain cash. One even accused me of stealing her money for myself. Due to some donations we can keep the shelter running, but we dont have money to give two thousand dollars to every person who comes in. I wish we did.

At first... and then I realized that it is our own fault.

Now, this is a quandry. I do believe that it is our responsibility to help those "less fortunate"... but what does that mean? How did those who are "less fortunate" get that way. And are they simply "Less Fortunate" because they have a different skin tone? And if we believe in that, well then we are right back to institutional racism.

I hate to think of it, but I might sound a bit like a republican instead of the liberal/progressive that I am for just a second. Perhaps in our efforts to help those "less fortunate" we have done them a disservice. In our goal as a society of taking care of all our citizens (which we fail at, though we try) and providing assistance, we have created a dangerous dependency upon the government.

I think I am seeing a difference in class even in those who are shelter residents, and those who are just looking for services, but are staying in a hotel. I have definately noticed that those who are staying in hotels, but who are coming to the shelter looking for help finding housing and monetary assistance, they tend to look down on those staying at the shelter. In assisting one woman, and african american woman who had come in because she had been told that the shelters were issuing FEMA checks (untrue), I asked if she would like to stay for a meal, or to see the clinic, or if she needed housing at the shelter...

She looked up at me and said "Young man, I am not one of those people."

Those People. Unbelievable. She was quite incensed that I would not (and could not) sit down and write her a check for two thousand dollars right there. She even accused me of stealing her money. Her money.

She was one example. Now, not all people have been like that. They have run the gamut. But it has brought forward for me the dangerous dependency we have created in this nation.

These are human beings, with every bit the worth, ability, and potential that I have (just maybe in differnet ways and fields)... and we are cheating them. Through a system that is designed to keep them in place, a system that is designed to degrade and denegrate them, through a system that had made it so they cannot survive without government assistance, through a system that has made slaves of them all over again... we have cheated them.

Not cheated them of money... but cheated them of the potential of their lives. And cheated ourselves of the potential of their lives as well.

For they are indeed human beings. Among them I have seen acts of compassion, emotional reunions, love of children, and so much more that is good and positive.

And yet, they are trapped in a system that keeps their lives chained, their potential stunted, and their dreams.... well, they do not even dare to dream.

Bread and Circuses. That's what the romans called it. And that is what we have.

New Orleans exposed this system, but it certainly is not unique. And try as you might you cant blame Bush for it... it pre-dates even his birth, much less his presidency. No, this is the ultimate failure of the American Dream... and if we are to survive as a nation it is the one we must.... must find an answer for.

Did we really get rid of slavery? Or did we just invent a new kind of slave?

How to solve it.... that I will ponder over the next while. But it will involve a complete culture change, not just among the undercurrent of American Culture, but through out all of it.

And we need to find a way to do it while not increasing the dangerous dependency we have created any more than it already is.

Who is at fault for the rapes and the looting and the murders.... we all are. We all are.

David Pyle
Galveston Island, TX

[Green Gaia]

As usual David, you echo my thoughts almost exactly, and said it much, much more eloquently than I could have. Driving back home last weekend from visiting family I thought a lot about these same issues, (talking out loud to NPR in the car ). We have created a class of people completely or mostly completely dependent on government services and help. Like you, I believe we should not only offer help to those who need it, but that we have a moral obligation to do so.

What went wrong and how can we fix it? New Orleans will assuredly be rebuilt, as will most, if not all surrounding communities that were effected as well. But will the system of offering help to those who need it be fixed, not just in the South, but across the entire nation so that who need help will get it but will not have to lose their hopes and dreams to do so? THAT is the larger and more important issue. The immediate need is to get all those effected basic necessities. And that is being done, and will continue to be done. But the bigger issue this disaster has this brought to everyone's attention should not be lost or forgotten.

But I'm afraid that once the waters recede and people get on with their lives, it will be forgotten or pushed aside, because it won't be an easy change. You're right, of course, David, when you say that fixing this will require a complete culture change and I believe a change in mindset as well, for every single American.

I think as UUs we should not let the issue or the people be forgotten. Or terrorists and natural disasters will not be our downfall... it will be ourselves.