World Refugee Day 2007; Mourn “Necessary” Migration
Celebrating World Refugee Day
copyright © 2007 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org
I cannot sit comfortably in my cozy home, at my glorious computer [The Old Soul] without crying out in pain. Throughout the world, today, more so than yesterday, or last year, we witness man’s inhumanity to man.
Forty million persons, men, women and children crouch on street corners, squat in small rooms, sit in squalor, and wonder if they might survive. Some are in better circumstances. They have found homes; however, they remain in exile from their families, friends, and all that is familiar.
The United Nations Refugee Center tries to reach out; they have for more than half a century. This organization works to promote awareness. Yet, they need our help. For those that remain as I do snug in my surroundings, it is difficult to relate to a life so challenging. Nonetheless, I believe we must try and keep hope alive.
In Iraq alone the continuous flood of violence has left many homeless. In December 2006 the Guardian Unlimited reported findings that were distressing then.
A report (pdf) by Washington-based Refugees International said an influx of Iraqis threatened to overwhelm other Middle Eastern countries, particularly Syria, Jordon and Lebanon.That was three hundred and sixty-five long hard days ago. Today, the situation is worse. As the brutality increases so too do the numbers. People are fleeing for their lives. They leave the native soils they love. Approximately fifty thousand Iraqis escape from what was once their sanctuary, their country each month. The numbers of individuals internally displaced is innumerable. More than 2.2 million Iraqis have fled since the current American-led war began. Two million Iraqis have been displaced inside this Middle Eastern nation.Last month, the UN estimated that 100,000 people were fleeing the country each month, with the number of Iraqis now living in other Arab countries standing at 1.8 million.
Today's [December 7, 2006] report came, as George Bush and Tony Blair were due to discuss the situation in Iraq, which the bipartisan Iraq Study Group yesterday described as "grave and deteriorating".
Refugees International said the acceleration in the numbers fleeing Iraq meant it could soon overtake the refugee crisis in Darfur.
"We're not saying it's the largest [refugee crisis], but it's quickly becoming the largest," spokeswoman Kristele Younes said. "The numbers are very, very scary."
Ms Younes said the most pressing concern was to prevent other countries from sending Iraqis back to the violence that had forced them to flee their mother country.
The report revealed Iraqi refugees were facing tough restrictions in other Arab countries, preventing them from finding work or gaining access to healthcare and other public services.
In the Republic of the Congo, another fifty six thousand refugees fight for a semblance of the life. The good life that most Americans take for granted is far more than a step away.
Most of us are familiar, if only in words with the situation in Sudan. However, might we begin to consider more than the numbers of persons in exile. Let us attempt to place ourselves in the situation that envelops the émigrés.
There are 116,746 refugees in Eritrea, 20,000 in Chad, 14,633 struggling to survive in Ethiopia, 7,895 fraught in Uganda, 5,023 burdened and begging for a sense of normalcy in Central African Republic.
In a May 2004 News Hour report Correspondent Fred De Sam Lazaro spoke of the conditions refugees in Sudan endured daily.
For 15 months, more than 100,000 people have trekked across some of Africa's most forbidding terrain to reach safety in eastern Chad. They arrive in small groups, bringing stories of rape and other atrocities committed by people they call Arabs -- allegedly supported by the Sudanese government -- in neighboring Sudan's Darfur region. Another one million so-called "black" Sudanese who have been displaced from their homes remain in Darfur. Human rights groups back up their accusations of ethnic cleansing even though Darfur has been mostly closed to the outside world.It is challenging to feel hopeful, to dream of a better life when there is not enough water to sustain oneself, let alone the animals. To think, these were the conditions three years ago in this desert region. In Darfur, two years later, there was evidence of a deepening decline.In the relative safety of Chad's refugee camps, the day usually begins around 5:00 am. Women like Jamila Numere start a daunting pursuit of life's most basic needs. Water comes from a hastily dug, shallow well.
Behind the people at the well are donkeys, prized beasts of burden. But their needs must come second. There's simply not enough water to go around. The stench of death is everywhere. One of relief worker Gillian Dunn's top priorities has been to burn thousands of animal carcasses.
A Loss of Hope Inside Darfur Refugee CampsMight we begin to believe that life is fragile; refugees were once as we are. A college graduate, a teacher, who lived a “comfortable life, now lives in dire need. Today, this woman, Armani Tinjany exists, not much more. Her circumstances cause her to question everything she ever believed to be true. She is genteel, has the manners of a lady. This graceful and generous soul apologizes for not offering her guest tea. Yet, few apologize to Armani Tinjany. Less even acknowledge her or her circumstance.
Over Two Years, a Genocide Comes Into View
By Emily Wax
Washington Post.
Sunday, April 30, 2006; A12NAIROBI -- On a stretch of the austere desert in Chad, just across the border from the Darfur region of Sudan, signs of tragedy came into full view: tattered clothing caught on the branches of thornbushes, carcasses of camels and goats that died on the long journey out.
Then the people began to appear: haggard young girls with siblings on their backs, old men riding atop donkeys piled high with cooking pots, water jugs and mats, and elderly grandmothers, some with gunshot wounds, being pushed through the sand in wheelbarrows.
And then: a group of female teachers, squatting in a dry riverbed, trying to find shelter from sandstorms that were building over the horizon and turning the air into a wall of thick, orange dust.
It was a boiling-hot day in February 2004, and it was my first trip to investigate what were then vague reports of refugees streaming across the desolate border.
A woman came out from under some trees in the riverbed to greet me. Her name was Armani Tinjany, and she was a beautiful 29-year-old Sudanese teacher, tall and gracious in a flowing orange polka-dot dress tied to her thin waist.
She grabbed my hand and in clear English told me she had a college degree and taught Arabic and agriculture to high school students. She had lived a comfortable life with her family in a village of stone compounds.
A month before I met her, her village was attacked by Arab militias known as the Janjaweed -- slang for devils on horseback. The militiamen galloped into town, burned homes and buildings, raped women and killed dozens of men while government aircraft bombed the area. The assault was a strike back at rebels who had risen up against the Arab-led government, claming economic and political discrimination.
In her rush to leave, Tinjany left her parents and her husband behind. Were they alive? She did not know.
"Are they going to leave us like this forever?" she asked. "My life, as I knew it, is finished."
She answered all my questions slowly, and often referred to a wrinkled notebook in which she had recorded the atrocities. Even with people out to kill her entire family and her tribe, she softly apologized for not being able to offer me tea.
At that time, Darfur was just another confusing African conflict. Today, it is known as the site of the first genocide of the 21st century, a human catastrophe that has pushed nearly 2.5 million people off their land and into camp cities, some housing as many as 80,000 people.
I know not how to honor those that have no real home, no sense of connection to their roots. I only submit this invitation. May we each endeavor to empathize, open our hearts and our minds to what we cannot and rarely do imagine.
I offer this plea on behalf of the people and The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. If we do nothing else, let us remember the high cost of gas means little to those without a place to call home. The debate on whether to exit Iraq is not as vital as actually leaving this war torn nation whole. Our presence in the Middle East has not been a humanitarian mission. We have only served to increase the refugee crisis in that region.
War inevitably does more to damage what was once a mother country for thousands now living in exile and fear. Those in other nations feel this; they experience it. Ethic cleansing dirties the landscape in Sudan.
Ignorance or ignoring those in other distressed nations does much harm. Our choosing to disregard our connection to the quality of life for citizens throughout the globe does not benefit them or us. While we may worry about property taxes, few there have land to live on. Often Americans focus on a topic, to the exclusion of others. Currently, the war in Iraq dominates the news. However, there is more we must attend to.
Some battlefields are less visible; yet, equally critical. I do not deny that caring for our fatherland is essential. However, if we sacrifice others while attending to our own selfish needs, all will suffer.
Please, I implore us all, myself included; do not let another day go by without working to provide peace worldwide. Let people live in the countries they love. Fretting and flittering about in cyberspace is great fun. However, we must do more. Give, in whatever way you can, even if it is only discussing the conditions of your fellow man with your neighbor. Speak to those that rarely mention or think about these issues. Let us raise consciousness and create harmony in every land.
Bring all boys and girls home, no matter what their country of origin.
I share this thought for your review.
World Refugee Day: Challenges of the 21st CenturyPlease join those that care; be a guiding light, a good neighbor, and a friend to peace, prosperity, and a long healthy life for all. Remember the refugees each day. Live your live as though it depends on the goodwill afforded your fellow man. It does.GENEVA, June 20 (UNHCR) – Today is World Refugee Day, a day when the UN refugee agency tries to focus worldwide attention on the plight of millions of refugees and displaced people around the world. To mark the day, High Commissioner António Guterres is visiting South Sudan to witness the rapid changes in the nature of the refugee challenge in Africa.
Some 40 million people worldwide are uprooted by violence and persecution, and it is likely that the future will see more people on the move as a growing number of push factors build upon each other to create conditions for further forced displacement.
People are forced to seek refuge for increasingly interlinked reasons. They do not just flee persecution and war, but also injustice, exclusion, environmental pressures, competition for scarce resources and the miseries caused by dysfunctional states.
The task facing the international community is to understand this new environment and to find ways to unlock the potential of refugees who have much to offer if they are given the opportunity to regain control over their lives.
"Our greatest satisfaction comes from helping a refugee family to go home. Their repatriation is a ray of hope in a strife-torn region. Working together with our partners and with the support of our donors we have made a difference. But we need to do more to help refugees once again become active players in society," said António Guterres, who traveled with Sudanese refugees as they returned home from Uganda after years in exile.
Results on the ground show UNHCR is making progress. Last year, UNHCR helped hundreds of thousands of refugees return home. In Africa, in addition to stepped-up repatriation to South Sudan, bright spots include winding up of UNHCR's operations in Liberia and Angola.
Working in partnership is key. UNHCR's Council of Business Leaders, for example, is providing solutions to equip refugees with the tools and skills they will need for their future. One example of partnership in action is ninemillion.org, an online advocacy tool and fund-raising campaign aimed at providing refugee children with access to education and sports programmes.
Another is a programme supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that is building skills and capacity among the returning population in South Sudan.
"We cannot do this alone. But with your support UNHCR can begin to turn the tide, giving refugees hope for the future and new opportunities for their families and their communities," said Guterres.
Please do not forget the homeless in America they too are refugees. They are our internal displaced. Only three years ago the numbers of American displaced was astonishing.
About 3.5 million US residents (about 1% of the population), including 1.35 million children, have been homeless for a significant period of time. Over 37,000 homeless individuals (including 16,000 children) stay in shelters in New York every night. This information was gathered by the Urban Institute, but actual numbers might be higher.In my own home community I see more persons living on the streets each day. As I read their signs, speak with a few, I am forever reminded, every man, woman, and child is my brother, my sister, and could be me or perhaps you. I trust I cannot forget we are all connected. if one man is poor we all suffer. If I contribute to the passing of another person through my ignorance, neglect, or through battle, I will take blame.
Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind;
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
~ John Donne
References for World Refugee Day 2007 . . .
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on June 20, 2007 at 11:07 PM in Civil Rights, Communities, Darfur, Sudan, and Rwanda, Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Rapes, Homeless, John Donne | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
This Could Be You! Homeless in America ©
Some readers were ready to read my underlying message, others glossed over it. People responded; yet, they did not. I realize it is easier to see what is external to our selves. Looking at our own “stuff” can be far more stressful than dissecting what is happening to others. Nevertheless, I think we must discuss what is occurring in our own backyards.
There are millions of homeless persons in American.
I see them each day on streets near my home. Over the years, I have spoken to quite a few, though not enough. My interactions with these individuals were invaluable; they and their stories have become part of me. I will share anecdotes in this treatise.
In retrospect, I fear the ample coverage of problems aboard overwhelmed me. I think it the reporting was vital, though as my missive on World Refugees, incomplete. I need to correct my error. I want to be more expansive and open. I need to place the mirror where we can all peer into it. I invite you to reflect with me.
Currently, according to by the Urban Institute approximately 3.5 million persons in America have been homeless for a significant period.
This number equates to one percent of the population. Among these are 1.35 million children. In New York City alone, more than 37,000 of these homeless individuals stay in shelters each evening. Of these sixteen thousand [16,000] are children.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness states
Homelessness does not discriminate. Families with children, single adults, teenagers, and elderly individuals of all races can be found struggling with the devastating effects of homelessness.The primary cause of homelessness is a lack of affordable housing. Over 5 million low-income households have serious housing problems due to high housing costs, substandard housing conditions, or both.
The Economic Policy Institute offers more sobering facts.
• Twelve [12] million adults in the United States currently are or have been homeless at some point in their lives [National Coalition for the Homeless].
• One of the largest and fastest growing groups of homeless folks are families with children. They are approximately 40% of the homeless population, mostly with single mothers as the head of the household.
• On average, a homeless family has 2.2 children [Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD].
• Anywhere from 25% to 38% of homeless people are children [National Coalition for the Homeless, Urban Institute].
• 33% of homeless men are veterans [HUD].
It is likely, these numbers are inaccurate. They may be very low. The actual figures are probably higher. Homeless people, even those only on the verge, anticipating what might come, tend to hide. They do not feel safe.
Paranoia can set in when people shun you, when they look away at the sight of you. When the majority, of individuals within a “civilized” society, consider you disgraceful, and they say this to your face, you are not likely to feel free when you are among them. Few homeless persons have any desire to be noticed or counted. The gathering of statistics does not serve the dispossessed and destitute. Numbers collected and stored in databases do not provide for the needs of the needy. People living on the streets realize no benefit from tallies. In truth, there are plenty of repercussions.
I know this from experience. I cannot recount my life as a homeless person; I hope I will never be able to, though I fear, as I think many quietly do when considering the topic, "That could be me."
Years ago I was distressed by what I saw as a growing situation. It seemed to me that more people were down-and-out. I lived in the area of the country known for its wealth, Orange County, California. Yet, everywhere I turned there were homeless people. Some were asking for a handout, others were looking for a helping hand. Most were offering to work. A few were working for whatever change might be given.
I found this disquieting by what I saw as the greater depression. I was a student at the time and realized I could create a project that documented what I saw as the “Greater Depression.” I set out to interview the indigent population in my area. I planned to videotape, audiotape, and photograph individuals as I interviewed them. I first approached a man I saw on a busy highway, Brookhurst Street. He held a sign asking for work; I requested an interview.
A friend of mine was with me holding a very small video camera. As he saw us move toward him, he smiled. Once he noticed the camera, he covered his face. I spoke to him of my project and requested his permission to document our conversation. This gentleman assured me, he was open to the dialogue; however, he wanted no recording of this. He expressed his fear that his daughter, thousands of miles away, living in New Jersey might discover his plight. He had been homeless for years; yet, he never told her. He was discomfited enough without her knowing.
The soft-spoken man, a human being of greatness, spoke of his loving wife. In year’s prior, he had been a successful man, a person of prominence and position. He owned a home, right there in Orange County. In this moment I do not recall whether it was in Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, or another suburb close by. I remember his face, his story, and the sorrow with which he shared these, more vividly than that detail.
His wife became ill. It was cancer. She was sick for quite some time and needed care. He wanted to be by her side, to help her. Years passed, bills mounted, insurance did not cover all the expenses. Finally, after a long and hard-fought battle, her body left this Earth. He missed her. He lost much, his love, his lifeline, his home, and his own health. Now, he was only seeking hope. I sigh as I recall this man, his misery, and his kindness. I am grateful that he spoke with me.
I walked on. I went to Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley. There I stumbled upon two gentlemen, lying in the grass. They did allow some photographs to be taken though none came out well. We discussed their situation. Fountain Valley had been good to them. What they found in trash-bins was worthy. The park was pleasant. They too had their hardships. They had lost hope and found comfort in the life they had. For years, they had sought work. Bathing, being presentable, finding transportation, all were barriers to their success. They spoke of how people assume drugs or alcohol were the cause for homelessness. As they recounted their stories they assured me, for them, nothing was further from the truth.
Then I went to downtown Santa Ana, just outside of the courthouse. A woman quickly drew near. She feared for my safety. She too was indigent. She wanted me to know as she knew, this was no place for a white woman with a camera, even a male accompaniment could not save her if the situation got tough.
My friend and I roamed the streets. Most allowed us to photograph them. Some were too sleepy to engage us. Others offered their anecdotes. All were very kind. Most were sick and tired; the time without creature comforts took a toll.
Some of you may have read of my more recent experience with a homeless man and how he helped me to remember the importance of man’s humanity to man. I fear too often we forget. We do not want to see, hear, or experience what we create, ghettos, slums, and places unfit for survival.
Since earliest childhood, I theorized this is why, in America, we build freeways. We do not wish to see our inner cities. The general-public does not want to know how those on the other side of the tracks live. Citizens in this, the richest country in the world, prefer to hide the poor, the impoverished, the ill, and the homeless behind walls of concrete where they will not be seen or heard from.
Americans have hidden what they prefer not to see since early in our history. The industrial revolution gave rise to a greater acceptance of blight; as cities grew, so too did man’s inhumanity to his fellow man. However, the damage caused by the Industrial Revolution is nothing in comparison to that done during the Regan Revolution and beyond.
Former President Ronald Reagan was a man known for fantasy. Author Gary Wills wrote of this in his all too obscure biography, Reagan's America. Reagan imagined his childhood, youth, and service to his country to be the ideal it was not. Ronald Reagan, single handedly created a homeless population that was never seen or imagined before.
Carol Fennelly, Director of Hope House in Washington says,
In fact many homeless rights activists say the single most devastating thing Reagan did to create homelessness was when he cut the budget for the Department of Housing and Urban Development by three-quarters, from $32 billion in 1981 to $7.5 billion by 1988. The department was the main governmental supporter of subsidized housing for the poor. Add this to Reagan's overhaul of tax codes to reduce incentives for private developers to create low-income homes and you had a major crisis for low-income families and individuals. Under Reagan, the number of people living beneath the federal poverty line rose from 24.5 million in 1978 to 32.5 million in 1988.And the number of homeless people went from something so little it wasn't even written about widely in the late 1970s to more than 2 million when Reagan left office.
As the rich got richer under Reagan, the poor became increasingly poorer. The mentally ill did not fare well under the Reagan Administration. Social Services funding was cut. After Reagan, left office little improved. When speaking of the then dire dilemma of homelessness, George Herbert Walker Bush declared the budget was tight, the deficit deep, and “We will turn to the only resource we have that in times of need always grows--the goodness and the courage of the American people.”
The American people were not ready, willing, or able to cope with their own circumstances, let alone help the homeless. Corporations had other priorities, their profits. Nothing trickled down. The situation worsened. Under Clinton, the economy improved; funding for programs to help homeless increased. There were great strides. Still, once people slid into the abyss and suffered. Recovery is slow, living on the streets takes a toll..
Under George W. Bush, the bludgeoning began again; the destitute took a severe beating. The National Coalition for the Homeless offered this report Bush Budget Leaves No Millionaire Behind As He Proposes Massive Cuts To Programs For Homeless and Low-Income People, stating,
On February 6th, 2006, President Bush sent his proposed $2.77 trillion FY2007 budget to Congress. His proposals would cut $600 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a 1.8% decrease from the FY06 appropriations; and funding for Health and Human Services (HHS) discretionary programs would decline by $1.6 billion.While the President’s proposed budget does increase funding in some areas, the Homeless Assistance Grants increased by $209 million and Housing for People with AIDS (HOPWA) saw a $14 million increase, it makes these increases by making reductions in other programs for low-income people, not by finding new resources.
The homeless situation is subverted easily. American society tends to blame and shames the victims. they feel no responsibility for their plight. Then and now, people think the homeless are strong single males that simply do not wish to work. They believe these individuals are strung out on drugs or booze. They think them hapless, helpless, and of little value. Most Americans look away when they encounter the dispossessed or down-and-out. They do not move towards these people.
Few citizens within the United States know the destitute are as they are. They are our mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. Many have served this nation well. They have protected us during times of war. Some are afflicted with a mental illness. They all need our help.
As people, we love lending a helping handsome will raise a barn for our neighbors, as long as we know them or feel as though we might. Katrina brought some movement. When we saw our neighbors in New Orleans destitute, we were devastated. We acted on their distress for days
Popular television programs such as NBCs The Today Show, invited Habitat for Humanity to build houses on their sets. Donations poured in from people across the states. The Red Cross was flooded with contributions. Sadly, little help reached the people. However, once the limelight dimmed and these people became as other homeless were, out of the public eye, everything went back to the status quo out of mind out of sight.
The public no longer saw the need of their neighbors; they saw the scruffy, unkempt, and disheveled standing there with their hands out. The news changed. Talk of larceny, theft, aggravated burglary filled the airwaves, and once again, the poor were the source of “our” pain.
Americans are often heard to say, “God or man, helps people that help themselves.” In the minds of many of our countrymen, people must appear “presentable,” “respectable,” and “savvy” before they are willing to assist them further. We want our neighbors to look like us. The homeless may have at one time; however, when we encounter them, they do not. Therefore, we look away when we are in their company.
Instead, we like to speak of refugees abroad and feel badly. We express a desire to reach out, some actually do work to assist those in other nations. However rarely, do we help those residing in our own house, the dispossessed in America.
We do not want to look in the mirror; we fear seeing what we could become. Many of us live from paycheck to paycheck. A small catastrophe could wipe us out, physically, emotionally, or financially. Intellectually, we know this; however facing this scares us. We rather not and therefore, we don’t.
When we observe a homeless person on the street, most of us will look away. We do not wish to think about what we accept in America; nor do we wish to see what we create. It is too painful. If we focus on refugees in lands far from our own, we will not have to ponder what we know to be true, “That could be me!”
I invite you to look, to learn, to listen, and speak with a homeless person in your neighborhood. Get to know them as people, as individuals. Let them tell you their story and realize, that you can make a difference. Together we, as a society can change this situation. If we choose, we can, again, care for our neighbors. We as a nation can and “ought” to establish policies that prompt man’s humanity to man. After all, our forefathers wrote “the Government ought to be instituted for the common benefit, protection and security of the people.” Let us do as the founders proposed. Let us secure “the enjoyment of life” for all of our citizens.
Organizations That Help The Homeless . . .
• Stand And Be Counted! American Homeless Society
• Commission on Homelessness & Poverty, American Bar Association
• Homeless, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• National Health Care for the Homeless Council
• Homeless.org, Affiliated with Grassroots.org
• Community Partnership for Homeless
• Help the Homeless Program Fannie Mae Foundation
References That Touch The Topic of Homelessness . . .
• Homeless In America Incorporated
• World Refugee Day. What Does This Mean To U.S.? ©. By Betsy L. Angert. Be-Think June 20, 2006
• Florida Homeless People Find their Voice CNN News. Aired January 6, 2001
• Why is Homelessness an Important Issue? National Alliance to End Homelessness
• Economic Policy Institute
• Homeless in America Washington ProFile
• 'Talk to America' Looks at the Plight of the Homeless, Voice of America
• Florida Homeless Beating Caught on Videotape By Eric Weiner. Day to Day, National Public Radio. January 13, 2006
• Who is Homeless?, National Coalition for the Homeless
• Homeless Children: America’s New Outcasts. The National Center on Family Homelessness.
• Homeless in America, By Raven Tyler. NewsHour Extra December 11, 2002
• Homeless in America, By Bernice Powell Jackson. Witness for Justice. May 13, 2002
• A Day in the Life of the Homeless in America, By Sharon Cohen. The Associated Press. Truthout. Sunday 27 February 2005
• National Alliance to End Homelessness
• Reagan and the Homeless Epidemic in America, By Carol Fennelly. Democracy Now. Friday, June 11, 2004
• The Reagan Legacy, The Nation. June 10, 2004
• Reagan in Truth and Fiction, By Alexander Cockburn. The Nation. June 10, 2004
• Reagan: man of contradictions? By Andrea Mitchell. NBC News. June 8, 2004
• Celebrating Reagan the man, not the myth, By Joan Vennochi. Boston.com News. June 8, 2004
• Reagan's America, By Garry Wills
• Ronald Reagan and the Commitment of the Mentally Ill: Capital, Interest Groups, and the Eclipse of Social Policy, By Alexandar R Thomas. Electronic Journal of Sociology [1998]
• Inaugural Address of George Bush, George Herbert Walker Bush. January 20, 1989
• Millions Still Face Homelessness in a Booming Economy, The Urban Institute February 01, 2000
• Scapegoating rent control: Masking the Causes of Homelessness, By Richard P. Appelbaum, Michael Dolny, Peter Dreier, John I. Gilderbloom. The Economic Policy Institute. October 1989
• Bill Clinton on Welfare & Poverty On The Issues. September 6, 2000
• Bush Budget Leaves No Millionaires Behind as He Proposes Massive Cuts To Programs For Homeless and Low-Income People The National Coalition for the Homeless. February 2006
• Helping America's Homeless, By Martha Burt, Laudan Y. Aron, and Edgar Lee, with Jesse Valente. Urban Institute Press
• Most Americans Misunderstand Homelessness - Poll The National Alliance to End Homelessness. May 24, 2006
• Press Secretary Tony Snow Cried. He and I Touched Humanity. © By Betsy L. Angert. Be-Think May 24, 2006
• Back from Iraq - and suddenly out on the streets, By Alexandra Marks. The Christian Science Monitor. February 08, 2005
• 'Heart of America' to 'Make a Difference' NBC News. October 19, 2005
• NBC News "Today," Habitat for Humanity International and Warner Music Group are joining forces. Habitat for Humanity International. September 20, 2006
• Red Cross Gets Surge in Katrina Volunteers, By Russ Bynum. Associated Press.
• Fraudulent Katrina and Rita Claims Top $1 Billion, By Larry Margasak. Associated Press. Washington Post. Wednesday, June 14, 2006
• `We all need to treat the homeless a little better' By Michael Mayo. Sun-Sentinel. May 21, 2006
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on June 23, 2006 at 11:00 AM in Discussion, Economic Policy Institute Reports, Failure, Help The Homeless Organizations, Homeless, Katrina, Katrina Evacuees, Looking at Life, Poverty , Poverty in America, Quality of Life, Storms and Suffering Survivors, The “Greater Depression” , World Refugee Day, Xenophobia | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
World Refugee Day. What Does This Mean To U.S.? ©
Currently, there are fifteen to twenty million refugees. There may be more. There are millions of persons without a home, a community, a family, or any real belongings. These individuals have experienced violence that few of us in the can imagine. We sit in our safe havens, and occasionally, we watch the misery on television. We read of their lives, and the plight these people suffer. At times, some American citizens acknowledge that the refugees have lost their homes and their health. Their existence has been threatened. We know something; yet, we understand little. Our lives in the U.S. are so separate from those that were banished from their homeland. It is beyond sad.
As I reflect on the homeless in distant lands, I remember, there are those here in the United States that are also without permanent shelter.
During and immediately after Katrina and Rita, America’s poor and homeless were exposed to the elements; many still are. The storms gave light to those less fortunate within our borders; however, only, temporarily.
Some of these persons were seen by the masses; nevertheless, the focus was fleeting. Not long after the hurricanes America’s impoverished, injured, and ill citizens were once again hidden. These refugees joined the millions of American citizens who were without shelter before the squalls. The numbers are staggering. We may never have an accurate count for what we prefer to ignore.
Whether the life of a dispossessed American is as brutal as that of a refugee in distant lands, I know not with certainty. Personal perspectives will differ. I only know that I admit my own ignorance and this disturbs me. I am bothered by my own complacency.
The breath and scope of this situation is tragic. Words such as Darfur, Sudan, and Rwanda are bandied about. We discuss the unspeakable rapes in the Congo. Yet, I suspect we do not relate, really.
We sound so very informed; I think, truly we know nothing. Few can fully imagine what life is like in these areas of the world.
Citizens in the States say New Orleans is this nation’s lesson. However, there is no real evidence that we are learning.
We in the United States think ourselves benevolent; we promise much. However, we contribute little to assist those most in need. We spend money at home and yes, even abroad. Billions go to promoting war. Peace and people, we pay lip service to that investment. I trust that is not our intent. I know personally, it is not mine.
Just as Morris Dees, founder of Southern Poverty Law Center advocates, I think it is vital, we must “Teach Tolerance.” Yet, today I realized, I, and most of us in this affluent nation, are “too” tolerant. We accept genocide, ethnic cleansing, racism, rampant and malicious rapes, and conditions we cannot imagine. We endure these here at home in a moderate or muffled form and allow worse elsewhere. We avoid knowing what we know.
I acknowledge that I am guilty of this. For years, I have admitted such, and been embarrassed by my confession. I believe in a global community. I advocate this with my every breath; still, I attend to what is within my home country. I feel so powerless. I can barely effectuate change in the United States; how can I begin to broach an evolution elsewhere.
In this moment, I offer my words and resources. I invite each of us to investigate further and to take action. I hope this information will advance awareness and eventually prompt a progression. May we move from ignorance or tolerance to action. Ultimately, let us end all oppression. May people be free, healthy, and happy throughout the world. May expatriates be a thing of the past.
Many may wonder who qualifies as a refugee. Where are these persons from and where do they now live. What issues do they face and how are we, as a planet, planning for their future. I refer you to Humans Rights Watch. This organization attempts to answer our questions.
Refugees International is also making an effort to inform. This organization answers the traditional questions of “where we are” and “what we do.” They also offer options for action.
Reuters reports of the situation in an article titled, “From Flight To Hope: The Compromised Existence of Refugees. U.S. and World communities Must Act Now.” In this essay, Janis D. Shields of American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) - USA discusses the problems facing “more than 20 million refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, stateless persons and others throughout the world.” She speaks of the deaths hey have witnessed, the family members they have lost, the destruction of communities, and identities lost. Ms. Shields makes mention of the physical, mental and psychological violence these individuals have experienced and asks us all to help.
Ashoka is another organization interested in saving the world from itself. Their “mission is to shape a citizen sector that is entrepreneurial, productive and globally integrated.” Their goal is “to develop the profession of social entrepreneurship around the world.” This group may also inspire any of us to act.
We hear of the conflict in Darfur; we might even read of the genocide. As quoted from “Darfur: The Genocide We Can Stop” I offer this explanation.
The Sudanese Government, using Arab "Janjaweed" militias, its air force, and organized starvation, is systematically killing the black Sudanese of Darfur. Over two and a half million people, driven from their homes, now face death from starvation and disease as the Government and militias attempt to prevent humanitarian aid from reaching them.
While this may say much, it might also leave some of us wondering. We want to know and understand more. We have questions. The British Broadcasting Corporation offers some answers. Please read, Q&A: Sudan's Darfur conflict.
Cable News Network Senior Africa Correspondent Jeff Koinange writes of refuges in a brilliant exposé. In an article titled, “No end in sight for Africa's suffering masses, Mr. Koinange offers a unique perspective.” His writing is personal and provides insights beyond those typically found in a news report. I offer a short portion of his missive so that you, dear reader, may taste the life of a refugee.
Editor's note: CNN's Jeff Koinange has spent years covering events from Africa, including visiting war and disaster zones and following the lives of refugees forced from their homes. Here are his reflections on the U.N.'s World Refugee Day.
ENTEBBE, Uganda (CNN) -- Just imagine for a moment that everything you own -- from your hard-earned money to your home to your car to little mementos like pictures on the wall -- has just been taken from you by a group of people who don't like the way you look or the shade of your skin or the shape of your nose. Everything gone except, perhaps, the clothes on your back.You've been forced to flee, probably separated from your family and end up on the run with a bunch of people you've never met, but with whom you now share a common goal -- staying alive.
Many hours or even days later, you arrive at a shelter run by an international nongovernmental organization.
You're tired, exhausted, sick to your stomach and scared to death. You end up sharing a tent with 40 to 60 other strangers where your bathroom, bedroom and kitchen combined have all been reduced to little more than the size of a normal bed.
And this will be your home for the next few months, perhaps years, and in some cases, decades. This is what it's like for a person fleeing persecution, war, civil strife, genocide.
Imagine living like this for years if not decades, raising your family in a refugee camp because you can't go home. Even if you do manage to go home, you learn someone else has taken over your land, your home, your life.I've seen that person many times, that face that says, "I too once had it all but one day lost it all." Faces of refugees across the Africa I've been traversing for the past decade and a half, from Liberia and Sierra Leone in West Africa, from Congo to Tanzania in the center of the continent and from Somalia to Sudan in the East.
Their stories are as heartbreaking as they are gut-wrenching, lives turned upside down in the blink of an eye.
Another CNN reporter, Christiane Amanpour covers the refugee story as the CNN Chief International Correspondent. Her viewpoint is also informative. Ms. Amanpour shares her own story as a refugee. She was an Iranian citizen and now lives in exile. Ms Amanpour speaks of “The shocking truth about covering refugees.”
Editor's note: CNN's Christiane Amanpour has reported on refugee crises from many of the world's conflict zones including Sudan, Somalia, Rwanda, the Balkans and Iraq. Here are her reflections on the U.N.'s World Refugee Day.
LONDON, England (CNN) -- I suppose I am most attuned to the plight and particular circumstances of refugees, because I am one myself. When the Islamic Revolution swept Iran, my homeland, back in 1979, I left the country and came West. I ended up at a university and later at CNN in the United States.I think this experience has helped me in my work as I have spent the past 16 years on the road covering war, crisis, poverty and famine. Their inevitable byproduct is refugees.
In 1991, shortly after the United States and its allies declared victory in the first Gulf War, I found myself covering the Iraqi Kurds -- nearly 2 million of them, according to U.N. officials -- who fled to neighboring Turkey and Iran and became refugees. They had followed a not-so-veiled suggestion by then-President George H.W. Bush to rise up against Saddam Hussein. A violent crackdown by Saddam killed many and forced the rest to flee. They came back only when the United States and its allies created a protected no-fly zone for them in northern Iraq.
Just a few months later began the Balkan revolving-refugee crisis, ethnic cleansing and genocide that consumed the 1990s. I witnessed that war for all those years and watched in horror as millions of men, women and children walked, ran or drove away from their killers and tormentors, to end up homeless, friendless and rootless in strange countries far from home. I'll never forget the sad, lost, tear-stained little faces pressed against the rain-streaked windows of the buses they were packed in. They wanted to believe they would be leaving for only a short time, but they ended up staying away for years. About 650,000 have never returned 10 years after the war ended, U.N. refugee officials say, but the good news is that more than 2.5 million have come back.
There is much to be said. This situation affects millions, though billions are avoiding it. I only offer a glimpse into the world of refugees. Further exploration must be yours, or mine. I can no longer put the refugees out of my mind. They are not as the refuse I place at the curb for the trash man to take away. they are people, no different in make-up than you or I. On World Refugee Day we honor the displaced, may we do this each and every day. May we unite and begin being as we believe is best.
Please Plunge into Awareness. Peruse the references offered below.
• CNN Dedicates Programming to World Refugee Day Coverage CNN News. June 19, 2006
• Keeping the Flame of Hope Alive United Nations Refugee Agency
• Millions mark World Refugee Day, Reuters AlertNet. Source: United Nations Refugee Agency. June 20, 2006
• ReliefWeb
• Katrina's Refugees, By Carol Rust, Staci Semrad and Dirk Johnson. Newsweek August 31, 2005
• New Orleans after Katrina: Back to Stone Age Associated Press. China Daily September 7, 2005
• Homeless in America By Raven Tyler. NewsHour. December 11, 2002
• Picturing the Homeless, on Their Terms By Jennifer Ludden. All Things Considered, National Public Radio. October 24, 2004
• Katrina & Recovery National Public Radio.
• Morris Dees, Center founder and chief trial counsel. Southern Poverty Law Center
• Teaching Tolerance, Pioneering Anti-Bias Education Southern Poverty Law Center
• Southern Poverty Law Center
• Senate Approves $66 Billion for War Efforts, By David Welna. National Public Radio. Morning Edition. June 15, 2006
• Sudan: Promises and Plans AfricaFocus Bulletin. April 27, 2005
• The Triumph of Evil Frontline. Public Broadcasting Services
• World Refugee Day Ashoka.
• United Nations Refugee Agency
• Humans Rights Watch.
• Refugees International
• Welcome to Refugees International's Action Center.
• Q&A: Sudan's Darfur conflict.
• Activists in US Rally for Peace in Darfur as Analysts Discuss Roadblocks, By Catherine Maddux. Voice Of America. June 20, 2006
• “Darfur: The Genocide We Can Stop”
• Ashoka's Mission
• Rape, brutality ignored to aid Congo peace, By Jeff Koinange. CNN News. Friday, May 26, 2006
• “From Flight To Hope: The Compromised Existence of Refugees. U.S. and World communities Must Act Now.” By Janis D. Shields. Reuters. June 20, 2006
• No end in sight for Africa's suffering masses, By Jeff Koinange. CNN News. Tuesday, June 20, 2006
• Jeff Koinange Jeff Koinange, CNN's Africa Correspondent
• “The shocking truth about covering refugees.” By Christiane Amanpour. CNN News. Tuesday, June 20, 2006
• Christiane Amanpour CNN’s Chief International Correspondent
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on June 20, 2006 at 10:00 AM in Africa, Aggression, Catastrophe Funds, Current Affairs, Darfur, Sudan, and Rwanda, Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Rapes, Global Village, Homeless, Hurricanes , Poverty , Poverty in America, Quality of Life, Racial Discrimination, Society, Southern Poverty Law Center, Touching Humanity, Violence, War Crimes, War Kills [Mind, Body, Spirit], World Refugee Day | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Press Secretary Tony Snow Cried. He and I Touched Humanity. ©
This story is about Tony Snow, a homeless man, humanity, and me. I will begin with Press Secretary Snow. My focus will not be on the unforgivable term, though I too struggle with its usage. Instead, I will discuss what for me, was a more meaningful lesson.
In this day and age of snarky, once known as snide, rude, and crude, it was a delight to witness genuine emotion.
Tony Snow exhibited feelings, heart-felt, and deep, at his first news conference. The novice Press Secretary was asked what might have been considered a casual and innocuous question; journalists inquired of his Live Strong bright yellow bracelet. These bangles are as ubiquitous as clothing itself. They can be seen anywhere, everywhere; rarely are they worn with significance. Still, when queried of this wristlet, Tony Snow paused. He was sincerely and visibly choked up. For a time he could not speak.
Moments later, with a quiver in his voice, and tears in his eyes, Snow replied. The Press Secretary was sobbing softly as he spoke. He told this audience of journalists that he was a survivor of colon cancer, an illness that had taken the life of his mother when he was very young, seventeen years of age. Snow stated, that years ago, such a malady was considered fatal; however, with the use of modern technology, he was able to fight the disease and live on. He was thriving and staying strong. While acknowledging all the turmoil over health care in America, Tony Snow said, with thanks to the quality attention he received, he was here and enjoying life.
This event was newsworthy. Tony Snow, a White House Press Secretary cried. His tears were not exaggerated or put on. They were not meant to evoke empathy or sympathy. These were not the playful antics of a plotting personality. The tears were not those of a clown or a court jester; they were unexpected, unadulterated, untainted by position or pretense. The cries sprung from a man who had suffered, and was given reason to reflect; they were from one that learned.
At a younger age, Mr. Snow might have forced himself to suppress the sniffles. He might have feared what people think, would say, or do if they witnessed a grown man cry. Snow in his twenties might have been concerned that a man in his position, appearing on television, and working within the White House cannot show sorrow or sentiment so publicly. However, I suspect with age comes wisdom. Experiences teach us empathy and we evolve. Still, sadly, few of us ever expose our emotions or ourselves. His story takes me to my own.
While my pain may not have been as life threatening, it did cause me to ponder. The care I received was not in a hospital; nor was it from medical personnel. My mentor had been through much and had much to teach me.
Today’s older and wiser never expected to be. They are from a generation that rallied round stating, “You cannot trust anyone over thirty years of age.” They meant it; they believed it. Few ever thought they would live beyond that age.
The youth of the sixties was certain that they were more informed and aware than their elders, and possibly, they were. Probably they were. These rebels were willing to question everything and every authority. I do not challenge that idea. Humph, I live it, bathe in it, and believe it to be vital. Nevertheless, in some subtle ways I think this cynicism has worked against us. It has created a counter culture that no longer feels anything but anger.
Anger has replaced action; in a sense, anger has evolved into apathy. [I offer this aside for those not familiar with the way in which I define action versus reaction. For me, actions are loving, caring, creative, and productive. Reactions are the result of fear, hurt, and pain. They are often counter measures and thus, counter-productive.]
No, it is not that all persons are unconcerned; they are not. Many are “activist,” in a reactionary sort of way. Nevertheless, too many are indifferent to the way in which their thoughts words, or deeds affect others and the ultimately result in an unwanted outcome.
People walk around spouting the words “I don’t care.” They do not care about other than their interests, their friends, family, and themselves. I myself work so hard to avoid using this pervasive phrase because “I do care.” I have come to realize that if we do not care for or about others then we care not for or about ourselves, because, in truth, we are all connected. “No man is an island.”
"If you love yourself, you love everybody else as you do yourself. As long as you love another person less than you love yourself, you will not really succeed in loving yourself, But if you love all alike, including yourself, you will love them as one person and that person is both God and man. Thus he is a great and righteous person who loving himself, loves all others equally!" - Meister Eckhart from The Art of Loving, by Erich Fromm, page 56
In the world today we work hard to forfeit and fight against connections. Walk down the street and watch, as the faces of others turn away from your own. Smile at your neighbor and notice how often they do not beam back. They as you are in a hurry, preoccupied with their own thoughts, their own worries, and their own fears. They have no time to engage you or yours.
Weeks ago while wallowing in my thoughts, I was engaged; I was drawn to a sign. I was driving from Lowe’s Home Improvement Center going to PetsMart, and traveling down highway 441. I was pondering my recent decisions and determining what was to become of me. I had recently made extreme changes in my life. I had entered the world of the unknown. Fear had become my unwelcome friend.
For years, I had lived happily in my habits. I went to work. I swam; I wrote and I cooked great quantities of healthy food. I played with my babies. I chatted with friends. I lived in a home I made my own. On occasion, I would walk around the lake. Life was good, very good. Nevertheless, I sought more.
For decades, I lived in California. I had never wanted to live in that state; still, my family moved there and since I love my family, I followed. I never regretted that decision; however, I did not feel connected to this territory. For all the years that I lived there I was never willing to say, “I am from California.”
For me, weather is not a superficial subject; it influences the way I feel. The climate in “Sunny Southern California” is not that. A maritime malaise fills the sky until late afternoon. The June gloom begins in May, and it affects me. I wanted out.
Since childhood, I reveled in Florida weather. The topics were my treasure. Therefore, I decided to move South and East, to go where my heart was. However, much was not as I expected.
I planned for my employment. I intended to do as I had done for decades in California. I did not fear financial ruin; I trusted all would be well. After taking time to complete my house, I returned to work. “Returned” is not the right word for this is a different state, city, and circumstance. What was once my bread and butter, my staple, my stability, now left me nauseous. The nuances are too numerous to explain.
Upon entering the work force, I was repelled. I knew I could not do this. Worry began to fill my mind, my heart, my soul, and even my dreams while asleep. On this day, as I drove to the store, I was in a stupor. I stopped at a red light. I was in the left-hand turn lane. A homeless man was standing on the medium. He held a sign expectedly asking for money. I had none. I rarely carry any and even if I had, I always leave my purse in the trunk. I knew I could not give him change; I did not have enough for myself. In truth, I worried I would soon be him.
I did not wish to meet his eyes, to see his soul. I could not face my own and his presence reminded me of whom I might become. I did, however, read his sign. It said, “Imagine me being you, and looking away.” Oh my, that was exactly what I was imagining, my life could easily be as his. I believe there was more on the sign; however, in this moment, I recall my feeling overwhelmed more than all the words that took me there.
In an instant, I remembered that a week earlier my father had taken the toll-way. He had left the change in my car and told me to keep it. I might need it at some time. Perhaps if I ever drive the turnpike, the change will do me good. When he said this, I thought, ‘not likely.’ I will never waste money on such a highway. I had tucked the quarters away in the side pocket of my car door.
When I saw the man, I knew the money was meant for him. My father was always giving to the homeless. He would not object to my doing so also. I pulled the quarters out and called to the destitute and scruffy man. I extended my handful of change apologizing as I did so.
I explained this was all that I had and though I knew it was not much, I hoped it would help. [Tears are flowing again as I retell this tale.] He sweetly smiled and explained, "There is no need for you to apologize." He said, “Say God Bless.” I was reluctant. I believe “Thou art God.” Yet, I was not feeling the least bit divine. I reject religious overtures; too often, they seem insincere. However, coming from this man, in this moment, I decided to oblige. I thought ‘I am okay with this.’ Thus, I said, “God Bless.”
The gentle man then replied, "If you say God bless and I say God bless than all will be well." Perhaps it will. Whether God is within, above, or throughout, even if God does not exist other than in the recesses of our minds, I believe what is God, or the personification of such, is “goodness.” If we say and act upon all that is good, if we remember and consider that we are all connected to our neighbors and treat them with reverence, all will be well.
This week, Tony Snow was reminded of his humanity, weeks ago I recalled mine. Imagine what the world would be if we each chose to be human and humane daily, if we chose to connect to each other and ourselves.
References For Your Review . . .
• Fox anchor named Bush press secretary CNN News. Wednesday, April 26, 2006
• Understanding poverty and homelessness in America By Gerry Roll. Yahoo News. Monday May 22, 2006
• Tony Snow gets personal in first on-camera session CNN News. Tuesday, May 16, 2006
• Couric failed to question Snow about "tar baby" remark Media Matters. Wednesday, May 17, 2006
• The tears of Snow, By Michael Scherer. Salon.com May 17, 2006
• Tony Snow Has 1st On-Camera Press Session, By Jennifer Loven, The Washington Post. Tuesday, May 16, 2006
• Snow Pick May Signal Less Insular White House, By Jim VandeHei and Michael A. Fletcher. Washington Post. Thursday, April 27, 2006; Page A01
• Tony Snow Cries During First Formal Briefing Massachusetts News
• Snow Meets the Press By John Eggerton. Broadcasting & Cable, Tuesday, May 16, 2006
• FNC's Tony Snow Has Colon Cancer By Don Kaplan. Fox News. Tuesday, February 15, 2005
• Tony Returns to the Microphone! By Tony Snow. Fox News. April 21, 2005
• FOX News' Tony Snow Among Possible White House Spokesman Candidates. Fox News. Wednesday, April 19, 2006
• Press Briefing by Tony Snow James S. Brady Briefing Room. May 16, 2006
• “Don't trust anyone over thirty.”
• Erich Fromm, Biography By Dr. C. George Boeree
• Meister Eckhart
• Homeless in America By Raven Tyler. NewsHour. December 11.2002
• Homeless in America Witness for Justice. May 13, 2002
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on May 24, 2006 at 11:11 AM in Art of Loving, Have or Be, Emotional Decisions, Emotional Intelligence, Erich Fromm, Homeless, Life, A Forward Motion, Looking at Life, Philosophy, Profound , Quality of Life, Think Travels, Tony Snow, Press Secretary , Touching Humanity | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
