by WebPost | May 19, 2015 | Peace and Social Concerns
The following article by Wardah Khalid appeared in Salon. Wardah Khalid is a Scoville Fellow in Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation Education Fund.
It used to be that Israel was the only global player who refused to admit that its settlements in Palestine were illegal under international law. Now there is a danger that Congress could be added to the list. Members of both the House and Senate have recently introduced at least six different pieces of legislation attempting to legitimize these Palestinian land grabs by shielding them from increasing international trade pressure. In doing so, Congress is essentially requiring the U.S. to punish trade partners for adhering to international laws and for the first time in its history, endorse and defend the settlements by treating them as a part of Israel.
The train wreck began when Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced the AIPAC-backed United States-Israel Trade Enhancement Act in March. The following month, pro-settlement amendments were added to the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill and the House versions of each bill. In addition, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Reinforcement Act was also introduced with pro-settlement language in both chambers. Congress will be considering these bills in the coming weeks.
The Obama Administration has not commented on these bills and amendments so far, but Senator Portman’s and others’ claims that they will stand against “politically motivated boycotts of Israel” are misleading. It is already against U.S. law to boycott Israel, but settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights are not legally a part of Israel. The European Union’s exclusion clause, one of the main drivers behind these Congressional efforts, limits sanctions to Israeli entities with links to the settlements – not Israeli businesses as a whole. But members who introduced these amendments, such as Rep. Roskam (IL), essentially conflate the two, not even mentioning the word “settlements” in the language, and instead using the phrase “Israel or in Israeli-controlled territories.
It would behoove Congress to seriously consider the ramifications of their actions. These bills are not about countering the diverse Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement or supporting Israel. Rather, they are trying to make it U.S. policy to treat Israel and the territories they occupy as one and the same and penalize trade partners that don’t back that problematic stance. This sets up an extremely dangerous impediment to the peace process, which current and previous administrations have heavily invested in. In fact, it “actually encourages illegal settlement building”, according to Rabbi Joseph Berman, Federal Policy Organizer at Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). JVP and several other Jewish American organizations, including some who oppose BDS, have all issued statements urging Congress to reject these alarming pieces of pro-settlement legislation.
Now is the time for Americans who support peace to take a stand on this critical issue and make their voices heard on Capitol Hill. If it is not addressed now, not only do we put the peace process and lives of Palestinians under occupation in further jeopardy, but we also open the door to seeing similar legislation reappear, perhaps in more extreme forms, in the future. Our representatives’ offices should be flooded with calls, emails, and visits demanding statements of opposition before these bills reach the House or Senate floors. And when they are brought to the floor, we should have their guarantee that they will do everything in their power to prevent our country from obstructing the path to peace.
by WebPost | May 19, 2015 | Baltimore Yearly Meeting, Peace and Social Concerns
In March 2015 the Clerks of Baltimore Yearly Meeting and of BYM Interim Meeting announced that the Yearly Meeting had accepted a grant of $250,000 from the Shoemaker Fund to address, in part, “…how can our Meetings at all levels be more inclusive and welcoming to all and build multi-cultural community?” They explained, “What we are contemplating is no less than a profound culture change that will permeate all we do and change us forever.”
The BYM Group on Racism is looking forward to helping all of us in the Yearly Meeting discern how to live up to these commitments. One guide that can be helpful is a chart entitled “Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultural Organization” and developed by the Crossroads Ministry of Chicago, Illinois, https://www.churchpublishing.org/media/5205/ContinuumAnti-Racist.pdf.
That chart describes what an organization looks like at each of six points along that continuum. The chart does not tell us how to move along that continuum. We all must discern that together. It does, however, help us understand where we are now and the changes needed to move us to the next point on the continuum.
A beginning query: where would you place your Monthly Meeting now along this continuum?
This column is prepared by the BYM Working Group on Racism (WGR) and sent to the designated liaisons at each Monthly and Preparative Meeting for publication in their newsletter or other means of dissemination. The WGR meets most months on the third Saturday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, usually at Bethesda Friends Meeting or Friends Meeting of Washington. In May and June 2015, however, it will meet at Adelphi Friends Meeting. If you would like to attend, on a regular or a drop-in basis, contact clerk David Etheridge, david.etheridge@verizon.net.
by WebPost | May 19, 2015 | Peace and Social Concerns
The Richmond Peace Education Center is pleased to announce it has chosen to honor both a special individual and a unique group as its 2015 Peacemakers of the Year.
This year’s Peacemaker award recipients are Dr. John Moeser and The Thrifty Quaker.
Dr. John Moeser is Senior Fellow at the University of Richmond’s Bonner Center for Civic Engagement and professor emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University. For the past forty years, his research, teaching, and community engagements have deepened the community’s understanding of race, poverty and urban politics. His work has had a profound influence on the community conversation and the direction of public policy locally. His contributions to the public discourse in metro-Richmond are simply unparalleled.
Dr. Moeser has been a sharp observer of city governance and politics for more than a generation. Over the past decade he has served as senior fellow at the University of Richmond’s Bonner Center for Civic Engagement. He has written dozens of articles on alleviating poverty, regional cooperation, and racial inequality; he served on Mayor Dwight Jones’ Anti-Poverty Commission; and he spent hundreds of hours analyzing data from the 2010 census in order to shed light on the social patterns and divisions that mark our region. He has generously shared this analysis with countless groups working for community change.
In collaboration with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities and Hope in the Cities, his data analysis of our region was captured in Unpacking the Census. The video allows educators and facilitators across the region to teach about the persistent, historically-based, structural inequality that continues to damage the social and economic health of metro Richmond. Dr. Moeser’s research also inspired and informed the Richmond Peace Education Center’s own video series on Richmond, Race and Regionalism (available at www.rpec.org).
Recently Dr. Moeser been gathering, analyzing, and mapping data on the spread of poverty into Chesterfield and Henrico Counties. His research and presentations have spurred important conversations about economic inequality, the need for regional cooperation, and the impact of poverty on schools, housing, transportation, and economic opportunity. We honor Dr. Moeser for his countless contributions to community knowledge and to building a more just Richmond region.
Since 1996, The Thrifty Quaker thrift store, created by local Quakers of the Midlothian Friends Meeting, has raised and donated more than $400,000 in monetary grants to peace groups and charities, and an estimated $2.5 million in goods to other thrift stores and individuals in need. Each month, the Peace and Social Action Committee of Midlothian Friends Meeting designates a local nonprofit to receive the monetary grant. Nearly one hundred percent of the store’s net earnings that month go directly to the recipient group, with the remaining portion of the net earnings going to help individuals in crisis. The Richmond Peace Education Center has been a grateful recipient many times over the years, and The Thrifty Quaker gifts have directly and measurably strengthened the center’s capacity, and its work for peace. Countless other worthy peace initiatives and charitable causes have also received vital support from The Thrifty Quaker. Additionally, the store provides employment for a number of workers from the local area, as well as opportunities for volunteering to support a number of mostly local charities through the store’s mission.
Friend$hare, The Thrifty Quaker’s own “inside” charity, has the specific mission of providing emergency funds to individuals in urgent financial crisis that could result in their becoming homeless, jobless, or endangered due to lack of housing, utilities, medical treatment or equipment. Friend$hare provides the monetary resources directly to billing agencies upon the recommendation of Social Services agencies or other trusted sources, as they help individuals become stabilized and functioning in society.
The Thrifty Quaker has been able to promote peace and social justice by working through the store to advertise and promote the charities, collect food to feed the hungry, as well as give donations. The Thrifty Quaker has provided funding to well over a hundred mostly local charities as well as providing education and support to organizations. The store is located at 13567 Midlothian Turnpike in the Midlothian Station Shopping Center in the heart of the village of Midlothian. It’s website is www.thriftyquaker.com.
Dr. Moeser and The Thrifty Quaker will be recognized at both the Peace Center’s Membership Appreciation dinner and at its annual fundraising Auction and Dinner on November 7.
by WebPost | Apr 24, 2015 | Peace and Social Concerns
April 19, 2015
Starting in February, 2014, the Adult Spiritual Education and Peace and Social Concerns committees of Richmond Friends Meeting began a series of sessions to read and discuss The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander, and to feature guest speakers on the related topics of the nature of the contemporary the U.S. criminal justice system and mass incarceration. Seven sessions were held and well attended. Some of the sessions had facilitated, small group discussions with enthusiastic participation. Many Friends learned much from the book, discussions and speakers. The sponsoring committees felt that there was considerable interest and energy in the Meeting around the issues raised.
In April, the ASE committee asked that an informal working group be formed to monitor interest and ideas in the meeting for several months after the end of the series. In July, the working group suggested that we continue to look for volunteer opportunities and organized two Listening Circles, one each in August and September, to gather more information and determine how interested people were in more active advocacy. The working group identified several organizations as opportunities for participation and support. After the two Listening Circles, the working group focused on four proposals for further activity: (1) Attending introduction to Quakerism and silent worship at Goochland Women’s Prison (VCCW). (2) Volunteering at Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR), an organization assisting recently released prisoners. (3) Working with VA CURE, an advocacy group that works on mass incarceration policy issues. (4) Visiting prisoners through Prisoner Visitation and Support (PVS), a national group supporting federal and military prisoners. Many Friends decided to become involved in one or more of the activities.
The working group met several times in the summer and fall of 2014 to monitor the progress of the active groups. At a meeting of the working group on February 5, 2015, after discussing the status of the on-going activities, the group became clear to issue a final report and lay itself down. The outreach to VCCW will continue under the leadership of Rita Willett with oversight by Ministry and Worship. The remaining continuing activities will be part of the Peace and Social Concerns committee work.
The following are the reports of each of the individual activities monitored by the working group:
- Goochland Women’s Prison (VCCW)
Sunday evening sessions have been held at Virginia Correctional Center for Women twice a month since October. The group discusses Quakerism, particularly in relation to prison experience, and worships together. The group has been small – 2 to 5 women – with some attrition as women have returned to the community. Eleven people from meeting have participated; six have completed volunteer orientation. The QWAC’s are scheduled to sing at VCCW in October. (For more information, contact Rita Willett.)
Several of those who completed Michele Alexander’s book wanted to work with offenders reentering life on the outside. Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR) came to our attention as a local organization that offers multiple services both in the jails and in the community. We interviewed with the organization. Four of us filled out the volunteer application form. Our plan was to see what volunteer opportunities were available and advise others who were interested. The four of us were assigned to work in the GED program. Each of us independently came to the same conclusions: We were unneeded in this program. We questioned the effectiveness of the program.
After volunteering for many hours, we did not have effective roles and did not think that the clients were being helped.
We did not find another volunteer situation for our group. It was disappointing that we didn’t find a way to work collectively but individuals in the group have become involved in varied pursuits including Unitive Justice, prisoner visitation, and CASA volunteer work. (For more information, contact Ada Hammer.)
At Al Simmons’s request, Julia Hebner assumed the organizational duties of Richmond-CURE (Citizens United for Reformation of Errants) this past year. Al had been the driving force behind Richmond-CURE and remains the member who most closely follows specific bills wending their ways into and (occasionally) through committees. Richmond-CURE meets on a more or less monthly schedule. We have seen varied attendance, from a half dozen to two dozen persons per meeting.
This year, we were able to co-ordinate VA-CURE’s focus with that of the Virginia Alliance Against Mass Incarceration. VAAMI’s perspective on the need for oversight of military equipment under control of Virginia law enforcement departments, the need for body cams and patrol car cams, and the desirability of raising the threshold for grand larceny is informed from a body of experience that prosperous white citizens probably don’t share.
Again this year, we asked meeting attenders to send holiday cards to inmates using names and addresses from VA-CURE. A card and note not only brighten what might otherwise be a bleak season for an individual behind bars, it also humanizes that inmate to at least one other person – the one who mails the card. A simple card sometimes leads to a correspondence, or, at least, to friendship.
On January 19, VA-CURE began its annual lobby day at the meetinghouse. Members put together information packets to distribute to state legislators, reviewed the progress of relevant bills, and coordinated visits at the capitol. The fast pace of Virginia’s short legislative session requires individual CURE members to be attentive to legislation of interest and communicate with lawmakers and each other. VA-CURE emails updates. We don’t keep track of who makes contact and who doesn’t. We trust each person did, and have faith that no effort is in vain, even if we see no immediate results.
Josephine Starks, with guidance and encouragement from Richmond-CURE, is assembling a request to Governor McAuliffe for a reduction of sentence for her son, Henry Brailey. Mr. Brailey’s excessive sentence is an example of how un-just our justice system is. Richmond-CURE seeks to publicize his situation in hopes of winning his freedom and to educate the wider public.
Looking forward, we expect Richmond-CURE meetings to remain a time to share information and craft strategies. We hope that, in coordination with like-minded groups, we can move beyond changing the system one regulation at a time (as important as that is) to creating movement toward a just and equitable system for rich and poor alike. (For more information, contact Julia Hebner.)
Prisoner Visitation and Support (PVS) is a national group begun in 1968 by Philadelphia Quakers. Sponsoring organizations today include most major faith groups. Volunteers visit federal and military prisons to provide friendship, encouragement and a listening ear to prisoners, who get no, or few, other visitors. PVS visitors help prisoners maintain their self-esteem and encourage their efforts to improve themselves so they can live productive lives upon their release back into society. Five individuals from the Richmond Meeting currently volunteer with the program. They each make a monthly visit to the federal prison in Petersburg. Visits are scheduled for early evening and last one hour. Extra time is needed to gain access to the prison. There is a waiting list of prisoners who would like a visitor. (For more information, contact Dave Depp or Bob Alexander.)
Working Group members: Al Simmons, Ada Hammer, Jim Thoroman, Rita Willett, Betsy Brinson, Ben Hebner
by WebPost | Apr 24, 2015 | Peace and Social Concerns, Topics, Writings - Quaker Bibliography
“The Hero’s Fight: African-Americans in West Baltimore and the Shadow of the State,” by Patricia Fernández-Kelly, was published Feb. 1, 2014, by Princeton University Press. See http://press.princeton.edu/titles/10328.html#.VPHv1BBwbLw.gmail. If you click on the link, you may be struck by the unconscious bias in one sentence in the summary: “While ordinary Americans are treated as citizens and consumers, deprived and racially segregated populations are seen as objects of surveillance, containment, and punishment.” It is easy to infer that, by “ordinary Americans” the writer means “white Americans,” since “racially segregated populations” clearly means populations of color. We (whites) still tend to think of ourselves as the “ordinary” Americans. Even this blurb writer has fallen into that trap. One can only wonder what Fernández-Kelly thinks of that description of her book, if she has noticed it. One can also wonder how often any of us fall into that same trap.
This column is prepared by the BYM Working Group on Racism (WGR) and sent to the designated liaisons at each Monthly and Preparative Meeting for publication in their newsletter or other means of dissemination. The WGR meets most months on the third Saturday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, usually at Bethesda Friends Meeting or Friends Meeting of Washington. If you would like to attend, on a regular or a drop-in basis, contact clerk David Etheridge, david.etheridge@verizon.net.
by WebPost | Apr 24, 2015 | History - Quaker, History - RFM, Peace and Social Concerns
There have been several celebrations and ceremonies marking the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War and the freeing of slaves in the south. These events note an important milestone as a step toward greater racial equality, and Virginia Friends were allies in that equality quest.
Because it was against the law in Virginia to free your slaves, many Friends went to Ohio and Indiana, states that were more open to abolition. Due to dwindling numbers, the Virginia Yearly Meeting joined the Baltimore Yearly Meeting in 1843. Quakers who stayed in Virginia faced a hostile environment and needed to be discreet in their support of African-Americans. One supporter, John Bacon Crenshaw, a member of the Cedar Creek Meeting (mother to the Richmond Meeting) lived on a farm six miles north of Richmond. To help guide fugitive slaves north, he drove nails into fences and posts to indicate the route that led north. He is but one of many Friends aiding escaping slaves.
After the Civil War, a period called Reconstruction lasted from 1867 until 1875. During this brief time, African-Americans voted and elected legislators, pushing more equal treatment, but the white power establishment reasserted institutional racism by passing a huge body of laws that was called Jim Crow. From drinking fountains to walking on sidewalks, no aspect of civic life was too small to govern. This period, from 1875, lasted until the 1950’s, when it began to crumble with Brown vs. Board of Education. Most Jim Crow laws were finally dismantled by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
White Privilege roots are deep and persistent, and as Michele Alexander points out in “The New Jim Crow” and Benjamin Campbell notes in “Richmond’s Unhealed History”, our prison system and zoning and boundary manipulations have been used to diminish the lives of our African-American citizens once again.
Today, in our prison population of 2.3 million, African-American are a disproportionate number of the imprisoned. Outside of prison, these, our brothers and sisters, lead shorter, unhealthier lives, earn less money, have poorer housing and school options than white people. So, 150 years after the Civil War ended, much has been changed, and much more remains to be changed.
Today’s Richmond Friends Meeting continues the work of earlier Friends to advocate for a fairer, kinder and more loving community for all to live and grow in.
