Greetings F/friends,
Steve Flowers from ground zero / Camp Hope Chicago. For those that are not aware of whats going on in the streets, churches, faith communities in the Hyde Park area, home of 57th street meeting of Friends -also my monthly meeting- go to http://www.camphope2009.org. I have been most recently very active in the planning and running of Camp Hope as the co-clerk of 57th Street Meeting of Friends Peace & Social Concerns Committee.
This has been an inspirational experience for me. Witnessing and supporting the youth involved in the organizing, staffing, collaboratively running of this project has brought much joy and hope that a new dawn in the peace movement has arrived. It has been a while, I started my work in the peace movement back before Paul Simon won as Senator from IL on the heals of the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Movement, since I have experienced the energy of youth facing down and braveing cold snowy days of frigid temps sharing their desire for Peace.
Living in public housing, where Obama orgaized prior to his arrival, from the north and south city limits of Chicago to attending schools from Carbondale to Aurora, IL… If I were actually provided money for the volunteer service I currently provide I would be wealthy. On the other hand my sitting with a multicultural group of activists until late (10:30 pm) in the evening last Sunday representing members of the Camp Hope coalition deeply in dialog around the direction of Camp Hope provided me with wealth of the Spirit from which, though I may be poor financially, I carry on the struggle for sustainable Peace amongst all humanity.
May the dialog continue. Blessings; to all my relations, In Peace, In The Light, In Touch – Steve Flowers
Hey Steve – Sure is way too cold to be out there. I hope you Campers are taking good care with your fingers & toes…
You mention that the group is “multicultural.” I am interested in hearing more about that: where are people from? are religions other than Christianity represented? languages other than English? also, what sorts of issues are people focused/energized on?
I’ll check the website too, in hopes that there are photos & statements from other participants…thanks for checking in on this blog.
Patricia
Patricia,
Actually I have discovered the small packs, that heat up within 20 minutes, and last for at least an hour that you place in your gloved hands which are very effective against finger frost bite. I don’t know the contents but they do work.
During the scheduled Camp Hope forums I have been able to pay much closer attention to the cultural / ethnic diversity of the attenders vs the time spent on the street. Last nights event on Gaza held at the Chicago AFSC office was the most recent event that was a beautiful example of what Friends are doing to attract human diversity to a Peace movement that has been historiacally challenged with attracting human diversity. I can’t say with certainty the faiths, cultures, languages persons were capable of speaking, or where they were from but from their superficial presentations I could tell their differences.
The Camp Hope initiative is a real positive change from my experiences with U. S. electoral politics in that friends are being made and contacts are being established that actually have potential for and intent of sustained organizational development. I have been able to finally make contact with reps from the Muslim / Islamic communitees in Hyde Park b/c of the members from those faith groups showing up at one of the forums….. Steve
Hi Steve –
Glad to read your response just now (it took me a few days to get to it, sorry). I guess by now Camp Hope has disbanded, but am glad to read that the dialogue there will have lasting effects for you (and, I hope, 57th Street Meeting) in the way of putting you in touch with local Muslims. Would love to hear more about that.
I myself keep meaning to post on the Gaza situation, but have been busy these days getting ready for a trip to England, so am focussed on that. (Especially since anti-Jewish violence has spiked recently in England–to the extent that Muslim clerics there issued a call for peace within the British Muslim community–and since I will be traveling with my husband, who is Jewish.)
Hope you will keep this blog informed as to interfaith efforts in Hyde Park. Such a great community, full of intelligence and cultural diversity; I wish it, and you, all the best.
Patricia
Dear Patricia,
I hope y0u have found time to look at the Camp Hope Website. Cannot recall whether Steve gave it in his initial message so here it is: http://vcnv.org/camp-hope-countdown-to-change.
As you might guess from the url the initiating sponsor of Camp Hope was Voices for Creative Non-Violence (although the idea originated here in St. Louis with someone on the steering committee of our Instead of War Coalition – I serve on this committee myself). In case you, or others, haven’t the time to look and see the events and photos I am pasting below the purpose of Camp Hope. By the way, the idea is based on a similar witness in front of Jimmy Carter’s home during the period between his election and his innauguration.
Blessings All,
Dawn
St. Louis MM
from Camp Hope website:
We are urging President-elect Obama to take eight actions immediately upon being sworn into office, and reminding ourselves that these are only eight early steps to more profound policy changes.
As Commander-in-Chief, issue an order directing the U.S. military to reduce the overall levels of U.S. military personnel deployed in Iraq by no fewer than 5,000 military personnel per month and to immediately cease offensive combat operations, with the ultimate objective of removing all military personnel from Iraq (other than those required for normal embassy missions) and the complete cessation of hostilities within Iraq.
Establish a commission to explore and develop policy proposals for full employment, living wage jobs and job training
i-in light of the impact of unemployment, especially amongst Black, Latino and other young adults; and,
ii-recognizing that unemployment and the prison-industrial complex are intrinsically race-based and connected in that the U.S. elects to imprison people of color rather than create living wage employment opportunities.
Cease and desist in the execution of all raids and immediately suspend deportations until comprehensive immigration reform is completed. Support comprehensive immigration reform which promotes the reunification of families and provides legal status with a path to citizenship for the millions of persons who are currently undocumented; suspend all of the Bush administration’s policies regarding border patrol until comprehensive immigration reform is completed
Take all nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert and begin negotiations with other leaders of nuclear weapon states to reduce and eliminate all nuclear weapons.
Close Guantanamo; eliminate military tribunals and accord, to detainees being held at Guantanamo and other U.S. detention facilities, access to the U.S. court system. We ask that the President-elect reverse the Bush administration’s advisory opinions regarding the permissibility of torture in extracting information from detainees and forbid all forms of torture by any and all US agencies and personnel.
Establish a commission to explore policy proposals which would provide universal health coverage and make recommendations that would cover all pre-existing conditions, provide no less coverage than what the Congressional health care plan provides, and provide health care to the greatest number of people.
Establish a 90-day moratorium on all housing foreclosures.
Submit the Kyoto Protocol to Congress for ratification, making a commitment to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
In addition to our daily vigil, we will organize community workshops, forums, and town hall meetings on these policies and on nonviolent strategies for achieving them. Peace and justice advocates who wish to visit Chicago to be part of Camp Hope will be warmly welcomed, whether for a single day or the duration of the encampment. We’ll offer logistics help to the best of our abilities, but we do ask participants to anticipate covering their own expenses for housing, transportation and food.
The 2008 election energized countless Americans to organize anew for change. Now that the election is over, it will take continued outreach, organizing, and popular involvement – including pressure on Congress – to enact the progressive changes that brought Americans to the polls to elect Barack Obama. We hope you’ll consider joining our efforts in 2009.