[Peace-discuss] [Peace] Urbana Sanctuary City Ordinance passed.

[Karen Medina]

> I think I understand the very real human problems that you cite, Karen.

> Thanks for the information.
>  So, how should we resolve these problems…?
>

The thing is, none of us can keep up on every single issue. I have found
that I have to rely on people who are affected by current policies.

So I choose to follow the lead of the people that I respect.

9 times out of 10, I would choose a local group over a national group. The
reasons for this are:
1) For an issue to be supported by the national organization, it has been
diluted, distilled, and the sharp edges removed.
2) A local group is on the cutting edge of the issues -- they know what is
going on right here, they are well versed in the national issues too, but
they are working locally.
3) The local group is more likely to be actively talking to all sides,
including politicians on all sides of the issues.
4) The local group is more likely to need help at County Board Meetings and
on the picket lines.
5) As opposed to the local group, the national group is more likely to
support politicians that I would not support. I think of groups like the
huge national labor unions where the national group often chooses to
support a political campaign simply because that candidate is more
"electable."
6) The local group is less likely to support politicians at all and be more
about the issues.

I have a great deal of respect for the Immigration Forum.
* They have a lot of great ideas, invite the public to events, and work
hard to educate.
* They include people who work in the Danville schools, local housing and
social work areas where a lot of migrant farmer families live, work, and
raise their children.
* They have been working on a long list of issues.
* And commitment-wise -- sometimes all I need to do is attend a meeting or
an event.

Do I agree with absolutely everything they support? -- probably not. But
then what group do I belong to where I do agree with everything said? NONE.

My personal perspective has hurdles. My view of the world is restricted by
the fact that I am a middle class white woman. I do my best to look over
the hurdles -- I go to all sorts of places, including the Danville Prison,
in order to experience life a little less sheltered, but not even my Peace
Corps experiences tell me enough about the world to be an expert on all the
issues.

I choose to:
* Follow the lead of those who are affected.
* Be skeptical enough to do my own research.
* But most of all, I choose to be most skeptical of people above me on the
socio-economic planes.

pace e bene,
-karen medina
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/attachments/20161230/7790391c/attachment.html>