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

[Karen Aram]

Karen


That’s a very real problem we all face, given there are so many issues. Picking and choosing which ones is difficult. Its’ best that you and others do focus on local issues, because everything begins locally, growing up and out from there.

Since I have spent much of my life elsewhere in the world, having lived in many states and Asia, choosing Urbana as my current place of residence, I choose to focus on international issues, since that has been my interest most of my life.

What is important is that we support each other when the need arises. That is why I supported the issue of “Sanctuary Cities”, in response to a very real local problem and the concerns of the Immigration Forum Community.

I find it distressing that some choose not to do so and ridicule the efforts of those that do, because it’s not “part of the big picture” that of “ending neoliberalism". Or, those who claim to be socialists and therefore focus not on the war and intervention policies of their own government, but rather criticizing other nations, by using socialist rhetoric to do so.

When people are dying as a result of our government war policies, the politics, religions and nationality should not be the concern, we should just be concerned with stopping the killing and saving lives.

You do that every opportunity, and have for years, as well as working within the community. Thank you for that.

On Dec 30, 2016, at 10:27, Karen Medina via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net<mailto:peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>> wrote:



> 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


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