Organizing around September 11, 2001

[colist-admin at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  here is some more community organizing thinking 
around the tragedy of September 11.]

From: T Williams <twilliams at mtn.org>

I, too, am still in a state of shock over what happen on Sept. 
11. I have a growing concern over what will be this country's 
short-term and long-term responses. I'm particularly 
concerned about the kind of public policies Congress and 
probably many of our states will enact under the guise of 
providing greater security. I have yet to see go public policy 
enacted in haste follow a dramatic crises-type event. We all 
can point to bad criminal justice policy growing out of heinous 
criminal activity. I'm concern too that many innocent residents 
of our diverse communities may be singled out for reactionary 
treatment because of what they look like and what parts of the 
world are their places of orgin. This may be a time to use our 
community-based organizations and our community 
organizing skills to help assure civility in all our communities. 
Our government should not assume that our communities 
dont't have anything to contribute to the resolution of some of 
these issues.  

T Williams