[WCUSP] [Wisewomen] WlLPF,s future for me

Sun Dec 2 16:14:56 CST 2007

Dear all,

I support Odile's valiant efforts on the Board -- but cj did not say that we 
"could have an organization without members."  She questioned the 
importance/need of branches, since so many of our members, while in branch 
vicinity, are not active in the branches.

I agree with Odile's concern about membership input and participation.

Libby

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Odile Hugonot Haber" <odilehh at gmail.com>
To: <wisewomen at wilpf.org>; "WILPF Board" <board at wilpf.org>
Cc: <luxbar1 at yahoo.es>; <hpetschek at aol.com>; <gpinkel at pacifier.com>; 
<wcusp at wilpf.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2007 3:47 PM
Subject: Re: [WCUSP] [Wisewomen] WlLPF,s future for me

> It is true that I am on the defensive, I do want as many voices as
> possible to be included.
> I love so many of our WILPF members that are the activists rain or
> shine are on the front line, it is freeze for Peace right now here,
> why not include their ideas and suggestions,
> they do the work of WILPF too.
>
> As for me I have worked for 6 years continuously within WILPF for the
> creation of a
> campaign on the Middle East , yes it is not perfect, but we did a lot
> of good work
> it has not been easy. If our program chair had been supportive it could 
> have
> been made a lot more visible, would she have less critical towards us and 
> more
> helpful an opinion that also represent the whole campaign committee.
> Although we
> are aware now that representing 8 committee and 2 campaigns was a very
> unrealistic
> position.
>
> It is strange that the pro-palestinian human right faction, activists
> from Oregon and California and the more pro-zionist camp of my
> committee that were struggling
> with each other are now all united to say: The way the board is moving
> is not the way it should move and are concern now about "saving WILPF".
>
> I represent my campaign to the board this is my function. I defend the 
> work
> that we have produced and the "forcing the branches to work on our 
> campaign"
> (CJ statement representing the campaign to the board) represent in no way 
> a
> democratically elected campaign. This is not right.
>
> We should have time on the board to report on our work and be treated
> with respect,
> I was profoundly disturbed by the way I was treated at the last board
> and my campaign
> as a whole. .I was told that if I wanted to speakabout politic,
> program and strategy,
> I needed to go speak to my branch when we run a national campaign! it does 
> not
> make any sense to me. I was also disturbed also by the way the staff
> was treated.
> Pam was crying and upset. Another member of the board blocked a discussion 
> and
> 1/3 of the board at times laid aside including me. The minutes are not
> released to
> members. We were supposed to have conscensus! and we coherse in being
> "unified."
>
> I spoke to Libby and board older members and they all say that the board 
> had
> intense discussion on program and strategies and the current crises we 
> were in,
> how could you run a peace and justice with no analysis on program and 
> strategy?
>
> Money comes out of our visibility and actions not the other way around. 
> Without
> money we cannot have structure. The way it should go at the board is
> first vision and mission, report on programs, and strategy, then money and
> structure to support the actions.
>
> CJ said to Libby that we could have an organization without members,
> that is not
> the part of the peace movement I want to be part of. These are very 
> serious
> concerns and I do not understand why they are not seriously addressed.
>
> But you are right we need to organize and we are wasting our time on
> the structure
> since it is now a "fait acompli."  Let's move on and forward in a 
> pro-active way
> if we can and we are supported to move forward.
>
> Odile Hugonot Haber
>
>
> On 12/2/07, Odile Hugonot Haber <odilehh at gmail.com> wrote:
>> This is a very beautiful letter Yvonne I like the way you link personal.
>> national and international work. Activism is what has created WILPF
>> not structure and some of us should keep in this path. Some women are 
>> more
>> talended around structure and that is needed but what I complain bitterly 
>> about
>> as you do, is that right now the activists are being put out of the
>> organization and
>> have no voice on the board. But we are activists and we can and will
>> change this.
>>
>> Odile Hugonot Haber
>>
>> On 12/1/07, yvonne simmons <roweenayvonne at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> >  Lately I have been made from the present to think
>> > more deeply into my soul about why I work with WILPF.
>> > One of the reasons are the wonderful women and friends
>> > I have in our organization working for a world that is
>> > just and not violent and respects all, peoples,
>> > animals and the environment. With what has been
>> > happening recently nationally and internationally,
>> > then not being dealt with, out in the open,
>> > transparently to see what the problems are and do
>> > something about them. I have been concerned how some
>> > women on  the National WILPF board have been
>> > conducting themselves with the future of  national
>> > WILPF.  It seems so institutional and I believe that
>> > they think it will improve WILPF. I do not. We are
>> > grass roots not corporate.Then I started thinking when
>> > one member spoke about young WILPF and the age, 35 and
>> > under, to her youth was 0-18 years And what I thought
>> > of was my own youth. At 35 years old I could have been
>> > a grandmother because of violent rape when I was 15
>> > years old. I had an illegal abortion with Soap suds
>> > and disinfectant, then sat on buckets of hot water in
>> > terrible pain. The hospital saved my life and after a
>> > few weeks in the hospital returned to the street life
>> > I was used to.
>> >
>> > There have been many violent situations that I have
>> > survived as many other young girls and women have. I
>> > think of the Congo and the horrendous violence against
>> > women  and girls there and the young Congelese woman
>> > at the INT. Congress and her family in Britain and
>> > their pain.
>> >
>> >  Travelling was my education ,being on the road , in
>> > many countries, hitchhiking and finding small jobs to
>> > realize how different and the same  peoples were in
>> > Italy , Europe, Greece , Turkey , Persia , Afghanistan
>> > , the West Indies , Morocco etc. Daily they did
>> > similar things only differently depending on the
>> > culture.
>> >
>> >  That was my education  mostly after I was 21 years
>> > old and  I had met life and love and beauty.
>> >
>> >     I found my way in life and did not talk of most of
>> > my experiences and scars. I always loved helping
>> > people and animals and remembered I had marched and
>> > rallied with the beatniks and CND in the early 1960.
>> >
>> >  WILPF, Portand has been doing the Clothesline Project
>> > for almost 17 years. I am the keeper of the shirts and
>> > see that violence against the female sex crosses all
>> > nationalities, color, class, religion, sexual
>> > orientation etc. I was proud when Pat Hollingsworth
>> > made me a member of WILPF. I had never been a member
>> > of any group and loved what WILPF was doing.
>> >
>> > Now I find myself thinking to just do the humanitarian
>> > work, social justice  and peace work as always but do
>> > I need WILPF  to do it when their emphasis is not the
>> > same as mine right now?
>> >  I am wondering if I fit in and I am no longer ashamed
>> > , by society's standards, of who I was through no
>> > fault of my own.
>> >
>> >  In Peace Yvonne.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > 
>> > ____________________________________________________________________________________
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>>
>
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