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

[Odile Hugonot Haber]

Sorry Libby this was an importart concern, I must have misheard.

CJ and I are now dialoguing one to one trying I guess to have a
better understanding, if possible.

Maybe it is a good time for all of WILPF to be dialoguing and for the fears
to come out. Are the he neo-cons are gaining ground? was Annapolis about
more wars and arm sales.

We need to re: focus on our work, issues, campaigns. I agree.
Strongly agree.

Odile


On 12/2/07, Libby or Mort Frank <lmfrank1 at verizon.net> wrote:
> 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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