Social justice means families and the community at large should have answers.
What: I'm reflecting on the best ways to publicly review and assess the events at Summit-Cone, looking hard at
(a) responsible parties,
(b) accountability chain,
(c) transparency issues, and
(d) recommendations to parties in order to pressure and force changes to the existing System.
Since I regard the Summit-Cone fire as event of public concern, I welcome your ideas and feedback. This doc is a "work in progress" and not, as some believe, a reflection of my desire to "target the resettlement agencies."
I believe such a review must engage those on the ground who directly suffered, those who witnessed their plight, and those who contributed to the conditions of their suffering.
--Parties might not agree to participate or to be wholly cooperative, but there is a long paper trail of statements and actions from each that can stand in their absence should that be needed.
--The process must be public because the deaths of the kids is a public concern.
--It would be inexcusable to not have an inquiry.
Responsibility can be measured in a number of ways, including but not limited to legal blame.
--The landlord obviously carries the most blame for the apartment conditions which killed the kids.
--The City carries some amount of blame.
--The agencies obviously carry some blame.
--The families carry little or no blame.
When refugees arrive in Greensboro, there is no clear chain of accountability that ensures the safety and protection of families from the harm we witnessed at Summit-Cone.
--Landlords like Arco, as business operators, operate under sets of City and other regulations.
--Resettlement agencies have supervisory boards. As private contractors, they are also under supervision by NC DHHS/ Refugee Services.
--The City has the HRD / HRC/ IAC chain that exists to ensure that newcomer interests are heard and fairly represented to elected officials and other parts of city government. The City also oversees offices that regulate business practices and housing standards and code enforcement.
--Refugee families, the majority of which have been in Greensboro and the US for about two years or less, by definition have few resources and area connections. Their local status remains ambiguous, with no clear end point at which they cease to be formal clients of agencies.
How: I argue that reasonable people with strong opinions can sit down and disagree. A fair process of inquiry means just that. While additional details need to be worked out, lengthy debate about process or purpose should not stand in the way of holding the event. For example, one can imagine a deliberate strategy of prolonged negotiation with one or more parties that all but ensures that controversy will not arise, criticism will be muted or avoided and key questions stay unanswered, essentially a sabotage effort of "Kumbaya". The process I propose is based on the voluntary participation by people of good will ready to endure personal discomfort and consider hard questions in the greater interest of the larger community.
Counterproductive behaviors should be anticipated and addressed now, such as:
(1) Advanced calls for "unity" or warnings about the dangers of dissent before the process has begun are counterproductive to progress and a better city for all. Similarly, warnings about privacy rights, claims that mission statements limit organizations' participation, or fears that ongoing legal proceedings preclude open discussion crash head-on with the public's and policymakers' right to know about matters that directly influence the health and wellbeing of our larger community. My argument is that the damage to a few refugee families in District 2 represents harm to us all.
(2) A fair process does not mean an impartial one overseen by impartial facilitators. Not only is the search for "pure", objective "judges" a fruitless exercise, it supposes that an objective, unassailable truth will result. I argue that a difficult matter like the Summit-Cone fire should be the business of citizens, residents and community members of the city. When it becomes the exclusive concern of specialists, experts, and consultants or when our automatic reaction is to trust their recommendations, we give up all ideas about our own ability as a well informed citizenry to act and behave in a responsible, democratic community. It is worth driving home this point in this climate of political fear and accusation because newcomer families are constantly extolled to be better, more tolerant and more forgiving than we are and to master more American history, geography and Constitutional knowledge than most native-born Americans. Democratic behavior starts by practicing it.
I believe a fair process can be crafted and conducted. However I do not believe the resettlement agencies and others contracted through NC DHHS's Refugee Assistance Program should be called upon to lead it. In fact, none of the named parties should be hosting or leading the process, for obvious conflict-of-interest reasons. However, it should be clear and obvious to all that the families are the least empowered party and have suffered the most. Unlike the so-called Open Space session dominated by agency representatives and allies held after LFS left in early 2010, the Summit-Cone tragedy has been marked by strong voices coming from poor, everyday refugee family members struggling to survive. Unlike many so-called community meetings to discuss refugee, immigrant and newcomer issues that are marked by their absence, Summit-Cone representatives have forcefully shown up and made their views known.
Where/when: To be determined. Time is a factor. I believe the event should be held while memories are fresh.
Final product: The minimum outcome of this event is a written, documented, and publicly available account of events and responses by parties, including counter-statements and differing views. Parties have the right to add and amend statements for the record. Recommendations, if they emerge, could form the basis of policy change. Minimally, the final products puts into the hands of the community and policymakers alike, a chronology of events, list of actors and stated views of all principals. Minimally, it alerts parties that community members care about transparency and accountability and are prepared to act in order to achieve them.
Draft 1
What: I'm reflecting on the best ways to publicly review and assess the events at Summit-Cone, looking hard at
(a) responsible parties,
(b) accountability chain,
(c) transparency issues, and
(d) recommendations to parties in order to pressure and force changes to the existing System.
Since I regard the Summit-Cone fire as event of public concern, I welcome your ideas and feedback. This doc is a "work in progress" and not, as some believe, a reflection of my desire to "target the resettlement agencies."
I believe such a review must engage those on the ground who directly suffered, those who witnessed their plight, and those who contributed to the conditions of their suffering.
--Parties might not agree to participate or to be wholly cooperative, but there is a long paper trail of statements and actions from each that can stand in their absence should that be needed.
--The process must be public because the deaths of the kids is a public concern.
--It would be inexcusable to not have an inquiry.
---------------------------
Who: There have been clear and obvious System failures. This means unilateral changes or "band-aid" fixes are insufficient. Any action by one party is not enough to change a complicated System. Even agreed action among groups which purport to represent refugees and newcomers, or statements issued on behalf by such groups are not enough, as history has proven. System change starts with parties agreeing a problem exists.Responsibility can be measured in a number of ways, including but not limited to legal blame.
--The landlord obviously carries the most blame for the apartment conditions which killed the kids.
--The City carries some amount of blame.
--The agencies obviously carry some blame.
--The families carry little or no blame.
When refugees arrive in Greensboro, there is no clear chain of accountability that ensures the safety and protection of families from the harm we witnessed at Summit-Cone.
--Landlords like Arco, as business operators, operate under sets of City and other regulations.
--Resettlement agencies have supervisory boards. As private contractors, they are also under supervision by NC DHHS/ Refugee Services.
--The City has the HRD / HRC/ IAC chain that exists to ensure that newcomer interests are heard and fairly represented to elected officials and other parts of city government. The City also oversees offices that regulate business practices and housing standards and code enforcement.
--Refugee families, the majority of which have been in Greensboro and the US for about two years or less, by definition have few resources and area connections. Their local status remains ambiguous, with no clear end point at which they cease to be formal clients of agencies.
------------------------------
Counterproductive behaviors should be anticipated and addressed now, such as:
(1) Advanced calls for "unity" or warnings about the dangers of dissent before the process has begun are counterproductive to progress and a better city for all. Similarly, warnings about privacy rights, claims that mission statements limit organizations' participation, or fears that ongoing legal proceedings preclude open discussion crash head-on with the public's and policymakers' right to know about matters that directly influence the health and wellbeing of our larger community. My argument is that the damage to a few refugee families in District 2 represents harm to us all.
(2) A fair process does not mean an impartial one overseen by impartial facilitators. Not only is the search for "pure", objective "judges" a fruitless exercise, it supposes that an objective, unassailable truth will result. I argue that a difficult matter like the Summit-Cone fire should be the business of citizens, residents and community members of the city. When it becomes the exclusive concern of specialists, experts, and consultants or when our automatic reaction is to trust their recommendations, we give up all ideas about our own ability as a well informed citizenry to act and behave in a responsible, democratic community. It is worth driving home this point in this climate of political fear and accusation because newcomer families are constantly extolled to be better, more tolerant and more forgiving than we are and to master more American history, geography and Constitutional knowledge than most native-born Americans. Democratic behavior starts by practicing it.
I believe a fair process can be crafted and conducted. However I do not believe the resettlement agencies and others contracted through NC DHHS's Refugee Assistance Program should be called upon to lead it. In fact, none of the named parties should be hosting or leading the process, for obvious conflict-of-interest reasons. However, it should be clear and obvious to all that the families are the least empowered party and have suffered the most. Unlike the so-called Open Space session dominated by agency representatives and allies held after LFS left in early 2010, the Summit-Cone tragedy has been marked by strong voices coming from poor, everyday refugee family members struggling to survive. Unlike many so-called community meetings to discuss refugee, immigrant and newcomer issues that are marked by their absence, Summit-Cone representatives have forcefully shown up and made their views known.
------------------------
Where/when: To be determined. Time is a factor. I believe the event should be held while memories are fresh.
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SupplementaryDraft 1
