Associated Baptist Press - Faith leaders to candidates: Stop neglecting Gulf Coast

Sign In

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Home

Faith leaders to candidates: Stop neglecting Gulf Coast

Faith leaders to candidates: Stop neglecting Gulf Coast

Print

E-mail

By Vicki Brown
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
WASHINGTON (ABP) -- A coalition of religious leaders are asking politicians in this election year to address what they say is a moral scandal: Three years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, much of the region is still far from recovery. Several religious leaders -- representing a coalition of more than 100 -- held a teleconference Sept. 15 to urge passage of the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act (H.R. 4048). The Gulf Coast Civic Works Campaign is a non-partisan group of community, faith, student, labor and human-rights organizations. At the same time, faith leaders sent a letter to the major-party presidential nominees -- Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain -- and to members of Congress to urge their support of the recovery plan. Co-sponsored by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.) and Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.), the bill seeks to establish the Gulf Coast Recovery Authority to implement and oversee a massive job-training and reconstruction project. Twenty additional representatives have since signed on as co-sponsors, including one Republican (Louisiana Rep. Rodney Alexander). Proponents tout the measure as a means to provide job training-opportunities and increase employment while speeding recovery in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Damage caused by hurricanes Gustav and Ike this season has compounded the problem, they said. The recovery program would train displaced workers to rebuild destroyed infrastructure and restore the environment, they added. “We are hoping this becomes nationwide to help repair infrastructure and public buildings in a way that is equitable to everyone,” noted Stephen Bradbury, national campaign coordinator for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, during the teleconference. Patty Whitney, representing Bayou Interfaith Shared Community Organizing in Thibodaux, La., emphasized that hurricanes destroyed more than oil production. The region’s agricultural base -- especially the cotton, sugar and fishing industries -- suffered significant devastation as well. More than 200,000 people in Louisiana’s hard-hit parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne have been left out of most of the recovery decision-making process, she said. While faith groups have been “efficient” in pulling together to assist those who are hurting, the federal government “miscalculated the need,” Whitney said. “We need help finding ways to help those in need.” Julie Kulinski, director of Women in Construction for the Moore Community House in Biloxi, Miss., noted the United Methodist ministry helps create a climate for women to pursue careers in construction. With training, they are able to find jobs to support their families. She said the area needs 150,000 workers to rebuild its infrastructure. “We see this as a way to provide those workers and to provide jobs,” Kulinski said. None of the presidential campaigns or major political parties is addressing the recovery problem, Gulf Coast Civic Works Campaign participants said. Frederick Haynes, pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, said religious leaders “must lend our voices” to influence both presidential campaigns. He also said the public and media should “not be so obsessed with the Palin factor” -- referring to the media attention lavished on Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The Dallas church has served as a disaster-relief center for hurricane evacuees from the Gulf Coast as a result of Katrina and subsequent storms. New Orleans and other Louisiana residents have been criticized for failure to leave their homes before hurricanes hit, Haynes said. Many rode out Katrina because they did not have the resources to leave, while others stayed put during hurricanes Gustav and Ike because they had no place to go. Communication must be improved before a hurricane hits, and those who need help must be assisted, he said. “This crisis situation has gone on too long without local input,” declared Simone Campbell, director of NETWORK, a Catholic social-justice lobby. “We call on Congress and the administration to enact this comprehensive, sane program … and to use it as a model.” Christian leaders who have endorsed the recovery campaign include Rich Cizik, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals; Richard Stearns, president of World Vision; Michael Kinnamon, president of the National Council of Churches; David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World; and Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners. Besides Haynes, Baptist leaders who have publicly thrown their support behind the campaign include sociologist and author Tony Campolo; Paul Corts, president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities; Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance and worship pastor of Northminster Baptist Church in Monroe, La.; Central Baptist Theological Seminary President Molly Marshall; LeDayne McLeese Polaski, program coordinator for the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America; and Fuller Theological Seminary ethicist Glen Stassen. -30- Read more: Text of the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act (H.R. 4048) Relief, recovery efforts begin after Ike ravages Texas coast Baptists continue Gustav relief with wary eyes on Hanna, Ike Baptists active in wake of Hurricane Gustav ABC gives $100K grant to CBF Katrina relief Baptists' post-Katrina efforts in Louisiana still underway Churches -- the 'true first responders' -- share lessons learned from Katrina What's this? Comments (3) Subscribe to this comment's feed faith leaders written by Dr. J, September 21, 2008 Another ABP article that takes an unwarranted shot at the republican VP candidate- Sarah Palin. It would sure be refreshing to read an article that states facts instead of paraphrasing quotes from liberal, leftists. I Agree With Dr. J written by torch58, October 01, 2008 Check the connectionalism between Baptist Standard (Marv Knox) and Mainstream Baptist Weblog (Bruce Prescott), and ABP. All singing the same political spin with their phraseology. In fact, the legitimacy of this whole "Faith Leaders call for end to Gulf Coast Neglect" line smacked of partisanship right off the bat. Did you catch the list of names of "faith leading" delegates making that plea Dr. J? Wonder what percentage of Baptist-like faith-based political opinion they represent? Response to torch58 written by Dr. J, October 03, 2008 For a long time, I thought I was the only one who objected to the very biased, leftsided journalism of the ABP and others. It is really good to hear from your torch58. I know that often I do not sound as accommodative as some would prefer. However, I've had it up to my eye-balls with the hateful, untruthful statement against republicans and the religious right I find in ABP and copied to other baptist papers. I thought there was a time when Baptist journalism was politically neutral. Obviously, that time is long past. Now, we get these undisguised, untruthful attacks in virtually every edition- usually several attacks in each edition. It is truly disgusting journalism. Readers alone are responsible for the content of the comments they post here. The comments are subject to the site’s terms and conditions of use and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or approval of the ABP News. Readers whose comments violate the terms of use may have their comments removed or all of their content blocked from viewing by other users without notification. Write comment You must be logged in to leave a comment. Login \| Register

< Prev		Next >

Baptists

Nation

World

Opinion

Copyright © 2007-2010 Associated Baptist Press, All Rights Reserved.