Members of the Senate Judicial committee,
I’ve reviewed SB 6432, as well as information from DOJ, DHS, EPIC, the ACLU, and various pieces of legislation from other states designed to allow for the effective and appropriate collection of information by law enforcement.
SB 6432 is an intelligent and functional piece of legislation that allows law enforcement to gather information in an appropriate and standardized manner that does not interfere with civil rights. It’s really unfortunate that we need this Bill, but the fact is that we really need this Bill, to protect the civil rights of Washington’s citizens, and to protect the value of information that is collected through diligent and intelligent investigation where investigation is warranted.
We started looking at fusion centers last summer, and now consider associated methods of data collection to be consistently so injurious to crime prevention, and to the legitimacy of real and necessary police work, that we plan to prioritize the issue to our national membership in the coming year.
This Bill can go through the legislature this year, and Washington can be known as one of the states that acknowledged an civil rights problem and dealt with it in an expeditious and progressive manner, or you can wait until there are more lawsuits and awareness has risen to the point that people are wondering “What is going on with our legislators?”
I hope to see that this is through executive committee and on to the next within the next few days. If not, please let me know why so I may relay that information to our Washington membership.
Thank you. I appreciate your time, consideration, and your efforts on behalf of Washington citizens.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Children of Haiti - Restaveks
Hello – I work for a small non-profit based in Redmond, WA, with members nationwide. I am a citizen of Washington state, and so am sending this email to you, as is appropriate. This is a message, however, that needs to be heard everywhere. It does not originate with me, I’m not the first person to share this message: the message is about slavery.
Right now citizens of the United States and other nations are working around the clock to save Haitians. When we have found, fed, or memorialized every Haitian, there will still be a monumental task ahead of us – turning Haiti into a country that can support itself and thrive. Roads, homes, hospitals, schools, community centers and more are all needed before there can be any expectation that Haitians are on the road to recovery from this profoundly traumatic event, and from years of grinding poverty and violence.
That cannot truly happen while there is an acceptance in Haiti (or with those who have a diplomatic relationship with Haiti) of what is, effectively, slavery. Whatever word applied, children bound to servitude is slavery, and I cannot articulate how distressing their situation is to me, as a person who is free and who is a parent.
At this time,
· There approximately 300,000 restaveks in Haiti
· Only 11% of restaveks receive an education
· Most restaveks are females between 5-15 years of age
There is no mention of rights, oversight, or community expectations dictating treatment of these indentured children. They are typically malnourished, overworked, and neglected emotionally.
This is unnecessary and unacceptable. This pivotal time must function as a catalyst for change, and one essential change is an end to the practice of indenturing children. They are human children. They should know love, affection, and security, whether in an environment of poverty or not. It is not about relative wealth, it is about allowing them to be children.
In this country, and likely elsewhere in the world, there are many adults who want nothing more than to invite children into their homes, and to care for them in constructive and healthy environments. I have heard again and again how difficult it is to adopt children from Haiti, despite the desperate need felt by these children.
As Senators, you have considerably influence. As US citizens, we have considerable privilege. As people who are free, we have considerable obligation to value the freedom of others.
Honestly, I’m very upset. I’m writing this as a mom, as a person who sees an excess of suffering where none is needed, and who values freedom and family above all else.
What do I want to happen? I want the practice of indenturing children to be illegal in Haiti. I want those who currently ‘own’ restaveks to be rewarded financially for turning them over, and to be sentenced to community service if they attempt to refuse. I want those children to be made available for adoption within a system modeled on the Mockingbird Family Model, so that there would be support for the transplanted children and the adoptive parents. I want the whole thing to be organized and implemented by a multi-national committee under whatever international agency you’d like.
There is a lot of misery in the world, but there is typically a lot of parental love as well. There is no parental love for these children. There are many who advocate for them, but Haiti is an island far away, and their voices haven’t been sufficiently heard. We can hear them now, and we must listen and take action.
What action do you intend to take? I hope to hear your answer very soon.
Resources:
The Restavek Foundation: http://www.restavekfreedom.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.home
I too am Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/
Pan America’s report on children in Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/13583
Mockingbird Society, Mockingbird Family Model: http://www.mockingbirdsociety.org/the-mockingbird-family-model/
Thank you for the work you do in representing the people of Washington.
Bethan Tuttle
Executive Director
Community Watch
http://www.communitywatch.us/
Right now citizens of the United States and other nations are working around the clock to save Haitians. When we have found, fed, or memorialized every Haitian, there will still be a monumental task ahead of us – turning Haiti into a country that can support itself and thrive. Roads, homes, hospitals, schools, community centers and more are all needed before there can be any expectation that Haitians are on the road to recovery from this profoundly traumatic event, and from years of grinding poverty and violence.
That cannot truly happen while there is an acceptance in Haiti (or with those who have a diplomatic relationship with Haiti) of what is, effectively, slavery. Whatever word applied, children bound to servitude is slavery, and I cannot articulate how distressing their situation is to me, as a person who is free and who is a parent.
At this time,
· There approximately 300,000 restaveks in Haiti
· Only 11% of restaveks receive an education
· Most restaveks are females between 5-15 years of age
There is no mention of rights, oversight, or community expectations dictating treatment of these indentured children. They are typically malnourished, overworked, and neglected emotionally.
This is unnecessary and unacceptable. This pivotal time must function as a catalyst for change, and one essential change is an end to the practice of indenturing children. They are human children. They should know love, affection, and security, whether in an environment of poverty or not. It is not about relative wealth, it is about allowing them to be children.
In this country, and likely elsewhere in the world, there are many adults who want nothing more than to invite children into their homes, and to care for them in constructive and healthy environments. I have heard again and again how difficult it is to adopt children from Haiti, despite the desperate need felt by these children.
As Senators, you have considerably influence. As US citizens, we have considerable privilege. As people who are free, we have considerable obligation to value the freedom of others.
Honestly, I’m very upset. I’m writing this as a mom, as a person who sees an excess of suffering where none is needed, and who values freedom and family above all else.
What do I want to happen? I want the practice of indenturing children to be illegal in Haiti. I want those who currently ‘own’ restaveks to be rewarded financially for turning them over, and to be sentenced to community service if they attempt to refuse. I want those children to be made available for adoption within a system modeled on the Mockingbird Family Model, so that there would be support for the transplanted children and the adoptive parents. I want the whole thing to be organized and implemented by a multi-national committee under whatever international agency you’d like.
There is a lot of misery in the world, but there is typically a lot of parental love as well. There is no parental love for these children. There are many who advocate for them, but Haiti is an island far away, and their voices haven’t been sufficiently heard. We can hear them now, and we must listen and take action.
What action do you intend to take? I hope to hear your answer very soon.
Resources:
The Restavek Foundation: http://www.restavekfreedom.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.home
I too am Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/
Pan America’s report on children in Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/13583
Mockingbird Society, Mockingbird Family Model: http://www.mockingbirdsociety.org/the-mockingbird-family-model/
Thank you for the work you do in representing the people of Washington.
Bethan Tuttle
Executive Director
Community Watch
http://www.communitywatch.us/
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