Katrina Recovery

I wrote the following letter to the editor of ODE Magazine in reference to this article

www.odemagazine.com/article.php?aID=4147&l=en

As I have watched and read over the past few day the priority that comes to me is restoring human dignity.  This letter was my first attempt to speak up, speak out and maybe make a big difference in many peoples lives. I may be an idealist but someone has to give this situation a new think. The old ways of recovery will be too slow for thousands displaced by Katrina..  If you read my post from yesterday you will see some of my background.
I really enjoy this magazine too.  Sue
Go to Ode's website, Click here!

My reply to this article is posted at the end.

Dear Jurriaan Kamp

Editor-in-Chief of Ode Magazine

www.odemagazine.com

RE: Bernard Lietaer-"a new kind of money"

We are at a place of crisis management. Thousands upon thousand of people with no place to go and nothing to do. It is like a time bomb waiting to go off as they sit on cots in sometimes healthy and other times filthy situations. Some have little or no food, water or diapers for the babies, others no change of clothes or sanitary facilities. They have no homes or jobs and wonder about their future. As the frustrations builds and boredom sets in, the fuse is getting shorter not longer.

I read your article "Money should work for us, not the other way around" Sept 2005, as I watched the recovery operations in the Gulf Coast. The Red Cross is set up to give things away (maybe) yet we have a huge population of idle humans wondering how they can restore just a small portion of their dignity. I can guarantee this dignity will not come from more sitting around and expecting a hand out.

Just as the mayor of Curitiba, Brazil set up the garbage recovery system in shanty town in exchange for bus tokens or the airlines set up "the frequent flyer miles" so too could an agency set up a complementary monetary system in a city or community to aid in recovery.

Why not ask Bernard Lietaer to assist a city as a model of recovery. This is the perfect situation to set up the complementary system. If I was mayor of any city, large or small I would jump at the chance. Why not take restoration into your own hands as FEMA could take weeks maybe months to show up on their door step.

Communities could adopt communities in this recovery operation, people could work on the honor system, oh my mind is spinning with opportunities and possibilities of how small groups helping small groups could really change the course of history. It certainly would change the lives of all participating members.

I quote from your article here. "A monetary system driven by interest payments also blocks progress toward a sustainable economy. Amen to that and this is a perfect example of how this could block recovery. "The environment is a time problem," Lietaer says. "A company like Shell undoubtedly has a better idea of the next century’s energy needs than any government. But within the current monetary system we cannot entrust Shell with the future. Shell has to make a profit today. A government bears the responsibility for the future of the society." and for the future health and well being of a huge segment of our country at this time - what a wonderful opportunity to shift from the welfare mentality

"What else are frequent flyer miles besides a currency issued by an airline?" Lietaer asks. "Initially they were mainly meant to commit customers to a certain airline, but over time you could use them to buy groceries in the supermarket, book hotel rooms and pay your phone bill. And you can earn miles without even flying."

This is a wonderful example of what and how people are already programed to think and could shift into a complementary system more quickly.

I send you this in hopes you can influence Bernard Lietaer and help a nation in need of leadership. It is obvious we are lacking something somewhere and I don’t like to point fingers. I have always been amazed at how slowly some people make decisions in crisis situations. This is when intuition and gut responses are far better a decision tool than pondering all the possibilities. Even if "wrong" in the long run something is better than nothing. It appears all this "reading the Patriot Act and FEMA rules" is adding fuel to the fire. They may even be pondering their political future, God forbid.

I have taught classes in self reliance and survival for years. You can read my blog post on creating a quick emergency kit at http://www.discoveryiv.typepad.com/bwom. I will post this letter there as well and add a link to your article. I have an outline for a book, about what to prepare and how to take care of yourself, as I mentioned in the blog.

Keep up the good work. I have written about your magazine in my newsletter several times and quoted the articles as well. Ode is a joy to read, share and stimulate intelligent conversations.

Sue Trumpfheller

http://www.discoveryiv.typepad.com

for my newsletters

PS. I wrote a comment on this article on your web site and don’t know if it will be posted.

Comments

[S Reed]

Thanks for your thoughts on this, Sue. You are right.

It is a very American thing to trade services. Think back to the pioneer tradition of barn raising, for instance. Or the quilting bee. People came together as a group to accomplish a task for an individual or family -- and next time, it might be their turn to be on the receiving end of the group's work. No money was involved.