1. The SENSE OF THE MEETING at NPYM's annual session is clearly to go forward in steps to affiliate with Friends General Conference. This was not by a long shot only RantWoman's doing, but RantWoman is clear in her Light two years ago to listen to a Friend from Missoula and Friends were well-led in two years of discernment over a topic that first arose 20 years ago.
2. It does NOT seem to RantWoman that the room was at unity since one Friend spoke unambiguously about not being in unity with the movement but also not wanted to be recorded as a separate voice. RantWoman is going to risk mishearing this Friend's concern based on what RantWoman knows of this Friend's Light: the specific concern expressed was about Friends getting drawn too much into themselves.
One Friend noted that FGC does have space for dialogue among the many strands of Quakers. RantWoman is not clear how that point might speak to the Friend who spoke and who has strong ministry beyond the bounds of Quakers but RantWoman did not jump up and down about nuances not expressed in the room when minutes were edited.
RantWoman somewhat shares this Friend's concerns since RantWoman is also called to be a Quaker presence in many spaces where that is challenging. It is not always clear to RantWoman whether another Quaker project is where she is most called to spend energy. RantWoman is also VERY grateful to Friends in a writing workshop through FGC who just held the space one time when RantWoman just needed to sob about very visual metaphors.
3. Friend have spoken with great respect about FGC anti-racism work and youth resources
4. To RantWoman's ear one thing which helped the room find unity was clear statements from two Friends about how FLGBTQC and in particular Friends' space for transgender concerns supported them in important conversations with loved ones about life experience and transgender realities.
5. RantWoman very much appreciates voices from FGC present in person and on Zoom to up hold the Clerk. RantWoman also appreciates many FGC resources.
6. One of these days, RantWoman is going to summon "Dial-a-Tirade" about Quaker books with no audio book options. Quakers have to get in line, though. The blind author of a book about non-drivers also had to do extra steps and the audio version of a book aimed at lots of people with disabilities appeared months after the print edition of the book appeared. And if Quakers have to wait in line about this particular sample of RantWoman "good trouble," OH WELL. RantWoman will though start with steps to figure out whether any of Mateo Hansen's books are available in alternate formats.
7. Friends should all celebrate: Quaker capacity for public word-smithing is alive and well and the questions of unity, unity with spirit, sense of the meeting, and consensus thrive as a zone where Quakers are very good at the local version of angels dancing on the head of a pin. RantWoman as a former Recording Clerk also always holds in the Light the person brave enough for public editing.
1. RantWoman is a judgmental WITCH about any event where a law enforcement officer gets hit in or near the eye because a protestor throws a rock. Doesn't matter the protest. Doesn't matter if the protest is about odious and despicable official behavior. RantWoman as a legally blind / blind / low vision (choose a label) person is just a judgmental WITCH.
2. RantWoman is also a judgmental witch about everything to do with ICE. RantWoman is happy to pray that all will immediately repent, re-evaluate their lives, and work for real justice.
3. RantWoman has gone to jail more than once for actions related to protesting. Every single time, RantWoman winds up reflecting on her own privilege, By privilege, RantWoman means not only big differences between her life and the lives of others around her but also the number of potentially awkward moments when RantWoman hears "Good for you." See also the history of early Quakers going to prison for practicing their faith and turning into giant prison reformers. What will that bode, for Jacob and for everyone following his case.
We dropped our son Jacob Hoopes off at prison in Sheridan, Oregon, this afternoon. Our hearts are heavy, but our spirits are buoyed up by the tremendous love and Light that has been pouring in from all corners of the Earth. Thank you, more than words can say.
We have updated the https://www.900daysoflight.com/ webpage (copy and paste the url) with a brief video of Jacob, which he filmed before surrendering himself. As we said our farewells, Jacob showed his extraordinary courage, present-mindedness, and mettle. I believe in him. And thanks to so much love from so many supporters, he believes in himself, too.
Onward, with love overflowing,
Tom Hoopes
Robert Jacob Hoopes
#98782-511
P.O. Box 6000 – Camp
Sheridan, OR 97378
RantWoman quite likes the "Adopt-a-Day" concept mentioned on the website. RantWoman notes that the earliest available free day is in October. RantWoman would love a way to know what activities will come with every adopted day. RantWoman will continue to spend some part of every day fighting the horrible attitudes among many in the US who have gotten the country and ICE to the outrageous mess where the US currently finds ourselves.
And one venue for this fight: plenty of people in RantWoman's circles who think the country is already full and there are not enough resources that blind people need now so we can't afford to let anyone else in. NO sense at all that defending people's civil rights means defending everyone's civil rights.
Come experience the power of continuing revelation.
Come wade into all manner of Do Better Next Time zones
Come experience the ups and downs of audio partly enhanced by half-blind mic runners.
Come appreciate the transformative technological dimensions of Zoom.
RantWoman for the kajillionth time since becoming painfully aware of her capacity to drive people crazy in meetings cordially invites Friends to come observe Blind people Getting Things Done in business meetings in spite of many challenges that seem like another universe to the sight-dependent.
Digression which most certainly does, in RantWoman's YEARS LONG clear call to be faithful to her Light relate to disability: By kajillionth time, RantWoman means certain sponsors of clerking workshops, all members of a certain Care and Accountability committee, and two members of the UFM committee on Disabilities before RantWoman was summarily exiled.
One member of the disabilities committee went to a blindness event and had a very helpful observation: sighted people expect to be looking at each other during conversation. Blind people can be looking all over the place but that does not mean they are not listening.
The second disabilities committee member came to a different event where there were a few moments of talking over. The visiting Friend noticed the kind of multi-sound track chatter that breaks out when a bunch of blind people are interacting with talking devices and then said that Friend did not see how any of that related to Meeting for Business. Ummmm? To be fair the livestream will probably spare listeners most of the talking device chatter so hopefully it will be easier to focus on other process points.
Now the actual invitation:
Please join RantWoman and probably hundreds of others for The WA Council of the Blind annual BUSINESS MEETING live streamed on ACB Media 9 (use the google for the exact link).
1:30 pm Pacific Time,
Saturday October 28, 2023
Come watch blind people in action! Come watch blind people GET STUFF DONE.
Sure it might be Quaker heresy to recognize Divine presence all the more so in spaces run more or less under Roberts Rules of Order.
Celebrate! The multi faith soreheads on the Advocacy committee helped get rid of the convention-opening usually highly Christocentric invocation. The awkward and almost idolatrous Color Guard remains to remind everyone of both patriotism and chagrin on behalf of the US. But a kick-ass DEI committee has also taken shape and there may or may not be very many moments of silence.
Process nerds may appreciate:
--a clear agenda posted below.
--preparatory Zoom sessions both about the budget and about constitution and bylaws.
--What other points do readers notice?
Agenda: Annual Business Meeting
The annual business meeting of Washington Council of the Blind will include agenda items such as:
In Memoriam, Elections of Officers (President, 1st Vice President, and Treasurer) and Board Directors (3 two-year term positions), Proposed 2024 Operating Budget, Proposed Amendments to the WCB Constitution and Bylaws, Resolutions, Old business, and New business
Virtual attendees have received Zoom links; WCB members eligible to vote are asked to enter the Zoom webinar in advance of the call to order to facilitate the determination of a quorum.
4:30 PM
Business Meeting is Adjourned
Dear God, will Business Meeting really last THREE HOURS? That's what the schedule says; sometimes meeting angels hold the room so well it finishes early.
RantWoman has good intentions about harvesting some resources from the chat streams she has dumped into draft email. That may or may not happen. RantWoman has no idea whether the event links above will linger and is at peace, SORT OF, with the ephemeral nature of much on the internet.
RantWoman is missing the drive out of the city and over the mountains to fresher air and more natural exercise than her new under-the-desk exerciser. RantWoman is pondering whether the planet is asking that we do less travel and more Zoom, what would be the gifts of hybrid gathering, whether we should offer to help grace our beloved gathering site with some tech to support better internet access and / or some electric car charging options. In the latter case, RantWoman wonders whether charging infrastructure is getting ubiquitous enough that Friends might be able to count on charging vehicles in one of the towns on the way to the site.
RantWoman celebrates the creation of an ad-hoc disabilities committee. RantWoman celebrates the Light and energy of the young Friend called to convene the committee. That is enough for a fast snapshot. Stay tuned for more.
For readers wondering what the beach towel is doing here, RantWoman takes the beach towel to Quarterly Meeting as part of her bring your own bedding practice.
Proposed Minute to Establish a Communications Committee:
text below the intro and followed by questions:
RanWoman Intro
RantWoman is called to continue to be faithful to her Light.
RantWoman assumes that a number of people still need help finding their better
selves, communicating what is positive, cutting down on negative and frankly
embarrassing messaging, and tending to why RantWoman continues to care
RantWoman suggests that people whose feelings are hurt about
this consider the negative messages being sent by what RantWoman hears is RantWoman
causing problems merely by existing. Maybe start by taking a good read at the
recent Disability Pride piece in Gleamings. Despite RantWoman’s quibbles it’s
not a terrible place to start.
RantWoman reminds everyone with hurt feelings that clearness
committees are an option either through UFM or through Quarterly Meeting.
RantWoman’s only requirement: rantWoman is severely allergic to sloppy use of
the term “couples counseling.” On good days RantWoman gets that she is reacting
badly to professionals just using the jargon of their field. Still, it’s the
pandemic, good days should not be either taken for granted or wasted.
RantWoman’s understanding of the testimony on equality is
that people in some kind of a couple relationship are by far not the only people
who are ever parties to a conflict. RantWoman keeps praying that maybe she can
let her allergy go and find some pastoral care equivalent of Xyrtec to help her
cope. About that time RantWoman gets a severe quaking Speak Truth to Power spasm
telling her she really is not going to be able to drug away the depth of her
professional, contextual, and personal allergies.
RantWoman is also pretty sure there are resources AND
resources available in ways that meet a variety of accessibility needs for describing
needed conflict resolution processes without making RantWoman want to scream
and go delve into professional codes of ethics. Let us hold that problem in the
Light. For one thing, no matter how much about “disability pride” gets printed
in Gleamings, merely ACKNOWLEDGING this need in concrete actionable terms still
gets scrubbed out of commitments about work on disability issues.
RantWoman sees in this proposal great opportunity and AGAIN,
as she has done MULTIPLE TIMES dating back to the original Communications task
force offers her service, HOPEFULLY in more congenial MAYBE interpersonally
nuanced form than this blog.
Text to be presented in Meeting for Business
University Friends Meeting approves establishing a
Communications Committee and directs Nominating Committee to bring nominations
for this new committee to either the summer 2021 or September 2021 Business
Meeting.
Background
In 2007-2008, UFM participated in a year of
Discernment.At the end ofthat 18-month year, the Meeting approved
establishing a Communications Task Force to develop and support the
communication need of the Meeting and individuals in the Meeting.The Task Force was not able to complete its job,
and we have worked without reliable oversight of our communications even as the
world of communications has evolved rapidly.
Recently an ad hoc IT committee has been reworking our use
of electronic communications, Zoom, the website, and information storage and
sharing, but there is no group charged with establishing policy or
methods.Gleamings is a stand-along
(sic) enterprise.There is no one
responsible for the Announcements listserv, the website has a webkeeper but no
oversight group, and our Office Coordinator, with help from individuals is
responsible for vetting people who want to be included in our mailing lists.
This proposal is for a Communications Committee that becomes
the home of IT, Gleamings, the website, announcements and mailing lists, and
the Google Drive.
Given normal Quaker process, the committee will be charged
with filling out its charter so that it incorporates anything that this
proposal missed or new things that need to be included.
June 2021
RantWoman comments:
--Even though RantWoman thoroughly approves the idea of creating
such a committee RantWoman STRONGLY recommends holding over approval of the
minute until Friends have had the opportunity to season what instructions they
want to convey to Nominating Committee and what they expect of the committee
going forward.
--Considering LONGSTANDING patterns of ignoring RantWoman’s
concerns about accessibility, recent repetitions of that pattern, and in particular
the current Clerk of Nominating Committee’s individual patterns which RantWoman
is happy to elaborate, RantWoman has ZIP confidence that simply sending this
minute off to Nominating Committee without clear instructions from Meeting for
Business will speak to all the needs on RantWoman’s mind.
--Some things RantWoman would like to expect:
Recognition
that RantWoman really WANTS to hear the voices of other Friends and to work
toward a blessed community, even on days when a “bless your hearts” community
is where people are resolutely mired.
Articulation of clear policies, inclusiveness in creating the policies,
and transparency about what they are.NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US. People do NOT get just to blabber in email
about “you are not welcome here.” NO ONE
welcomes life-changing medical events in midlife or frankly any other time. RantWoman has NO patience with all the
different forms she hears of “It’s not good for the community…” or “maybe the
community can’t handle…,” this latter from a person with a disability who
sounds like the community is supposed to handle that Friends disability but not
RantWoman’s.
Inclusion in the policies explicit
commitment to some standards of accessibility that meeting the varying needs,
communications patterns among Friends, and evolving technologies. RantWoman
here applies the same single standard of truth she is applying in a much bigger
forum: people are not born knowing basic accessibility standandards but if they
are standards, people learn them in the course of ongoing work. AND if people
are open to continuing revelation, there is also room for programs like QuEST
to nurture awareness of disabilities issues in the course of regular
activities.
Space to
lament the laying down of weekly First Day School. RantWoman meant to go on
separately about that but maybe needs to leave room for Friends to digest these
comments, partly in hopes that if adults practice communicating better that
will create space to foster spiritual grown for more young families and evenMAYBE possibly create a less ableist world for some young Friends RantWoman has noticed.
One problem with virtual quakerdom is that RantWoman is down quite a bit on usual Sunday exercise. This past Sunday RantWoman needed a call to do something about that. Here are samplings from sights along parts of RantWoman's travel routes.
Friends who need a mantra for the travels may consider "safe continuous travel networks for all modes and travelers of all abilities." Okay it's too long for a mantra. Assuming anyone aware of RantWoman's lack of gifts in the realm of singing were willing to let RantWoman near further choral composition, out might pop something along the lines of "why today's RantWoman worries a lot less about nuclear war and a lot more about sidewalks than the RantWoman of previous years and what all this has to do with fighting climate change." Today, though, we are doing choral compositions. We are doing walking meditations from the clangy crumbly sidewalk corners of Planet RantWoman near Meeting.
First legs of journey: Walker St past the Got Green garden tothe bus stop to catch the 48 bus. Ride to the last stop at 15th Ave NE and NE 42nd, of not for one thing because that intersection is NOT that RantWoman remembers a hot spot on the city's map of car vs ped crashes in the U district.
Next sight: Magus books a fabulous used book store whose titles in the window and on shleves int eh sidewalk always tempt RantWoman to pretend that trying to read regular print is anywhere near realistic.
Next, a rogression from a "Notice of Proposed Land Use action documented elsewhere in this blog. Presently, the progession a big hole that will turn into something taller and modern at 12th Ave NE. The big hole is surrounded by chain link fence and crumbling sidewalk.
No picture because RantWoman was too busy dodging the weird protruding supports for the chain link fence around the construction site and the crappy sidewalk due to construction vehicles
Proceding to Roosevelt, the bench that isn't any more, because clearly the modern rule of urban environments is that if any piece of humanizing infra might possibly be used by either the unhoused or the transit dependent house, it must be removed.
There used to be a bench here
A great patch over some tree root vs sidewalk issues
Tree sidewalk tar patch
A bench that it would be hard to take away but deisgned not to stretch out on.
A Bench that would be hard to take away
Open doors for worship
Meetinghouse, the view from the bench
Don't be late. There might be worship happening but late arrivals not welcome. Okayyyy thinks RantWoman who gets places on time on the bus and is sometimes annoyed when for example more than one member of Worship and Ministry flounces in ..LATE.
And we will not even go near need for places for people to pee on weekends.
We settle into Quaker expectant worship for approximately an hour then will respond as led to the queries here.
When RantWoman was new to Quaker worship, a good while after she was new to Quakers with big infulence in her life, one of the things that most strongly drew RantWoman to Quakers was a clear commitment to prayer across differences.
How do we understand this idea?
Do you see this idea realized? Please speak from our own experiences.
Have you taken advantage of the opportunity through Zoom to "travel among Friends" including Friends who might be quite different from you?
Further points for reflection:
RantWoman had no idea until she read the memorial minute for former UFM treasurer Tom Craig where he spent his career. Tom Craig Memorial Minute Considering different points of view among people we worship with, what might praying across difference mean for worshipping with Tom?
One of the iconic (To RantWoman) photos in connection with recent Seattle civic life was police chief Carmen Best praying with leaders of many local African American churches. What in Quaker practice might contribute to more prayer in connection with police community relations?
Difference, BESIDES a Christmas Carol in July: dedicated to "No Arks" Friend. People can't just go 2 by 2. RantWoman still does not understand all the allusions but quite likes the sending out in different numerical flows.
Finally, Wednesday night Bible Study is reading the book of Mark. RantWoman's call to talk about disability is showing up amid all the miracles and parables. For instance, speaking as an actual blind person, DO NOT TRY the cure blindness with spit thing UNLESS YOU ARE JESUS. NOT sorry for the all-caps because actual blind people have experienced this form of "Grab the Blind Person and Bless them."
Oh my heavens! Saturday August 22 is the Fourth Saturday!
RantWoman received an automated message early in the Stay Home orders that the Montlake library is closed and all meeting room reservations are cancelled. Some library branches are providing services related both to circulation and use of public restrooms, but meetings are not an option.
There had been conversation about perhaps meeting with social distancing in a park out of doors. This thought appeals to RantWoman but rain is forecast. RantWoman also realizes that her own risk profile is probably quite different from others' travel patterns. Considering the general flow of COVID numbers in WA and that King County is only in Phase 1 of the state's reopening plan, it seems most prudent not even to try in-person meetings yet.
So let us meet in Zoom without the burden of travel or rain or ...
University Friends Meeting’s State of the Meeting Report, 2019
Our Meeting’s collective spirit still reverberates from the impact
of a difficult decision that we made in October. After laboring with a Friend’s
increasingly disorderly behavior over the course of several years, the Meeting
chose to lay down this Friend's membership. Three Friends were recorded as
standing aside. In order to create the necessary space to heal and to renew our
community, the Meeting also approved a minute to restrict this Friend from our
campus and activities, with certain exceptions. The minute set forth that this
restriction would not be reconsidered before January 2021.
We made the decision with solemnity, and in recognition that an
involuntary termination
Of membership had never before taken place at UFM; nor, to our
knowledge, had it
taken place in the history of NPYM. This Friend had been a member
for over twenty
years. Finding a way forward, for many, felt like separating a piece
of our heart.In the months after this momentous decision, we have been able to
tend once again to each other and other issues.
Many Friends are participating on one or more of eleven Care
Committees, and some are on Clearness Committees. We held a community building
retreat in February of the new year, and planned two orkshops, one on end of life
decision making and another on setting limits and dealing with conflict. Our
meetings for worship and for business have felt more gathered. Mid-week evening
worship was suspended in the fall, but has recently resumed on first and third
Wednesdays at midday.
In December we approved a minute for the formation of an Ad hoc
Committee on Disability, with a charge that includes enhancing the Meeting’s
understanding of disability issues, providing support for individuals to make
accessibility needs known, and making recommendations for improvements to our processes or
facilities. We began experimenting with the use of a microphone in 11:00
Meeting for Worship, after having successfully used one in Meeting for Business
and weekly Adult Religious Education sessions.
We approved two new memberships, transferred five to other
Meetings, and laid down three. Three members died this year: Polly Knox, Nina Sullivan and
Tom Craig. We minuted posthumously the Meeting’s admiration for Judith Kolokoff,
former Executive Secretary of the AFSC Pacific Northwest Region. We are conscious
of our membership gradually decreasing as well as our median age increasing in
recent years.
We hired one of our Junior Friends to be a consistent presence
with our toddlers and preschoolers (3-5 year olds). We continue to hire regular teachers
for our group of 1st –5th graders, but are challenged to offer
these children consistently meaningful Quaker education. On the first Sunday of each month we continue to
provide a program for Central and Junior Friends, with young people from other Meetings
in the area.
We bring a rich variety of dishes to our monthly potluck on 4th
Sunday, and committees are scheduled to prepare the meal after Meeting for Business on
2nd Sundays. The community has taken up this responsibility that was previously
held by the Quaker House resident. Our Garden Coordinator facilitates hands-on
service that is inviting for newcomers to participate in and enhances the beauty that our
grounds provide.
One welcome constant at our Meetinghouse on most First Days for
over 25 years was the tall and quiet presence of Roy Lee "Stanley"
Anderson, who enjoyed fellowship in the UFM Social Hall, and at other imes
lived outdoors in the University District. We were saddened to learn in
November that Stanley had died; the Meeting has planned a memorial service.
Addressing the larger issue of homelessness in UFM’s dense urban
neighborhood has
ong been a ministry of our Meeting. Since 2017, UFM has rented
space in the lower level of our building to two nonprofits that serve unhoused
people. After a remodel of the former AFSC room, Operation Nightwatch hosts a shelter with beds for 50 men seven nights a week. Facing Homelessness has their office in part of our large
First DaySchool room and hosts a daytime service window that gives out
supplies and kindness to about 20 people per day, four days per week. Our Facilities
Committee spends a considerable amount of its attention on issues related to these
programs, as well as the maintenance burden of an aging building. We have now hired a
full-time Facilities Manager who lives in Quaker House. Like many places of worship and
community in these times, we also consider how to best foster safety on campus
for our staff,members, and guests.
The Library Committee completed a major two-year effort to create
a digital catalog of over 1400 items, which is now available online through LibraryCat. The Peace & Social Concerns
Committee supported a variety of events and causes related to earthcare,
uprooting racism, supporting immigrants, and enuclearization. Each month, the
Committee hosted a table for writing letters to legislators and contributed an
article to our Gleamings
newsletter.
Adult Religious Education sessions continue each First Day at 9:30
a.m. One session per month is called “This I Believe” (borrowing the title from a
NPR series), in which a Friend from our own Meeting talks about their life and spiritual
path. These sessions consistently have high attendance, as each is a meaningful
opportunity to learn more about a Friend’s unique journey while reflecting on our own. Under the care of the Meeting, Nora Percival has continued the
ministry that she began in 2018, when she was led to develop and disseminate preventive
health training for community health volunteers in Kenya. She gave her class over the
last two years in three locations in Kenya and refined it each time. She has now
been asked to teach both students and faculty once a year over the next three
years at a vocational college. Her goal is to enable Kenya’s health system to
carry on this program without her.
QUEST (Quaker Experiential Service and Training) is in its 28th
year, co-sponsored by UFM and South Seattle Friends Meeting. Six young adults
are working full-time for a
year in social service and justice agencies, creating an
intentional residential community and gaining xperience to be agents of social
change.
At the time of writing, our city has been the sentinel case for
the coronavirus pandemic that is now greatly mpacting our Meeting’s activities
as well as our daily lives. While we refrain from in-person gatherings, we find ways to support one
another and stay connected, including the use of videoconferencing for Meeting for
Worship and Business and spiritual sharing groups. We hold in the light our
loved ones who are suffering during our pandemic. Injustices in our society
continue to be revealed and an election of great consequence approaches. As
darkness grows, so does our determination to let our Light shine for others who
seek health, sanctuary, and peace.
First some nice bluegrass, not the first thing that leaps to mind for Easter, but...
A couple quips to ease into RantWoman’s inexplicable ability to turn
every conversation into something about disability, and 2000 words today to
boot:
From somewhere in one of RantWoman’s media streams, “Jesus did not come
to die; he came to teach us how to live!”
From one of the regulars on the blind Prayer Warriors call, because
RantWoman is fascinated by the different ways people talk about God, “I rebuke
the coronavirus in the name of Jesus!”
Faces and reflections from the Draft State of Society report
“RantWoman, why the HELL does it mean so much to see the faces of
people in your Meeting even if quite a lot of them would really really would
rather not see you anywhere near Meeting for Worship?”
God only knows! God only knows…! But ya know, if Sara Bridgesong
connects without either mic or video….
Digression available about facial interaction RantWoman has always been
bad at in the first place, has of course gotten worse with midlife issues, and
what changes for better or worse with different forms of magnification and
other assistive technology. And when RantWoman can see her face in much more
detail than the average mirror, WTH happened to that face? But in the land of
#StayHome ..whatever, even faces attached to people one might conceivably be
irritated with are a blessing.
Digression also available about a similar experience for another
Friend. RantWoman simultaneously heard Ambassador Thwack grumble, “look Friend,
totally honoring your distress for a few weeks of no faces, and we’re coming up
on 15 years of greatly reduced faces for another Friend” and found herself wanting
to hug the Friend for nailing real distress
But Dial-a-Tirade available still, yet, again: how very nice for all
the people who want points for grieving, don’t assume RantWoman cares about
anything but coming to memorials, and in the meantime want to send RantWoman
off to worship with strangers. Sure, okay, first YOU DON’T have to do all the
things some of you seem to be trying to do and RantWoman is growing less and
less patient by the day withpeople
exhausting themselves doing things that are unhelpful and harmful. There are
arms and legs and people who easily get important concepts available.
Plus, ify’all are planning to
die off anyway, and you don’t mind continuing to write State of Society reports
only about aging and shrinking…, but RantWoman thinks god is bigger than that. RantWoman
is thrilled about things due their own post about working age families and even
thinking about how something from Meeting relates in that testimony on
integrity way to something outside Meeting, like say work life.
Sara Bridgesong?
Who is Sara Bridgesong? Is she a real person? Is she a cutout? Is she
another personage in the trail of personages standing in for RantWoman such as
Sensible Auntie, Bad Auntie, and Worse Auntie as well as Ambassador Thwack the
badly behaved white cane and anger management consultant? And how is it that
RantWoman is able to communicate with Sara Bridgesong? RantWoman will neither
or confirm nor deny but does thank multiple people for helping to document
continuing problems AND things that roil RantWoman’s soul.…
Sara BridgeSong attended Meeting for Worship and part of Meeting for
Business yesterday. RantWoman understands that there have been people appointed
to vet RantWoman’s presence and RantWoman is glad to hear aspirations toward
transparency expressed in a public meeting. And after multiple emails about timelines,
RantWoman became clear to trust her Light.
RantWoman also seasoned a small temper tantrum:It was Easter-freaking Sunday. The RantFamily
survived without any attempt at family dining via internet and there was no way
RantWoman was going to try to say Easter things via the chat. But it was Easter
Freaking Sunday.
And RantWoman had a further tantrum in email: There is no good time to have midlife vision
loss, a global pandemic, an insane president, lucha libre among the world's
billionaires, African Americans everywhere dying of COVID at 2x their
percentage of the general population, the current administration trying to
shred generations of civil rights laws protecting people with disabilities,
people of color….... But here we are.
RantWoman does not get a break from Vision loss. Of COURSE that is
uncomfortable and inconvenient for lots of people but it is just as much a part
of life as "I need to see my hair stylist" and "my sister
has cancer" and "oh, I am doing all these other things,"
particularly now when community is needed more than ever. There are various
ways to set bad examples about postponing things indefinitely as opposed to
process for working things out over time. And the fact that this has gone on
for FIFTEEN
years also has a lot to do with a number of spectacular “great moments
in disability awareness!”
No camera. No Mic. Faithfully listening.
But back to Sara BridgeSong There are practical realities behind the
path to that attendance; Sara Bridgesong, while swimming in technology, is
called to be present with the reality that there are many reasons people have
technology that is less than up to the second current.And sometimes there is merit to embracing
those limitations, at least long enough to plow into issues on RantWoman’s mind
for other reasons anyway.
As sometimes happens, when a call is clear, reasons for the call also
become stunningly clear. But one thing at a time. RantWoman notes a concern
below about transparency and will offer specific appreciation.
Disability Awareness
We interrupt to bring echoes of the path in the form of a message from
a former clerk of Worship and Ministry who asked to be taken off the mailing
list when RantWoman decided that pastoral care committees needed a whole month
of Disability awareness materials.Almost a decade later, after that initial great moment in disability
sensitivity, that Friend has gone from wanting off a mailing list to just
wanting RantWoman out of sight because that Friend somehow knows what is or is
not off-topic for the whole community. RantWoman
is seasoning a possible need to use the word retaliation about this and some
other voices!
Sara Bridgesong expressed a leading to listen faithfully in spite of
technical limitations. RantWoman also tartly points out that live transcription
in the chat is sometimes ONE path to accessibility or inclusion for people with
hearing loss or brain injury or other reasons to need transcription. Based on
one situation RantWoman is painfully aware of, RantWoman is seasoning a leading
to offer to provide that transcription or to suggest that the Friend consider
the option of requesting help. RantWoman is in fact grateful that, judging by
other information, that Friend has in fact requested help for non-electronic
contexts.
Transparency and Integrity
“There is no Sara Bridgesong in
the NPYM directory.”
Friend, do you know anyone else who uses an AKA or one name in one
context and another in another. Do you follow the discussion among young adult
Friends about membership. Can you think of many reasons someone might know of
Quakers but not be listed in anyone’s directory, meaning besides releasing
RantWoman from membership without being able to release her from moral
obligation to speak?
In private chat to Sara Bridgesong, many cries of “Who ARE you?”
RantWoman is given to understand that sometimes people are silently present for
months before being clear to identify themselves. RantWoman hopes other seekers
are greeted in a more welcoming way and not greeted with this suspicious
barrage. RantWoman is also seasoning a need to be cross with one Friend who
keeps complaining that RantWoman is getting in the way of “real” work on
disability.
“In a public meeting, we would be able to look at and identify a person
and we believe in transparency…”
Speak for yourself Friend. RantWoman goes to many meetings where she
has no idea who all is present.Think of
Sara Bridgesong’s presence as blindness tourism, like a cruise ship without the
#CoronaVirus.
As for transparency, THANK YOU SO MUCH for mentioning it. RantWoman is
still clear that she cannot sign onto the lovely Worship and Ministry
guidelines without making reasonable accommodations requests and some
elaboration about process. Conveniently for RantWoman’s fixations, holding meeting
for Business by Zoom is the PERFECT opportunity to work on exactly the topics
on RantWoman’s mind and MAYBE to reverse refusal RantWoman has heard too many
times of a reasonable accommodation request.
Next, in another great moment of astute handling of disability related
matters, well you know, could you consider say sharing with RantWomanall the reports from the Care and
Accountability committee because the committee complained that RantWoman’s
understandings of agreements was not the same from one month to the next but
the committee never provided more than minimal summaries and consistently
refused to address disability issues that bear completely on RantWoman’s
ability to fulfil any agreement made.Transparency
about the weekly bulletin, monthly meeting minutes, and posting the
announcement about Fourth Saturday worship would also look a lot more like
transparency to RantWoman. But, you know…. Then there would be addressing the
entire issue of separate but unequal worship and the disproportionate
transportation burden imposed on RantWoman when she is expected to go worship
with near strangers.
And if you want to get carried away, would you consider addressing
RantWoman’s issues with separate and unequal worship? RantWoman hears some expectation
about “safety” that is not RantWoman’s only experience of worship. Sometimes
Friends are convicted in the Quaker sense, not in the criminal sense of
important openings during worship. Sometimes something comes up like auditory
accessibility for events that is a whole community’s responsibility even when
the weight of words initially falls on one set of shoulders, say because of a
Friend’s sense of being previously blown off multiple times by different people
about the topic. RantWoman is sorry for how one message came out; RantWoman
would SO like there to have been a different message to give.
RantWoman appreciates two Friends, one newcomer for hesitating to pull
the electronic plug, and a second for at least saying “wait” long enough for
Sara ridgesong to make the point that the first time something is done from a
new Faith and Practice really ought to merit particular care in reporting.
RantWoman knows there is a character limit in Zoom chat in the first
place and in the second place really wanted to hear and hold in the Light a
different discussion. But circumstances still did what is needed: Sara
Bridgesong heard two Friends objecting that the draft State of Society had not
gone out with the rest of the Business Meeting materials and that they could
not be clear to approve it based on one oral reading. Oh, BE STILL ONE’s HEART:
other people actually READING what is being worked on and people being able
clearly to ask that process be adjusted. RantWoman feels so much less alone
just having witnessed that, and it is one of those moments very important to
some individuals that might easily be glossed over in minutes.
Maybe if Sara Bridgesong had managed to hold her tongue the State of
Society would still have been held over and she would have been there for
a second really important discussion, but apparently all those assembled needed
to hear the clerk publicly assert that Sara Bridgesong as a newcomer appalled
by the events outlined in the State of Society report has no standing to
suggest that the report about releasing RantWoman from membership specifically
include a statement from RantWoman. RantWoman thinks the words “public
accommodation” somehow belong in this discussion and is seasoning how to
accomplish some vocabulary lessons. RantWoman is also following the process
outlined in Faith and Practice and has sought help and clearness process
through Quarterly Meeting Ministry and Counsel.
Things going right, more or less.
On the up side, first let us speak of things going right, more or less.
RantWoman thanks the providers of the most recent survey about NPYM
Annual Session 2020 in a form that was completely accessible to RantWoman, no
fuss, no muss, no after the fact “Oh I hope it’s accessible” comment provoking
RantWoman to write FOUR blog posts about the general problem of small
nonprofits thinking about accessibility. Other surveys long have also been
accessible. Maybe RantWoman is stuck about the NPYM one because she personally
helped lobby to hire the able webmaster who helps tend to such things. Maybe
RantWoman is stuck on the NPYM issue because of getting a copy of the newest
edition of Faith and Practice in reasonably as opposed to minimally accessible
to RantWoman—two days after RantWoman was “released from membership.”
Signs RantWoman is supposed to continue to be true to her Light:
(Hold in the Light 2 Meeting members and RantMom who live in a retirement community where one resident is sick and in the hospital with #Covid19. Hold in the Light precise terminology because testing may or may not happen until people get really sick and in the meantime, lots of advice to wash hands frequently and cover cough and avoid unnecessary travel.)
Friend One on Twitter, yesterday, who may or may not have been present during what RantWoman sometimes describe as "The Worst Business Meeting Ever" in April 2013 right after the White Privilege Conference, graciously hearing RantWoman's comments about the bump elbows form of greeting" it triggers all of RantWoman's #AskDontGrab blind person moments. (At that Business Meeting, RantWoman needed to speak of ableism, but that probably did not come out of RantWoman's mouth very well AT ALL.)
Friend two, after RantWoman responded to a distress tweet, conversation about FLGBTQC and Min-midwinter gathering and another Meeting and responded to RantWoman's tweet about a leading right now to look out for families, followed RantWoman on Twitter.
RantWoman also realized she might enjoy talking to this Friend some more partly because of her own "It's complicated" personal life. RantWoman saw and even gladly hugged Ferrener / Sometime to be Ex Husband Saturday in the middle of the who is even supposed to go anywhere maelstrom.
This wonderful Friends Journal article: Friends Journal article Thou Shalt Wear Comfy Shoes
The article talks of speaking of things and having Friends resonate.
The article called to mind a story of Friend Peggy Senger Morrison and a two-mile walk in pumps as part of ministry in Africa.
To be honest, RantWoman is GLAD when there are people who want to wear pumps and sorry to hear there are Quakers so eager to tactlessly police the choice of such footwear. RantWoman does NOT but would really dig options for spangles in shoes that also have good support for walking. Instead RantWoman sensible shoes now sport clever little dog walker lights for "walking in the Light"
RantWoman forgot to add "I have a versatile God who gets things done all kinds of ways" to her litany of God phrases underpinning conversations even with people who are, um, not so down with that God language.
RantWoman has found one set of minutes while meditating about minutes issues. Oh, boy. Hold in the Light. Hold in the Light new Light, continuing Revelation. Hold in the Light RantWoman not being too steamrolled by ambient Corona Virus anxiety to be able to express herself kindly, as in how for instance to find an adequate translation to Quakerese of "baby Quakers."
As a result of #CoronaVirusSeattle events, RantWoman was able to be on the blind prayer warriors conference call. RantWoman is so warmly received and people speak of the wise things RantWoman posts on a listserve. The group does joys and concerns except they are called praises and prayers. Even though RantWoman is not really used to speaking of "the Enemy," RantWoman found the language helpful and was overwhelmed by how many of the prayers spoke deeply to things on RantWoman's heart. RantWoman is also grateful to share prayers / holding in the Light with others about a couple people RantWoman's heart aches for even if she cannot personally do much more than pray.
This post concerns deposits of poop, actual compost-worthy poop, poop from renters holding meetings who all need to pee at once during breaks or when attending massive memorials. There is also metaphorical poop in honor of a text RantWoman started her day with which used the term BS several times. RantWoman has yet to figure out how to say BS in acceptable Quakerese. RantWoman hopes her readers will hold that problem in the Light as they read and season the weekend's activities. RantWoman deeply values shared discernment and really is interested in hearing what others say, well most of the time except...
Disability and People RantWoman is Fond Of
RantWoman has been clear to visit people she is fond of, as well as possible when people from many directions are gathered in one place so that RantWoman does not have to travel all over town making visits just because an entire Meeting for Business which declared RantWoman unwelcome in advance thinks the only thing RantWoman will care about is memorials, talking about people after they are DEAD. Can anyone tell RantWoman is deeply amused NOT?
Let's just say, RantWoman is clear she has not been released from moral obligation to speak and that RantWoman is, believe it or not, also speaking from great tenderness and concern.
RantWoman is also "appreciating" being released from membership BEFORE the creation of an ad-hoc committee on disability AFTER RantWoman had been helping get that going for months, years. RantWoman deeply appreciates the efforts of those interested in serving but RantWoman is also detecting a little too much stand up and walk out of the room energy when the work hits difficult edges.
The Ad-hoc committee is not even clear about enough Quaker process to clearly request that previous decisions be slightly revised so that RantWoman's name can specifically be listed on the Committee Roster. Instead, yet ANOTHER clearness committee is being suggested. Key terminology has been eliminated from the minute creating the committee and working age adults are being allowed to indulge in the fantasy that it is acceptable to wait around for a year to address the words "reasonable accommodations" But hark, we have dog poop and foot traffic from a rapidly evolving neighborhood, and RantWoman's inner blowtorch.
RantWoman has still a bunch of "holy crap!" material lurking uncomposted in email and RantWoman is not necessarily opposed to help from a Clearness Committee but RantWoman is clear not to wait around for such a thing to come together.
RantWoman also finds herself meditating with bemusement about a moment from the muddlings of the Care and Accountability Committee. RantWoman is not sure whether the conversation was about RantWoman's 47 millionth comment asking for help about blind people in meetings or some other moment of people missing a point.
One Friend brought up a long-time member who was into tearing down the Berlin Wall long before that was actually fashionable and even sanctioned by the guardians of the wall. This leading so distressed others in Meeting that this Friend was finally pressured to resign his membership after which he attended faithfully the rest of his life. RantWoman is unclear how this light was supposed to relate to Blind Person in Meeting issues; RantWoman finds an implicit suggestion that RantWoman just resign over something she cannot help and that is not going to go away distinctly unhelpful. RantWoman also tartly observes that historical geopolitics about something far away and definitely fallen from its former greatness is kind of beside the point as far as poop on Meeting's property and growing streams of traffic in several directions and climate change and a city that needs to find a soul and a center as the next decades bring much growth.
Dog Poop Witness
RantWoman has been faithful to her Light, holding Meeting for Worship with attention to presence and observation lately. RantWoman has many observations. In particular, RantWoman observes many well-housed dogs with their humans out on Sunday strolls. The humans mostly seem to live in the apartment building which as arisen across the street from Meeting. They are generally quite conscientious about depositing their bags of dog poop in the small green container in the foreground.
For well-housed neighbors
taking care of their dog poop.
See sign in foreground
Considering the number of dogs RantWoman observes, RantWoman has to wonder whether the volume of the green container is adequate for say a weekend of dog poop pickups. However, word has also reached RantWoman that, unsurprisingly for an area with much foot traffic and ZERO public toilets after dark for many blocks in many directions, there is evidence on Meeting grounds of less well-housed humans depositing poop without so much as a plastic bag to contain it.
RantWoman has been meditating about the ZERO public toilets after dark issue as well as times during the day when there are not necessarily many eyes on Meeting's property.
Visions of a trash can equipped with human waste sized plastic bags come to mind, but no. RantWoman is NOT nostalgic for an era when Meeting funded a portable toilet across a street from the back of the Meeting. RantWoman is NOT nostalgic because of all the things that tend to happen around untended public toilets. RantWoman is also not nostalgic because meeting has attracted a succession of homelessness-themed long-term renters.
Signage?
However since the question of signage is in the air and the supply of poop presumably from poorly housed humans persists, RantWoman suggests seeking light in the following terms.
--A report suggests signage with what to RantWoman is very ungodly off-putting language. RantWoman thinks signage might be reasonable but strongly suggests seeing what kind of signage other faith communities use.
--RantWoman also suggests asking regular renters whether signage about their presence and schedule might be appropriate. RantWoman thinks some effective but not overly obtrusive signage would be possible
--RantWoman recommends research about public toilet options after dark within say 5 blocks of Meeting.and perhaps some signage as to location. RantWoman would be surprised but not distressed if the number of such toilets were greater than zero.
--RantWoman recommends asking the U District Partnership about possibilities to support some kind of public toilet somewhere in Meeting's part of the U District. This may be a long shot, but RantWoman suggests meeting needs to invest someone's time in listening in certain regular meetings, for want of a better term, to gather intel.
Image of car and roadway
stuck in here as a prompt for
another post about car and pedestrian flows
--RantWoman fondly remembers many faithful years of labor by Nasturtiums in Salad Friend to establish the first composting toilet at a Seattle P-Patch. A Composting toilet at the nearby P-Patch? RantWoman wonders whether anyone in Meeting might be led to explore the idea for the P-patch (community garden) near Meeting.
As an aside, RantWoman also speaks as someone who books space for events, including events for people with budgets. RantWoman thinks it would be helpful to explore the meaning of the term "activating the space," that is planning ways for people to be present or for eyes on the property. RantWoman can think of several things that could mean but wants not to fill space here yet.
In terms of "activating the space," drawing in more renters, RantWoman thinks some thought about site topography and issues related to nearby bus stops would be on point. RantWoman considers this partly a disability / accessibility issue.
In terms of building management, RantWoman also recommends attention as to the restrrom needs of renters. RantWoman would err more on the side of having all existing restrooms available during large events even if there is some risk that people who need restrooms but are not explicitly connected to events happen in occasionally. That said, RantWoman also recognizes the need sometimes for various reasons to call 911.
Digressing slightly from matters of poo, Friends also complain about finding needles on the property. What would happen if Meeting just installed a sharps disposal container either near the trash area or closer to the street edge of the property? RantWoman thinks but has not checked that there is a safe-injection location somewhere in the U district. Would Facilities committee be willing to check about this location and consider just installing a sharps disposal option with signage about relevant resources in the U district.
Interests: Digital Inclusion, Languages and language access, walkability, accessibility, disaster preparedness.
When in doubt, laugh about something!
http://rantwoman.blogspot.com
PLEASE NOTE: I use both screen reading and screen enlargement. I would love to say Blogger is screen-reader friendly, but I am in no position to comment!
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