Since I’m roiling inside and can’t really think of much else the topic for today has to be public leaders who don’t care. Yes, I’m still distressed at the Washington County Quorum Court, and the disdain that was shown to people in need at Thursday night’s meeting.
JP Eva Madison tried very hard to make it easy for her fellow Justices to do the right thing by their community. She got an ordinance placed on the agenda that lays out how the $4.5 million in CARES Act money, sitting in the county bank account since last October, could be spent. It’s a very helpful ordinance. Money for small business, money for housing, money for food assistance. Some of the very big problems CARES Act money intends to strengthen American communities during this crisis. Since some JPs really wanted to save money for a rainy day, she allowed for some to be laid aside for that.
You may remember that since October they’ve tucked away $4.5 million dollars. Tucked it away in some corner for a rainy day, as if this is not a rainy day.
This brings up no end of memories for me. A few from a non-complete list in Fayetteville:
MayDay Community Kitchen started about May of last year. My memory is that it started out feeding 150 people a week, but in short order the number went up. Now they feed about 500 a week, plus 3 meals per day for the homeless folks at Safe Camp. It’s hard to cook out there. That’s another 35-50 meals a day. I’ve heard the Kitchen volunteers meal-planning for Safe Camp by figuring out what tasty, nutritious food will sustain the Safe Camp folks during the bitter cold we’ve had all week. They care. They’re there. They’re in tune with a community in deep need and ready to do what they can. They care a lot.
I’m also on a text list of Hispanic community folks. There’s maybe 10-20 people of big heart who text each other back and forth all day long. The conversations go like this…
“I met a family with 2 kids whose rent is due tomorrow. Both parents out of work. What can we do?
“There’s still $150 in the care fund. How much is their bill?”
“$750.”
“Do they know they can’t be evicted right now? We better tell ‘em”
“Well, even if they don’t get evicted the money’ll be due before long.”
“I’m gonna make tamales – 10 for $10. It’ll help. Y’all need to help me sell em.”
“Ok, I’ll take 40. I can sell those at work in an hour.”
They can go on that that for 8 hours a day. Because they care.
I’m also on some mutual aid Facebook groups. Here’s Y’allidarity. . You can tell which people are the ones in need because they’re so down. They say it quietly … “I hate to ask, but I sure have this need….” Sometimes it’s for food, or rent, or medical help, or rides to doctors when the car has died, or food for their dog, or the utility bills. Simple things that they took for granted pre-covid because they took care of themselves.
The people who respond have a more confident tone. But that’s changed over the months of covid. In the beginning the helpers were hyped to be able to do something. They jumped in almost like they wanted so much to be the one who could help. Now after a long hard year the number of helpers is smaller, and they’re more careful. They’ve seen just how huge the need is and how fast the helping gets used up. The list of helpers is also shorter, but they’re still there. Because they care.
Then there’s the St. James Baptist Food Pantry. I know some of those people, and they’re amazing. Monique said at the Court tonight that they used to give out 150 food boxes, but last week they gave out 600. The need is getting bigger, but the food to give is getting more sparce and more expensive.
And the Little Free Pantry people. They have lots of stories because they’re tooling around town filling up all the Little Free Pantries. There’s quite a movement of ‘em now. The Court heard from some tonight, but you know what? About half the JPs turned a deaf ear. That’s the thing that’s so infuriating. They sat stoically staring at their computer, or even turned off their cameras while supporters told their stories. But then when it was the JPs turn to speak they said things like…
“The county is not a charity organization.”
“I don’t believe there’s that much problem.”
“The economy’s better now. They can get jobs.”
“There may be a rainy day when we’d need it.”
I just can’t believe that last one. Clearly, THEY aren’t having a rainy day. So what’s the problem with those losers out on the streets?
Here’s the list of words that come to my mind when I think of the half of the court who are exhibiting these frigid characteristics: callous, unfeeling, oblivious, complacent, smug, clueless.
What they made abundantly clear was that they have no interest and no intention of offering a penny more help to poor and struggling people in this county, than they can possibly get away with. If they don’t like hearing that from me they should change their behavior.
The Court needs to hear from you, friends. Click the picture for the link to the page with every Quorum Court Justice and Judge. They need calls and emails all the rest of this month. When the Court meets next month – third Thursdays – join us on the call and question the heck out of them about this. Be polite, because I didn’t mention which half is the frigid half. I’ll give a hint though. They tend not to be female… except for one woman. She’s pretty frigid.
The love of money is the root of all evil. If you want to know what evil looks like, let comfy people demonstrate how much they’d love to cling to $4.5 million dollars. That’s what our court is doing right now.