Mennonite Central Committee

Letter to President Bush

 

Sept. 1, 2005

 

President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

 

Dear President Bush:

 

Like you, our thoughts and prayers are with all persons who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina. We are encouraged to hear that you are planning for a generous federal response to this emergency.

As the relief, development and peace-building agency of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches in North America, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) plans to make its material resources available to our sister agency, Mennonite Disaster Service, as it responds to immediate needs in the Gulf States region.

MCC is also planning to work with impacted communities to develop long-term responses that address the roots of racism and poverty, which make some populations especially vulnerable to disasters like Katrina. While natural disasters affect people across the social and economic spectrum, they often have an especially devastating impact on communities of color and others with limited financial resources.

But the gravity of these systemic issues is far beyond what agencies like ours can adequately address. As you craft a federal response to Katrina, MCC encourages you to not only provide emergency food, water and shelter, but to use this occasion to listen carefully to vulnerable people groups and consider and confront the reasons that some communities bear an especially heavy burden when natural disasters occur. These issues might include: Which communities are most likely to live in flood plains? Which have adequate property insurance? Which have access to living-wage jobs, economic security and the necessary resources to flee natural disasters?

As a Christian organization, we are people who believe in resurrection. From the devastation of this terrible tragedy, we will pray and act for the day when communities are rebuilt, lives are restored to some sense of normalcy and our nation is a more just place for all people.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and with all who carry heavy responsibility in this time.

 

Sincerely,

 

Robb Davis, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee
Rolando Santiago, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
Bob Buxman, Executive Director, West Coast MCC
John Stoesz, Executive Director, MCC Central States
Yvonne Keeler, Executive Director, MCC Great Lakes
Lynn Roth, Executive Director, MCC East Coast