At a loss for words, for once
On Tuesday I was invited to take part in a press conference with Mayor Holden and a representative of FEMA. The Mayor was to announce plans to move residents of local shelters into trailers. It may not seem like that much of an improvement to us, but for someone living on a shelter floor, a safe, clean, and above all, private trailer would be a tremendous blessing.
My critical role at the press conference was this: I was supposed to stand behind the mayor with a number of other clergy. I was supposed to be a prop, which I was happy to do. I think the Mayor is doing on outstanding job. So you can imagine I was a little startled when the Mayor turned toward me and motioned me to go to the podium. I walked to the podium and in front of the TV cameras, without any idea of what I was going to say when I got there. I needed a bit of time, but there is a limit to how slowly you can walk a distance of three feet. I am not sure what I said. I am pretty sure my words were not worth remembering.
A number of the prominent African American clergymen were at this news conference. They face tremendous challenges in dealing with the desperate needs of in their communities, yet they were optimistic. They were also cracking jokes. One gentlemen came up to me and asked, “Is Nathan F. one of yours.” When I told him that Nathan did belong to my congregation he bowed his and said with mock solemnity, “let us pray for brother Nathan.”
Listening to the Mayor and the other speakers, I got a glimpse of the enormity of the task of reconstruction and resettlement. FEMA is talking about moving all the shelter residents into trailer developments and other housing within a week. I fear that if the authorities do not plan carefully, these areas will become pockets of extreme poverty that will be easy to ignore, not unlike the “townships” surrounding South Africa’s large cities. I hope we are not building new Sowetos.
I am not sure I belonged at this venue, but it was an honor to be asked. “Doing” a press conference was just another addition to the long list of those things I never thought would be part of my Rabbinate in Baton Rouge.
My critical role at the press conference was this: I was supposed to stand behind the mayor with a number of other clergy. I was supposed to be a prop, which I was happy to do. I think the Mayor is doing on outstanding job. So you can imagine I was a little startled when the Mayor turned toward me and motioned me to go to the podium. I walked to the podium and in front of the TV cameras, without any idea of what I was going to say when I got there. I needed a bit of time, but there is a limit to how slowly you can walk a distance of three feet. I am not sure what I said. I am pretty sure my words were not worth remembering.
A number of the prominent African American clergymen were at this news conference. They face tremendous challenges in dealing with the desperate needs of in their communities, yet they were optimistic. They were also cracking jokes. One gentlemen came up to me and asked, “Is Nathan F. one of yours.” When I told him that Nathan did belong to my congregation he bowed his and said with mock solemnity, “let us pray for brother Nathan.”
Listening to the Mayor and the other speakers, I got a glimpse of the enormity of the task of reconstruction and resettlement. FEMA is talking about moving all the shelter residents into trailer developments and other housing within a week. I fear that if the authorities do not plan carefully, these areas will become pockets of extreme poverty that will be easy to ignore, not unlike the “townships” surrounding South Africa’s large cities. I hope we are not building new Sowetos.
I am not sure I belonged at this venue, but it was an honor to be asked. “Doing” a press conference was just another addition to the long list of those things I never thought would be part of my Rabbinate in Baton Rouge.
posted by Rabbi Stanton M. Zamek at
8:08 PM
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