#5389: Re: 5377: Re: Scrapwood to Charbon (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: BarbRothacher@aol.com

Nancy,
    This sounds like a lot of work but why not try?.  I think the track to 
"outside help" may be in low or no profit recycle acaativity.  And, actually, 
starting on a small basis may keep greed to a minimum.

          I recall one member comment on, why couldn't the government even 
get the streets cleaned-up?  This jarred my memory about an article I had 
read about a town that "recycled" refuse, cleaning up areas, and than 
developed a park over the top of the collected pile.  Evidently, it even 
created a "hill" for this city that was previously very flat land.

    Maybe these projects seem simple to even complex but can touch the people 
who most need it.  I remember after the  riots in Los Angeles (after the 
Rodney King police officer's were acquitted) that burned and destroyed many 
business.  While the area was being looted and people were watching on TV in 
shock (the national guard was posted at my local grocery store), James Olmos, 
the actor, drove to one of the areas, brought a broom and just started 
sweeping and clening up in front of one of the burnt out stores.  It was 
picked up on the news.  He had not come with camera crews or any It was so 
powerful.  He was joined by others, citizens who did not riot nor loot, who 
followed his example and started cleaning up as well.  Even the city services 
started to mobilize a little faster to accomodate the participation of the 
volunteers who, indeed, cared for their city. 
 
    I will always have the deepest respect for Mr. Olmos and saw one of the 
most wonderful acts of humanity demonstrated with brooms and shovels.  It 
countered the degredation and helplessness we as residents had been feeling 
as we watched the seamy side of our nature. A few neighbors angry and violent 
had paralized the positive nature of the ordinary citizen who would not even 
consider destroying their own city and businesses. It took one small, not 
even extremely imaginative, act to snap us out of apathy and fear.
Barb, Long Beach