August 30, 2007

A message from Josh Foldes Azimow

Josh in Cabaret 1972

Thursday, August 30, 2007 11:01:32 AM
This Is Part Of My Mandated Therapy

Hello TT -
Greetings from all things Southern; I trust this finds the majority of the audience faring well, if not each and every body. This is Josh Scott Azimow Foldes writing, but the fourth name - the one beginning with an 'F' - was dropped after graduation (too difficult to pronounce). Well, there's much I wish to write, but I lack the energy, truth be told, as well as the time. Oh, I suppose I ought to begin with the weather………

Well, the weather has rocked my world here in Mississippi; the news will cover New Orleans, justifiably as the demographics will markedly pronounce a greater number of folks affected - by flooding, though, due to levees breeching. Mother Nature's wrath was felt to the right of landfall, which defines the sixty miles of MS coastline. It struck so vehemently that towns - communities - were wiped away, taking not only lives but the nascent flesh to rebuild. The spirit is willing; however the 'new normal' means being OK with decreased public services, high unemployment, no affordable rental units and the like - all in the hope that one day things will be better. There's much, much that I could write about which slants negatively. Still, there's an attitude (and, no, slavery isn't still celebrated) which this little part of the world embraces…..it must be the proximity to the water, I guess: Be polite, gentle, helpful — but be an individual and play as hard as you work. And I'm here to tell you the folks are hard-workers.
Enough simplistic psycho-babble about a part of the world FEW (OF YA'LL…new?) WOULD EVER, EVER EVEN DREAM OF ACCIDENTALLY (read: possessing plausible deniability) VISITING. Apologies to TT's splinter skin-head sect.

But I kid. Actually, there's a more poignant, as well as sincere purpose to my words today.
Please allow me to shine a light on this part of the U.S., whose specific geography is the area lying between the LA and AL borders but south of Interstate 10…that's about 60 miles east to west and about 3-4 miles inland. Sure, it was declared a Disaster Area as far as 100 miles or more inland, but where I've spent the majority of the past 25 years (here on the coast) the destruction was profound, an understatement - if that's acceptable grammar.
Much has been accomplished toward recovery, generally-speaking, albeit slowly. 9-11’s template is being utilized re: Disaster Recovery; it's efficient, not streamlined, but avoids the necessary duplication of services. Enough minutiae (it's the world I currently work in, having stopped (delayed?) my quest for the elusive MSW degree which I have coveted since Tufts). The good news - I was finally enrolled in school, taking classes, and loving every minute of being A FULL TIME STUDENT. This took place all very recently, after deciding 5 years ago or so (after about 20 good years in business - both my own as well as working for others) to become "something in human services". But I'm digressing.

We need publicity first and foremost. That's the Mississippi Gulf Coast we're talking about, here, where if you listen real close….you'll hear nearly 500,000 people’s humility, working at holding on to an attitude of gratitude. Here's something I'd wager: Few of the readers could quote the Number One State rated - get this, perennially - as The Most Generous State (source GAO/IRS) on a per capita basis. Above Massachusetts, et. al. OK, so now you know that the state with the lowest education rate and income rate (also, unfortunately, perennially) is the first in giving. And, incredibly, the people won't ask. It's taken if offered - help - but only a small portion expects it. People who have been down "to these parts" are remaining, staying-on to become a Gulf Coast resident. And in pretty high numbers. My community, Ocean Springs, now has traffic issues. Of course we only have one road…..

It's easy to overlook us down here, so I'm asking anyone who might have the time, energy, or inclination to please head over to the website FinishTheJobFund.org and maybe contribute.