February 8, 2004 - Dayton Daily News: Letters to the Editor: DDN on witch-hunt
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February 8, 2004 - Dayton Daily News: Letters to the Editor: DDN on witch-hunt
DDN on witch-hunt
DDN on witch-hunt
DDN on witch-hunt
Re "Peace Corps opens up to younger volunteers," Jan. 11: I was dismayed when I saw yet another Dayton Daily News article touting the deficiencies and failures of the Peace Corps. Doesn't the DDN have any "news" to report?
As a former volunteer in the Philippines for three years, I feel the DDN is staging a witch-hunt. Yes, I agree there are dangers involved in Peace Corps participation, but no, I was not in summer camp, and yes, I used common sense in light of my surroundings.
Although the DDN articles may be taking issue with the agency, I feel the DDN is also discrediting the valuable work and effort many thousands of successful volunteers have had throughout the world.
I was not given a place to live or a job to attend Monday through Friday; nor was I placed with a group of other Americans. As a 23- year-old American, I found my own place to live, a valuable project to work on, and a love and appreciation for a people and a country that I may not have had the opportunity to experience, had it not been for the Peace Corps.
Joan Spatz
Lebanon
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Story Source: Dayton Daily News: Letters to the Editor
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Community Colleges; Investigative Journalism
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By daniel (0-1pool136-79.nas12.somerville1.ma.us.da.qwest.net - 63.159.136.79) on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 11:10 am: Edit Post |
Appreciate your service Joan, your independence during service and your willingness to share ideas.
I hope you call Peace Corps or write to them with as much passion you have for this issue for the changes that need to take place that have not.
125% increase in violence since you served Joan and they have not done much to repair the past. The Reporter would not be a finalist for an Award in Journalism if the facts weren't correct. When Peace Corps does not have atmosphere of "fear of reprisal" from the agency to report these types of situations then we will continue to have problems. When you served, how many did they separate during your two-three years.
The Internal workings of Peace Corps need to be tightened up so that volunteers feel, they (Volunteers) have an open dialogue with the agency and not the feeling that they will lose their commitment and relationship with Peace Corps because they are going through a safety or health issue.
I know it happened when you served and they handled it bad then, but not many people complained except for in the 1970's when Volunteers pushed for the FECA program.
Joan, you may feel its a witch hunt, but there at least 5,000 (victims of violence estimated number) from 1989 to 2004. Alot, of those folks were shunned for those experiences. How should a volunteer going into service feel if they hear the stories of these volunteers and the agencies response to them?
It is not a witch hunt. The situations did happen and they need to be corrected in policy, attitude and knowlege that this is a new world and does not have the same threats as the cold the war presented.
Thanks for your input.
Daniel
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By daniel (0-1pool136-79.nas12.somerville1.ma.us.da.qwest.net - 63.159.136.79) on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 11:12 am: Edit Post |
Appreciate your service Joan, your independence during service and your willingness to share ideas.
I hope you call Peace Corps or write to them with as much passion you have for this issue for the changes that need to take place that have not.
125% increase in violence since you served Joan and they have not done much to repair the past. The Reporter would not be a finalist for an Award in Journalism if the facts weren't correct. When Peace Corps does not have atmosphere of "fear of reprisal" from the agency to report these types of situations then we will continue to have problems. When you served, how many did they separate during your two-three years.
The Internal workings of Peace Corps need to be tightened up so that volunteers feel, they (Volunteers) have an open dialogue with the agency and not the feeling that they will lose their commitment and relationship with Peace Corps because they are going through a safety or health issue.
I know it happened when you served and they handled it bad then, but not many people complained except for in the 1970's when Volunteers pushed for the FECA program.
Joan, you may feel its a witch hunt, but there at least 5,000 (victims of violence estimated number) from 1989 to 2004. Alot, of those folks were shunned for those experiences. How should a volunteer going into service feel if they hear the stories of these volunteers and the agencies response to them?
It is not a witch hunt. The situations did happen and they need to be corrected in policy, attitude and knowlege that this is a new world and does not have the same threats as the cold the war presented.
Thanks for your input.
Daniel