BEYOND THE VEIL OF GRIEF
Family Policy Forum
AFTA Annual Meeting
By Martha Adams Sullivan
Organizer: Hinda Winawer, Princeton Family Institute and Ackerman Institute for the Family
Moderator: Martha Adams Sullivan, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, visiting faculty and Advisory Board Member Minuchin Center for the Family
Guest Presenter: Barbara Olshansky, Center for Constitutional Rights
Respondent: Miguel Hernandez, Roberto Clemente Family Guidance Center and Ackerman Institute for the Family
The Policy Committee forum this year was both invigorating and challenging. Participants examined the numerous ways hard-won Constitutional rights have been eroding, a process initiated well before the attack on the World Trade Center that paved the way for the treatment of immigrants post the attack. We then challenged ourselves to determine how we, as an organization could be more proactive in our response to this serious erosion of freedoms.
The impact of immigration policy on children and families has been a recent Policy Committee focus. As envisioned by the Committee, chaired by Hinda Winawer, forum participants this year were asked to consider that "in the aftermath of September 11, 2001 we embrace two seemingly opposing tasks: 1) to justly attend to our sense of grief and outrage about the attacks and 2) to ensure that all people who find themselves in the crucible of events following the attacks are treated in accordance with the principles of social justice upon which this country was founded."
Fear clearly plays a role in out post-September 11 behavior. Particularly since gross security lapses played a role in our vulnerability to attack, people have called for tighter security as a means of feeling safer, less vulnerable and fearful. Martha Sullivan, in opening the forum, reminded us that notions of fear, security and freedom have often been interwoven in this country. Indeed, "the Civil Rights movement was one in which those who pressed for freedom were terrorized by those who feared change and loss of privilege and power. Countless abuses and atrocities occurred during that struggle." And currently, a number of proposals and implemented practices threaten basic human rights: The use of military tribunals where suspected terrorists could be tried without the ordinary constraints of American legal justice; the ability to wiretap without court approval; the detention of immigrants suspected of crimes. The FBI's Carnivore System, which monitors and records electronic communications, with particular attention paid to seeking out accounts with Arabic names. It is imperative that as we demand security and safety, we also insist on doing so without sacrificing everyone's basic rights and freedoms, for as it has often been said, "If you sacrifice freedom for security, you will have neither."
The Center for Constitutional Rights is a legal and educational organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. CCR uses litigation proactively to advance the law in a positive direction, to empower poor communities and communities of color, and to guarantee the rights of those with the fewest protections and least access to legal resources. The CCR's mission also includes training the next generation of constitutional and human rights attorneys, and strengthening the broader movement for constitutional and human rights.
Barbara Olshansky, as the Assistant Legal Director of the CCR, works on a range of racial, social and economic justice issues including racial justice in employment, education, and the environment, immigrants' rights, Native American rights, and prisoners' rights. Ms. Olshansky shared with the group her own heritage as she is of both Palestinian and Jewish origin. She underscored, first, that the erosion of civil rights did not begin on September 11, but has, in fact, been progressing in this country over many years. Fortunately, in her opinion, the apathy that permitted this erosion is abating as increasingly, Americans are awakening to what is at stake. Ms. Olshansky outlined the recent process of erosion and how it is presently impacting immigrants. For example, people are being detained for months with no charges having been brought against them. In some cases, immigrants came forth voluntarily, perhaps even offering to be of assistance only to be detained themselves. The conditions of their confinement have, at times, amounted to that of those incarcerated for the most serious offenses—maximum security and solitary confinement, one half hour of exercise daily. CCR has been contacted by many families after officials came to their door and escorted a relative away, leaving no information as to where the individual was being taken. CCR's job, then, is to first track down the missing loved one, with only a few clues available to them, since, at the time, detention centers were filling quickly and people were often taken far away from their homes. Detention often continued for months as detainees awaited a hearing, or, when no offense was determined, as they awaited their release. In some cases, deportation was considered, even for violations of minor immigration rules dating back several years, though the immigrant's current status might fall completely within federal guidelines. In some instances, the detainees chose to return home after tsuch an experience. In other cases, they were hesitant to return climates of political instability, fearing that they would be particularly at risk, having left to come to the United States in the first place.
Miguel Hernandez, clinician and teacher affiliated with the Ackerman Center for the Family and the Roberto Clemente Family Guidance Center in New York City, specializes in clinical issues related to immigration and inter-marriage. He chose to share both personal and clinical insights into the experience of being an immigrant, though he "immigrated" as a U.S. citizen, having migrated from the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.. Poignantly and eloquently, he shared with participants the assault on one's identity that occurs upon entering a context thatis not only foreign in the sense of being so remarkably different to one's experience in all ways, big and small, but is also invalidating of one' sense of self and self esteem. In particular, he highlighted the impact of a different class/caste system. Coping is a process that often begins with depression and grief as one confronts the loss of home. This loss is, in some ways, permanent, as home, too, evolves while the migrant is away, presenting itself as significantly changed upon subsequent return visits.
What role can we, as family therapists play in impacting these issues? As a group, we struggled with what AFTA could do. Clearly, we were urged to realize that AFTA is us, not just "the board," since the board attempts to represent members' interests. We certainly can develop a clear policy statement and seek endorsement from the organization as an official AFTA position. Such a statement, we realized, would have little impact through dissemination through AFTA publications. It could have more impact, however, placed in the hands of influential politicians legislators and policy makes who could build upon the endorsement of experts on the family. We inquired of Barbara Olshansky whether there was a role she thought we could play.. She stated what should have been obvious. Many of these families need counseling to help them to cope with the crisis they are undergoing. They often lack knowledge of how to access therapy or the means to pay for it. Furthermore, traditional means of access are perceived as unsafe. Could we create a referral network, identifying therapists in communities across the country to which families could be referred for gratis or low cost consultation while undergoing stresses associated with immigration status post-September 11?
How obvious this was. Barbara's answer was like the wise response of the precocious child in a troubled family, who, when asked by a therapist (who is wise enough to inquire), "What would fix this family?" says, "The parents need to act like parents." As an organization of family therapists committed to social justice, we can offer therapy for people in need due to political situations and whose access is limited by those situations. And we can speak out as family experts on the detrimental impact of rights violations on families.
Martha Adams Sullivan, DSW is currently serving as Deputy Commissioner for Health Promotion and Chemical Dependency at the NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene. A professional social worker and family therapist, Martha joined AFTA several years ago while at the Gouverneur Diagnostic and Treatment Center where she developed The Center for Older Adults and Their Families. Ultimately, Martha served as Director of Behavioral Health (Dept. of Psychiatry) before moving to government. Martha continues her affiliation with the Minuchin Center for the Family as visiting faculty and Advisory Board Member.
The Policy Committee will soon meet to continue to pursue these and other ideas. Your thoughts and interests are appreciated. Contact Hinda Winawer, via e-mail.
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