Rotary Club of Port Nicholson Bulletin

Wednesday 30 October, 2019

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President
David Shackleton
 

We had another great meeting on Wednesday attended by nearly forty members and guests. This was an excellent turnout to hear John Bishop give a highly informative, educational and erudite presentation on Slavery, Segregation and Civil Rights.

John’s presentation was a firm reminder of the depth of talent we have within the Club. Thanks, John for a first-rate speech.

November is going to be a busy month for us all: 

Saturday 2nd - Parkinson’s New Zealand Appeal
Tuesday 5th - visit to Te Hopai from 3.30 to 5pm  for the Melbourne Cup
Tuesday 12th -
we have been invited by the Karori Club to visit the Children’s Hospital
Sunday 17th
- we have a perambulation at Kiriwhakapapa (Julian’s home)
Wednesday 20th - District Governor John Mohi is speaking at the Club
Thursday 21st - The Rotary Club of Karori are having their Business Breakfast meeting with the Guest Speaker HE Peter Ryan, the Irish Ambassador (See invite below)
Monday 25th - we have been invited by the Rotary Club of Wellington to listen to Sir Bill English
Thursday 28th -
we have our Christmas Party at Bella Italia.

And this does not include a possible “plogging activity” with Rotaract and a clean-up of Zealandia…dates to be confirmed.

Finally, on Wednesday Rick asked us what the Rotary theme for this year. Frankly, I had an embarrassing mind freeze but to remind us all it’s “Rotary connects the world”. No better example of this was our focus and our fund-raising efforts in October for the End Polio Campaign. Not only did it bring together Rotarians from around the District but the funds we collected go to prevent polio in the two remaining polio infected countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Have a great week

 
David 
 

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Parkinson's Appeal Wellington
2 November 2019
 
 
John Bishop
Speaker Report 30 October 2019:
 

Slavery, Segregation and Civil Rights

John Bishop followed the Civil rights trail in the US and visited some of the 113 sites as he has been interested in this very significant part of history for some time. 

John’s talk started with the statement that 12 million slaves came to North America and other colonised regions of the world from Africa.  Slaves were seen as inferior compared to white civilisation.   Slavery was useful for growing crops such as cotton, tobacco and sugar and proved to be economically prosperous for the white land owners.  However eventually a military occupation in the south worked toward reconstructing the constitution and liberated the slaves - 1865.  While there was a brief period of equity, Southern Democrats fought to redeem the region from radical Republicans who were working to reconstruct the South by outlawing slavery, providing equal protection and granting voting rights.  However violence ensued with the KKK terrorising black voters and by 1896 segregation was legitimate and legal in the Southern states.   Equal but separate?  Public schools were segregated thus private schools sprang up to remove black students and poll taxes made it too expensive for a large portion black and poor white to vote.  

By the 1950’s to 1960’s sit ins at lunch counters, freedom riders (bus from Washington to New Orleans) store boycotts, started to spread the word that separate facilities based on colour is unconstitutional and despite severe violent reactions some of it supported by the police, Nashville became one of the first cites to desegregate.   A protester was asked “Young woman, do you understand what you’re doing? Do you understand you’re gonna get somebody killed?”  The woman’s response “Sir, you should know, we all signed our last wills and testaments last night”. 

Interestingly the spirit of the confederacy never died and the fight is regarded as a lost cause as some in the South believe they were beaten by a superior material force, but an inferior moral force.   John visited museums that show the history of lynching some of which were for things like standing around in a white neighbourhood.  John closed by saying that he has been intrigued and appalled by the events, attitudes and behaviours in the south for some time.  He outlined that these events were part of his formative experiences as a young person and as an adult.  Unfortunately coming to terms with the injustices of slavery, segregation and white superiority are still prevalent in some parts of American society as illustrated by the way in which some privileged white Southerners question or rather don’t question segregation “a fish doesn’t question the temperature of the water”. 

Thank you John for the way in which you covered a significant part of American history.

 
Club Reporter
Anne Hare
Speakers
Nov 13, 2019 7:00 AM
Port Nicholson Youth
Nov 20, 2019 7:00 AM
Official Vist
View entire list
Upcoming Events
Rotary Weekly Meeting 13 November, Wellington Club
The Wellington Club
Nov 13, 2019
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM
 
Perambulators at Kiriwhakapapa
Kiriwhakapapa Rd
Nov 17, 2019
10:30 AM – 2:00 PM
 
Rotary Club of Port Nicholson Xmas Party
La Bella Italia
Nov 28, 2019
6:30 PM – 10:00 PM
 
Perambulators Tararua Crossing
Start Otaki Forks
Dec 04, 2019 8:00 AM –
Dec 06, 2019 6:00 PM
 
View entire list

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Guest Speakers 

Darryl is looking for names and/or subject/areas of interest for upcoming speakers.

Contact Darryl on

029 801 5515

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Let's Join Those Dam Rotarians in India -
February 2020!
 
 
Click here for more details of this water project.
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Funnies!!
 
 
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Just having a look around

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Extreme Picnicking

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Ice climbing a frozen waterfall

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Just in case the roster chart doesn't open - here are a list of the duties for this week
6 November.....
 
Desk: Geoff Smith
Greeter: Nick Duncan
Opening Thought:
Noel Winsloe
Happy Dollars: Keith Hales
Introduction: Brent Gerrard
Thanking: Mark Cassidy
Parting Thought:
Gillian Robertson
Club Reporter: John Bishop
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The Rotary Club of Karori in partnership with ANZ -
Business Breakfast Programme
Guest Speaker: HE Peter Ryan, Irish Ambassodor
Topic: Irish International Relations in the Brexit Era
 
Breakfast Details/Menu:
Meeting Date/Time: Thursday 21 November 2019 7.15 - 8.30am
Meeting Location: Karori Park Café, 400 Karori Road
The meeting includes a full hyot buffet breakfast and a choice of mueslie, fruit juice, tea, coffee etc.
 
Please let the club know by 11 November if you plan to attend. Email KaroriRotary@gmail.com with the names of thse attending and a contact phone number.....Please include 'Breakfast Registration' in the subject line.
 
Payment of $25 can be made in advance via Internet Banking to the Rotary Club Of Karori, 03-1540-0014117-00. Please include your name and BB1911
in the reference.
Walk ups are $25, cash only, at the door, on the day, subject to catering requirements.