Letter – Baez to Mrs. Carter, “Thank you for your recent note…”, 8/29/1979

Joan Chandos Bacz call dualt reput 29 August 1979 RAC My dear Mrs. Carter: Thank you for your recent note. I, too, was sorry that you could not attend the concert, but was delighted that Chip could be with us. When your husband greeted the hundreds of dem- onstrators July 19th at the White House fence (a step which should go down in history as an unprecedented act of human decency), our spirits flew. But even with the humanitarian activities of the 7th Fleet, we are faced with a desperate search to find a strategy which would enable us to cope with the arriving refu- gees. There are the problems well known to you: the overcrowded refugee camps, piracy at sea, rape, malnu- trition, starvation and death. Additionally, there is the certainty of widespread famine in Cambodia, and the equal certainty that efforts of Cambodians to reach safety and food in neighboring Thailand will be repul- sed, as they have been before. Then there are the thousands of refugees from Laos, who have received only a fraction of the attention understandably given to the boat people. Yet we have learned that these "land peo- ple, especially the hill tribes which are being exter- minated in northern Laos, have an even greater risk of dying in their efforts to reach safety. These trage- dies seem insoluble, but our humanity, our culture and our compassion make us determined to help these people, and thus prevent another holocaust. Land must be found (both in this country and elsewhere) where the refugees may be relocated. It is our feeling that you, Rosalyn Carter, as a wife, a mother, and First Lady of this country, would be the most logical person to get an overview of the situation and report back to the President of these Uni- ted States on the needs of these tragic people. Your presence in the camps would give hope and support to those whose greatest fear is that they will be forgot- ten and left to die. Elie Wiesel and Bayard Rustin, Post Office Box 1026- Menlo Park, California 94025- (415) 328-0266 both of the President's Commission on the Holocaust, have enthusiastically agreed to accompany me on a visit to the refugee camps. We would be leaving Oc- tober 9th, and would stay for ten days. I cannot convey to you how much we want you to accompany us. Aside from your being a gracious lady, your joining us would give us the possibility of achieving our goals, which are: 1) To re-emphasize the dire needs of the refugees, and 2) to bring into view the face- less ones - the less publicized Cambodians and Lao- tians. I would be interviewing and taking deposi- tions with regard to human rights violations, there- by gathering material with which to get to the roots of the problem. The entire visit will be made in the context of human rights, and will be wholly non- political. I would perform informal concerts, and Bayard Rustin, who has visited the camps, has an easy way of breaking into song. We cannot rewrite history to eradicate the infamy and the shame of the Holocaust. We can, and we must, see that this, a new holocaust, is stemmed! We can see to it that a situation of such human mis- ery can be changed by man's humanity to man. Thank you for your consideration. I hope to hear from you, or a member of your staff, as soon as possible. Should you be unable to reach me at my home (415-851-7262), please leave a message at my of- fice (415-328-0266). My best wishes to you and your family. Sincerely, Joan JOAN C. Bay BAEZ JCB:rav