Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
(O Holy Night, verse three, which I hadn't heard or paid attention to until tonight)
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
community
Community...the idea has come up over and over in the past few weeks. global community, intentional community, community supported agriculture, etc. The idea of living, working, playing, and worshiping in the same neighborhood is appealing.
As I prepare for a career in the non-profit sector, it is becoming evident to me that if we were all really living in community, the need for social services would decrease drastically. I suppose this is a fairly obvious realization. Any non-profit leader will tell you they'd like to work themselves out of business. I think a return to more communal living is the only way that is ever going to happen.
Most social services just come down to organizations taking care of the people that society has ceased to care for. Then we have to write grant proposals and try to convince people to give money- and people do- because it is easier/more comfortable to write a check than to get to know your neighbor and see what you could offer to help. I think the latter could be so rich and meaningful to all involved...
more on this later.
As I prepare for a career in the non-profit sector, it is becoming evident to me that if we were all really living in community, the need for social services would decrease drastically. I suppose this is a fairly obvious realization. Any non-profit leader will tell you they'd like to work themselves out of business. I think a return to more communal living is the only way that is ever going to happen.
Most social services just come down to organizations taking care of the people that society has ceased to care for. Then we have to write grant proposals and try to convince people to give money- and people do- because it is easier/more comfortable to write a check than to get to know your neighbor and see what you could offer to help. I think the latter could be so rich and meaningful to all involved...
Friday, October 13, 2006
Northern Uganda Lobby Day
The conflict in Northern Uganda has been called today's worst humanitarian crisis-and it has also been said that it is the easiest African crisis to fix.
I spent part of last week in Washington DC with 700 people learning about the humanitarian crisis in Northern Uganda and lobbying our government officials to support the peace talks that are taking place between the Ugandan army and the LRA. I learned so much about the history and complexity of the conflict, so here we go.
80% of the Acholi people are living in Internally Displaced People Camps (that’s almost 2 million people). In 1996 President Musseveni forced the Acholi people into these camps as a way of driving out the LRA- thinking that they Acholi were helping the LRA to hid (wrong). The government did not provide food, water or medical care to the people in these camps, and so non-governmental organizations (NGOs) rushed in with humanitarian aid. While aid from NGOs is good in theory, many think it was wrong of the NGOs to rush in with aid instead of putting pressure on Musseveni to provide for the people that he himself forced off of their land, out of their communities, into internment camps.
To back up even farther, the origins of this conflict can be traced to colonial rule. The English maintained their power partially through creating divisions between the north and south. The Northern Ugandans were characterized as fighters, and the Ugandan army always recruited from the north. Southerns were thought to be more privileged and the south became a lot more developed. This didn't really change when Uganda gained independence, in fact Musseveni increased the division. Southern Uganda is the poster child for economic development and AIDS awareness/prevention. The north is overlooked.
There were some tense moments and arguing during the symposium. Most panelists were from NGOs, but the US and Ugandan governments each had at least one representative each. Both were drilled with questions from the audience, and both were pretty defensive about what their country is already doing to help. I think both know that more needs to be done.
John Prendergast, Senior Advisor of the International Crisis Group, has said that this crisis is the easy African crisis to fix. Why? Two main reasons 1. The LRA are losing numbers. Officers have been leaving the bush and accepting amnesty. Children are escaping. The numbers of attacks and abductions have decreased a lot in the past few months. 2. Joseph Kony wants peace, and is willing to talk.
Sadly peace talks are just the beginning to conflict transformation in Northern Uganda. With 2 million people displaced and up to 30,000 children who bear the physical and psychological wounds of war, and also have no education or skills....social problems are going to abound. Someone at the symposium said that for 1 year of war it takes 10 years to rebuild and heal. It's going to be a long road, but we're going to get there. Anyone familiar with the people of Uganda will tell you that they are resilient and hopeful amidst the present and past suffering.
A few big questions that the symposium dealt with:
Will the peace talks bring justice to the senior LRA officers who are wanted by the International Criminal Court?
This is a huge question. Right now peace is a priority for the people of Northern Uganda. Former child soldier Grace Akallo speaks for 96% of Ugandans when she says "peace first". The Acholi people choose forgiveness and have traditional ceremonies for reintegration into the community after a wrong has been committed...however these methods were not created to deal with the mass atrocities of a war like this.
The ICC has arrest warrants for Joseph Kony and his top 4 officials. This is the first time the ICC is actually being used like this, and now some people think the warrants should be dropped so that the LRA will be more willing to come out and accept amnesty. Technically, the ICC can trump the Ugandan government and arrest them even if amnesty is accepted. So it's a bit complicated...
None of the speakers claimed to have the answer but all agreed that violence has not been successful at ending this conflict. As Chief Acana of the Acholi people said "If we believe in human rights, it is cheaper now to talk than to fight".
What is needed for successful peace talks? How can US involvement help the bring peace in Acholiland?
The peace talks need to include all voices in this conflict, including victims and women. The government of south Sudan needs to stay consistent in mediating talks.
The people of Uganda pay a lot of attention to what the United States says and does regarding the conflict (which usually, is nothing). Perhaps the best example is this: this spring when a former child soldier named Evelyn appeared on Oprah (same episode as George Clooney talking about Defer), Oprah called Joseph Kony an animal. Shortly after the episode aired, Joseph Kony came out of the bush for the first time in years to respond to her comment and tell the press that he was not an animal that he wanted peace. Crazy! Imagine what could happen if George Bush were to make a statement supporting the peace talks. What if the US showed confidence in the talks and held both sides accountable to any peace agreement that develops?
What can we do as individuals living in the United States?
Three words: masses, media, and money
Continue to lobby the government and lobby the media. Write to your Senators and representatives in Congress. Even if you wrote last year, even if you've spoke to their assistants on Capitol Hill, remind them. Don't let them forget that US support of the Juba Peace talks is essential. This is becoming an issue that America cares about...if the government doesn't represent the people, who does it represent? Likewise, if the media doesn't represent the people, who does it represent? Tell your favorite news sources that you want to hear more about the conflict and the peace talks. Send editorials. As John Prendergast said last week, only like 90% of editorials get published- so we need to write a lot. When coverage of Uganda appears, give positive feedback.
Give $ to legit organizations that are helping the rehabilitation process and providing hope for a safe future for former child soldiers and their families. I recommend World Vision- they have already put thousands of children through their rehabilitation program.
And keep talking, reading, thinking about it. I've just touched on the tip of the iceberg here.
Random bits of interest:
Uganda Rising (www.ugandarising) is another great documentary. As well as Invisible Children did with tugging at the heartstrings, this documentary does a great job on the history and facts behind the conflict.
www.ugandacan.org- started by 2 recent Notre Dame grads, this website is awesome for the latest news
I spent part of last week in Washington DC with 700 people learning about the humanitarian crisis in Northern Uganda and lobbying our government officials to support the peace talks that are taking place between the Ugandan army and the LRA. I learned so much about the history and complexity of the conflict, so here we go.
80% of the Acholi people are living in Internally Displaced People Camps (that’s almost 2 million people). In 1996 President Musseveni forced the Acholi people into these camps as a way of driving out the LRA- thinking that they Acholi were helping the LRA to hid (wrong). The government did not provide food, water or medical care to the people in these camps, and so non-governmental organizations (NGOs) rushed in with humanitarian aid. While aid from NGOs is good in theory, many think it was wrong of the NGOs to rush in with aid instead of putting pressure on Musseveni to provide for the people that he himself forced off of their land, out of their communities, into internment camps.
To back up even farther, the origins of this conflict can be traced to colonial rule. The English maintained their power partially through creating divisions between the north and south. The Northern Ugandans were characterized as fighters, and the Ugandan army always recruited from the north. Southerns were thought to be more privileged and the south became a lot more developed. This didn't really change when Uganda gained independence, in fact Musseveni increased the division. Southern Uganda is the poster child for economic development and AIDS awareness/prevention. The north is overlooked.
There were some tense moments and arguing during the symposium. Most panelists were from NGOs, but the US and Ugandan governments each had at least one representative each. Both were drilled with questions from the audience, and both were pretty defensive about what their country is already doing to help. I think both know that more needs to be done.
John Prendergast, Senior Advisor of the International Crisis Group, has said that this crisis is the easy African crisis to fix. Why? Two main reasons 1. The LRA are losing numbers. Officers have been leaving the bush and accepting amnesty. Children are escaping. The numbers of attacks and abductions have decreased a lot in the past few months. 2. Joseph Kony wants peace, and is willing to talk.
Sadly peace talks are just the beginning to conflict transformation in Northern Uganda. With 2 million people displaced and up to 30,000 children who bear the physical and psychological wounds of war, and also have no education or skills....social problems are going to abound. Someone at the symposium said that for 1 year of war it takes 10 years to rebuild and heal. It's going to be a long road, but we're going to get there. Anyone familiar with the people of Uganda will tell you that they are resilient and hopeful amidst the present and past suffering.
A few big questions that the symposium dealt with:
Will the peace talks bring justice to the senior LRA officers who are wanted by the International Criminal Court?
This is a huge question. Right now peace is a priority for the people of Northern Uganda. Former child soldier Grace Akallo speaks for 96% of Ugandans when she says "peace first". The Acholi people choose forgiveness and have traditional ceremonies for reintegration into the community after a wrong has been committed...however these methods were not created to deal with the mass atrocities of a war like this.
The ICC has arrest warrants for Joseph Kony and his top 4 officials. This is the first time the ICC is actually being used like this, and now some people think the warrants should be dropped so that the LRA will be more willing to come out and accept amnesty. Technically, the ICC can trump the Ugandan government and arrest them even if amnesty is accepted. So it's a bit complicated...
None of the speakers claimed to have the answer but all agreed that violence has not been successful at ending this conflict. As Chief Acana of the Acholi people said "If we believe in human rights, it is cheaper now to talk than to fight".
What is needed for successful peace talks? How can US involvement help the bring peace in Acholiland?
The peace talks need to include all voices in this conflict, including victims and women. The government of south Sudan needs to stay consistent in mediating talks.
The people of Uganda pay a lot of attention to what the United States says and does regarding the conflict (which usually, is nothing). Perhaps the best example is this: this spring when a former child soldier named Evelyn appeared on Oprah (same episode as George Clooney talking about Defer), Oprah called Joseph Kony an animal. Shortly after the episode aired, Joseph Kony came out of the bush for the first time in years to respond to her comment and tell the press that he was not an animal that he wanted peace. Crazy! Imagine what could happen if George Bush were to make a statement supporting the peace talks. What if the US showed confidence in the talks and held both sides accountable to any peace agreement that develops?
What can we do as individuals living in the United States?
Three words: masses, media, and money
Continue to lobby the government and lobby the media. Write to your Senators and representatives in Congress. Even if you wrote last year, even if you've spoke to their assistants on Capitol Hill, remind them. Don't let them forget that US support of the Juba Peace talks is essential. This is becoming an issue that America cares about...if the government doesn't represent the people, who does it represent? Likewise, if the media doesn't represent the people, who does it represent? Tell your favorite news sources that you want to hear more about the conflict and the peace talks. Send editorials. As John Prendergast said last week, only like 90% of editorials get published- so we need to write a lot. When coverage of Uganda appears, give positive feedback.
Give $ to legit organizations that are helping the rehabilitation process and providing hope for a safe future for former child soldiers and their families. I recommend World Vision- they have already put thousands of children through their rehabilitation program.
And keep talking, reading, thinking about it. I've just touched on the tip of the iceberg here.
Random bits of interest:
Uganda Rising (www.ugandarising) is another great documentary. As well as Invisible Children did with tugging at the heartstrings, this documentary does a great job on the history and facts behind the conflict.
www.ugandacan.org- started by 2 recent Notre Dame grads, this website is awesome for the latest news
Friday, September 29, 2006
global gifts
Last week I started volunteering at local fair trade store. The concept: a non-profit store where the products are made by artisans in other countries who are paid a fair wage for their crafts.
The store's mission:
-Providing vital fair income and employment for people of limitied opportunity
-Marketing ethically produced and ethically obtained handmade products
-Educating the public about the cultures and traditions associated with the items we sell
-Helping consumers spend their shopping dollars in ways that benefit impoverished peoples around the world
It ends up that the artisan makes about 25% of the items sale price, as opposed to, like, 2% in a regular store. Its funny...some of the items are very similar i have seen in my travels overseas, in tourist shops or roadside stands- and the items are cheaper here than they are over there. the same is true of types of handmade crafts imported to the US and sold for profit. sketchy. who got all that extra money?
I love being in the store and examing all the beautiful products and thinking about the hands that made it. Its all so reasonably priced that even I can afford to shop (I'm eyeing several items for my apt). But last night, when unpacking a new shipment of goods in for the Christmas season, I was thinking that it is sort of silly that all this stuff comes from a millon miles away so that Americans can spend money on it, even when money that goes back to feed the people who made it. And, practically every item comes in its own little custom fit box. Boxes within boxes within boxes, it is sorta a waste of materials. I should not be so critical, because it is I think it's producing the greatest good for the greatest number of people (as opposed to sweatshop items). While fair trade certainly has trend value in the US right now, I wonder if it is a passing trend in the oversea communities that benefit from our dollars. Is this a way to get them on their feet, or will their economic livlihood always be dependant on American money?
either way- i'll choose my fair trade store over target. and you know i love target.
i am trying to post a picture, but it is not working :( spell check is not working either.
The store's mission:
-Providing vital fair income and employment for people of limitied opportunity
-Marketing ethically produced and ethically obtained handmade products
-Educating the public about the cultures and traditions associated with the items we sell
-Helping consumers spend their shopping dollars in ways that benefit impoverished peoples around the world
It ends up that the artisan makes about 25% of the items sale price, as opposed to, like, 2% in a regular store. Its funny...some of the items are very similar i have seen in my travels overseas, in tourist shops or roadside stands- and the items are cheaper here than they are over there. the same is true of types of handmade crafts imported to the US and sold for profit. sketchy. who got all that extra money?
I love being in the store and examing all the beautiful products and thinking about the hands that made it. Its all so reasonably priced that even I can afford to shop (I'm eyeing several items for my apt). But last night, when unpacking a new shipment of goods in for the Christmas season, I was thinking that it is sort of silly that all this stuff comes from a millon miles away so that Americans can spend money on it, even when money that goes back to feed the people who made it. And, practically every item comes in its own little custom fit box. Boxes within boxes within boxes, it is sorta a waste of materials. I should not be so critical, because it is I think it's producing the greatest good for the greatest number of people (as opposed to sweatshop items). While fair trade certainly has trend value in the US right now, I wonder if it is a passing trend in the oversea communities that benefit from our dollars. Is this a way to get them on their feet, or will their economic livlihood always be dependant on American money?
either way- i'll choose my fair trade store over target. and you know i love target.
i am trying to post a picture, but it is not working :( spell check is not working either.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Peace & Forgiveness in Uganda
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5341474.stm
Peace talks are continuing between the LRA and the Ugandan government. LRA soldiers are gathering at assembly points during this ceasefire. There is talk that they will release all of the women and children in their troops. Wow, this feeling of hope is amazing.
Joseph Koney and other top LRA officers are wanted for war crimes by the International Crimes Court. President Museveni wants to grant amnesty. "Acholi culture offers an alternative - traditional ways of righting past wrongs" - Forgiveness. The people of Northern Uganda just want to forgive their enemies(i.e. their children, brothers, sisters, who have been abducted) and have peace.
It makes sense, when the soldiers are loved ones who have been taken from the community. Punishment to these child soldiers (and grown-up soldiers abducted at youth) would only create deeper wounds. But what about Joseph Koney? Vincent Otti? I want these men brought to justice. Maybe I just need to work on my forgivness.
Peace talks are continuing between the LRA and the Ugandan government. LRA soldiers are gathering at assembly points during this ceasefire. There is talk that they will release all of the women and children in their troops. Wow, this feeling of hope is amazing.
Joseph Koney and other top LRA officers are wanted for war crimes by the International Crimes Court. President Museveni wants to grant amnesty. "Acholi culture offers an alternative - traditional ways of righting past wrongs" - Forgiveness. The people of Northern Uganda just want to forgive their enemies(i.e. their children, brothers, sisters, who have been abducted) and have peace.
It makes sense, when the soldiers are loved ones who have been taken from the community. Punishment to these child soldiers (and grown-up soldiers abducted at youth) would only create deeper wounds. But what about Joseph Koney? Vincent Otti? I want these men brought to justice. Maybe I just need to work on my forgivness.
Friday, September 08, 2006
An excerpt from Eat, Love, Pray by Elizabeth Gilbert:
"Here's another example of the difference in our worldviews. A family in my sister's neighborhood was recently stricken with a double tragedy, when both the young mother and her three-year-old son were diagnosed with cancer. When Catherine told me about this, I could only say, shocked, "Dear God, that family needs grace." She replied firmly, "That family needs casseroles," and then proceeded to organize the entire neighborhood into bringing that family dinner, in shifts, every single nihgt, for an entire year. I do not know if my sister fully recognizes that this is grace."
"Here's another example of the difference in our worldviews. A family in my sister's neighborhood was recently stricken with a double tragedy, when both the young mother and her three-year-old son were diagnosed with cancer. When Catherine told me about this, I could only say, shocked, "Dear God, that family needs grace." She replied firmly, "That family needs casseroles," and then proceeded to organize the entire neighborhood into bringing that family dinner, in shifts, every single nihgt, for an entire year. I do not know if my sister fully recognizes that this is grace."
Thursday, June 22, 2006
The other day the Senate voted not to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25. The minimum wage has been at $5.15 for the past 10 years. Working 40 hours a week at that rate will earn you a bit over $10,000 a year.
As Senator Ted Kennedy pointed out, the average senator's salary has increased by $30,000 in the past 10 years.
Interesting.
As Senator Ted Kennedy pointed out, the average senator's salary has increased by $30,000 in the past 10 years.
Interesting.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Haditha & the Fall of Man
I'm reading Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller, halfway through it and loving it. Part of what I read last night was about war, and he mentioned Robert MacNamara and the documentary Fog of War. Later that night, after a failed attempt at a movie rental, I looked at the TV guide (something I havnt done in months) and saw that Fog of War was actually going to be on. Coincidence?
Well I have to admit that I did not make it through the whole documentary, but kept switching back to it. In one part MacNamara talks about his first memory- being two years old and seeing people in the streets celebrating the end of World War One. They thought it was the war to end all wars.
A few days ago I was reading the June 12th Time magazine's article on Haditha, Iraq, where 24 Iraqis were killed by Marines in their homes after one Marine was killed by a roadside bomb. This was back in November, and the Marines reported that the roadside bomb killed not only their buddy but 15 Iraqis. The truth is just now coming out, thanks to an Iraqi human-rights actvist named Taher Thabet who filmed the scene of the crime and all the bodies in the morgue. There was plenty of evidence on tape to show what really happened.
So did the Marines just snap? go crazy with rage? did they really feel like the women & children minding their own business in their houses had something to do with the insurgent(s?) responsible for the bomb? The killing took place over 5 hours. To me that seems like enough time, maybe not to calm down after seeing a friend killed, but enough time to think through your actions instead of just shooting at whatever moves. We can't really know what went on in their heads and what scares me most is that they are just people...sure they are trained to kill but also trained to know when not to kill. This particular group of Marines, the Kilo Company, "had already seen some of the uglist fighting in the postinvasion period", according to Time. I can't even imagine...
Donald Miller, in talking about WWII and war in general, says,
"I bring this up only because the fall of man, when Adam and Eve ate from that tree, occurred because there was a war going on. This is the only way I can explain life as we know it. The people of Japan were not monsters, they were just people, but they were caught up in war. They were victims of war, victims of a handful of mean, a handful of leaders who wanted something they couldn't have. .... We are wired so that other people help create us, help make us who we are, and when deception is fed to us, we make bad decisions. War is complicated; it isnt black and white".
Don writes a lot about Genesis and the fall. He says that humans were wired to be connected to God, to find our identidy in God, but the Fall changed all of that. The potential for that connection is still there, but we seldom hook up and instead look for other things to define our beings.
So these three things were running around in my head all weekend: the fog of war, Haditha, and the fall of man. and they all just helped the other to make sense. MacNamara, a former secretary of defense, admited that mistakes were made in WWII Vietnam. Mistakes are being made in Iraq (and throughout the world for that matter) as we speak. We don't look to God for our identity anymore, we look to others and our expiriences with others. The Marines were deceived by war, maybe deceived into thinking that more violence would justify their friend's death. Maybe you could say that they were totally desentized to violence and death that killing was just the natural response to emotional pain. They made bad decisions. You can find lots of people or events to blame for it, and in the end it just goes back to the garden of eden, to the first spiritual battle that satan won.
Well I have to admit that I did not make it through the whole documentary, but kept switching back to it. In one part MacNamara talks about his first memory- being two years old and seeing people in the streets celebrating the end of World War One. They thought it was the war to end all wars.
A few days ago I was reading the June 12th Time magazine's article on Haditha, Iraq, where 24 Iraqis were killed by Marines in their homes after one Marine was killed by a roadside bomb. This was back in November, and the Marines reported that the roadside bomb killed not only their buddy but 15 Iraqis. The truth is just now coming out, thanks to an Iraqi human-rights actvist named Taher Thabet who filmed the scene of the crime and all the bodies in the morgue. There was plenty of evidence on tape to show what really happened.
So did the Marines just snap? go crazy with rage? did they really feel like the women & children minding their own business in their houses had something to do with the insurgent(s?) responsible for the bomb? The killing took place over 5 hours. To me that seems like enough time, maybe not to calm down after seeing a friend killed, but enough time to think through your actions instead of just shooting at whatever moves. We can't really know what went on in their heads and what scares me most is that they are just people...sure they are trained to kill but also trained to know when not to kill. This particular group of Marines, the Kilo Company, "had already seen some of the uglist fighting in the postinvasion period", according to Time. I can't even imagine...
Donald Miller, in talking about WWII and war in general, says,
"I bring this up only because the fall of man, when Adam and Eve ate from that tree, occurred because there was a war going on. This is the only way I can explain life as we know it. The people of Japan were not monsters, they were just people, but they were caught up in war. They were victims of war, victims of a handful of mean, a handful of leaders who wanted something they couldn't have. .... We are wired so that other people help create us, help make us who we are, and when deception is fed to us, we make bad decisions. War is complicated; it isnt black and white".
Don writes a lot about Genesis and the fall. He says that humans were wired to be connected to God, to find our identidy in God, but the Fall changed all of that. The potential for that connection is still there, but we seldom hook up and instead look for other things to define our beings.
So these three things were running around in my head all weekend: the fog of war, Haditha, and the fall of man. and they all just helped the other to make sense. MacNamara, a former secretary of defense, admited that mistakes were made in WWII Vietnam. Mistakes are being made in Iraq (and throughout the world for that matter) as we speak. We don't look to God for our identity anymore, we look to others and our expiriences with others. The Marines were deceived by war, maybe deceived into thinking that more violence would justify their friend's death. Maybe you could say that they were totally desentized to violence and death that killing was just the natural response to emotional pain. They made bad decisions. You can find lots of people or events to blame for it, and in the end it just goes back to the garden of eden, to the first spiritual battle that satan won.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
biodiesel
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/03/worlds_largest_2.php
A Biodiesel plant is coming to Indiana!
As a diesel owner this excites me. My only concern is that they find some new places for soy bean fields, because it seems to me that in the long run we should be using existing farmland for food...
But props to the Governer for taking a risk on an alternative fuel!
A Biodiesel plant is coming to Indiana!
As a diesel owner this excites me. My only concern is that they find some new places for soy bean fields, because it seems to me that in the long run we should be using existing farmland for food...
But props to the Governer for taking a risk on an alternative fuel!
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
So I wrote my senator yesterday, thanks to an informative and inspiring LiveJournal post by Lindsy. There is a bill that Congress recently voted on, and soon the Senate will vote on it, and it is scary.
There is a New York Times editorial about it here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/03/opinion/03fri1.html?_r=1&incamp=article_popular&oref=slogin
I don't really think I have anything else to say that was not said in Lindsy and Keira's posts and the comments that followed.
I need to write to my representatives more often. It's not that hard, and the more I do it the better I'll get at it, and it, along with grant writing, will help me keep the writing skills that I utilized every week in college. Perhaps if more people wrote to their senators, they would put more weight on the people's voices and not just vote with their party. Maybe not...but maybe.
So I will keep my eyes open for things that disgust me and proceed to make my voice heard.
There is a New York Times editorial about it here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/03/opinion/03fri1.html?_r=1&incamp=article_popular&oref=slogin
I don't really think I have anything else to say that was not said in Lindsy and Keira's posts and the comments that followed.
I need to write to my representatives more often. It's not that hard, and the more I do it the better I'll get at it, and it, along with grant writing, will help me keep the writing skills that I utilized every week in college. Perhaps if more people wrote to their senators, they would put more weight on the people's voices and not just vote with their party. Maybe not...but maybe.
So I will keep my eyes open for things that disgust me and proceed to make my voice heard.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
call to renewal
The other day at work I met young woman who used to work in my office (in fact, her last day was the day that i interviewed for the position). So she came by the other day and I happened to be introduced to her again. She then began telling us of a protest she went to in Washington DC, and naturally my ears picked up.
She flew to DC in December to join 100 other Christians to protest the budget cuts of Welfare programs. She spoke clearly and passionatly and even though I had known her for 3 minutes I knew that I wanted to be like her. "We are believers" she said. "We believe in the Bible and live by it. The Bible has 2,000 some verses about taking care of the poor, and if you cut those out, the book will not hold together. If you claim to run a country based on God's teaching, you must take care of the poor!" She went on to talk about the inspiring people who lead the protest and then told us all 100+ of them were arrested but then released on a $50 bail.
It raises an important question to the religious right- what makes those verses used to justify stances on abortion and homosexuality more important than those verses about the poor?
I know that one justification given for the budget cut was to give more money to Hurricane relief. And that is important, I know. In a past editorial, the executive director of Horizon House inquired as to why people are more willing to give money to impoverished victims of a natural diaster than to impoverished victims of circumstance- the homeless out on the streets and the low income families in the inner city. I'll admit that it is easier to give money to the "innocent", victims of disaster, but there must be a balance. We must take care of everybody regardless of circumstance.
For more information go to www.calltorenewal.org
She flew to DC in December to join 100 other Christians to protest the budget cuts of Welfare programs. She spoke clearly and passionatly and even though I had known her for 3 minutes I knew that I wanted to be like her. "We are believers" she said. "We believe in the Bible and live by it. The Bible has 2,000 some verses about taking care of the poor, and if you cut those out, the book will not hold together. If you claim to run a country based on God's teaching, you must take care of the poor!" She went on to talk about the inspiring people who lead the protest and then told us all 100+ of them were arrested but then released on a $50 bail.
It raises an important question to the religious right- what makes those verses used to justify stances on abortion and homosexuality more important than those verses about the poor?
I know that one justification given for the budget cut was to give more money to Hurricane relief. And that is important, I know. In a past editorial, the executive director of Horizon House inquired as to why people are more willing to give money to impoverished victims of a natural diaster than to impoverished victims of circumstance- the homeless out on the streets and the low income families in the inner city. I'll admit that it is easier to give money to the "innocent", victims of disaster, but there must be a balance. We must take care of everybody regardless of circumstance.
For more information go to www.calltorenewal.org
Monday, January 09, 2006
So today was my first day of "work", and it was basically an introduction to the organization and to the social problem of homelessness. One statistic that I learned is that the average hourly wage of a family on welfare is $7.62. To rent the average 2 bedroom apartment in this city, one must earn an hourly wage of $11.31! A brochure I read states that housing is considered affordable if it costs no more than 30% of ones monthly income. It also stated that single mothers on welfare often spend up to 75% of their income on childcare!
So this points out two obvious problems that contribute to homelessness, lack of affordable housing and lack of affordable childcare.
I also learned that homeless people rarely panhandle- beg for money on the street. Of course there are exceptions, but it seems that most panhandlers have housing and use money for drug fixes.
After 4 years of book learnin I'm seeing what its like in the real world.
So this points out two obvious problems that contribute to homelessness, lack of affordable housing and lack of affordable childcare.
I also learned that homeless people rarely panhandle- beg for money on the street. Of course there are exceptions, but it seems that most panhandlers have housing and use money for drug fixes.
After 4 years of book learnin I'm seeing what its like in the real world.
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