Poverty and Thanksgiving: A Call to Close the Rich-Poor Gap
Imagine inviting family and friends over for Thanksgiving dinner and feeding some of them a lavish feast and some of them scraps and leftovers. While some are served an overabundance of delicious food, others receive tiny portions of unappetizing leavings. Horrible thought!
Two apparently unrelated headlines caught my eye a few weeks ago as I surfed my usual news sites. I can't get them out of my mind. The first is a truly major development: The percentage of people living in poverty in the United States is the highest in half a century. One out of seven Americans lives in poverty.
The second headline was a mere tidbit in the business news. It said something to the effect that companies that make things no one really needs have done very well in this recession. Though apparently unrelated, the two items are, of course, intimately connected. The poor are getting poorer and their numbers are increasing while the rich are doing very well. They continue to buy high tech gadgets and luxury items.
These news items should have been a major religious story. At one level, the growing gap between rich and poor is an economic and political issue. But it is also a moral and, ultimately, a religious issue. There is a temptation to see economic relationships as the result of uncontrollable forces. As a matter of fact, allowing this widening gap between rich and poor is a choice -- a moral choice. And it is a moral choice with enormous spiritual consequences.
Economic inequality pollutes human relationships the way smog pollutes our lungs. Just look at life where the gaps between rich and poor are greatest -- Latin America and Africa. And look back to when the gap was greatest in American history. These were times of slavery and robber barons.
I know from my years in parish ministry the financial strains that beset families. I have seen a member lose her home because of predatory lending practices and witnessed the devastation of a sudden illness. The Centers for Disease Control reports that in 2009 59.1 million Americans had no health insurance, and we know that catastrophic health expenses can plunge families into poverty. Why is it that the United States is the only country in the developed world without universal health insurance for its citizens? And why here, in the richest country in the world, did more than 1 million children go hungry in 2008, according to the Dept. of Agriculture? These are more than political issues; these are spiritual issues as well.
Inequality breeds fear, bitterness, suspicion, crime and violence. It eats away at the dignity and self esteem of the poor while it hardens the hearts of the rich. Inequality numbs our spirits. Ultimately it dehumanizes us. Ironically, social psychology shows us that our grandmothers were right: The rich are not happier.
The growing gap between rich and poor harms us all. We can choose a better way. Let us share the bounty of the earth. There is enough for everyone at the Thanksgiving table.
[To read the original from The Huffington Post, click here.]
27 comments:
Greed affects us all, not just the rich. Envy, plagues the poor and rich alike. If you want to address social problems begin with the spiritual condition of all people.
Anon 9:41, at CitySquare we emphasize the spiritual on a daily basis. And, I must say, among the poor, sharing is almost automatic. It is amazing to watch people with nothing share so freely and automatically.
While your comments sound right, think about the implications of your segmented analysis. The answer is in a wholitic approach. Given what you say, our churches should be filled with overwhelmingly generous people and the wealthy among the church should be doing all they can to address the suffering of the poor, millions who share the same faith. Who is failing, really? When an economy is as out of balance in terms of wealth's distribution, something is wrong systemically and spriitually. The redistribution that's been underway for over 3 decades coupled with a complete misunderstanding of Jesus and the Christian faith combine to produce the absolute mess currently in place. Maybe its time to repent. What do you think?
Oh, and BTW, a major purpose/mission of this page on a daily basis is to do just what you suggest and that among the well to do.
Larry you are blaming the wealthy for being wealthy instead of focusing on their spiritual condition. All have sinned and fall short of God's glory on a daily basis. I am willing to admit that greed has driven many to pursue wealth and to refuse to share. But you must admit that many who claim to be poor are not. They are simply not wealthy and therefore envy those that are better off. And some would rather be poor and not work. This is just a fact. I know many of these people by name. No theories here. And yes there are truly poor people who rightfully need help. But if you tax the 1% at 100%the of earnings for a year you can not pay our entitlement obligations. When might rational thought impact your ideas about financing the needs and wants of our country? The best route to financial solvency is to provide each person with the greatest amount of freedom practically possible. High taxes and fees on wage earners limits their freedom to purchase and that necessarily reduces tax revenue, increases unemployment, and negatively impacts business planning. The economy suffers today because those of us with a bank account don't see the wisdom in spending if we do not see a way to rebuild that account in the future. This is not stinginess. Rather it is common.sense.
Anon 2:19, thanks for your comments. I would respect you more if I knew who you were. Earlier this week I visited with one of the wealthest men in Dallas. He expressed some of my concerns and we both agreed that the current and widening gap between rich and very poor is unsustainable for us as a nation. Similar to Gilded Age of the early 1900s and esp the 1920s. The system that is contributing to the current situation is not based on freedom or justice, but on unequal power and influence. If you are a Christian, reread the Torah, the prophets, Jesus and his brother, James. Conclusions based on a theological worldview are inescapable. Problem today is much that claims to be of faith is false and not in line with the truth of Christian spirituality.
More liberation theology propaganda!
Larry, I am not sure why more respect should necessarly depend on how a person posts. People post anonymously for all kinds of reasons. I post on the Memphis Commercial Appeal website anonymously because there are some crazy people who read that paper. I respect a well reasoned response regardless if it has a name attached to it, and it is also very easy to assign yourself a name and post where it only looks like you are telling the world who you are.
Now to your point. Things are out of kilter, but I just don't see how the government is going to fix the problem. I look at what is presently happening in Europe and it seems to me that a good bit of the greed goes to the people who demand a lifestyle that is just not sustainable. Larry, we are broke, and until we do something to get our own financial house in order we will be ruined, and the sad thing is that we have two political parties that are more interested in playing the blame game than in real reasoned compromised.
I'm confused. Larry suggested re-reading "the Torah, the prophets, Jesus and his brother, James," not any particular theologian. Exactly how is this liberation theology, unless ... wait a minute ... did you just admit the Bible IS liberation theology?
Ken
Dallas
Ken, apparently you are not the brightest bulb in the room.
Apparently, Larry, you do not "have ears to hear." You've concluded that income inequality can only be the result of conspiracy and greed. For you, the less than 1 percent of CEOs who make millions are a product of racism, bribery, and collusion, whereas the other top 1 percent wage earners are virtuous boy scouts who broke out of poverty and into the arms of a benevolent union.
You do not complain about professional athletes, protected from anti-trust law, which allows them to bargain both for high salaries and maintain broad protection. It seems "labor" can be in the upper 1% but "management" can not.
You either don't think about the inconsistencies in your positions or you don't care. Your credibility is worth about as much as an arrest warrant on a pro-bowler - nothing ever comes of it.
In fact, it is the top 0.01% who are making all the money and their earnings are so high they are classified as statistical outliers.
Look at THIS - from the AFL-CIO, no less. See the table entitled "Average Household Income of the Top 1/100th of 1 Percent = $27 Million."
This chart demonstrates very clearly this is a non issue. Read the other chart titles very carefully. The income inequality lie is an easy sell to those who suffer from the sin of envy.
There is a solution to low wages among the rest of the working class. Back to the basics: reduce/eliminate single-parent households, stay in school and study while you're there, and avoid law-breaking behavior.
You look foolish, Larry.
I heard a hay rake was your mentor. Must be true.
Anon 8:39, you make my point. NBA players are hard to compare to laboring folks, but I argue since they make the entire context for the profits of owners, they have a right to share in the profits. The same is true of those who make automobiles, deliver essential services, etc for the benefit of us all. Your problem is a lack of respect for labor or performers and an inflated appreciation for those who benefit from labor w/o being willing to share equitably with them.
Anon 9:02, I don't mind being called foolish. I stand in good company there. Tomorrow I'll post this very clear,defintive essay (http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-gop-became-the-party-of-the-rich-20111109) about the gap and tax policy. Your understanding of history, economic reality and what has happened over the past 25 years is why we have such a giant problem. Dickinson's report is stellar and cannot be answered with the typical sound bites we've all grown accustomed to hearing. The facts of his report speak for themselves. Call me foolish all you like. Our policies today are not just.
Oh, the Rolling Stone. I'm so glad your working off unbiased sources. Care to compare how much $$ the person on the cover of the RS Mag makes annually to the average blue collar salary?
Anon 9:25, not sure why I bother to answer you, but I'll keep trying. whoever was on the cover contributed to the economic process as a full participant and is entitled to fair, proportional compensation. Capitalism, right? Surely you agree with that. I just want to see that principle extended to working class folks.
As to the source, that is irrelevant. Read the report and challenge its factual basis if you will. But don't dismiss it out of hand because of where it is published. It is a great peice and very true to the historical record.
NBA players do not provide the entire context for owners' profits. It starts with McDonalds, Nike, Adidas, and other corporate entitites that invest in athletes before they become professionals. Owners make enormous financial investments - as do the public in the form of public finance of stadiums and arenas. We can disagree about the appropriateness of public investment in private enterprise another time.
Owners borrow money, develop marketing plans, manage facilities, provided staff and equipment, arrange travel, ..., the list is nearly endless of what owners provide to athletes who can't even do their own laundry. Without management, professional sports teams provide NOTHING to the local economy. The corporate entity of professional sports creates jobs. How do athletes spend their signing bonuses and salaries?
You've decided to side with the Greeks, not the Germans, and your folly will soon show itself.
You continue to respond to me b/c you don't know better. You actually think you make sense. I visit your blog to remind myself that liberals are simply not rational people. Consider the legislation the president, senate, and house proposed when all were controlled by the liberals. It was Christmas all day long, every day. During this time what did we hear from Larry? You recommended that we give money away! Whose money did you intend to give away? I wish I could say the problems liberal policies have brought upon us will be corrected, but I don't believe this is true. I just can't stand by and watch without pointing out the folly.
1/100th of 1% of workers in the USA is about 12,000 people. That's twelve thousand people. Do you really think we can or should develop a policy based on the salaries of 12,000 people?
Anon 10:10, again read the article. You'll see that it was Christmas all day every day. . .for the well heeled, not the poor or working class.
Anon 10:16, don't confuse him/her with the facts.
Anon 9:59, one last question: why didn't management suit up and start the season?
1/100th of 1% of workers in the USA is about 12,000 people. That's twelve thousand people. Do you really think we can or should develop a policy based on the salaries of 12,000 people?
This comment is intended for you, Larry. You and your socialist comrades are attempting to make middle class people (real voters) feel as though they have been taken advantage of and to make them feel sorry for the lower class and poor. There are multiple stories in the media about how the wealthiest are even wealthier than ever, when in fact, only a few thousand people are experiencing explosive financial growth. The average CEO does make a few hundred thousand dollars a year - which is not out of line with successful attorneys, small college presidents, and some entrepreneurs.
The argument that the "rich are getting richer and everyone else is getting poorer" is a sham. It is true that cost of fuel and food have increased, which has greater impact on everyone but the wealthy. This kind of inflation has more to do with govt. mismanagement of the economy (i.e., via the EPA) than regular supply and demand factors.
Where are the jobs? The unemployment rate of those with a college degree is 4.5% according to recent data. And it is stable at that level. Now, if you studied early feminist, Elizabethan sonnets, there may be a structural unemployment problem - inside your head.
The uber-rich are not robbing people of employment. Those who can not demonstrate ability to read, interpret, analyze, compute, communicate, negotiate, make decisions, and evaluate (like those with a college degree) are unemployable in a knowledge-based economy. Duh!
Those with no high school diploma are unemployed at a rate of just over 15%. Those with a high school diploma are unemployed at a rate of about 10%.
But who wants to think about facts and gravity? Come, Socialists, unite! It is now or never to defeat the capitalist pigs. The same soccer moms who couldn't resist Bill Clinton will fall for this global warming scheme. And if we import 80 or 90 million illiterate day-laborers who can't stop reproducing and flood emergency rooms whenever they get the sniffles then we can claim that capitalism has failed the working class.
What's really tragic here is the support you give to politicians and their liberal and socialist ideals. It is Team Obama who has padded Wall Street Banks with trillions of dollars. I can see why you'd hate Bush for his contributions to our financial problems, but they were meager compared to those of the current administration. You're in the position of having to defend a political machine that wants it both ways: using the poor and middle class as campaign props while catering to the ultra rich on Martha's Vineyard.
If this whole thing weren't tragic it would be funny. Who stands to gain from all this? Who might pull off looking virtuous, while getting himself on the govt. dole? I wonder, Larry, if the socialist govt. you advocate might provide you with more grants and financial assistance if the voters bought into this shameful claim that all but 12,000 people will eventually be homeless under capitalism?
"You continue to respond to me b/c you don't know better. You actually think you make sense. I visit your blog to remind myself that liberals are simply not rational people."
That's why we can't have a civil conversation in this country. Believe it or not, Anon-whoever-you-are, it is possible to disagree without simply spewing venom at the other side.
Mind like parachute - work best when open. - Charlie Chan
Ken
Dallas
Anon 10:16, you may have, intended for me but your comments point to folly of the continuing insistance that the Bush tax cuts be extended to these people!
OMG. i cannot believe this . . . people that watch and buy into everything they hear on FOX news. and sadly, a lot of this is even preached from the pulpit. whatever happened to just doing the right thing!?
"a few hundred thousand a year?" it's never okay for a CEO to make $4,000 - $6,000/hr. while his employees are making $10 - $15/hr. in some Asian countries, CEOs can only make 4 - 6 times what their lowest paid employee makes.
and i'm sure the poor want to continue to be poor. and don't even begin to tell me that if you have a college education, there are plenty of jobs available. what planet do you live on!?
the Bible i've always read teaches we are to take care of each other, not push each other off the ladder. i have to wonder if some of you have a social conscience at all.
maybe God will deal you the same mercies you deal your fellowman. how scary is that?
Belinda,
The Bible I read teaches me not to take the Lord's name in vain.
Anon 8:10, i read from the Torah.
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