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Primitive Christianity Revived, Again

"They don't care about us."

I heard these words spoken last week by Mr. Harold Brown, a life-long New Orleans resident. William Penn House and students from Sidwell Friends School participating in a Workcamp were taking the first steps of what will be a lengthy process of bringing at least a smidgen of justice to this man who has suffered from the political, corporate and community corruption that has followed Katrina relief. See more about this here.

Then, this morning, while attending a local community fellowship breakfast, the folks (all homeless, but me) at my table were talking about the mayoral primary taking place here in DC today. I asked one of the gentleman at my table who he was going to vote for. He said no one. When I asked why, he said "they don't care about us."

These are jarring words to hear, but they speak a truth. I also think that we have to be careful about about presuming I/we are not the "they" being referenced. I think it is too easy to take comfort in agreement that "they don't care", and it is easy to align with the marginalized as part of the "99%". But I wonder whether we are exploiting the lower 10% for the personal gain of those at the 50% -98% bracket. How much do we truly care, not just with our words and advocacy, but with our daily actions, commitments and sacrifices? I don't find easy answers, but they are daily transformative and challenging questions.

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Comment by Cindy Maxey on 4th mo. 1, 2014 at 6:43pm: This Friend speaks my mind.

Comment by Cindy Maxey on 4th mo. 1, 2014 at 8:47pm: Would either of these men be welcome at the local Quaker Meeting? Not tolerated as long as they didn't bother anyone, but really welcome? Would Friends seek to find out who they were and what mattered to them or would we talk around them after meeting about our latest foreign trip or the lecture we are planning on attending that afternoon?

Comment by Rick Massengale on 4th mo. 2, 2014 at 7:42am: Well said Cindy,

From one who has lived in poverty most of my life, I know the answer to the questions you pose... and by the way you pose and frame those questions, I suspect you know the answer as well.

Rick

Comment by richard morgan on 4th mo. 6, 2014 at 2:07pm: I think what you're seeing used to be less common in the USA when more poeple felt a stake in the system. As the middle class dies and we become economically more like a 3rd world country-haves and have nots you will see that many have nots- feel not tie to the system -and why should they? I also predict that as is the case now in countries like Guatemala and mexico- crime in the future will become just another middle class job option with no stigma or shame in a system with no cache or credibility. This is/will be in tandem with pervasive corruption to the advantage of a few cronies and politically connected insiders-sad

Comment by richard morgan on 4th mo. 6, 2014 at 2:10pm: One difficult book that I reccommend to Friends ( and that is widely read in W Europe) is a classic book on capitalism: Capital Volume 1 by Marx. Great you tube college course on this 800 plus page work by Professor Harvey of the UK- 1 chapter- 1 hour lecture on this work. A book on Capitalisn and doesnt mention socialism or communism. Took me 6 months to read but I highly reccommend it

Comment by richard morgan on 4th mo. 6, 2014 at 2:15pm: I'm not ssure about htis, but maybe for people who feel that the solution to improving things- is (as the folk singer Tracy Chapman says) "Talkin About revolution". The more people that "aint got nothing to lose" have "nothing to lose re participating in a revolution. In an article that the "SPARK"-NY State's Friends newspaper published from many Friends including myself on the hot button "Patriotism" issue- I suggested that since about 1980, many middle class and unionized workers have hard from Wall Street and the bosses "We dont need you". The perfect and fitting solution to that IMHO is a one week nationwide general strike of ALL US workers including police, fire doctots nurses and the military, prision guards etc. In a case like that I believe that the above (done in a non violent way) with workers spending 1 week at home with their families- would clearly show the big shots "who needs whom" IMHO

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