How

I read an article today about the Catholic swing vote—how it will be big this year. It said that Catholics were pro life, leaning to the Republican ticket, but when it came to social justice issues, it leaned more with the Democratic Ticket. What a quandary!?!

I have my own ideas about this, and most people may not agree, but I feel the need to share them.

First, social justice is about lifting people up, searching out those alienated from our society because of poverty, homelessness, and disease among other things. That’s the way I see it. What I don’t understand is how one would think if the government gave everything someone needed to that person, what would that person have to fight for? How would that person rise out of poverty if the government told that person, “We will pay for your health care, give you food stamps for food and give you a small apartment as long as you are poor.” What would that person need? Why would that person go and try to find a job, go to school to learn a skill or make healthier choices for a promising future? We are telling them that they can’t do it on their own—they aren’t good enough—and the poor remain poor.

I will admit that I don’t think anything is working—from both sides, but it seems to me that giving everything away would keep people down—the very thing we don’t want to happen.

My conclusion is this—on social justice issues, NOONE gets it right—not Republicans or Democrats. It does bother me that so many people think that the Democrats get it right all the time. How? Someone tell me how their programs create opportunities for people to get out of poverty, and not just survive within it?

The song today, How, by the Cranberries, from their album, Everyone Else is Doing it, So Why Can't We?  I like song, and it seems that the title of the album has a good ring to it as well.