November
2006
Still Thinking about Justice
Several things happened over the last week that caused me to think again about what it means to “do justice”…something the prophet Micah reminded God’s followers was required of them.
First, I was incredibly pleased last Wednesday when all the results came in from Tuesday’s election and it was confirmed that the Democratic party would take control of the House and the Senate. This turn of events brought me hope that justice could possibly be delivered upon those for whom I care so much.
While we all have issues that touch us deeply, as a volunteer at a school for homeless children, economic justice has become my passion. I watch how families at the school struggle to make ends meet, most being forced to live in motels or homeless shelters because their wages are so low that they cannot ever afford to save first and last month’s rent and security deposit to allow them to move into a stable living environment.
As one burdened for the working poor, I was horrified when Congress earlier this year refused to raise the federal minimum wage (currently $5.15/hr.), which is nearly $10,000 a year under the poverty line. Is it “just” I wondered, not to guarantee workers a wage above the poverty line? I realized then that without a change in leadership in this country, the families of the children at my school would have little opportunity to get out of the cycle of poverty. Mere charitable handouts of gifts, food and money, while still important, are not enough to lift the estimated 37 million Americans out of poverty.
One of the families from my school who found themselves “stuck” in this dreadful cycle was highlighted in an Orange County Register article this morning. While the dad in this article got “lucky” enough to move off the incredibly long waiting list for public housing, most families never get that chance. I truly hope that a new Congress will make it a priority to reward work by guaranteeing that the minimum wage in this country is high enough to allow families to support themselves. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Second, what an historic moment this week when ground was broken on the new memorial to honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As I watched the news coverage of the Groundbreaking, tears came to my eyes, reminding me of the sacrifice Dr. King made in his movement to end discrimination towards African Americans and to bring social, racial and economic justice to all Americans who were victims of discrimination.
I was pleased that President Clinton, who signed legislation in 1996 authorizing the memorial, received a standing ovation from the largely black crowd. He told the crowd of King’s commitment to nonviolence and social justice causes such as ending poverty, saying those goals still have not yet been achieved.
“If he (Dr. King) were here, he would remind us that the time to do right remains,” Clinton said.
It IS the time to “do right.” As followers of Christ, progressives who believe that we’re called to bring justice to the oppressed and alienated, as we approach a new season in Washington, I hope we will see the injustices around us, pray for an end to them, and act in every way possible to “do justice.”