February 1, 2011

Dear Members and Friends,

February invites us to look again at Black History and the legacy of slavery. In spite of the progress of the civil rights movement we are far from being a nation of equal opportunity. Most of the prisoners in our penal institutions are Black or Hispanic. The schools in the ghetto are the worst in the nation, staffed by the poorest teachers. In the present bleak economy the arts have been either eliminated or greatly reduced. Students drop out of high school to find work or escape boredom which guarantees a life of poverty and struggle. Every candidate running for office promises the reform of education in one way or another. Does anyone really care?

I crew on a yacht called Simple Justice. I am about to give up sailing because the owner insists on racing so that we can create winners and losers. This models our free market system which leaves forty million people on the bottom discouraged and hopeless. Is this the country we really want?

This is a partial answer but much more research is needed to find out how the lives of the truly great like Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King, Jr. affect the lives of children. What about the great unknown people in our communities who model the creative life working. They are making a silent contribution, enriching the lives of all persons that they meet.

Why can we not emphasize the original goodness in all persons and undo the curse of original sin perpetrated by traditional religions. Every person has a gift to bring to the community. We need to discover these gifts and to find the courage to share them with the wider community. Building a world of peace and justice is a task for each of us. Let us remember as we approach Valentine’s Day that the holiday has its origins in the life of a humble monk who went about leaving baskets of food and flowers on the doorknobs of people in the community. Legend has it that his name was Valentin and hence the holiday now celebrated with flowers and candies can be remembered for its origin in loving service to others.

As we continue through February, let us be mindful of the hungry, the forgotten, the exploited, and all who are caught in the web of poverty. As religious liberals we are dedicated to this task of building the good society. Frank joins me in sending Valentine greetings and we hope to be with you in March.

Love,