February 13, 2012
Christ United Methodist Ministry
Center
“Christ in the Heart of San
Diego”
3295 Meade Avenue
San Diego, CA 92116
(619) 284-9205
Pastorgraphs: “The Angry Streets of Athens, Damascus and …”
Watching
the way-too-early news this morning, I couldn’t help but notice the lead
stories were about the street violence in Syria and Greece. They do not have
the same root cause. What is taking place in Syria is tyranny and war crimes as
a dictator kills his own people in an attempt to hold onto power. In Greece,
people are rioting because their government is being forced to either pay the
bills for years of spending more than they could afford, or declare bankruptcy
and withdraw from being a factor in the world economy. One riot has political
factors and freedom at its core, the other has financial aspects at its core.
Then
I remembered that Americans (Tea Party and Occupiers) have taken to the streets
recently, too. While our government allows peaceful and lawful protests, and
uses tear gas and rubber bullets when the demonstrations become either violent
or unlawful, there are some troubling similarities.
Someone
shared the following with me that helped me see the dynamics. I share this
perspective with you in hopes it may help us all see through the loud rhetoric.
The
Tea Party folks are saying the government is broken, stacked against them, and
unresponsive to our needs. They are mad as Hades and are not going to take it
anymore.
The
Occupiers are saying the financial system is broken, stacked against them, and
unresponsive to our needs. They are mad as Hades and are not going to take it
anymore.
Add
to this that facts that 25% of Americans identify with the Tea Party and 25% of
Americans identify with the Occupiers. You don’t have to be a genius to see
that adds up to 50% of Americans who are fed up with the brokenness of our
politics, finances, and other institutions.
While
I’m in a statistical mood this morning, let me throw another number at you.
Last week, we learned that the approval rating of Congress has set a new
record: 10% of Americans approve of the way Congress is working (or better
said, not working!) I was shocked; not that 90% disapprove; but who the heck
are those 10%? Then I remembered, those are the folks who are contributing over
a billion dollars this year to elections. They are perfectly satisfied with
things as they are.
As
Will Rogers said a century ago, “We have the best Congress that money can buy!”
Now,
if we can only get our Representatives and Senators to do what NASCAR does: Require
our politicians to wear the logos of their corporate sponsors!
I
predict that in this election year, nothing will get done (again). And
regardless of who gets sworn in next January, the problem will be a trillion
dollars worse than it is now. Then, how long before the streets of America
become …
And
that is why “street ministry” takes on a new meaning in this context. Christ
Ministry Center is all about street ministries: the hungry and thirsty, the
captive and sick, the strangers and the naked, the widows and the orphans.
Lest
I sound too pessimistic, I am the eternal optimist. I continue to pray, “God,
Bless America!” The greatest nation in history.
Devotedly, Brother
Bill
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