Springsteen Inspiration!

I write listening to Bruce Springsteen's newest CD: "Wrecking Ball".  Great music even without Clarence and Danny and the full E Street Band.  The songs describe the present situation within the USA.  

I used the words to Bruce's first song "We Take Care of Our Own" for devotions at our latest Joint Peace with Justice meeting.  Describing the struggles of living today, each verse concludes with "We take care of our own, wherever this flag's flown, we take care of our own."  I linked it with Acts chapters 2 and 4 where Luke talks about Christians gathering and sharing for the common good.  I see it as more of a belief, a hope, a commitment we make as Americans, rather than as a political reality.  The political reality is that working together for the common good is nearly dead.  Instead we have special interests which heap loads of money upon politicians for influence.  But Springsteen holds out a hope that in our core, our Constitution, our ideals, our faith we do "take care of our own."  I like to believe that and will work towards that goal.  I believe this value is a central Christian ethic, with "our own" being everyone.

As you know, I was part of a group that had a teleconference with an aid from Michelle Bachmann's office.  As a result, I got a letter from Michelle saying "Thank you for taking the time...."  Then she said "I agree with you that the multi-faceted problem of poverty in America is one that must be addressed.  In 2011, 46.2 million people were counted as living below the poverty line, including 16 million children.  As you know, the federal government administers several large-scale assistance programs for the neediest among us.  However, it is also spending money at an unsustainable rate...."  

My interpretation is that because we cannot afford to keep spending, the neediest must pay the price so the "job creators" can keep producing jobs so the neediest can get their act together and get a real job and not be so much of a drain on the rest of us.  Protect and enable the "job creators" to provide opportunities for the rest of us.  Extend the Bush tax cuts, adopt the Ryan-Romney budget, privatize Medicare and Social Security, privatize prisons while the "owners" demand a 95% occupancy guarantee, expand defense spending, drill and frac, cut back on regulations for banks and Wall Street, refuse to prosecute banking and Wall Street thievery, allow banks to continue being "too big to fail", forget about global warming while we roast. 

I think this reality is the anti-thesis of Springsteen's "We take care of our own" and that of Christ.  This is not the way we "take care of our own."

A former Sky Ranch staff member, Mark Frickey, affixed on his Facebook a piece about THE AMERICAN PATRIOT'S BIBLE.  I haven't read it, but I catch the gist.  My guess is that it trumpets a Libertarian, individualistic, right-wing conservative, less government, less regulation, free market with no regulations, more military spending, you are on your own ideology.  Forget about the common good, but "rah, rah America!"

On the receptionist's desk in Rep. Bachmann's office were copies of the U.S. Constitution.  I picked one up because I helped pay for it.  I am often brought to tears when I read it, especially the first words: "We the people...."  I love the "We".  Yet, I feel it drifting away, no, being ripped away.  Why do I feel this Constitution is worth fighting for?  Because I think it goes a long way to freeing and calling us to "take care of our own."  Because it goes a long way in being consistent with the Christian ethic of the "common good."  Because I remember a revolution that produced its truth.  Because I remember an African-American woman, Barbara Jordan, standing delivering the keynote address at a Democrat Convention saying, "I am standing before you because of the Constitution."  Because even Ho Chi Minh copied parts of the Constitution for the constitution of Viet Nam. 

The theme song of Bruce's album is "Wrecking Ball".  One of the phrases is: "So if you've got the guts mister, yeah, if you've got the balls, if you think it's your time then step to the line and bring your wrecking ball.  Come on and take your best shot, let me see what you've got.  Bring on your wrecking ball."

Me think it is time to "bring on the wrecking ball" in order to "take care of our own."  Nonviolently, of course!

Peace!

Ron