A Volatile Mix

The mix of inequality and guns is volatile. Gun violence increases as inequality increases.

In their book The Spirit Level, Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson reveal the distressing cost of inequality. What I find persuasive is their reliance upon reputable data. They go beyond simple opinionating, and instead allow the numbers do the talking. Some snippets:

Greater inequality equals higher degrees of homicide.

Economic inequality leads to higher rates of homicide.

Inequality widens race/ethnic differences.  

In more unequal societies, people are five times as likely 

to be imprisoned, six times more likely to be clinically obese, 

and murder rates may be many times higher.

What seeds of violence are sown through inequality? What is the poison within inequality? Their analysis reveals: 

In more unequal societies, more people are oriented towards dominance,

self-enhancement and status competition. People need to be self-reliant 

and other people are seen to be rivals.

Inequality weakens community life

Francis de Tocqueville, writing about America, observed that

substantial differences in material living standards between people

was a formidable barrier to empathy.

It is not difficult, then, connecting the dots between inequality and gun violence. Guns are expressions of power. Guns put dominance into one's hand. Guns are about me proclaiming superiority. Guns negate empathy. Whether I am hunting, protecting my family, fighting for my nation, stalking my rival, a gun means I will control and conquer you, that your community, your nation, your gang is less valuable than my mine, that you are a threat to my way of life and my community's existence, and you will do my bidding.

Certainly, guns can be legitimately used for hunting, protection, enjoyment, and national defense. But, all too frequently, tossing guns into the inequality mix is like tossing a match into a can of gasoline.

Pickett and Wilkinson open windows of peace. They imply, and I would suggest, if we want to lower gun violence, people need to come together, work together, seek the common good, listen to each other, support each other in difficult times, serve the poor, encourage the vulnerable, focus on loving, work for justice, lobby for political change, provide means for employment with a fair and sustainable wage, socialize, insure that all people have health care, provide resources for families, invest in education for all, allow people to have time together apart from work, and....

Personally, I believe the church is perfectly positioned to open these windows.  I think we know a bit about "things that make for peace." 

Peace!

Economic Anathema!

The recently introduced Republican budget is economic anathema to the vast majority of our nation's citizenry! The middle and lower classes, along with the most vulnerable are treated as expendable tripe; whereas the corporate and upper power groups are provided with succulent steak and lobster delicacies, laughing as they sail away on their yachts and drink martinis lounging in their private jets flying to the Cote Azure on the Mediterranean.

I would presume that a majority of these moral pygmies are church going folks, faithfully listening to their pastors and priests babble about living righteously and responsibly in the gracious forgiveness and love of a prosperity god of gold, comfortably convinced they are doing God's work. They have been fooled! This budget is anathema to God and to anything similar to following Jesus! Jesus would puke! Grace and Gospel are snuffed! Profit and pride are worshipped! 

What is this dastardly slight of hand economic patriotism?  I am grateful to Robert Reich for outlining the scandalous low lights:

1) Huge cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and Pell grants to college

students from poor families, decimating programs for the poor

2) Cuts to federal aid to education

3) Turns Medicare into a voucher system which does not keep

up with expected increases in health care costs

4) Repeals Obamacare which is now providing 16.4 million people

with health care which they did not have previously

5) Boosts military spending by nearly $40 billion next year

through off-budget war funding (remember how we funded the Iraq War)

6) Increases military spending in subsequent years while further

cutting domestic discretionary spending

7) Doesn't raise a dime of taxes on the wealthy and doesn't close any

loopholes used by the rich

This budget needs a wrecking ball! In the paraphrased words of Bruce Springsteen: "We [need to] take care of our own." By taking care of ourselves we can take better care of the world.

All of these proposals create more economic inequality. It is economic inequality that weakens our nation because it crushes hope and opportunity for the overwhelming majority of people's lives. In their book, THE SPIRIT LEVEL, Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkenson state the "Index of child well-being in rich countries is related to inequality....[Economic inequality] creates more inequality which in turn creates more health care and social problems." Trickle down doesn't trickle down. Luxury for the few is not justice for the many.

This budget continues to feed the maw of a ravishing military machine. Our military budget overly consumes our nation's future quality of life and moral standing. We spend more than almost all other nations in the world "combined!" Yet, we cut out the muscle and soul of our people by stripping resources for personal development. We are becoming a nation of beggars through our own faulty budget priorities. 98% of our people are road kill for the limousine drivers and coiffed ladies and men of luxury.

Unless we repent and focus our resources on what is good for ALL, we will fall with our destination the Babylon of indignation! All that is good about the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution will be memories in the winds of history. Indeed, we have taken giant strides towards that "nether" already. The words of Amos are spot on for America:

"Thus says the Lord: For the three transgressions...and for four,

I will not revoke punishment....So, I will press you down in your place."

Amos 1:3, 1:6, 1:9, 1;11, 1:13, 2:1, 2:4, 2:6

"Create in [us] a clean heart, O God, 

and renew a right spirit within us."

Psalm 51:1

Violence Proofing the World-II

Part I of VPW reviewed grace-filled theological foundations to address the call to VPW. Now it is important to focus on the practical, in world actions that appear to run counter to VPW and to those that tend to be consistent with a more faithful, non-causing violence action. Christian witness necessitates engaging the world in manners that resonate with diverse cultures and religious expressions. Hence, there is a practical "secularity" that surfaces and seeks common ground. Christian "holiness" affirms global oneness, uniting knowingly and unknowingly, ALL people.  All people are created in the Image of God.

First, a review of axioms that I find helpful in understanding causes of violence in the world, followed by axioms that tend to prevent violence. 

CAUSES OF VIOLENCE

Dictatorships

Fascism: Collusion of corporate wealthy with government control

Doctrine of Discovery: Theological justification for colonialism

Poverty: Revolutions usually begin from the bottom up, from the poor

Economic Inequality

Poverty and Lack of Opportunity

Slavery-Child Exploitation

Gender Oppression

Racism

Unemployment

Plutocracy and Oligarchy: Government by the wealthy

Quest for Oil

De-Regulation: Elimination of Glas-Steagal Bill, weakening of Dodd/Frank

Lack of Education and Access to Education

Unwillingness to Engage and Celebrate Diversity

Militarism

Money Influence Upon Elections

Voter Suppression

Environmental Degradation

Extremist-Fundamentalist Religious Expression

Ideological Intolerance

Unwillingness to Seek Common Ground in our Politics

Lack of Justice for ALL

Anti-Semitism

Lack of Common Sense Gun Regulation

Family Breakdown

Rise of Extreme Nationalism

Unbridled Nationalism at Expense of Patriotism 

Censorship

Building Walls (Berlin Wall and Israel/Palestine)

CAUSES OF LESS VIOLENCE

Mandatory and Access to Education for all

Fair Financial Arrangements for College, University and Specialized Education 

Democratic form of Government (Democracies do not attack each other)

Economic Equality

Job Creation and Opportunity

Bill of Rights

Equal Access to Voting without Undo Requirements

Public Financing of Elections

Support for and Participation in the United Nations

Leadership Possibilities for ALL

Employment Opportunities for ALL

Fair Regulation of Corporations, Banks, and Wall Street

Balance Between Socialism and Capitalism

Environmental Stewardship

Inclusive and Welcoming of Diversity

Religious Ecumenism

Welcoming of Political Diversity

Less Military Focus

Focus on Human/Public Needs

Appropriate and Common Sense Gun Regulations

Pensions for ALL

Fair Taxation

Global Tax to provide resources for economic justice for ALL

Global Imagination

Transparency and Free Flow of Information

"We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we cannot have both." 

Justice Louis Brandeis

As people of faith, violence needs to be addressed. The ethic of Jesus was nonviolence. Faithfulness means not only "believing" but also and more profoundly "beloving" the world. 

Let the conversation begin! 

Peace!