Rhetoric that divides

Wokeness

Despite the use of woke as a pejorative, being woke is a good thing. 

Woke is now defined as “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice),” and identified as U.S. slang. It originated in African American English and gained more widespread use beginning in 2014 as part of the Black Lives Matter movement.

When Ron DeSantis says, "This is where woke goes to die," does he mean Florida is the home of racism, fear, and hate? A place where our history is not taught? A place where we have second class citizens? A place where homiphobia is commonplace and encoraged? A place where children are taught what to think, not how to think? A place where only people with the right connections can get a fair shake? A place where white priviledge is guaranteed?

Racist and Discriminatory Policies

A Stamford pysychologist has identified Seven Factors that contribute to American racism. According to the psycologist, Steven O. Roberts, of the seven factors the researchers identified, perhaps the most insidious is passivism or passive racism, which includes an apathy toward systems of racial advantage or denial that those systems even exist. "After examining research on racism from psychology, the social sciences and the humanities, the researchers argue that American racism systematically advantages White Americans and disadvantages Americans of color – but that it does not have to." It all starts with awareness. That's the opposite of the positions taken by legislators and governors in 44 states, most notably in Florida, Texas and Arkansas. They prefer awareness of racism be suppressed. This includes students with advanced education, starting with advanced placement classes through univeristy cirricula.

What will grow in the place of "woke" if principles like diversity, equity, and inclusion are pulled out of the white rose garden by their roots? We'll be left with a society where diversity will be viewed as problematic, where companies and schools no longer attempt to provide equitable opportunities to their employees and students, and where exclusionary tactics replace inclusion. Racially Restrictive Covenants were once used to prohibit "Black people from moving into specific homes and often entire communities." While these covenants are no longer legally enforceable, the racist language that remains in some of the deeds of American homes serves as a painful reminder of what exclusion looks like in action. -Allison Wiltz

What Can Be Done?

Become active! Learn! Act!

Mei Cobb's blog on The United Way site came up with eight actions we can take to inspire change.

1. Register to vote and help others do the same.
2. Examine and correct your own biases.
3. Have conversations about race.
4. Read to understand the history and impact of racism.
5. Support anti-racism organizations.
6. Advocate for laws that dismantle barriers to economic opportunity.
7. Volunteer to improve the health, education, and financial stability of people living in poverty.
8. Use your influence within your workplace and other organizations to address racial inequity.
9. I would add another. Never give up.   

Things That Work / Social Justice

(Sushil Nash)

Why We Should Give a Damn

Income inequality is creating an untenable situation that is dealing out a majority of the world's population. The disparity between rich and poor is leading to mass migration, extreme poverty, conflict, and human suffering.

The income divide is creating a world that is unfair and unjust. Hoarding wealth is creating:

• Reduced social mobility Income inequality can make it more difficult for individuals to move up the economic ladder.
• Increased poverty Income inequality can lead to higher rates of poverty particularly among children and other vulnerable groups.
• Political and social unrest ...
• Reduced economic growth ...
• Negative impact on health and well-being ...  (economicmatter.com)

What is the divide?

The Pew Research Center has crunched some of the numbers on this issue. The top 20% of income earners in this country brought in 52% of US income, more than the bottom four-fifths combined. Income inequality in the U.S. is the highest of all the G7 nations, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Pew's numbers are from 2018. It's gotten worse, a lot worse. The top 1% of earners make over 20 times as much as the bottom 90%. (Source: Social Security Online) The gap between the rich and everyone else seems to be worsening.

Toward a Just World

According to the Network Movement for Justice and Development, Social justice is still a distant dream for millions. In 2020, the world still has six hundred million people living in extreme poverty. They live on 1.5 dollars a day or even lesser. The definition of social justice has changed over the decades. If it once meant equal access to food, clothing, and shelter; now it is about living with integrity, good education, proper healthcare, and so forth. If you look at the happiest countries in the world, you’ll see they have free access to healthcare, education and is a corruption-free democracy. Social justice is a human right, it is essential for achieving a well-rounded society. Those of us who care are standing up for the end of discrimination, equal healthcare systems, better educational opportunities for all, and equal participation.

Several organizations and institutions provide their own definitions for social justice. Here are a few:

• “Social justice may be broadly understood as the fair and compassionate distribution of the fruits of economic growth.”
  United Nations
• “Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. Social workers aim to open the doors of access and opportunity for everyone, particularly those in greatest need.”
  National Association of Social Workers
• “Social justice encompasses economic justice. Social justice is the virtue which guides us in creating those organized human interactions we call institutions. In turn, social institutions, when justly organized, provide us with access to what is good for the person, both individually and in our associations with others. Social justice also imposes on each of us a personal responsibility to work with others to design and continually perfect our institutions as tools for personal and social development.”
  Center for Economic and Social Justice

What Can We Do?

It's simpler than you think. Pinning our hopes on the grand gesture results in a paralysis. Mindfood.com came up with ten things we can do to promote social justice every day.

1. Spread the word...
2. Listen more...
3. Attend a rally...
4. Reclaim your community...
5. Volunteer...
6. Support local organizations...
7. Adopt a politician...
8. Embrace diversity...
9. Sign a pledge...
10. Practice what you preach.

If you refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, your own cry for help will not be heard 

(Proverbs 21:13).