Sunday Musings - September 6, 2020
Tomorrow, September 7, 2020 in the United States is officially Labor Day - a federal holiday to honor and recognized the American labor movement and the works and contributions to the developments and achievements of the United States. It is, of course, ironic, to say the least, that many of the lowest paid laborers will be working or unemployed. It is also a sad commentary that we live at a time when the 1% enjoys the bulk of the wealth while there is little official support for unions or other protections for laborers. Pay, health insurance, childcare and other basic needs of the average worker are not considered rights but a privilege by many in the United States. There seems to be a renewed belief that those who deserve will have all that they need and those who are less deserving will rightfully do without. Here in Wheeling, West Virginia there are now plans - postponed by two weeks or so - to dismantle homeless camps. The stated reason is criminal activity in the camps - domestic violence, theft, overdoses, and other illegal activity. One of the council members was quoted as saying, “It is very easy for all these people or agencies to say the city needs to do something...The city is doing something, it’s protecting its citizens from criminal activity. And I think that is where our role starts and ends.” (The Intelligencer. Wheeling News Register, September 5, 2020 “Removal of Homeless Encampments Delayed until September 18” Mike Jones Region editor)
Recently I have been revisiting the question of how one is to decide what is moral or immoral. Labor Day provides all of us an opportunity to attempt to articulate and discuss some of the moral issues which our current society presents. For example:
• Is it moral for 1% of the population to own a large share of the wealth?
• Is it moral to deny homes, food, transportation, electricity, and internet (needed for school and work in many instances), water, and heat to some because of illness or lack of jobs?
• Is it moral to deny use of vacant or public land to those who are homeless?
• Is it moral to allow homeless encampments to spread disease because we do not provide portable bathrooms and other resources?
• Is it moral to label the sick as criminal even if their illnesses result in activities which are illegal?
• If a crime is committed in a house in a “respectable” neighborhood, it is moral to destroy that house or throw the occupants out?
• Is it moral to expect parents to raise children without pay?
• Is it moral to pretend as if destroying homeless encampments will vaporize the homeless population?
• Is it moral to expect our representatives in government to narrowly define criminal activity as that activity which is unpleasant or bothersome to those citizens who are not homeless?
• Is it moral to pretend as if justice is the same for all the citizens?
• It is moral to point fingers when I enjoy the luxury of a house with utilities, a full refrigerator, and internet service?
• Is it moral to deny we are our brothers and sisters keepers?
• Is it moral to expect the hopeless to act as if they have hope?
• It is moral to believe that the fit should inherit the earth and the unfit should perish since they cannot contribute in the same way the fit can?
• Is it moral to expect police to keep erasing symptoms of the ills of the community rather than helping to identify issues and problem solve with the community?
These are tough issues and, yet, as we approach Labor Day in the United States I think the moral imperative needs to be to ask these and other tough questions; to be honest about our beliefs, and to admit that most of us are not that distant from being homeless and consequently so frustrated, overwhelmed, hungry and life challenged that we might engage in illegal activity.
I do not pretend to have answers or to be immune from enjoying my male, white, addiction free, brain disease free life. I am not today using all my energy on the survival of me and my family. I have the luxury of time and energy to ask the questions while attempting to be honest about the values which determine my answers.
Written September 6, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Tomorrow, September 7, 2020 in the United States is officially Labor Day - a federal holiday to honor and recognized the American labor movement and the works and contributions to the developments and achievements of the United States. It is, of course, ironic, to say the least, that many of the lowest paid laborers will be working or unemployed. It is also a sad commentary that we live at a time when the 1% enjoys the bulk of the wealth while there is little official support for unions or other protections for laborers. Pay, health insurance, childcare and other basic needs of the average worker are not considered rights but a privilege by many in the United States. There seems to be a renewed belief that those who deserve will have all that they need and those who are less deserving will rightfully do without. Here in Wheeling, West Virginia there are now plans - postponed by two weeks or so - to dismantle homeless camps. The stated reason is criminal activity in the camps - domestic violence, theft, overdoses, and other illegal activity. One of the council members was quoted as saying, “It is very easy for all these people or agencies to say the city needs to do something...The city is doing something, it’s protecting its citizens from criminal activity. And I think that is where our role starts and ends.” (The Intelligencer. Wheeling News Register, September 5, 2020 “Removal of Homeless Encampments Delayed until September 18” Mike Jones Region editor)
Recently I have been revisiting the question of how one is to decide what is moral or immoral. Labor Day provides all of us an opportunity to attempt to articulate and discuss some of the moral issues which our current society presents. For example:
• Is it moral for 1% of the population to own a large share of the wealth?
• Is it moral to deny homes, food, transportation, electricity, and internet (needed for school and work in many instances), water, and heat to some because of illness or lack of jobs?
• Is it moral to deny use of vacant or public land to those who are homeless?
• Is it moral to allow homeless encampments to spread disease because we do not provide portable bathrooms and other resources?
• Is it moral to label the sick as criminal even if their illnesses result in activities which are illegal?
• If a crime is committed in a house in a “respectable” neighborhood, it is moral to destroy that house or throw the occupants out?
• Is it moral to expect parents to raise children without pay?
• Is it moral to pretend as if destroying homeless encampments will vaporize the homeless population?
• Is it moral to expect our representatives in government to narrowly define criminal activity as that activity which is unpleasant or bothersome to those citizens who are not homeless?
• Is it moral to pretend as if justice is the same for all the citizens?
• It is moral to point fingers when I enjoy the luxury of a house with utilities, a full refrigerator, and internet service?
• Is it moral to deny we are our brothers and sisters keepers?
• Is it moral to expect the hopeless to act as if they have hope?
• It is moral to believe that the fit should inherit the earth and the unfit should perish since they cannot contribute in the same way the fit can?
• Is it moral to expect police to keep erasing symptoms of the ills of the community rather than helping to identify issues and problem solve with the community?
These are tough issues and, yet, as we approach Labor Day in the United States I think the moral imperative needs to be to ask these and other tough questions; to be honest about our beliefs, and to admit that most of us are not that distant from being homeless and consequently so frustrated, overwhelmed, hungry and life challenged that we might engage in illegal activity.
I do not pretend to have answers or to be immune from enjoying my male, white, addiction free, brain disease free life. I am not today using all my energy on the survival of me and my family. I have the luxury of time and energy to ask the questions while attempting to be honest about the values which determine my answers.
Written September 6, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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