To Die Another Day
Where’s the concern any and every other time of the year?
As the nights begin to turn cold, I recall a conversation with a member of our homeless community, and she expressed in one sentence what I had been struggling with for days during those weeks of extreme cold temperatures – that her community’s response is a mixed bag of thankfulness and anger. “Where’s all this concern any and every other time of the year!” Our thoughts were the same, but my struggle was ideological, hers were real. And her feelings represent the feelings of the community that is subjected to these confusing pendulum swings – from being harassed and swept beyond the margins, to being swept up into the rescuing arms of Jesus, (depending on the weather. Literally).
There’s a heightened sense of urgency when there are people at risk of literally freezing to death, and I can see how my friend aches at the thought of her slow and agonizing death that is at work every other day of the year and yet goes virtually unnoticed. Or noticed but ignored. It’s like the person who knows their diet is leading to heart disease, but only takes action upon having a heart attack. The doctors plead for a change, but there’s always the sense that I’ll address that later, or we just don’t have the willpower to make those needed changes. Our communities take on a steady diet of systemic oppression against the homeless, some of it direct and intentional, most of it is the sense that it’s just not a pressing concern for us or we just don’t possess the willpower to make the needed changes, that is until our own personal guilt and shame are at stake. And this doesn’t address those who are totally unaware that there is a problem.
It is not overstating the crisis
There are too many people who are not aware of the systemic issues that contribute to and crystallize members of our communities in homelessness. And it is not overstating the crisis to say that these issues can contribute to the slow and painful death of people without homes. We memorialize them every year. Of course, we have the power to change these issues, but an appreciation for the need for change won’t come if we’re not made aware of the effects they have. And after having been made aware, we must address these very systemic issues rather than applying the endlessness of charity. Charity is always the mode of operation for some, and so the degree of need determines the degree, extent, and urgency of their response and involvement – like subfreezing weather calls for an “all hands on deck” approach. Unfortunately, many a charitable persons and organizations fail to appreciate the advantages of applying a sense of urgency in time and resources towards the systemic changes that can ultimately reduce the need for charity.
Change trumps (sorry, couldn’t think of another term) charity every time.
And this is not a criticism of charitable acts or charitable people, they (we) are necessary. We need more Mother Teresas, But we also need more Dr. Kings – people who are working towards change. Contrary to what many may think, the general consensus within the homeless community is that they are weary of being the recipients of our charity, the objects of our ministries. No one knows the necessity of generosity as well as they do, particularly during the winter months. But this is the very thing that causes the confusing and opposing emotions within them – one of gratitude and thankfulness towards generous people, pitted against the anger and frustration of living in a society that seems bent on making their generosity necessary. It’s a combination of a spoken, “thank you so much” and an under the breath, “can you please go away?!”
And quite honestly, it seems easier…
It’s difficult, if not impossible for even the most disciplined of us to consistently sustain a sense of urgency, or a high level of consciousness and attention for just about anything, (even our own personal habits that we know are slowly killing us) but it’s the wise person who tries. And change on any level will not come without trying. Bringing about systemic changes is hard work, and the vested interests of the unaffected are always there and ready to fight or “reason” us away. And quite honestly, it seems easier to rally an effort around collecting blankets than to work towards affordable housing and a living wage. And the dark side of me wonders if the good feeling one gets from extending charity is addictive to the point that it contributes to our lack of urgency to quench our thirst for it or even the organization’s fear of working itself out of a job.
There are many homeless members of our community who will be inexpressibly thankful that their neighbors will rally around the urgent need of warmth and food this winter, but we neighbors must work towards systemic solutions, we must. It is inexcusable for a capable community to gin up enthusiastic generosity towards the homeless because of the immediacy of the moment, saving them only to die another day.
