[Oe List ...] all the earth belongs to all the people

[Susan Fertig]

Jack and Paul, First of all, I appreciate your taking my question seriously
and not just dismissing it as uncaring or unthinking.
 
Next, I think what has always distinguished people of successful community
is that they CHOOSE to care for each other.  Not that there is a governing
body (the Soviet?) requiring it and thereby diminishing to nothing the human
spirit.
 
Finally, I do not believe that anyone or any government "owes" me medical
care, or food, or a home, or a car, or any of the things that everyone seems
to take for granted. If I am unable to provide those things for myself, then
I truly do hope there will be kind and generous people who will help me.
But not, please God, my government.
 
I have been so dismayed by our pell mell helter skelter descent into
socialism within an oh-so-short handful of months that I am no longer a
conservative.  I have lost all balance I ever had and have fallen right over
into libertarianism (not, of course, the LaRouche style version).  
 
Susan
 
Susan Fertig-Dykes
tel: (703) 751-5956
 

  _____  

From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf
Of Jack Gilles
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 12:09 PM
To: Order Ecumenical Community
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] all the earth belongs to all the people


Dear Susan, 

I too think this is a question that needs a thoughtful answer.  I am
grateful for Paul's response as it is, as it should be, from the heart which
is the means by which this community dialogues.

I remember JWM reminding us that first and foremost we were born into
humanity, not family, community or nation.  Therefore, it is the humanity of
us all that we stand before as equals, and with a mutual responsibility.
That said, each of us has a responsibility for how that life is lived and
cared for.  We bare the responsibility for our actions, including those that
lead to consequences of illness and poor well-being.  But there are issues
of wellness that are beyond our individual control, be those of birth,
accident or social circumstances.  For these we need to ask, whom will be
responsible for the healing and care?  In that question it is clear that our
(USA) social structures and consciousness is in need of strengthening,
including our understanding of death.

We all know of the issues of families not willing to care for, nor honor the
dignity and role of elders in their lives.  We have developed vast
industries to hide this responsibility, to render the elders subservient to
youth and deny a legitimate profound role in our collective community.  We
also know that we have lost community in and through which care needs to be
acted out.  We have seen so many fine examples of community care including
many that have financial structural designs that seem to work well.  In a
"perfect world" perhaps this model of caring community with equitable
structures would be what we need to build.  I would share with what I
imagine is your concern that once a "right" is designated at such a large
level as the US economy and society things not only get complicated and
often too expensive, but it keeps us from facing the more ontological needs
of building our local communities and our individual responsibilities for
ourselves and our neighbors.   It hinders the necessary dialogue on what
care should we collectively render (i.e. unlimited end of life treatments at
all costs, who gets transplants etc.).   We have a very profound dialogue
that needs to occur around these issues that isn't taking place, at least at
a national level.  In other words, the issue of "the right of care for all"
when implied at the national level, is not dealing with the contradictions
and therefore, I believe, will not lead to the solutions we need to develop.
Without elaboration, we who live in the Litibu community of Mexico are
presently facing such community care issues.

That said, it remains to say which present options being discussed will take
us towards our goal of all of us caring for all in a way that brings us into
full mutual love and responsibility.  I am not totally clear as to which
model does that and what model keeps us further away from the real
contradictions of our common good.

Grace & Peace,

Jack

On Aug 29, 2009, at 2:46 AM, PSchrijnen at aol.com wrote:



Why? What a great question, Susan.
 
I was on top of Table Mountain yesterday. The cable car and facilities on
top of the mountain were refurbished about 10 years ago, and Mandela opened
it: declaring it SA's gift to the earth. He declared it so. An act of
generosity.  Of hope. And most people on top of the mountain were South
Africans, most of them black, but there were accents and shades of all
colours of the rainbow. 
 
So, thanks Susan, for letting me ponder that question.
 
By the way, the top of Table Mountain is sacred space. There is an awe in
the air. People whisper thoughtfully, aware of the presence of the mystery.
I wept at times in the presence of this perspective on the beautiful earth
on which I live. 
 
Paul
<table%20mountain.JPG>
 
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