IS IT HARDER TO BE POOR IN...

At our last Calcutta Group meeting the comment was made that it is harder to be poor in America than in a third world country. What do you think? On the one hand the resources of America mean that even the poorest persons have some chance to get food and shelter and even emergency room medical care if they are willing to put up with all the "restrictions" or "hassles" that getting these resources entails. In many third world countries no such aid is available. On the other hand, when most people are poor there might not be the psychological, emotional or spiritual humiliation that exists in America.

Another way to come at this question might be to ask the question of, "Who's suffering is greater, the poor of America or the poor of say Haiti?" In Mountains Beyond Mountains Paul Farmer has some things to say about comparing suffering. His basic message is go to Haiti, see the situation; then if you still want to talk about who's suffering more you will at least have some first hand experience.

Spitting contests are rarely helpful. Your pain isn’t as bad as mine, your loss isn’t as great as mine. It’s kind of like... His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9:2 NRSV) Jesus responds with looking at the situation totally differently. He "sees" the opportunity to bring healing and sight rather than to fix blame.

Discussion and gathering information are essential to acting intelligently, but it is also essential to move beyond discussion to the doing. What do you think?