Fear and Deception

I saw a movie on Friday night that really got to me. It's called "Why we fight" and it is based on militarism in the US and US foreign policy. We've been talking in conflict transformation about how people often react negatively and shut down when they feel like something about their own identity is being threatened. We also talked in another class about how often people say it is "human nature" to avoid or be threatened by the "different" or the "unknown" and, yet, how there's hundreds of examples that demonstrate how that is not really true. In his book, Privilege, Power and Difference, Johnson notes that "Scientists, psychotherapists, inventors, novelists (and their fans), explorers, philosophers, spiritualists, anthropologists, and the just plain curious are all drawn toward the mystery of what they don't know" (Johnson, 16, 2001). It is dangerous to begin to talk about "human nature" especially when we only base our ideas on what our own experiences reveal. Clearly, that would be the most logical place to start, but the way people think or behave often has just as much to do with how they are brought up to behave or think as whatever they "naturally" would. It is revealing to go to other parts of the country or the world, where the assumptions we had made about "human nature" or the way people live are totally negated.

What is scary to me about a culture of militarism and imperialism is that it takes excess- the unnecessary- at the cost of others' basic needs and justifies it with rhetoric about "national interest" or "national security." I truly question these words. The United States of America already possesses more nuclear arms than any other country on Earth- enough to blow the entire world up several times over. Why- when people are going without health care, when school districts can't "afford" to pay teachers a reasonable salary and provide enough resources for students, when people go hungry, go without basic dignity, are we spending billions and billions of dollars funding the potential destruction of the world several times over? Sometimes I feel so simple, like a small child asking her father, "but why does the US government want to blow the world up Daddy?" Why would they invest so many resources in sheer destructive potential? Will that protect us? Will us being able to destroy the earth 5 times protect us? Are these weapons going to destroy everyone else but not us? Can we really think we're immune?

And then to think it's not just national security concerns or questions about preserving democracy. It's not about that at all. There are huge contracts tied into the production of weapons. Essentially, war makes people rich. The United States spends more on defense than ALL OTHER BUDGETS COMBINED. We arguably have the most powerful economy on earth, enough weapons to destroy the earth several times over- who are we defending ourselves from? And why do we think that our security lies in military force? Probably because that's what we're "led to believe" because of rhetoric, but the people telling us this are salespeople, in business, just like people that sell you a car or a cell phone. Why are we so much more skeptical of people selling us a new TV set than of our national leaders who we are responsible to hold accountable? Our tax money is funding their business of the mass production of unnecessary military equipment and arms. And why? Because major corporations fund campaigns much more effectively than school teachers. Our representatives can't "afford" to tell us the truth. Our government has too much at stake.

I feel so disillusioned to find that my beautiful country, full of democracy and voice and liberty and justice for all is killing people to make a profit and all the people I love, with me, are standing by because we either don't know about it or simply choose to ignore what we do know or what we could know because it makes us feel horrible. It hurts to the core of who we think we are and we don't know what to do about it...So, we just deny it. Instead of going to rent a documentary or look up alternative news sources or trying to get closer to the truth, we pretend it's going to go away. We continue to believe the "military-industrial" complex that Eisenhower warned us of, hasn't arisen yet, and, if it has, that at least it won't touch us. It won't affect OUR lives and OUR children. Well, it has and it is and it absolutely will. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten we belong to one another." Do we have what we would consider real peace in our lives? Do we always remember the truth that God gave us to one another? This world is getting smaller by the day. Every action our government takes represents us, the people of the United States, to the rest of the world. We have to educate ourselves about what is going on, what others' experiences are, where we can cut excess in government spending for destructive purposes and in our own lives. We must learn to live simply so that others may simply live.

I recommend renting the films: "Why we fight" and "Arms for the Poor"(about US militarism) "Broken Rainbow" (about Native Americans), "Down and Out in America" (about poverty in the US) just think about the messages- consider that they might have some truth... Maybe they aren't "feel good" films, but taking time to be "uncomfortable" can move us closer to living lives of love than we may realize. My parents taught me that true committment and true love is not always about what "feels good." Their lessons stay with me to this day.

Shattered Dreams, Relentless Hope

Over Christmas break, Juan Carlos and I decided to talk to an immigration lawyer about the process of getting him permanent residency as my spouse someday. Much to our surprise we were told that, under the current law, it would be impossible for him to get papers, even after we get married. Because of the way he entered the U.S., he is not able to move from an "illegal" status to a "legal" one. We were told all we could do is wait for the law to change.

The only thing I could think of for weeks after we found out were all of our dreams that would never be able to come true if there was no way for him to get papers. I think we had modest dreams all in all- a comfortable home, a healthy family, and the ability to live in the US and travel to Mexico every year or every couple years to visit his hometown and family there. We never planned to make a lot of money or live extravagantly. We were perfectly satisfied to live simply, so long as we could be with our families and spend time in places we considered "home".

It's strange how the things I never thought twice about growing up- being able to live at "home" and live with or near my family- become privileges overnight. There are so many things I've taken for granted (and still do) and it's a somewhat shocking experience to reach a point in life when I only long for what seems like a basic desire once again. Unless the law changes, Juan Carlos and I would not be able to live in my home country together legally. The implications? Months and years away from my family, financial hardship (especially as I have extensive school loans to pay off) and most importantly, the fact that Juan Carlos would not be able to see his family members residing in the US, including his mother and two brothers, at all until and unless they were to return to Mexico (and risk their lives getting back).

In spite of the grave implications of the situation, we refuse to let go of hope. I realize that, regardless of the law, we can still have a wonderful life, even if it's not the way I always envisioned it or the way my family always envisioned it for me. My education will give me more options regardless of where I go, and I love Mexico and I could probably have a satisfying life there. Meanwhile, I have not given up hope that the law may change. I have taken policy advocacy courses to learn how to be more active in working toward a change in legislation. I am also trying to encourage other students on campus, my friends, and my family to write letters in favor of comprehensive immigration reform that would provide a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants. I am trying to address the misconceptions and misunderstandings that people have in terms of the threat of immigration to this country, as well as bring the face of humanity back to a debate that has long forgotten it.

If you are interested in working with me on this, please let me know and I will be happy to provide you with more resources on advocacy or the issue of immigration. Some great films on it include: De Nadie, El Norte, Farmingville, Los Mojados, Rights on the Line: Vigilantes at the Border, Borderwars, and (yet to be seen by me) Dying to Live (a film made by the Center for Latino Spirituality and Culture at the University of Notre Dame)...

Recognizing Privilege

WHEN A POOR PERSON DIES OF HUNGER, IT HAS NOT HAPPENED BECAUSE GOD DID NOT TAKE CARE OF HIM OR HER. IT HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE NEITHER YOU NOR I WANTED TO GIVE THAT PERSON WHAT HE OR SHE NEEDED. - Mother Teresa of Calcutta

My first recognition of the concept of "privilege" must have been the first time I ever noticed a difference between the way I live and the way that others live in the world. The idea has been reinforced in different ways ever since. Most recently, through the past several years, I have begun to see and appreciate that my experiences in life are really just that- my experiences. It seems like such a simple concept and yet to begin to understand that the vast majority of the world lives, thinks, acts, and even breathes differently than I do has been what I consider to be a huge wake up call. The things I think about, the things I worry about and, most importantly, the things I don't are a reflection of my "place" in the world and my privilege.

Starting out with a basic example- I have never had to worry about: being hungry, having somewhere to live, having clothes to wear, having some form of healthcare, being able to trust the law and justice system, having opportunities to further my education, wondering if anyone really cares about me...Of course, these are things any parent would want for his or her child, but, unfortunately, they are not a given in this country or this world. Thousands of people in the US and millions of people around the world live without these assurances. And why is that?

There are a hundred different answers but, ultimately, power struggles throughout history economically, politically, and socially have always left "winners" and "losers." Another way to look at this is that they leave one person/party/group in power and another disempowered. This is the nature of power struggles. Those who end up in power make decisions for the disempowered groups, often trying to disable them further, so they can't put up as much of a fight the next time around. You can see this at the end of wars, especially. The winners' children, therefore, end up with a clear advantage over the losers' children by nature of the circumstances they were born into. This is called privilege. It is not a God-granted gift or creation- it is not the result of being reincarnated into a better life (based on my beliefs)- it is a simple reality associated with historical economic, political and social power struggles, many of which took place before I was even born. Generally, the powerful are able to grow more powerful because they have money, access to resources, and arms that the less powerful tend not to have or tend not to have in such large supply.

So, what's wrong with this? Well, seemingly nothing if you're one of the "winner's" children, but things are much more problematic if you're on the losing end of this whole scenario. Essentially, the less power you end up with from a particular power struggle, the more difficult it is to gain back that power. From a Christian and, frankly, a moral standpoint, what's wrong with this is that regardless of whether we are on the privileged end of things or not, we need to be concerned about those who are underprivileged, underrepresented, under spoken for- those who have lost their pull and voice in society because that's what we're called to do. And, as if that's not enough, we're called to do it without judging the decisions, motivations, or the circumstances that landed them in the "losers" seat to begin with. We don't criticize their strategies, one because it is irrelevant if our goal is to work toward the good of humanity as a whole, and two because their loss resulted in our win. I am privileged precisely because someone else is not. This is a hard concept to choke down and associated with a lot of guilt when we begin to understand the truth behind it, but it is a reality that has to be faced. Unlike many would have us believe, power does not exist in an isolated sense and, therefore, the things that give people power, including monetary wealth does not exist independent of other factors.

It is this interconnectedness related to privilege that is precisely what people in my socioeconomic class seem to have such a hard time gulping down. They want to believe that their choice to drive an SUV, take 30 minute hot showers, buy more food than they could ever possibly eat, have bigger homes that require more resources and take up more space than they could ever utilize is a choice independent of any consequences...that they first and foremost, earned it and that they deserve it. This attitude of entitlement and really of denial about the connections between one's actions and the well being of the earth and people on the earth is incredibly problematic because it allows us to go on living our lives in a manner that is destructive to the earth and destructive to the well being of our brothers and sisters around the world without thought or recognition of consequence.

Regardless of our denial, however, the resource wars have already begun. People are absolutely dying right now because of scarcities in oil and water, because of land and fossil fuels and we, the privileged in the US, are not immune. Our privilege may keep us out of harm's way a little longer, but certainly not forever, and it will be the next generation that experiences the results of our carelessness most harshly. We have to recognize ourselves as part of the problem and we have got to work to even out the distribution of wealth and power- economic, political, and social- within our own country and within the world. It is our moral obligation to our families, our communities, our countries, and our world.

I am not talking about making sure that everyone has the exact same two story four bedroom house and 15 lima beans to eat at dinner every evening. I am talking about living more simply- not buying things for the sake of buying, not eating in excess, just because we can, not purchasing toys and gadgets for your children that will isolate them from engaging with your family even more just because they're popular. I'm simply asking you to honestly look at your own privilege and where your values line up with your lifestyle.

When I first started working and saw all the money that was taken out of my paycheck for taxes, I was apalled. I thought, "with what right do they take my money away?" It took me this whole year to realize with what right did I earn that money in the first place. There are plenty of people who work much harder than me, much longer hours, doing things they hate and make much less. They suffer health consequences, emotional consequences, psychological consequences... and not always because of bad choices, though it wouldn't matter if it was; oftentimes, it is simply because they were born into a disempowered situation and did not have the same opportunity as I did to get ahead. Now I ask, "with what right do I take more than I need?" Who cares if half my paycheck goes to someone else's healthcare as long as I have healthcare too? As long as I have food to eat and shelter and clothes, and a loving family and meaningful work, what more could I ask for? With what right do I deny others their basic needs when I have more than enough?

For my children, if God blesses me with some one day, I wish for them the security of knowing they are loved, of having what they need and of being safe. I recognize that I can't make that wish without working towards the completion of it and without doing something to educate others about their and my responsibility in this matter. We have a responsibility to care for others in this world as their homes and lands and lives are being torn apart because of resources in their countries. We have a responsibility to feed the hungry and clothe the naked so that tomorrow, when we are hungry and naked, as we so easily could be, they will do the same for us. And even if we never have to face that day, when the tables turn, we have the moral obligation to do it. If that does not motivate you to move to action, then do it for your children and your children's children, so that war can be avoided at all costs and so that people are no longer motivated by fear and desperation but are able to live in a basically satisfying state of life.