Liberation theology talks about a preferential option for the poor - "an O for the P" in Paul Farmer's lingo. More and more, I am adopting this perspective on my still few experiences here in Tijuana. Last week, students from a private Catholic high school in Bellevue, WA volunteered their spring break to "serve the poor" here in Tijuana. At a final reflection, many spoke of being glad they were able to "help out." Prima facie, their gesture is a noble one. After all, they worked hard (and paid money) to provide labor for a family that might not have been able to afford it. But why couldn't they just pay money to buy a backhoe that could have done the same job in 1/5th the amount of time? Wouldn't that have been more efficient?Wouldn't that have been a better gift? That is the question that was not confonted and was left unanswered by many. Giving is a two-way street, my friends.
Having this group of students from my home (from a rival high school, no less) forced me to re-discover my own experiences at an affluent, private Catholic high school. Thinking especially about how each of us are "gate-keepers" to certain resources (university, select sports clubs, etc.) – something I learned from my non-university education while at the U. of Washington – it is obvious that a significant counter-force (i.e. "O for the P") is necessary to combat institutionalized racism, inadequate health care systems, educational discrepencies, and the increasing gap between rich and poor. In my eyes, these are not so much many seperate problems as one single problem with many faces. I can only hope that my compatriots will, en masse, correct the tunnel vision that has plagued our eyes for so much of our country's history.
"The real burden to society is not the poor but the corporate rich. We simply no longer can afford them."
- Michael Parenti, Dirty Truths
(Some) Relevant Reading:
- "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracey Kidder
- "Dirty Truths" by Michael Parenti
- "No Logo" by Naomi Klein
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