A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.
— Proverbs 13:23 NIV
King Solomon (who was Israel’s 3rd king and reigned from 970 – 931 BCE) wrote the above proverb over 2,900 years ago. Throughout human history there have been those who are rich and those who are poor. There has always been those who have suffered under injustice. There have always been societal hurts.
There are a wide range of issues and concerns that individuals can chose to help address. I think that those who consider themselves to be children of God should do what they can to help address the societal issues and concerns that move them.
Here are some issues that have moved me —
— ASSAULT WEAPONS
According to a 2006 joint paper by Oxfam International, the International Action Network on Small Arms and Amnesty International:
Kalashnikov (AK-47) assault rifles are the most widespread military weapons in the world. It is estimated that there are between 50 and 70 million of them spread across the world’s five continents. They are used daily by soldiers, fighters, and gang members to inflict untold suffering in many countries. The spread of these weapons continues largely unchecked by governments, threatening the lives and safety of millions as weapons fall into irresponsible hands…
…the number one tool used for killing and injuring civilians today is small arms, including the assault rifle, which is reaching more countries than ever before…
The proliferation of Kalashnikovs has resulted in such deadly weapons being used to massacre, maim, rape and abuse, torture, and fuel violent crime in countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Britain, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Iraq, Mexico, Sierra Leone, the USA, Venezuela, and Yemen…
The proliferation of, and ease of access to AK-47 and similar assault rifles around the world, more than any other small arm or light weapon, continues to result in mass suffering, with no end in sight…
(The report, written by Oliver Sprague and Hugh Griffiths with Brian Wood, can be accessed at: https://www.oxfam.de/system/files/20060623_theak47_200kb.pdf
through: https://controlarms.org/research-and-reports/ )
In the United States, assault weapons are the weapon of choice of those who wish to kill a large number of innocent people in a short amount of time.
Please take a few minutes to look at a YouTube clip that I have posted.
It is called “Another Day and Another Assault Weapon Does Its Job” —
— IMMIGRATION
‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, fatherless, and widow.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
— Deuteronomy 27:19 WEB
“You shall not oppress an alien, for you know the heart of an alien, since you were aliens in the land of Egypt.”
— Exodus 23:9 WEB
“You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the foreigners who are in your land within your gates.”
— Deuteronomy 24:14 WEB
“When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him.”
— Leviticus 19:33 NIV
Just after Jesus was born:
… behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt…
— Matthew 2:13 – 14 WEB
Jesus can surely relate to those who are immigrants and aliens. For he was one. This is another example of how the Lord can relate to the human condition. God requires that foreigners not be mistreated.
The United States recognizes the value of immigrants and foreigners to the national fabric. The Declaration of Independence has as a complaint against King George III of England: “He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither…”
The Statue of Liberty is the icon of freedom for America. A section of the poem, written by Emma Lazarus, in support of the Statue of Liberty reads:
“…cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
President Trump opposes immigrants. In a May 2018 article by Paul Waldman of the Washington Post (the article was also published in the Chicago Tribune):
The Trump administration’s immigration policies are impossibly cruel…
Amid growing outrage over the Trump administration’s policy of separating children from their parents when families arrive at the border, many are asking how the administration can be so cruel as to literally tear children from their mothers’ arms. There’s a clear answer, one that runs through all of the administration’s policies on immigration: The cruelty is the whole point.
It’s both a reflection of President Donald Trump’s beliefs and those of his key advisers on immigration, and a practical tool they are using to reduce the number of immigrants coming to the United States. There won’t be a more humane set of policies coming out of this administration, because they have no interest in being humane.
In December, The Washington Post reported that the administration was considering a set of policy changes that would both separate families arriving at the border and crack down on undocumented parents already in the United States who send for their children. Then earlier this month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that everyone who crosses the border illegally will be subject to criminal prosecution, and because children cannot be held in adult jails, that means families will be split up. (Previously, families were held in facilities where they could remain together.) The implementation of this policy has led to agonizing scenes at the border of anguished parents and terrified children. “This is as bad a practice as I’ve seen in my career,” one American Civil Liberties Union lawyer told NBC News. “It has such a cruel feel to it.” In some cases, families have been separated even when they arrived at official ports of entry and requested asylum.
The Trump administration has made no attempt to hide the fact that they hope that the harshness of this policy will deter people from seeking to come to the United States…
On June 30, 2018 there were over 600 protests across the U.S., in all 50 states and involving thousands of people. The protests were in opposition to the Trump administration’s cruelty and policies against immigrants.
The policies protested against include: separating children from parents, telling parents that they can be reunited with their children if they choose voluntary deportation, minor immigrant children being summoned to court without the support or counsel of an attorney, immigrant children being kept in cages like animals.
I attended the protest that took part in Denver.
Pictures taken of protest signs are presented here —
— YOUTH WHO SELF-HURT
I wrote a play called “The Release”.
Anna Franklin has a secret…
But that’s not too unusual in the Midwest, where emotions tend not to be carried on one’s sleeve.
Anna has been cutting herself… repeatedly…
“The Release” is a screenplay about Anna Franklin and what happens after her secret has been discovered by those closest to her.
There are those who try to help and those who try to hurt.
Anna also learns that despite any outside help received,
the biggest solution to her problem may lie within.
“The Release” is available on Amazon.com at:
https://www.amazon.com/Release-play-Maurice-Brame-ebook/dp/B01A4O3XH8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1536334495&sr=8-4&keywords=maurice+brame
and at BarnesAndNoble.com at:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-release-maurice-brame/1120972130?ean=2940149999521
Here is an excerpt from “The Release” —
ACT II, SCENE III — ANNA AND ROSE MEET AGAIN
Anna and Rose have their fourth session
ROSE: Anna, it’s nice to see you again. So tell me, how have you been feeling?
ANNA: I haven’t felt like cutting myself.
ROSE: Well, that is good. Has anything changed? How are things at home?
ANNA: Things are pretty much the same. Lorraine is an angel. Her and Mom and I went over to Moline to do some Christmas shopping this weekend. We had a nice time. Seems like it’s been awhile since we’ve done something like that.
ROSE: Just the girls. That can be fun. Did you get to spend any time with your father over the weekend?
ANNA: Nah. Well, I saw him for maybe four minutes rather than two last weekend.
(She pauses for a few seconds.)
ANNA: Why does he hate me?
ROSE: Are you certain that he hates you?
ANNA: I don’t know what else it could be. He doesn’t seem to love me. I can’t remember the last time he really showed it, don’t ever remember him saying it. Feels like I’m avoided and tolerated around there by him.
ROSE: I am sorry. I can’t say why your father acts as he does. Maybe some day you can ask him. You are obviously hurt by how he treats you. Do you think he’s always felt that way?
ANNA: Maybe… ( Long pause) I remember one time when I was little. I had to be only about four years old. I don’t even think I was in school yet. It was night and I was put to bed by my Mom. After she left the room I got out of bed and went to look out of the window. It was snowing and it must have been the first snow of the year. I remember being so fascinated by it and it was quiet outside and this nice snow was coming down. It also somehow looked special because it was dark and the only light was from the only streetlight on our block. Well, I’m starring out the window just watching this snow gently falling.
Next thing I know, my father is right behind me. He doesn’t say anything and he gets on his knees right next to me and we’re both just starring out of the window. Neither one of us say anything and we’re just looking out the window for I don’t know how long; ten… fifteen minutes.
After a while, I ask him where snow comes from. He says all he knows is that it somehow comes from God and it is one of his special creations. Then he just pats me on the head and strokes my hair and picks me up and puts me in bed.
I think I went right to sleep but I also remember that was one time I felt that he did love me. Maybe it was the only time I felt it for sure.
ROSE: That was a special moment. It is unfortunate that you and your father don’t have other moments besides that one. On the other hand, maybe somehow there are some special moments such as that one to come in the future.
Anna, harsh as it may be, life demands that we look at what we have at our disposal, only at this moment, for things that help sustain us. Maybe it is or is not your father. Maybe it could be your mother, maybe a teacher or counselor at school, maybe from God or some spiritual ministers or teachers from the church you may go to, maybe some friends, maybe in a way your sister. You also will need to look inward and while I want you to more clearly see your own strengths, I also want you to more clearly see whom can you trust outside of yourself.
There is an old saying: “No man is an island.”. Do you know what that means?
ANNA: That no man should be alone?
ROSE: Correct. And even more than that, that for their own health and well-being, that all people need to be connected to society in a healthy fashion. That it’s not healthy for an individual not to have these connections and the connections that they do have benefit the
person and come to benefit the people they are connected to.
Another part of it is that these connections change as people grow and different people come into and go out of one’s life. But that’s getting a little ahead of ourselves. What I’d like you to do is think of some healthy connections you currently have access to. Who do you like and trust and think it would be good to spend time with on something of a regular basis?
Do you think we can try to talk about that more the next time we meet?
ANNA: Yeah. I think so.
ROSE: And thinking of the next time we meet it could be a little while because of the Christmas break. So, looking at the schedule we won’t meet again until a week or so after the New Year and you are back in school. While we have this break if you feel like you really need to call me don’t hesitate. You got my number?
ANNA: Yes. I’ve got your number.
ROSE: OK. I hope you have a Merry Christmas.
ANNA: Merry Christmas to you too Rose.
This play has not been produced yet. Please consider being the first to produce it!