Religious leaders focus on poverty (tricky Nick projectile barf alert)

MPLS Star & Sickle ^ | 1-20-05 | nick coleman

[Rakkasan1]

Wednesday was Meth Awareness Day at the State Capitol, and just in time. Symptoms of methamphetamine use include a false sense of power, incessant talking and purposeless, repetitive behavior. Of course, those things in the Capitol only prove that the Legislature is in session. But whatever our lawmakers may be smoking, the warning signs are clear: They have begun neglecting their responsibilities and are having trouble setting priorities.

This was a disgrace:

While state officials were getting hip to crank yesterday, leaders of Minnesota's two largest religious faiths were two miles away, visiting the West Side of St. Paul in an attempt to show lawmakers the human faces of poverty and to change the nature of our political debate, which has been dominated in recent years by budget squabbles and juvenile promises not to raise taxes.

Every one of the 201 legislators was notified of the effort by Archbishop Harry Flynn of the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis and his Lutheran opposite number, Bishop Peter Rogness of the St. Paul Synod of the ELCA. Powerful pols on both sides of the aisle were specifically invited to join the churchmen in a hardship tour of the West Side, a microcosm of poverty and problems too often seen by politicians only as troublesome line items.

Not a one of the pompous windbags showed up.

[Rakkasan1]

True "rights" never require an obligation from others.The Commandment ,"Thou shalt not steal" doesn't mean thou shalt not steal unless there is a majority vote in the legislature.Real charity starts at home, YOUR home, not in mine or someone elses' wallet.Put your money where your mouth is and some change in the kettle.

amen.