Equal Opportunity

I don't kow how often I hear that we all have the same opportunities, especially children who go to school. Well in theory this makes perfect sense, if we believe that all should have what they need just because they are alive. That idea only works if we look at others with a benevolent eye. It cannot work in a society in which everyone is in competition with everyone else.

When one examines the American school systems one will soon encounter opportunities which are more equal than others. Communities who are wealthy and who have more home owners esp. of expensive homes, will also have schools with more technology and more arts. As we know, the homeowners pay a part of their taxes  to support the school system and those home owners feel since they pay, they ought to be getting plenty for what they pay.

I saw one such highschool which has a Science and Math center as well as laptops in most of their classrooms. That is wonderful. However, schools who are supported by a poorer population do not have such special equippment and often do not even have an art curriculum.

Once I saw an article in a local news paper in which someone suggested that the resources from richer districts should be evenly distributed among all schools. That article was silenced very quickly. Not even a pro or con response was printed. It was as if it never had been printed in the first place. It makes sense, we all work hard and we want to keep what we have. At least that is the expectation under a Capitalistic system. If someone asks us to share we quickly call them a Communist.

This particular word is a word that is freely used, if we want people to feel guilty over being compassionate or the sharing of their wealth.  Even if they only voice the idea of sharing wealth we want to render that idea inappropriate.  And it is quite effective, because we have created a set of paranoid fears around this word  "Communist", through which we immediately are able to conjur up terror in people and a need to defend their territory. It seems an effective way to defend our rights and all that we think we earned rightly.

At the same time we also have managed to villanize the poor making them look incompetent and lazy. This idea serves us quite well as a society. We make the poor criminals who want to steal from "us hard working people". And anyone who suggests otherwise we call a Communist, which renders him instantly harmless and an enemy of everything American. To an undiscerning mind this is quite effective.

 Most of us have only a very vague idea of what Communism really is and so it is easy to cram our minds full or untrue ideas. As Christians we know that Christ calls on us to share with those less fortunate. I believe that other religions have similar provisions. I certainly like to hear from you if you want to add to this. Christ was not a Communist. Christ came to show us the value of each and every person, whether they are poor or wealthy. All people are created by the Creator with unique gifts.

If we do not give equal opportunity and share with those less fortunate, we let those gifts go to waste. Many of those gifts cannot come to the surface because the resources will not be present to bring them to the surface if we do not share our resources. Not only our gifts have value, ALL gifts have value and are essential in the evolution of humanity.

I like also to point out that just as everyone has gifts so does everyone have weaknesses. Those who have resources can deal with those weaknesses easily. A handicapped person with means still can persue a carreer, can hire therapists and buy equipment of any kind needed.

But those who are handicapped and have little means, may be stuck in an institution, and may never get that van for handicapped persons in order to drive to work or fulfill their god-given purpose. Whether we support gifts or help those with weaknesses to survive, if we have the means we also have a responsibility.

The knowledge that God created all people, and the striving and hope for equal opportunity in this country, should call to us to pull together and reach out in compassion. 


Meditation

Envision yourself in a group of people. Each one has a special gift in their hands. So do you. But each one has also something missing. They need that missing piece in order to be able to share their own gift appropriately.

Imagine yourself sharing a piece of your gift with someone who needs it. And as you do, this person is able to share with someone else their gift. Pretty soon everyone is sharing and receiving and everyone is becoming whole at the same time. Envision this exchange! What a wholesome, dignified moment. Journal what you learn from it. 


© 2012 Angelika Mitchell