Mobile Register, Sept 25, 2005
The 'faith community' response

By RANDY BRINSON
Special to the Register
In the past few weeks, we have all been inspired by the outpouring of support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. As would be anticipated, faith-based organizations have taken the lead in support as Christians, and their congregations from all over the country have delivered food, clothing and shelter to those in need.

Alabama, while being affected by the destruction along its coast, has also been extremely philanthropic in its response both at the state and local level.

In a recent Barna report, Alabama ranked as the na tion's most Christian state with more than 65 percent of the residents identifying themselves as "born again" Christians. Their philanthropy was also cited; while per-capita income ranked 35th in the nation, the residents of Alabama ranked 7th in the nation with regard to charity.

While these statistics speak volumes for the goodness of the residents of our state, particularly in regard to the response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster, there are several more troubling statistics with regard to the long-term moral health of our state.

While Alabama ranks as one of the leading states in the rate of marriage, we also rank near the highest in the rate of divorce. We also rank near the bottom in educational achievement, income, and assistance to the poor and children.

Compounding our diminished income tax base, our state has one of the lowest property tax assessment rates in the country. The lack of educational proficiency and health care resources, particularly among the lowest income residents, has been linked to the high incidence of chronic disease such as obesity, hypertension, arthritis and diabetes mellitus.

As the disparity grows between the "haves" and the "have nots" in our state, what should be the proper response of the Christian community? What can we do both privately and collectively to remediate the plight of the poor in our state?

If we were confounded with a similar natural disaster, how could we avoid what has happened in Louisiana to so many indigents?

Instead of being remembered for our attempts to limit tax increases or curb already limited educational resources, we must work with governmental officials to develop sensible public policy that recognizes the legitimate needs of the poor as well as promoting self-worth and self-reliance.

The recent film "Cinderella Man" chronicles the life of Jim Braddock, a blue-collar worker struggling during the Depression, who worked his way into a title fight for the heavyweight championship while supporting his family, keeping his home and his family intact.

At one point, Jim (played by Russell Crowe) has to confront his own son, who takes some meat from a deli because he is so hungry and hides it in his coat.

Unable to pay for the meat, Jim tells his son that he must return it to the shopkeeper despite their obvious need for food to prevent starvation. He later gets a low-paying job as a longshoreman and scrapes together enough money with the small amount he receives from boxing to keep his family from being separated.

This is in stark contrast to the response in New Orleans, where there was looting, rape, shooting and mayhem.

The lesson learned is that we, as the household of faith, must recognize that neglecting the plight of the poor and needy only further expands the number in our state engulfed by this growing epidemic.

Governmental assistance without regard to personal responsibility will only exacerbate the social quagmire. However, turning a blind eye to the problem of the poor and needy leads to needless despair, relegating further generations to governmental dependency.

President Bush, in a nationally televised address, outlined three separate initiatives to address the Gulf Coast hurricane disaster. By providing for job and educational training, tax relief and credits for business and job development, and offering governmental assistance for home ownership, the future of the poor and indigent families caught in the disaster can be a brighter one, giving hope to be able to realize the American dream.

The centerpiece of this plan is for those most needy to rise to the challenge of educational and job opportunities afforded to them. As people of faith, we must do our part to provide support and mentoring to those in need, so that they can take advantage of these opportunities -- whether it be assisting in job training, after-school programs and adult education courses at our houses of worship, or direct job placement.

We must also make certain that these government programs do not become a lottery for wealthy contractors and the well-connected as they assist in the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, wasting billions of taxpayer dollars.

While much of Alabama was spared the widespread destruction seen in Mississippi and Louisiana, we can apply those same initiatives to remedy the plight of the poor of this state by promoting education. Education, combined with moral integrity and self reliance, holds the key to economic prosperity for our state.

History will judge us on whether we can develop a generation of "Cinderella Men" of the New Deal era rather than further expansion of the failures of the Great Society.