Free At Last...

So Bridget has something to creep on the blog for ;)

Today was Martin Luther King Jr. day, a day when all around this country, students rejoice for having a day off. And I certainly do appreciate the day off. It's great to have a couple of days back in Boston where I really don't have much to worry about until I get back into the swing of things. I loved being home, but I am glad to be back, and while I would certainly enjoy having more time off, I'm excited for the next semester.

But what has been moving me has been a couple of things. The first one is the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. Admittedly, I don't know everything about the situation that I should, but I know enough to conclude that it is a mess. I've heard reports from CNN that even the donations that people are sending to Haiti aren't getting to the poor who need it, that those with power are either lying to the masses, or simply just taking whatever they want. But a lot does have to be said about the national awareness of the situation and the desire to truly do something about it. Not since Katrina...um...not since the 2004 tsunami have we seen such a relief effort (sorry, too soon? Hope GWB isn't reading this).

It's just sad to see that even in the midst of this tragedy, that injustice is still occurring. Even with all of this goodwill, the powerful in Haiti are still oppressing the poor. There has been a lot of commentary in the news that Haiti is one of the world's poorest nations, as if we have never been aware of such a thing before. In truth, I haven't been, though I sadly was not surprised when I heard is, as that seems to be the case for most of Latin America (in no small part thanks to us, but that's another topic). What makes me sad is that we only recognized it when this tragedy befell the Hatian people. I'm glad that people are taking notice of it, I just wonder what will happen when this is "over." What will the people of Haiti do when we all suddenly decide that we're done helping them, that they're on their own?

It certainly is a good thing that we're helping them out now, they need it. I just fear that, in this opportunity to really see part of the world, a part that, geographically speaking (to say the least) is our neighbor, that we are just as quickly going to forget all about them when the next steroid abuser decides to come out of the woodwork. Granted, I don't think that's quite going to happen, but I just wonder. Once all of this stuff from the earthquake gets, what I will label, "taken care of" (which, as people in New Orleans can probably attest, doesn't ever happen), their poverty is still going to be there.

What's the point of this rambling? What do I want? Honestly, I want to see some real justice. I want people to look at the suffering and realize that, frankly my dear, it ain't just from the earthquake that these people are suffering so badly. I hope that we can make a difference now, but I really hope that we can make a difference for a year from now, and for years from now.

Big dreams, right? After all, we've got our own problems. We've got to take care of our own. We can't really change the world. No matter how you want to dress it up, and there are some very good ways to do that, this seems to be a very common view. I do understand it, I espouse it on occasion as well.

But for today, it doesn't seem good enough. See, for King, despite all of his faults and flaws and his humanity, he saw things differently. He saw that trying to take care of our own wasn't good enough. He had a dream where people could recognize each other as a person, no matter what the color of their skin, or as I will draw from it, where they come from, what their education level, what their income, so on and so forth.

You know, maybe we can't save the world. Maybe Haiti is always going to be poor, and maybe all of this goodwill won't last forever. That's reality, a reality that I continue to find myself having to face. In spite of my outward appearances sometimes, I really want to see the good in the world. I really strive to see the best in people, and it gets me in trouble when I fail to see that people are a mix, that maybe some people don't want to be good. Even in the midst of a crisis, we find that there are some people in Haiti who are still villains. That's just the way things are, I guess.

But damnit, it doesn't seem good enough.

That's why I think I need God. Because the way things are is not the way they should be. And I can't stand it. And I can't fix it on my own. But I want to fix it. I want to see things get better, and I need help. That's why I'm trying to learn about this theology thing, at some level, cause I want to help out in this world.

The way things are cannot be good enough. I have to have hope that things can change, that people can change. I have to have hope that dreams don't die, that maybe, just maybe, on this day in remembrance of Dr. King, we can have a world where we don't judge people because of the color of their skin, or where they live, or what they do, but where people can be people.

It's late and I'm rambling, so I'm gonna end it there. But a prayer for hope for this world.

Early morning, April 4
Shot rings out in a Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?