 Charity and Justice: Going Upstream |
Issue 120 |
Charity and Justice: Going Upstream
Imagine a village situated on the banks of a fast flowing river. The river was a source of water for the village as well as containing a variety of fish that provided a valuable source of protein. The water from the river was also used to irrigate crops growing near its banks. The village prospered thanks to the river and what it provided to the people of the village.
One day, a villager was walking along the bank of the river looking for a good fishing spot when she noticed what looked like a baby being carried down the river. Without hesitation, she dived into the swift flowing waters and swam out to the baby in order to save it.
The next day when walking by the river the same villager saw two babies floating down the river. The villager called for help and both babies were quickly rescued. The next day, four babies were rescued and so it continued day after day with many babies being saved.
The villagers called a meeting so as to better organise the rescue effort. Lifesavers were trained in the latest resuscitation techniques, medical facilities were upgraded, the village hospital refurbished, a special appeal was organised so that carers could be paid an allowance to bring up the babies properly. And so it continued, with many babies saved. The village had developed an efficient and compassionate way of dealing with the crisis.
Then one day, a villager spoke up at a gathering of the village council, "Where are all these babies coming from? How are they ending up in the river? Why don’t a few of us go up the river and find out?" The others were not so keen. They were worried that there would be a shortage of people to continue the rescue operation. Babies’ lives might be lost. The villager was insistent. "But don’t you see, if we find out why the babies are getting into the river in the first place, we will be able to stop the problem before it starts." The other villagers were not convinced. They thought that it was too risky.
And so the babies kept floating do wn the river in ever increasing numbers...
This story illustrates how there may be more than one way of addressing a crisis such as that faced by the villagers. Obviously it is essential to rescue the drowning babies and it would appear to be sensible to go up the river and address the causes of the crisis so that further rescues might not be needed as one villager suggested. One method of tackling the problem is not necessarily better than the other. Both are necessary. However, the villagers needed to go the extra step. The rescue operation was not enough on its own. A further step is required otherwise the problem will continue, perhaps overloading the rescue system. The cause needs to be addressed as well.
Looking at some problems that require both approaches:
Poverty cannot be tackled effectively just by giving aid. There needs to be an examination of what causes poverty. Unfair trade rules and unpayable debt play a large part in causing poverty in many countries. Changing this will be more effective over time as it will address the causes of the problem "upstream".
The issue of homelessness in Australia can be tackled by gathering up the homeless, giving them a meal or some shelter but this does not address the problem fully. We should be asking why our society, (one of the richest in the world) allows so many not to be adequately housed. Is it due to the lack of public housing? Chronic unemployment? Inadequate welfare payments? Asking these sorts of questions is part of any proper response to the issue of homelessness.
A response to problems of disadvantage that does not include looking at causes and structural change is not a complete response. If we do not look at changing the structures that cause disadvantage then we are saying that society is fine and that the problem is with the individuals involved and should be tackled at that level. That form of action is usually not very controversial. The campaigning for social change can often get people and organisations into difficulty with those in power who usually like things to stay the way they are. As Archbishop Dom Helder Camara of Olinda and Recife in Brazilnoted, "When I give bread to the poor they call me a saint, but when I ask why the poor have no bread they call me a communist". And yet this is the response we are called to make if we are committed to acting with justice. We should not fall into the trap of combating disadvantage by passively accepting the system which causes it and helping the victims through it. We often have to "rock the boat" in order to respond with justice and therefore true charity. Justice is about fairness, with what people deserve. It comes from social structures which guarantee basic rights to a li fe of human dignity. Charity without justice relies on the goodwill and generosity of the giver and can be withdrawn whenever the giver chooses.
" Let no one attempt with small gifts of charity to exempt themselves from the great duties imposed by justice." Pope Pius XI, Divini Redemptoris, #49
Religion/ Social Services
1) Many schools as part of their religious or pastoral programs include an exposure to community action. This would be a perfect opportunity to consider the difference between charity and justice, the so-called "two feet" of social action. This consideration could begin with an examination of why the problem exists. For example, if a hostel for the homeless was to be visited, brainstorm the causes of homelessness. It is important to focus on the societal structures as well as the situations of individuals.
When organi sing fundraising activities the opportunity for advocacy should not be ignored. For example, many schools have done some work on the Make Poverty History campaign. There are opportunities for awareness raising as well as advocacy to go along with this campaign. There is a petition available at the website to present to political leaders at www.makepovertyhistory.com.au/downloads/
MakePovertyHistoryPetition2005.pdf as well as a letter writing guide at www.makepovertyhistory.com.au/
downloads/lwgjune05.pdf These activities could be incorporated into a civics unit as well as a unit on social justice.
2) Below is a basic chart to help clarify the distinction between works of justice and works of charity:
| Charity - Social Service | Justice - Social Change |
Scriptural Reference: |
Scriptural Message: "Let My People Go." |
| Private, individual acts | Public, collective actions |
| Responds to immediate need | Responds to long-term need |
| Provides direct service: food, clothing, shelter |
Promotes social change in institutions |
| Requires repeated actions | Resolves structural injustice |
| Directed at the effects of injustice: symptoms | Directed at the root causes of social injustice |
Examples |
|
| Homeless shelters, food shelves, clothing drives, emergency services | Legislative advocacy, changing corporate policies or practices, congregation-based community organisations |
After examining the above table, divide the class into groups and examine different responses to one issue per group and classify responses as charity or justice. Issues such as poverty, homelessness, mental illness, indigenous health etc could be examined. Past issues of Ozspirit could be used to give groups a background to the issues. Go to www.ozspirit.com/archives.html and search through the list of topics and go to the backgrounder. As part of this ask students to complete a "Why Web" of their selected issue. For an example of the "Why Web" see one of the exercises in the Caritas’ tsunami resource at: www.caritas.org.au/emergencies/
asiaEarthquake/secondary_resource/
secondary_08.pdf
3) Charity and justice are sometimes said to be the "two feet" of social action. Ask students to design a poster of two shoes showing both aspects of walking the path of social action.
4) When an approach to an issue leans too heavily onto the charity "foot", there can be a tendency to disempower the people that are being helped. The receiver becomes a passive object in the eyes of the giver. Go to www.newint.org/issue148/picture.htm to consider what it might be like to be the recipient of such inappropriate charity. For each scenario, write why the action is inappropriate, how the recipients would be feeling and a suggestion as to what a better approach would be that respects the dignity of the recipients of the aid/assistance.
5) Go to www.bbc.co.uk/music/thelive8event/
liveaid/history.shtml
Was this event more about charity or justice? Justify your answer.
Go to www.live8live.com/whatsitabout/index.shtml to find out about the reason for staging the Live 8 concert. Was it more about charity or justice? Justify your answer.
Go to www.live8live.com/ and read Kofi Annan’s statement about the Live 8 concert. Make a list of the achievements as outlined by him. How does this compare to the Live Aid concert of 1985?
6) Go to www.osjspm.org/cst/q_chrjus.htm for a series of quotes from Catholic Social Teaching related to the issues of charity and justice. Some of these may be used to put on a poster display. Is working for justice an optional extra for Christians or an essential part of what it means to be a Christian? Discuss.
7) Go to www.nhchc.org/Curriculum/module5/
module5D/H4CharityorJustice.pdf and answer the following:
- Why do you think that working for justice might offend people?
- What should we do as well as listen to the stories of the disadvantaged?
- What is "advocacy"?
- In what way is charity a limited response?
- How does charity "act out inequality"?
- How does charity separate people into "us" and "them"?
8) Go to www.vinnies.org.au/index.cfm?
state=national§ion=socialj and outline what the St Vincent de Paul society does. Arrange this list into two sections: charity and justice.
9) Go to www.hungernomore.org/quotations.html and choose one quote to present to the rest of the class. Explain why you chose it and what it means for you.
10) Go to www.hungernomore.org/
childrens_activities/index.htm for some activities for children and young people.
Order a copy of the latest ACSJC paper entitled: A Love That Does Justice which considers the issues of charity and justice. Go to www.acsjc.org.au/ to obtain a copy.
"Charity is a matter of personal attributes; justice a matter of public policy. Charity seeks to alleviate the effects of injustice; justice seeks to eliminate the causes of it. Charity in no way affects the status quo, while justice leads inevitably to political confrontation." — W.S. Coffin
"Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral." -- Paulo Friere
"If you see injustice and say nothing, you have taken the side of the oppressor." --South Aftican Archbishop Desmund Tutu.
Discuss these quotes in your groups.
Join in the campaign against the execution of the Australian citizen, Van Tuong Nguyen at
To explore the issue of justice, support the following:
January 11 -15: Justice Festival
"What If...Justice is Possible" (VIC).
The Marist Young Adult Ministry is holding the 2006 National Justice Festival For Young Adults in Ballarat, Victoria. A live-in experience for young adults (17-30 years) looking to explore the links between their life,
faith and how they might respond to the calls to solidarity, peace making and justice action. Guest speakers will include: Bishop Kevin Dowling CssR,
Bishop of Rustenberg, South Africa; Regina Lane, Executive Officer for Australian Political Ministry Network; Mark Yettica Paulson, CEO Australian
Indigenous Leadership Centre; and Fr Chris Skinner sm, Singer and Youth Ministry. For registration and other details call (03) 9347 7085 or visit:
www.myam.org.au
Go to www.vinnies.org.au/files/NATIONAL.
MediaReleaseSunday3July2005[1][1].doc.pdf to read how controversial it can be to work for justice in regards to addressing the causes of poverty and inequality in today’s Australia.
When considering which organisation to support when making a donation to assisting th ose affected by the South Asian Earthquake go to www.aidwatch.org.au/assets/aw00815/
Microsoft%20Word%20-%20sth%20asia%20
donation%20guide%20v2_pdf_2.pdf This compares such things as administration and fundraising costs. When we donate we should consider the maximum benefit to the local people.