There is nothing like the Holiday Season to bring out the philanthropist in all of us, especially if there is a photo-op. Celebrities, politicians, sports figures, as well as the average wanna-be, will come out to the soup kitchens, run a charity event, or drop off food or toys, just to show what humanitarians they are. But where are they while those unfortunates fast the other three hundred and sixty some odd days of the year? And how do these barefoot Tiny Tim’s enjoy there toys while freezing and starving?
Jesus knew that the poor would always be with us. I guess that is why we use his birthday to show just how much we care. In fact, the bookends of Thanksgiving and Christmas give us a wonderful opportunity to pat ourselves on the back. It gives us an opportunity to show everyone else how good we are. We can prove it simply by going to the videotape. God, Jesus, are you watching?
We need our poor. Without them, we couldn’t look so good. That is why we strive so hard to keep them in their place. We support institutions that will raise them up only so far. We build welfare programs that are designed to place major barriers to success. We make sure that the supports to success are removed just before the individuals can successfully exit the programs. We need our welfare society. We need to sustain them. We need to pity them. We need to blame them. We need to look good beside them. Keep those cameras rolling.
As we rush to dump our unwanted goods at our local food shelter, we might note a recent article in Archeology Magazine on the homeless. Yes, our homeless have been around so long as to merit archaeological study. Some of the items of least use turn out to be things such as shampoo and canned goods. Shampoo requires water quantities that are usually not available to the homeless. And canned goods, the staple of most food drives, usually require that lacking tool, A CANOPENER! But, as our modern day Hoovertowns begin to proliferate, we can, at least, feel good about ourselves. And, as an added bonus, we’ve cleared that old crap out of our pantries.
So, let us all enjoy our holidays, be us Christian, Jew, Kwaanzite?, or Pilgrim. We are good. We are charitable. We are American. Picture that.
