Progressive Ponderings: Question the Premise
Blame the Poor
By Joe Mayer
It is not surprising that this letter and quote initiated a lot of on-line chatter and discussion. President Obama recently challenged our current obscenely unequal division of wealth. Discussion of current controversial topics should be healthy.
But what if the premise of Dr. Rogers’s quote is false or misleading? This "half of the people that get the idea that they don’t have to work" — who are they? Do "they" include the non-working children and the youth we encourage and require to attend school? Do "they" include the millions of retired who have already worked their forty to fifty years? Do "they" include the wives who have chosen to stay at home to raise the family as the Southern Baptist Convention recommends? Do "they" include the physically, mentally and emotionally challenged who are unable to hold a job? Do "they" include the millions of prisoners (highest percentage in the world) we hold in our jails and prisons?
If all those above were included it would be over "half the people" mentioned. If they are not included this "half" is pure fiction, has no basis in fact, and is an insult to the working class of America.
A premise under discussion can also contain subtle unnamed assumptions. In this case the assumption is that extreme unequal division of wealth is "earned," ethical and just. An economic system that produces such distribution can only be ethical or just if "greed is good," or "wealth is God’s reward for those who please Him." That a Creator of all the beauty and resources of the world did so to benefit a few has been a source of social conflict throughout human history. Such a belief is a mockery of the "Christ" in Christian.
If the basic premise is false and the unnamed assumptions unjust, then conclusions that follow are equally misleading and unjust. This quotation has two such conclusions: (1) "the end of any nation"; (2) "you cannot multiply wealth by dividing it." The first ignores the fact that the unequal division of wealth is a basis for our current economic collapse and a threat to our nation. The second is just an opinion; one could as easily say, "You cannot multiply wealth by hoarding it."
A democratic nation is threatened when its democracy is threatened. One current threat to our democracy is the takeover of our political system by the wealthy, not as a means for people’s self rule, but as a means for the wealthy elite to multiply their own wealth. When religion promotes the power of wealth to govern, then democracy dies. History has been there before.
My opinion: The article re-enforces a long held political position: Blame the poor.
By Joe Mayer
When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.This quote is attributed to Dr. Adrian Rogers, a Southern Baptist pastor and conservative writer, and was used in a letter to the editor in my local newspaper, the Rochester Post-Bulletin. The letter was featured as the "news story, letter to the editor or column of the week that generated a lot of discussion on-line."
It is not surprising that this letter and quote initiated a lot of on-line chatter and discussion. President Obama recently challenged our current obscenely unequal division of wealth. Discussion of current controversial topics should be healthy.
But what if the premise of Dr. Rogers’s quote is false or misleading? This "half of the people that get the idea that they don’t have to work" — who are they? Do "they" include the non-working children and the youth we encourage and require to attend school? Do "they" include the millions of retired who have already worked their forty to fifty years? Do "they" include the wives who have chosen to stay at home to raise the family as the Southern Baptist Convention recommends? Do "they" include the physically, mentally and emotionally challenged who are unable to hold a job? Do "they" include the millions of prisoners (highest percentage in the world) we hold in our jails and prisons?
If all those above were included it would be over "half the people" mentioned. If they are not included this "half" is pure fiction, has no basis in fact, and is an insult to the working class of America.
A premise under discussion can also contain subtle unnamed assumptions. In this case the assumption is that extreme unequal division of wealth is "earned," ethical and just. An economic system that produces such distribution can only be ethical or just if "greed is good," or "wealth is God’s reward for those who please Him." That a Creator of all the beauty and resources of the world did so to benefit a few has been a source of social conflict throughout human history. Such a belief is a mockery of the "Christ" in Christian.
If the basic premise is false and the unnamed assumptions unjust, then conclusions that follow are equally misleading and unjust. This quotation has two such conclusions: (1) "the end of any nation"; (2) "you cannot multiply wealth by dividing it." The first ignores the fact that the unequal division of wealth is a basis for our current economic collapse and a threat to our nation. The second is just an opinion; one could as easily say, "You cannot multiply wealth by hoarding it."
A democratic nation is threatened when its democracy is threatened. One current threat to our democracy is the takeover of our political system by the wealthy, not as a means for people’s self rule, but as a means for the wealthy elite to multiply their own wealth. When religion promotes the power of wealth to govern, then democracy dies. History has been there before.
My opinion: The article re-enforces a long held political position: Blame the poor.
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2 Comments:
I am not an expert on Dr. Rogers writings or speeches, but I agree with Joe that this quote was taken out of context and reworked to fit an agenda. Many of these phrases cited are contained in Dr. Rogers’ Ten Secrets For A Success Family . The context was to encourage a better work ethic as illustrated by the paragraph “The result is that America is still suffering today from the lack of a biblical work ethic. And even many of those who are working are not working for the pleasure and the joy of cooperating with Almighty God. They're only working to get enough money so they can stop working.”
No doubt that the staunch Conservative Dr. Rogers had a problem with a welfare system and his words may have been taken out of context before especially his comment “I believe slavery is a much maligned institution; if we had slavery today, we would not have this welfare mess.” The quote is recounted by Cecil Sherman in The Struggle for the Soul of the SBC but some of Rogers’ defenders state that Rogers was talking about indentured servitude of Roman times not the American practice of enslavement of Africans. Regardless of the defense, for anyone to suggest indentured servitude is good for society is outrageous.
One thing that Rogers seems to advocate is that people must be responsible. Yet, that is being missed by the P-B commentators. Just today the Mankato Free Press reported that Immanuel St. Joseph Hospital have cut manpower and wages citing the “we have seen a decline in hospitalizations, increased demand for charity care and more patients unable to pay their health care bills.”
Why ?
Simple, there is not a requirement for participation in health insurance. What a viscous cycle that we have created. For too long employers provided health insurance to retain employees, but now more companies cannot afford the premiums. People are left to provide for themselves. Obama is correct that addressing health care is a central part of reworking the economy.
Dr. Rogers’ quote is one that is probably being routed around the Internet that the P-B writer used as inspiration for his LTE.
These quotes / stories seem to appear email boxes everyday.
Recently, I received the following :
Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test with which I have no problem. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test.
So here is my Question.
Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to pass one to earn it for them?
Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sitting on their rump--doing drugs, while I work. . . . Can you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check?
I guess we could title that program, 'Urine or You're Out'.
Pass this along if you agree or simply delete if you don't. Hope you all will pass it along, though. Some thing has to change in this country -- and soon!!!!!!!
Although this may have been started by someone associated with the drug testing industry (and its equipment manufacturer, laboratories, medical review officers, consultants, and lobbyists), this is really another outrageous effort to incite a class war. (I don’t even want to get into arguments about accuracy of tests, violations of civil rights, taxpayer costs to administer the program, etc.)
The irony is that I received this email from someone that I presume is sympathetic to the message. I have known this individual during good times and bad. I have seen him experience two layoffs … and then blow through an inheritance … and now is facing major health problems. Yet he is one of the ones that ISJ is supporting as “charity care” “patients unable to pay their health care bills.” Ironic because he did receive “assistance” and “education” when he was laid off. He also decided that the cost for health insurance was too much, so he cancelled his policy before his health conditions were impacted. He doesn’t see that how he has benefited from government programs while his irresponsible behavior is costing others their jobs.
This is the real War on the Poor being waged on the Internet and in LTE !
FYI : Your readers might find InEquality.Org website as a good source for changes in family income, household wealth, executive compensation and wage data.
It just galls me that some people are implying that anyone would want to be poor ... just ask any of the 681,000 people that lost their job last month, if they think that the various government programs that will provide a minimum level of assistance are an appropriate function of government.
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