November/December 2005 Editor's Viewpoint
From the Editor: Hard Lessons

Miriam Knight
Whether due to hurricanes, earthquakes, poverty or the insanity of war, there are many millions of people around the world who are frightened, hungry, without permanent shelter, have little or no means of livelihood and face a grim future. The recent spate of natural disasters has brought their plight to the forefront of our consciousness, but it is only the suddenness and the scale that distinguishes them from people right in our own backyard.

What are the lessons within these events? We learned a lot from the response to hurricane Katrina about ourselves as a nation. I think we gave the lie to Winston Churchill’s assertion that a nation gets the government it deserves. We really deserve better. It became clear that the national and social safety net we thought we had created with our taxes was gossamer thin and full of holes. We were confronted with uncomfortable truths about the vast numbers of people by-passed by the American dream, and responded with an unprecedented wave of empathy and mobilization of charity from around the country.

We learned that not everything you hear or read on the news is true. Eyewitness reports, pictures and blogs coming over the Internet revealed the gap between political rhetoric and the reality on the ground. As more and more people – especially the younger generations – turn to the Internet and independent media for news and information, the monopoly of the spin masters over what are told weakens. [Though with any source, discernment is always important!] The Web is becoming the mirror of our growing connection and interdependence.

Another hard lesson was our vulnerability to dependence on oil. We are being forced to take a hard look at our part in accelerating global warming and degrading the environment; hard questions are being asked, and we are beginning to realize that we will have to make some hard choices sooner rather than later.

One good thing that seemed to emerge from the chain of disasters is a greater sense that we are our brothers’ keepers. The increasing numbers of natural disasters has brought home to us that we could one day be in those shoes. We have seen that governments alone cannot cope, and it is up to us to fill the gap by supporting the charities that can.

In this issue there are stories about the work of the Oregon Food Bank and Mercy Corps, two exceptionally effective charities. They are two fine examples of what can be accomplished through passionate and intelligent organization around a cause. It is charities, churches and organizations like them that provide the real social safety net in the world. They depend on our contributions at this time of year for their very existence. Reach out and help whatever cause you resonate with, and support it generously, even though you may have already given more than you think you can afford. Let’s not let them down.

I also chose to feature in this issue the story about Farmer John Peterson, because it told how city consumers formed an alliance to save John’s organic farm, and rolled up their sleeves for an old-style barn-raising. I thought there were two important messages here: one about our power as consumers in how and where we choose to spend our money; and the other about the power of a community. The most valuable asset we have is our energy and creativity. When we join forces, we multiply our effectiveness exponentially. If we are to weather the storms ahead – and they are coming – it will be through cooperation and creative alliances.

We are our brothers’ keepers… and they are ours.