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May 15, 1990 Valparaiso, IN
According to the recent Vatican summary of the “social doctrine”, two of the most fundamental concepts are individual human dignity and solidarity. Over the past four years we have been experimenting on how best to promote these two ideals in a summer activity in Mexico for American students. Naturally, our decisions have also been affected by more mundane considerations but the major moves have been largely guided by our progressive understanding of the social doctrine.
“Experimenting” is a most appropriate way to express our style of program development. Through a process of trial and error, we have been learning how to do” solidarity and how to do so with sincere respect for individual human dignity.
At this time I would like to raise the question as to whether our stated program goals are being compromised by our underlying cultural assumptions. Specifically, with reference to friendship and solidarity, do we honestly believe that the Mexicans are in fact our brothers.., or are they just our “little” brothers?
To be quite honest, I would say that this contradiction was evident in the behavior of a number of the 1989 participants. Our group emphasis on “solidarity” was not taken seriously. Of course, various reasons might be assayed for this deficit. Is it not possible that the principle flaw lay in the governing assumptions of the activity? Why we were there and what we were doing were predicated on the contemporary notion of “charity”, a notion which defines the popular meaning of ~
We tend to think of charity as the act of giving goods and services to the needy. This concept is all well and good when the donor and the beneficiary are equal in social status. The problem develops when this idea of charity is applied to a social relationship which is innately unequal, i.e. American student meets Mexican peasant0 The American’s impulse to be “charitable”, while certainly understandable, will probably result in an undignified and subservient condition for the “poor” Mexican. We remind ourselves that giving is better than receiving0 The American gives but what can the underprivileged Mexican give back? Memories?
This modern idea of charity is epitomized by the familiar image of the Salvation Army unit stationed outside department stores at Christmastime. Is this the vision of the Church for the laity of the First World vis-a-vis the peoples of the Third World? Does the Pope want us to set up a gigantic soup kitchen?
The program would do well to continue its evolution, moving away from the modality of charity and social work to a more educational and philosophical plane of inquiry. I believe that the key issues can be brought together through a consideration of the ideal of “citizenship”. This concept gives a familiar context to the lofty ideals of human dignity and solidarity. With respects to the French Revolution, citizenship is a thoroughly American idea0 The idea does not require the gift of faith, yet when we consult the Deity we find a powerful vote being cast for the value of Caesar and his things. More on this later.
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