blessed are the poor?
i was about fourteen or fifteen, i think, when i first got a glimpse of the true nature of our expensive catholic education (or maybe i was just in the wrong school).
it was during our religious education class - filipino christian morality -- and the topic was poverty. our professor, a nun in uniform (white habit, rosary and all), asked the class: why are people poor? one of my classmates, perhaps trying to impress the nun (she was pretty and young) said: people are poor because they choose to be poor.
the class became quiet. even our nun professor. but she recovered eventually and told him that that was true, to the delight of my classmate. the nun then explained that because people were lazy that's why they were poor. she mentioned that there were a lot of opportunities that the poor people can take advantage of to improve their lives. she went on that they just have to work hard to earn money and not to depend on the government or anyone else. end of discussion.
at that time, i agreed with my professor. indeed, i had heard of a lot of success stories about men and women from poor families who sacrificed and toiled to send themselves to school and free themselves from the prison of poverty.
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my admiration for my professor grew even more after that. imagine, she could have preached more compassion, more understanding for the poor and not blame them for their miserable lives. instead, she did just the opposite. where did the "blessed are the poor" mantra that the nuns and priests often quote when talking about poverty? obviously, our professor was an enlightened one.
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but as i grew older, got more experiences, interacted with more people from different sectors of society, i was having doubts on what my catholic professor had "told" us. i won't use "taught" us because i had heard that line before. she was not the first one who told me that; but because she was a member of the catholic church, her words resonated more in my callow, impressionable mind.
now i realised that it was just one of the reasons why a man is poor. there are a lot more, in fact: lack of opportunities, for one, widespread corruption in the government, misplaced values of society, wrong government policies, the influence of the church such as their opposition to population control, fiscal and monetary mismanagement.
i won't dwell into this. you are better off reading marx or keynes. or krugman.
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(first i just want to be clear. this is not a rich versus poor post. nor am i generalising that all rich people are heartless and callous, while the poor are all noble and needy. some are, some do.)
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my point is, when did people become so callous about the poor? i was disturbed by a recent news item that a pedicab driver died near one of the expensive schools in metro manila because apart from the security guards and a few golden hearted people, nobody else wanted to help him: to give him first aid and then to bring him to the nearest hospital. (pls click here to read the tragedy).
then there is the perennial squatter problem. it's in the news lately after the government offered each squatter family eighteen thousand pesos to leave their shanties and live somewhere else. i was appalled when i read that some of the so-called "rich" people are against the idea and criticized the government for offering subsidies (a pittance, if you ask me; an lv wallet definitely costs much, much more than that) as well as relocation sites to squatters.
some of them even voiced out "concerns" that this would only encourage more poor people to live in squatter areas so that they can get more money from the government.
actually, appalled is an understatement.
first of all, who wanted to live in slum areas and breathe the stench, filth, the squalor, the misery, the stigma all your life? have they ever been to a squatter colony? they should. that might give them a different perspective. it might inspire them to do more to help these poor people rather than condemn them for contributing to the rising urban problems: crimes, floods, filth, overcrowding, etc.
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this is a misdirected anger. of course, it can't be denied that some of these squatters will take advantage of the government's "generosity". but instead of getting mad at them, we should instead be angry at corrupt politicians and government officials (and their families and friends) who stole, are stealing, and will steal more from the public coffers. they are the bigger evil, the main reason for this widespread poverty. not counting the businessmen who understate their income taxes, bribe government officials and refuse to grant their workers decent wages that will allow them to pay for their basic needs.
i almost choked on my breakfast (an eight-inch hotdog and scrambled eggs) when i read on facebook that some shallow people actually praised the former thieving first lady for being, yes, fabulous, etc. etc. my god! have these people lost all sense of decency? what's wrong with you?! that's why more people want to be rich, even if it means robbing the government coffers, because you can cover all your sins and crimes with gold. with being fabulous!
(now, if you really can't help it and you are truly angry with the government for cuddling these squatters, then do something about it. stop whining on facebook. it only makes you look and sound like a sissy. childish. pathetic. pseudo-elitist. why not organize a protest rally to voice out your dissatisfaction with the government's pro-squatter policies and offer alternatives? write angry letters to congressmen and senators. if not, be a squatter yourself so you will benefit from the government's largesse. ok? let's see if you will last a day.)
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it's just so sad that some people are proud of being religious and spiritual. that they go to church regularly, confess their sins to a priest, even volunteer on some charitable projects. and yet, they are so callous, so unmindful of the plight of the poor. yes, they do charities but only because they think that doing so will make them feel good and more importantly look good in front of their fellow judgmental cretins. bring the photographers. issue a press release.
don't get me wrong. i admire people who do charitable works. but please, there is no need to advertise them. if you help someone, keep it to yourself. or to a few of your friends. don't post it on social media, that's a big turn off. don't tell me that you posted it on facebook, for example, because you wanted to inspire others. if you really meant to inspire others to follow your lead, then how about donating half or more of your bloated salary to charitable causes, leaving only the right amount that will allow you and your family to live decently, no excesses, no frequent travels overseas, no army of maids, no luxury flats, no eating at pricey restaurants, no expensive bags, cars and gadgets.
how's that for inspiring others?
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forgive me for sounding so serious, preachy and self-righteous. i know, this is so totally not me. i am simply tired of reading about these "elitists" ranting against the poor squatters. they deserve our compassion, instead of our hate. just because some of them are so vicious as to turn squatting into a living, a means to get more dole outs from the government, does not mean that we should hate all of them. opportunists exist even or especially in the enclave of the wealthy. in the coven of the vampires in politics, government and business who suck the people dry of their blood, sweat and tears.
to paraphrase william hurt's dialogue in a movie with meryl streep (one true thing): "you've got an expensive harvard education, but where is your heart and brain?"
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