Join us Thursday December 13, 7pm at 5619. Live music, potluck feast and Christmas fun. CDs and t-shirts will be available.

Just wanted to let everyone know about our friends at Rosa Loves. They are a t-shirt company based in Florida and they share many of our ideals – in fact, I would say that they are definitely far more concerned about people than profit. Each shirt weaves a person’s story into the design and money raised from sales benefit specific people. Give their site a look to learn more.

Dear Doctor Wilson,

After giving the prompt much thought, I have decided that the interests of college students across America would best be preserved by avoiding the study of Globalization and Post-Colonial Africa altogether. Such a course holds a substantial amount of content capable of endangering our generation’s current perception of the world. If taught effectively and with objectivity, I fear that the information released may prove somewhat devastating to the economic and cultural foundations of our nation as a whole. We have spent far too much time and effort covering our eyes and ears to now suddenly find ourselves exposed to such impractical and obstructive truths. Consider what will happen to our daily routines when we discover that convenience actually has a cost, and further, a cost that impedes the well being of men, women, and children around the globe. How will we swallow our Venti Ethiopian Roast when we are no longer ignorant of the Ethiopian farmer who received 23 cents per pound at a regional auction for his beans? What will happen to our perception of the American Civil War when we realize slavery was never truly abolished, just shifted back across the ocean and later disguised with futile wage figures. Only guilt and shame can result from such nonsense. And who knows how guilt and shame might affect the monthly checks to my World Vision sponsor child in Tanzania.
If this course cannot be avoided, I ask that it be taught with sensitivity. Instructors must take note of our fragile American hearts. Instead of focusing on how the West’s demand for cell phones added fuel to a civil war in the DRC, why not discuss how three California bred teenagers brought down the LRA single handedly* with their 8mm cameras. We want to hear about Bono’s One Campaign, not about Heinz Ketchup and its corporate hoarding of Zimbabwean farm land. Yes, the horrors of the Rwandan genocide should be discussed, but instructors should be sure to explain that the United States Government simply found out too late to do anything about it. Deep down we American college students mean well. Sometimes too much reality can cripple our bright spirits. I want to feel proud to wear my “Save Darfur” t-shirt and not have to worry about the fact that it was constructed in a Fruit of the Loom sweatshop factory in El Salvador.

*technically speaking, “single handedly” should not be used to describe the work of three individuals, but “six handedly” doesn’t seem to produce the desired effect.

-Patrick Brosnan

So perhaps that ancient trinity of Truth, Goodness and Beauty is not simply an empty, faded formula as we thought in the days of our self-confident, materialistic youth? If the tops of these three trees converge, as the scholars maintained, but the too blatant, too direct stems of Truth and Goodness are crushed, cut down, not allowed through – then perhaps the fantastic, unpredictable, unexpected stems of Beauty will push through and soar to that very same place, and in so doing will fulfill the work of all three…

And the simple step of a simple courageous man is not to partake in falsehood, not to support false actions! Let that enter the world, let it even reign in the world – but not with my help. But writers and artists can achieve more: they can CONQUER FALSEHOOD! In the struggle with falsehood art always did win and it always does win! Openly, irrefutably for everyone! Falsehood can hold out against much in this world, but not against art.

Full lecture here. It is worth your time.

There are many out in the wide world whose hearts resonate with these words. Here are two such examples:

Make Art Like You Care blog courtesy of Todd Drake. Click on his art below to see his personal site.

The Groundswell Collective’s blog about arts and activism:

Fotos taken by the kids can be viewed online here

San Salvador, 3 September 2007

ALERT IN EL SALVADOR
The people are forsaken and scattered.
“When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Matthew 9:36

Pastoral Letter from the Historic Churches

To: All Salvadorans of good will
To: The three powers of the Salvadoran state: the executive, legislative and judicial branches
To: Churches throughout the world
To: Accredited Governments and Diplomatic Corps
To: The United Nations, the Organization of the American States, international organizations, and international solidarity groups

From this small country, the home of the prophet Oscar Arnulfo Romero, as historic Christian churches and Christian-ecumenical groups, we send this message to world-wide churches and religions and to men and women of good will, greeting you in our faith in the One God.

We name this letter, “Alert in El Salvador,” because we live from one crisis to the next, from one emergency to the next — emergencies caused by natural, political, economic and social phenomena. In light of all these emergencies and crises, our recommendation is “Be alert.” “Alert,” an expression of security, means to be awake, with attentive ears and a clear mind that can glimpse and distinguish the danger that is threatening us and denounce this sin, without forgetting that we also are called to proclaim the Good News of abundant and true life (Matthew 25:46 and Romans 1:17).

In the fifteen years that have passed since the Peace Accords, unjust life conditions persist due to a poor distribution of wealth. The country does not have adequate food and social security. The [United Nations] Millennium Development Goals cannot be accomplished; on the contrary, a generalized deepening of poverty exists. The government has totally abandoned agriculture and industry. Instead, a disproportionate increase in informal commerce is taking place. The principle source of sustenance comes from family “remittances;” almost three million Salvadorans have emigrated to the United States and other parts of the world. Our youth are victims of the violence that is worsening in our country. This violence embraces all classes and sectors of society. Institutionalized violence also facilitates organized crime, gangs, corruption and impunity. Indebtedness and low income continue among most social classes. When social and environmental groups protest, they are repressed and taken as political prisoners under the guise of “terrorists.” They are only people who are defending their right to live. [Note of translator: This last example refers to an incident that took place in July 2007 when 14 people were detained in Suchitoto as they protested the commercialization of water.]

The current situation alarms us: the constitutional process and state institutions have been violated. Principal elements of the right have distorted the constitution and universal jurisprudence with the approval of laws and reforms to the Penal Code in Article 348 by increasing penalties in a disproportionate manner to exact fear. We are concerned that, in cases of legitimate protests by different social sectors, they have responded with the measures of a totalitarian court. These laws transgress basic human, civil and environmental rights and are closing democratic spaces. The institutional system and current government function from a base of corruption, lies, violence and polarization that brings with it a high deterioration of the ethical and moral basis in their institutions, legality and, in general, of society as a whole.

We are alarmed above all that, when faced with public protest, the Salvadoran State uses the mechanism of counter-reaction by hardening the laws. More than discourse or public campaigns, the crisis in which we are living demands state politics that resolve problems with responsibility. This requires a serious and resolute inquiry on the part of the State and Government in order to lessen the different problems that are afflicting the Salvadoran people.

Our God of Life cannot agree with a State whose relationship with its citizens represents a dangerous political polarization that can lead to a larger confrontation and worsening of intolerance in the country. Jesus demands us to denounce the enormous suffering in which our people live. He shows us the profound love that holds us and calls us to raise our voices with force to give a message of hope. He inspires us to engage in joined, ecumenical action — peaceful but also energetic action — to confront this structural problem, because hardening laws and persecuting Salvadorans is not the way to solve these problems.

Again we must remind ourselves of Jesus’ words, “We are not created for the law but the law is created for us.” Our proposed mission is to change all conditions that violate people’s lives and to build relationships on the basis of truth, honesty, justice, responsibility and human solidarity. The sentiment of compassion and solidarity that Jesus had for his people is the same one that moves us today for ours, who are forsaken and scattered. We must build new relations where National Unity becomes a necessary and immediate process, because to do so is an ethical and evangelical mandate, God’s Justice with God’s people. For this reason, in the name of the God of Life, we ask Salvadorans — men and women — to make the decision with faith and without fear to bring about the Christian utopia and be with us in God’s reign (Isaiah 32:1-8).

We firmly commit ourselves to continue walking with and joining in the clamor of the poor, which shapes itself into public protest, warning those who flaunt the economic and political power in this country that there will be no possible reconciliation if the source of these ills is not eliminated (as the history of the world has shown). The hour has arrived to place the interests of the nation above those of individuals, groups and sectors, while at the same time giving up economic, political and religious patronage (Ephesians 4:3-4).

Finally, we ask the God of Life to give us the strength to respond coherently from our Faith and as committed Christians to continue to sow seeds of hope amongst ourselves and with those who will some day rest their hopes in ours. Let us work for consensus and action from all existing, productive and organized groups, becoming salt and light in this country for the construction of a society that is based on values of the Kingdom of God and that sustains a true democracy and a dignified life in better social, economic, and political conditions.

Our Pastoral Call:

(1) To the Salvadoran people: to sponsor a true coming together as a nation, making possible understanding among brothers and sisters and children of God (Isaiah 44:1-5) and forming a foundation for constructing a broad social movement of National Unity.

(2) To the academic and scientific sectors: to have a more active role in the discussion of, analysis of, and proposals for the direction that this country should follow to find alternatives to the crisis.

(3) To productive forces and to big business: to put forward policies that reactivate the productive base through the payment of taxes, so that all Salvadorans and, above all, young Salvadorans can find their future within our borders and not in far-off lands.

(4) To the political parties: to change the positions of confrontation and move to a responsible posture, proposing policies of the State that will contribute to providing direction to the country in development, socio-economic justice and social coexistence.

(5) To the powers of the state: to maintain executive, legislative and judicial independence, facilitate citizen participation by creating civic and democratic opportunities within the institutional framework so that Salvadorans might construct a better future.

(6) To all churches and religions of the country: to take on God’s compassionate love by actively accompanying this process of national consent where, in a preferential manner, our most poor and needy brothers and sisters will be the principal focus of a plan for a democratic and just country.

(7) To governments of the world, the United Nations, the Organization of American States, international organizations, the churches of the world, international solidarity, and our friends: We ask for your backing in solidarity to support in a definitive fashion the construction of a democratic model that will be a guarantee of peace with justice in El Salvador.

Signed…..

Movimiento Ecuménico Salvadoreño