Practical Justice: Fixing the Local Pond

Fixing a dirty nasty pond means you have to aware of the fact it is dirty in the first place. This book did not go into much detail as to why it choose to title the chapter this but i can see the reason.

Obviously this pond above is not able to support life other than foliage and specific algae and bacteria that can grow and thrive in dark conditions. Most of those types of bacteria and life forms are unhealthy for those relying on the pond for water and fish and even simply making their home beautiful. Before the pond has any hope of becoming clean or fixed the owner or a person must see the pond is dirty. However the severity of how dirty a person sees the pond varies greatly and the actual moment a person sees the pond is dirty also varies. For example, a person directly involved with water conservation or environmental sciences would quickly see this pond as unhealthy and needing repair while the owner of the property the pond may be on might take longer to realize or even never realize that the pond is dirty and harming anything or anyone for that matter. It is simply there. Or even worse...an owner of a pond is getting allowing people to wash their clothes or get water from the pond at a slight cost because it is the only place to get water from. The pond's natural filtration system is destroyed due to a natural event and quickly fills with bacteria, algae, and parasites. The owner of the pond is still getting cash income from those needing water thus does not see a problem with the pond. The people using the water are becoming sick and dirty because of the only water available to drink and use. Even when a few villagers who use the water make a mention of the pond, the own says there is water in it is there not? In reality, the owner chooses not see it. If he admits to seeing it, then he will have to fix it even if he has the money or resources to fix it.

How awful is that? The owner, obviously wealthy if he has land with a pond, would not change the circumstances to improve the lives of the villagers using his resource! If this were true, would this anger you? Here is an example from the book (pg 80). What are your emotions after hearing this?

A Broken System
Lisa grew up in an urban area that was mainly Latino and Anglo. This area as Lisa was growing up was beginning to grow in Asian population. Before Lisa was close to driving age, their family's car insurance rates went up tremendously. Lisa's mom called the insurance company many times to try to get the answer for the increased rates. One said it was the entire city, but one accidentally stated it was just that section of the city.Then Lisa's mom called and was answered by one very open customer service agent for that insurance company. Maybe he didn't agree with what was happening or he simply had a large mouth when he responded with: "well, the rates are increasing because your section of the city is becoming more Chinese rapidly.." So what about the hike? "Well, due to the slant of their eyes, Chinese people have poor peripheral vision. They are a greater risk to insure because they are more apt to get into accidents."

My first response was to laugh! Your's may have been the same or angry and frustrated at the system. Guess what this happens more than we realize and I admit I have been blinded to this issue for long time. Click this link to see another example of how social injustice happens locally.

Look at our system today. There are many pond owners that are not willing to share their resources for the betterment of a group of people. Who are the first people to have their homes removed due to an interstate being built? Which group of people will be targeted by INS even if they are legally allowed to work? Who typically writes the history books? How do change this?

I wish I could share this entire chapter with you but you really should read it!!

A broken system is not new. The bible has many examples of when the justice system was flawed or needed change. Read Amos. He calls to God for justice in the justice system.

Changing the System
This is going to take three requirements:

1. Time
2. Effort
3. Engagement

Time: you need to put time into your research, time into your community, time into community meetings, time will be taken away. Are you worried or care enough to make time? Time for me is a scary word because I dont usually have the time or I think I have the time and then I do not. (The joys of school)

Effort: you have to do research, you have read and understand your community or government. Where does your local government prevent resources for those living on low-wages? Where does your government help those on low-incomes? How are the school provided for? Are all school systems or area equally funded or provided for? 

Engagement: Go to the town hall meetings, discuss with those about change or ways to change a system. Work with an organization, a church group, an after school program. Maybe even create your own. A wonderful example of how a church was involved in helping a deadly street intersection near-by showed how the church could be involved with the state successfully. However that changed when they realized that a prominent member of the church would be greatly affected if they pushed for a new road system. Instead of looking for solutions, they crumbled and settled with simply providing aid to victims and then support to families who lost lives. Nothing in the book described if the pond owner threatened or simply said no or what, however because of one business and one connection in the church, the church stopped trying to save ppl's lives and kept quiet while putting people in danger.  Engagement is risky, just like effort, and time, you will lose much. It is up to you and God to determine if it is worth the cost.

My boyfriend has been so patient in opening up my eyes to the corruptness of this world and even this country. This book even further pushes this point. Why could I have not been open to this before? With America holding on to 50% of the worlds wealth but only 6.3% of the world's population, it is hard not to be greedy and desire to keep that status. I obviously do not know all that America has done in regards to controlling countries and others for gain, but I am putting more trust into the whistle-blowers of the past, current and those to arise during the future. Yet it is still hard for me to reason with, truly comprehend, and deal with what has been told to me. Why? because of the "idealistic slogans" and of course national pride. I have grown up with it and have seen it on all of the news channels. When truth like how the government meddles in the lives of the oppressed and then other countries for economic gain it is hard. It's against what my brain has solidified as fact. I become frustrated and its hard I want to defend what I know even if its very little or does not hold up to presented facts. Many feelings are hurt. It takes time to understand and be open and active in finding the truth.

What About God?
Kevin ends this book on a key message and one that is only possible through God's wisdom and guidance:

"If we engage what is going on in the world, we must accept that things will be messy and there will be great suffering. But though we fully engage in this world, our HOPE does not rest upon it."

My life verse applies to this post more than I realized and a verse I need to apply to my life.

"Do not conform any longer to the patter of this world 

but be transformed by the renewing of your MIND."

 Romans 12:2