I met with a pastor in the area and talked about racial and class differences that have been experienced in Albany. How some have historically thought that the people coming from the suburbs (usually white people) to volunteer in the city (mostly black or hispanic people) had a smack of racism and colonialism to it. The white people were coming to save the poor black and hispanic people. It is a valid point but not necessarily true. Perhaps the people from the suburbs came to the city with a mentality that projected that image. But that by no means has to be the case.
Even if it is true, to discourage those in the surrounding suburbs to not come to the city would be equally dangerous. It moves from a more colonialistic view point to a view many have started to take on the poor recently. That view is the American dream. Which sounds positive until you remember that the American dream says that anybody can be successful if they try hard and those that aren't successful are probably just lazy. They should be able to help themselves. Of course that's a lie. The American dream exists for those that already have much. Those without are severely disadvantaged before they have any type of opportunities.
There must be a middle ground. One without feeling colonialistic and without ignoring the real injustice of our world. That way is being in ministry with. When we join together and recognize that everybody has need and everybody needs ministry we find out how people from the suburbs can come to the city and be served and be in service with those in the city. Each helps the other. If we don't then our world becomes negative. Our worldview becomes seeing others as lazy or cold. We start to build walls, real or societal, around our cities to keep the other out. Injustice spreads as we do nothing.
That is not the world I want to live in. The world of the American dream is toxic and dangerous and so is the world of the white hero. We need a world of communal growth and service. The only way to fight back against these worldviews of colonialism and the American dream is to recognize the value of each and every person and find the ways that we can help each other. We are a social creature needing the love and acceptance of our fellow people. We need to not shut them out but welcome them lest we let our world get too small.
Even if it is true, to discourage those in the surrounding suburbs to not come to the city would be equally dangerous. It moves from a more colonialistic view point to a view many have started to take on the poor recently. That view is the American dream. Which sounds positive until you remember that the American dream says that anybody can be successful if they try hard and those that aren't successful are probably just lazy. They should be able to help themselves. Of course that's a lie. The American dream exists for those that already have much. Those without are severely disadvantaged before they have any type of opportunities.
There must be a middle ground. One without feeling colonialistic and without ignoring the real injustice of our world. That way is being in ministry with. When we join together and recognize that everybody has need and everybody needs ministry we find out how people from the suburbs can come to the city and be served and be in service with those in the city. Each helps the other. If we don't then our world becomes negative. Our worldview becomes seeing others as lazy or cold. We start to build walls, real or societal, around our cities to keep the other out. Injustice spreads as we do nothing.
That is not the world I want to live in. The world of the American dream is toxic and dangerous and so is the world of the white hero. We need a world of communal growth and service. The only way to fight back against these worldviews of colonialism and the American dream is to recognize the value of each and every person and find the ways that we can help each other. We are a social creature needing the love and acceptance of our fellow people. We need to not shut them out but welcome them lest we let our world get too small.
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