James Meredith Talks Poverty
Sid Salter had a very good column yesterday where he wrote about a recent interview with James Meredith following a story that the Clarion-Ledger ran about an elderly woman who lives in unthinkable conditions in rural Scott county. Salter referred to her as someone who has “fallen through the cracks of a social service system.”
One reaction to this type of story might be that we need to increase spending on social services. Meredith, famous for being the first African-American student at Ole Miss, offered a different point of view:
“There was a time that the basic unit of government was the family,” said Meredith. “Now, it’s the individual. That’s why conditions like these exist.”
Meredith blames “the ideology that government can solve human problems” for conditions of abject poverty like those Watkins encountered with Mrs. (Esther) Davis.
“The whole idea is that a person can become so isolated from family, friends, neighbors, and then no one assumes responsibility for them,” said Meredith. “Everyone feels helpless – because since everyone expects the government to provide the ultimate solution, the power has been taken away from them and no one reacts, no one helps.”
I agree wholeheartedly with your comnments. How do you (or do you?) see the church becoming involved?