Here's a Word of Contention for you: Systemic Change (well ok, its two words). Why bring this up? Because in the zeitgeist of the Religious Left, it isn't enough to do things that help other people, you've also got to change the system. For instance, it's not enough to be generous yourself, you've also got to pass laws that force other people to be generous too, like for instance, higher rates of taxation on those richer than you (for you're not one of those rich folks are you?). For that matter, it's not good enough that you don't smoke, you've got to make it as hard as possible for others to smoke too!
Here's two paragraphs from the Ben & Jerry's Foundation:
We do not offer grants to support basic or direct social service programs. We realize that there are many fine organizations that provide social services to people in need throughout the country. However, these types of programs do not fall within the scope of the Ben & Jerry's Foundation.Funding Priorities
Although the Ben & Jerry's Foundation doesn't prioritize any particular issue area for funding, we do focus on the types of activities and strategies an organization uses for creating social change in any number of areas. The Foundation will only consider proposals from grassroots, constituent-led organizations that are organizing for systemic social change. We support programs and projects that are examples of creative problem-solving.
The point here is that it isn't good enough to do things that help other people. You've got to work to eliminate the system that oppressed these people in the first place. What's wrong with that you may ask? I'll answer in the form of another question: What's wrong with a government that tells people how they should live? For indeed, that is what systemic change implies, destroying the institutions that people currently use to implement their goals, in order that new state-imposed goals can be forced on the people against their will.
Posted by joelfuhrmann at November 16, 2002 06:17 PM