conjectural navel gazing; jesus in lint form

juxtaposition?

The Israeli government apologized for that airstrike, as it did for the one here on Sunday. It said that residents had been warned to leave and should have already been gone.

But leaving southern Lebanon now is dangerous. The two extended families staying in the house that the Israeli missile struck — the Shalhoubs and the Hashims — had discussed leaving several times over the past two weeks. But they were poor — most worked in tobacco or construction — and the families were big and many of their members weak, with a 95-year-old, two relatives in wheelchairs and dozens of children. A taxi north, around $1,000, was unaffordable.

And then there was the risk of the road itself.

Dozens, including 21 refugees in the back of a pickup truck on July 15, have been killed by Israeli strikes while trying to evacuate. Missiles hit two Red Cross ambulances last weekend, wounding six people and punching a circle in the center of the cross on one’s roof. A rocket hit the ambulance convoy that responded in Qana on Sunday. - NY Times

and then...

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The word poor seems to represent an Aramaic `ányâ (Hebr. `anî), bent down, afflicted, miserable, poor; while meek is rather a synonym from the same root, `ánwan (Hebr. `ánaw), bending oneself down, humble, meek, gentle. Some scholars would attach to the former word also the sense of humility; others think of "beggars before God" humbly acknowledging their need of Divine help. But the opposition of "rich" (Luke 6:24) points especially to the common and obvious meaning, which, however, ought not to be confined to economical need and distress, but may comprehend the whole of the painful condition of the poor: their low estate, their social dependence, their defenceless exposure to injustice from the rich and the mighty. Besides the Lord's blessing, the promise of the heavenly kingdom is not bestowed on the actual external condition of such poverty. The blessed ones are the poor "in spirit", who by their free will are ready to bear for God's sake this painful and humble condition, even though at present they be actually rich and happy; while on the other hand, the really poor man may fall short of this poverty "in spirit".

Why is is that we cannot bless the poor? Why is it that we make excuses about the poor? "We gave them warning." Too little, too late. If we were to live lives that blessed the poor, we would put a halt to Israel, put an end to Hezbollah, and bless the poor by bringing economic health (and before Hezbollah and Israel ruined everything this was underway) and stability to a region that just might not need a Hezbollah or reject an Israel if the poor were seen as blessed...and worthy of our help and assisstance.

We would rather keep them poor. And we would rather pretend that they are not our problem.

Sorry, this is a rant. It is incoherrent, but this article sent me over the edge. But it is the truth. If there is an invasion, the poor cannot leave. If there is flooding, the poor cannot leave. There are always nuances to this, ala New Orleans, but the truth is poverty limits the possible escape routes. This is why during war countries will set up economic blockades against their enemies if they can. We all know that the poor have less power, less ability, and are generally less "harmful." And thusly more easily managed or ignored.

Blessed are the poor, indeed.

Posted by tripp at July 31, 2006 06:26 AM