Let’s try gleaning

In the United States, an allegedly Judeo-Christian nation, the biblical concept of gleaning must be public policy. It should include a living wage, health care, food security, criminal justice, and affordable housing.

In Leviticus 25:6 the seventh year is for the field to be left unsown. With staggered land ownership this provides constant provision for all God’s creation. The same is mentioned in Exodus 23:11. Caring for the poor is throughout the scriptures. This is coupled with the idea of justice, treating God’s creation rightly, not withholding, or defrauding laborers their wages.

The United States GDP per capita is five times its nearest economic peer China. At $62,000 versus $12,500 per person.

It is not a lack of resources but a lack of political will expressed through public policy that prevents the United States from providing for the poor, the oppress, the widow, the orphan, the incarcerated and the sick.

The concept of gleaning is not to concentrate all the wealth in the hands of a few but distribute it among many. Today, 34% of all the wealth in this country is held in the hands of the 1%. This concentration of wealth has skewed the social dynamic. It has created a permanent class of poor, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-educated, falsely incarcerated, and underpaid individuals. God never intended to have a permanent class of poor people. The notion of a Sabbath year testifies to this.

The American church has failed, being co-opted by white evangelicals and Black pastors for profit, to provide the moral compass needed to fulfill biblical themes. Study after study has shown that by simply providing direct childcare payments throughout the year lifted children and families out of poverty. A White House paper during the Obama administration illustrates how providing the formerly incarcerated with $15 hour wages reduces recidivism. We have the resources; we need the political will the church needs to speak out.

— Michael Stringer

Cleveland

Residents need help through United Way

With the start of a brand new year approaching, the Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA is looking back on the last three years with grateful appreciation of the generous outpouring of support that the Y received from United Way, local area businesses and valued community members. Without the community’s support, the Y would not have been able to remain open to serve.

The Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA would like to take a moment to acknowledge the kindness of these organizations and individuals because without their continued support, the YMCA wouldn’t be able to offer the quality programming that Y members and the Rowan community deserves.

On Sept. 16, the Rowan County United Way announced its “Whole Hearted Harmony” campaign, a community-wide outreach for help to close a significant funding gap for community service agencies.

In 2022, Rowan County United Way provided support to 19 programs in the focus areas of mental health, substance use, healthy lifestyles and basic needs through 13 community investment partners, such as the Boy Scouts, Capstone Recovery Center, Communities in Schools, Families First, Family Crisis Council, Main Street Mission, Nazareth Child & Family Connection, One Love Community Program, Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA, Rowan-Salisbury Schools, Rufty-Holmes Senior Center, Salisbury Police Department and The Salvation Army.

From the elderly man down the street who was not evicted from his home to the single working mother picking up groceries from a food pantry to feed her children or that young boy in an after-school program, not falling victim to violence and crime, thousands of people around us are helped every day.

They are our friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members. They are our whole community.

Because of United Way funding, all 2022 Community Investment Partners received the funds needed to close the financial gap in providing services to those in need. Please consider helping United Way reach their 2023 goal of $1.375 million. Visit  https://rowanunitedway.org/donate/ or stop by the office at 131 West Innes Street, Suite 201, Salisbury or call the office at 704-633-1802.

— Jamie Morgan

Editor’s note: Morgan is president/CEO of Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA.

Supreme Court works against freedom

The Supreme Court of the US is like no other court in the world with lifetime appointments and no censure means. Is there no way to censure Justice Thomas, who did not recuse himself on a decision with implications for his wife’s participation in Jan. 6?

A severe backslide for SCOTUS started in 2010 with the Citizens United Case, the decision which gave corporations, etc. the right to contribute to campaign the dirty money we now see “buying elections.” And the Voting Rights Act of 1965 finally put into effect the 15th Amendment 95 years earlier to give Blacks a fair chance to vote. The key provision was struck down by SCOTUS in 2013 and is now continually being attacked negatively by SCOTUS, including severe gerrymandering. Two cases in front of the court now, including one from NC, could be the final straw to allow gerrymandering with states determining the outcome, allowing GOP controlled states to control elections forever.

Last year we watched SCOTUS overturn the Roe decision, allow public money to support religious schools, overturn EPA structure for clean water, and weaken a state’s gun safety law. All of this with how many justices appointed for lifetime terms by presidents who did not receive the most popular vote. As SCOTUS begins a new term, will decisions further move against free and fair elections, support of the U.S. democratic republic and removal of our freedoms?

— Pat Bullard

China Grove