Gratitude
Amidst Daily Challenges of
Living with
the Coronavirus Pandemic
in the
Greater New York City Area – Part IV
Revival of religious principles and
renaissance in faith communities undoubtedly will put snake oil salespersons
out of business. Since 1970, the “Gospel of Wealth and Health” commandeered the
expression of Christianity in America. Preying upon the weariness of poverty
that plagued the rank and file of persons who weekly filled the pews in
churches, this commercialization of Christ’s message declared an end to their
misery. Its proponents who occupy the upper echelon of celebrity ministers told
listeners that God desired nothing more than their immediate and undeniable
prosperity as evidenced in financial and material acquisition and perfect
physical health. Through books and other media, these religious salespeople
sold formulas for success, wealth, and health. The manifestation of these
promises relied upon large monetary gifts to their parachurch organizations
that stealthily and shrewdly utilized tax laws to maximize receipts and bolster
their ornate lifestyles. The last half of a century witnessed a proliferation
of these ministers and organizations. We have every conceivable racial,
cultural, ethnic, linguistic, national, and creedal iteration of prosperity
preachers. Despite intractable poverty in developing countries, clergypersons
rank amongst the wealthiest persons. Not surprisingly, these rogue ministers
have a divine message relating to the coronavirus as they did for Hurricanes
Katrina and Maria and “September 11th”. One can only hope and pray
that the effects of the current challenge will sink so deeply within the minds,
hearts and beings of everyday people that they will demand more from local
pastors and discard the shady, morally questionable and unprincipled teachings
of snake oil clergypersons whose main motive is a lifestyle that they could not
earn in the free market.
Incidentally, clergypersons are not the
only snake oil salespersons taking advantage of vulnerable citizens. The mixed,
confusing, and contradictory messages from health professionals through the
coronavirus briefings compels us to question their motives, objectives, and
purpose. Some of them appear to acquiescence the revolting political schemes of
the Trump Administration. Others have perfected verbal dodge ball as they
attempt to relay the best science standing in a field of political land mines.
Yet, other scientists waffle between the interests of business, research,
politics, and future government funding. Mental health professionals,
hopefully, are preparing for the onslaught of immeasurable depression,
survivor’s guilt, bereavement, and post-traumatic stress that will emerge from
the experiences of millions of Americans. Treatment will provide a chance to
empower average people with intrapsychic tools to achieve self-determination in
resolving their challenges. As with the prosperity preachers, the $10 billion
self-help industry encompasses magic formulas, luxurious conferences, and multimedia
commodities. To counterbalance this crass profiteering from people’s pain,
psychoanalytic and mental health professionals must reinforce standards,
training, and ethics. Additionally, the palatable fear in which many people
will live following this healthcare threat will create openings for financial,
pharmaceutical, insurance, real estate, investment, and telemarketing scandals.
I have another hope and measure of
gratitude for egalitarian advancement in education. In my opinion, the
establishment of public libraries throughout the nation remains one of the
greatest components of Carnegie’s legacy. Between 1883 and 1929, his
philanthropy built 2500 libraries. This gift gave average, anonymous but gifted
persons who lingered in poverty one passageway of self-improvement. As one who
relished trips to the public library in my childhood, I appreciate the
incalculable worth of any attempt to extend education to common people. It is
an American priority to eliminate the digital divide from the Bronx to Appalachia
to Southside Chicago to Inglewood California. As we do so, we should encourage
the completion of the Google digitization project which includes the entire
collections of the libraries at University of Michigan, Harvard, Stanford, and
Yale. This can be done solely through the open market and without need of any
public funds. Amazon offers subscribers access to fifty million songs for a
minimal monthly fee. There are multiple options for movies and videos. The
Google project would offer common people access to scholarly libraries and
collections exceeding ten million volumes. Anyone with the discipline to
educate himself or herself would be able to learn the latest research on any
subject. Amazing! Trips to the library and access to scholarly material will be
as instant as turning on the laptop or tablet. Simply amazing!
I recall the days of S & H Green
Stamps which you received at the end of grocery shopping in the 1970s. Were you
disciplined enough, you would fill books of these stamps and redeem them for
toasters, mixers and other appliances.
Also, the Sears Roebuck and JC Penney mail order catalogs were
state-of-the art technological advancements in shopping. Receiving clothing
that fit via the postal mail seemed as if it were a giant leap for humankind.
Imagine adding to your wardrobe without leaving your home. What we
contemporarily experience with Amazon seemed futuristic and for The Jetsons.
My reminiscences yield gratitude for advancements in e-commerce which will
lower prices, increase jobs, and require new standards for success and
profitability. Traditional laissez faire economics employing Adam Smith’s
principles demands competition for Amazon. Monopolies lower the value of common
people’s incomes and spending power. When retail brick and mortar stores
reopen, they must prioritize good and respectful customer service. Consumers
will no longer tolerate rude, disrespectful, and unknowledgeable salespersons.
They can purchase online instead. People who live on the bottom economic rungs
can advocate for themselves with their wallets. They can demand respect, fair
prices, and input into the market. Imagine the control that Black people can
exert over television, film, and social media depictions of them in the post
coronavirus world. Their patronage will send a clear and direct message to
Hollywood and other relevant industries. Personally, I do not watch or buy any
“Blaxploitation” shows or films. I am not a Sambo or minstrel and will not
further these demeaning stereotypes.
Politically, common people can use the
power of the purse and wallet to combat businesses that fund political action
committees that further White supremacy, imperialistic international policies,
unjust and expensive wars, misogyny, corporate welfare, and other iterations of
xenophobia. Recall the threat of a potato boycott of the State of Idaho in 1990
and the multiple company boycott of the State of North Carolina for its
discriminatory gender and sexuality laws in 2017. Whether women of color whom
the fashion industry takes for granted or children of color who still struggle
to find toys that affirm them or professional athletes of color who insist
“Black Lives Matter,” average people possess more power than they realize. Indeed, “it is all about the Benjamins.”
Given the incontrovertible disparity relating to infections and deaths amongst
Blacks and poor Americans, these vulnerable citizens must respond to this virus
with an intensity to reorder society and allocation of resources. Rather than
begging politicians, media executives, businesspeople, bankers and
manufacturers, marginalized people have tremendous power in multiplying and
directing their money and purchases. Economic self-determination necessitates
expanding entrepreneurship in localized communities. Community activists,
social justice advocates, public officials and clergypersons have an obligation
to empower their followers to awaken this sleeping giant.
No comments:
Post a Comment