Over the last few weeks we have seen people around the world marching to protest new U.S. President’s executive orders. About half a million gathered in Washington to protest his inauguration in January – while millions of others have taken part in demonstrations around the world.
Eurodiaconia, as the leading network of social and health service providers working in the tradition of diaconia, has also shown its commitment to voicing the concerns of its members across Europe. However, it is our responsibility to understand the reasons, grounds and processes leading to extremism, not only in the United Stated but also in Europe.
It is indeed a complex discussion that certainly requires further attention, and deserves more than an editorial. Here, we can quickly refer to the fact that Washington and New York, where most of the demonstrations took place, don’t always represent the deepest culture of the whole of the United States. And the same goes for Europe, if we try to make sense of Brexit or the rise of nationalist movements. The United Kingdom is a large and diverse country that goes beyond the shining lights of London, as in France or Germany.
As a network of organisations working with people in need, what we are very concerned about is the general trend of focussing on what is happening in one’s own backyard, and the hidden reasons behind this pattern.
We have been told that speaking about class is wrong. But if the system takes people’s identity out of their lives, and there is no more room for their collective long-term projects or dreams, buying and protecting private property are the only things left.
I have always thought that putting the blame on voters for their decisions is a symptom of arrogance and a failure to respect citizens’ different backgrounds. Instead, organisations committed to social justice are requested to make an extra effort to understand people’s deepest difficulties and speak out on behalf of them against neoliberalism and blind austerity measures.
I think the 500th anniversary of the Reformation gives us a good chance to reflect on the role of the Reformation in this current political and social crisis.
Did the reformed tradition manage to improve our societies and make them fairer? We are far from answering these questions but we can indeed take advantage of this tradition to develop a new culture based on equality and justice. This process is essential to avoid the individualism that is seeming to permeate our societies, and prevent people from turning their hope towards a dangerous demagogue.
Today we are being asked today to contribute to building an alternative society based on respect for people and the environment. A society in which violence, war, inequality, and apathy are overcome. It is time for us to be even braver and not be afraid of speaking out about alternative systems. Time has come for us to reflect on a sixth Sola-by referring to an interesting document recently released within the research project Radicalizing Reformation– Sola iustitia (only justice).
Have a good weekend,
Antonio