A psalm of Asaph. God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the “gods”: “How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. “The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. Psalm 82:1-5 NIV
Because of all the injustice in our society and in the world, it is the responsibility of every Born-Again Believer to defend the weak and the fatherless, uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed, the weak and the needy. This is our duty--when these groups are unable to stand up to the pressures imposed upon them, by the bullies in our society.
The bullies in our society are not just kids in schools--picking on those who are smaller and younger, but it is all those who think that their size, wealth, and intellect make them superior to others.
We have also seen this scenario play out in the media--especially with politicians--the poor get poorer because they have no spokesperson speaking up for them and the politicians only care about themselves. Those in charge of making policies for educational equality are remiss in their duties to consider all the children in every city when they overlook the disadvantaged and turn their heads when wrongs are reported.
Specifically, the situation that exists in Michigan regarding education and water safety has blown the minds of many, but it has existed for decades and only now is coming to light. The biggest problem with both (DPS and Flint) is the laxity in those governing is the imposition of Emergency Managers who have done nothing other than to line their pockets with money that should have been used for education and the continuation of safe water. Because it has not been a concern of the greedy, the end results now impact the needy.
In reviewing the steady decline in Detroit Public Schools providing a quality education for all students, we must look at economics, transience in people moving, and the greed that has overshadowed the district for decades. Every would-be, wanna-be superintendent in the country knows how easy it is to put one over the unsuspecting. When greed supersedes the desire to do right, everyone suffers. But now, the teachers and students are fighting back--being extremely vocal about the dire situations and those in power are attempting to silence them with punitive actions. Since I am a retired educator--fully aware of the existing climate--I can support and promote the cause of the students and teachers without fear of repercussions for there is nothing they can do to me to silence me.
While the water issue in Flint is not exactly the same, the results are devastating. Once again, greed as opposed to need has led the way to the potential harm of thousands of people. The villains in the both situation are the emergency managers and the governors who appointed them. If every-day citizens had committed same acts of theft and potential manslaughter, they would be jailed. It's time for the governor in Michigan and Darnell Earley to own up to their responsibility in both situations and resign or be jailed.
God's mandate to defend and uphold those in a position who cannot defend themselves against the army of those who have more political clout and money is clear--we have to speak up for them and their defend their rights against the enemy of greed. I pray that more people will join the effort to make sure all students have an opportunity for a quality education and that safe drinking water is available for all--without risking health and life.
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