Catholics – it is time for social justice. Ted Kennedy lived the life of a Catholic, and it is important that we rise to honor his tradition. Growing up, I was taught that the reason we as Catholics use the crucifix as our symbol instead of the cross is because as Catholic we seek to emulate the suffering and sacrifice of Christ instead of the glory of the risen Christ. Ted Kennedy lived that suffering and sacrifice every day. We are told that a wealthy man getting into heaven is harder than a camel getting through the “eye of a needle” (of course, we also learned that that was the nickname for the service entrances to the walls of Jerusalem, which meant the camel had to squeeze, but it was not impossible). Ted Kennedy, a child of extreme wealth, could have lived his life of privilege: instead he sacrificed his life to public service.
Ted Kennedy’s life was a life of Social Justice. It understood that democracy needs to ensure a voice for the minority. It understood that capitalism cannot exist on the backs of the workers. Every issue he fought for was one that Catholics and other like-minded Christians needed to fight for: minimum wages, union rights, education for all, health care for all, a system that doesn’t reward companies for lay offs, immigration rights, and many more innumerable issues.
Because Catholics do not proselytize, our political leaders are often seen as secular, which allows the more vocal leaders of the other religions to make claims for the Christian vote. But Christianity does not “want people to be wealthy”, which I have heard people say. It demands more from those fortunate enough to be wealthy, and it demands social justice. Social justice does not mean tax cuts for the wealthy, who can then choose to give to the poor. It means that we take care of our poorest. It means that we temper our capitalism, which is at its core un-Christian, with safety nets. It demands that.
I am baffled that liberals and progressives lose this fight for morality. Sometimes we lose because people are selfish, and want to believe in a Christianity where God “wants people to do well.” But more often we lose because people believe the lie that Reagan told: that if we let the rich keep more of their money, it will come to the poor. We know now that wealth trickles up. If we give money to the poor and middle class, they will spend it, and the rich will be enriched as well (think: cash for clunkers). If we give money to the rich, they keep it and become richer (think:bush tax cuts). Low taxes may shift investment strategies, but they do not incentivize creation and spending more helping the poor. The right demanding that we lower taxes to the left side of the Laffer curve. Now they lie about the morality of pulling the rich down the slope of the Laffer curve to where there is nothing demanded of them.
Health Care for all is social justice. Health Care for all is right. Health Care for all is something that all Catholics and like-minded Christians must demand. Now! God bless Ted Kennedy for reminding us how to live as Catholic Christians. "We're going to climb that hill together, even if it takes all day!"
UPDATE: Drudge Can Bite It. During the burial service this evening, the priest read the letter that EMK wrote to the Pope and had Obama deliver, and also read the POPE'S RESPONSE. Drudge earlier this week was implying that the Pope had snubbed Kennedy because there was no public statement from him after Kennedy's letter. Well, now we know we know that - private as ever - the Pope DID respond to Kennedy, and it was just kept private until today.