i decided to drop you an email since i don't have all of your email addresses and can't obtain them without the help of snowden, who is unavailable at the present, i decided to reach as many of you as i can thru this blog. maybe you could forward it on so i can tell as many of you as i can what i want you to hear.
some people say you have become complacent. some people say you have become a self absorbed country who doesn't care about their citizens. some people say you are headed into socialism. some people say you are only concerned about what you are going to buy next at best buy or home depot or ikea. some people say you have become greedy and have forgotten your poor. some people say you have abandoned your children and your elderly. some people say you let your own neighbors die in the street without compassion. some people say you have become so involved with your own social media agendas that you ignore or have become immune to the suffering in your own cities. some people say alot of things.
as for me i want to tell you what i say. i say i still see the real america. i see it in bill perkins who heads the friendship house organization. he's dedicated his life to helping the homeless and the poor without expecting anything in return.
i see it in the church groups and schools that go to andrews place and bring dinner every nite. some travel more than thirty miles with no other goal than to make sure the men there eat and bring a smile to their face.
i see it in the people who arrive at nobucks cafe every morning at five thirty am to make sure the coffee is ready for the 80 or so people who are there every day. rain, snow, cold, heat, traffic. holiday....every day....they are there.
i see it in the muslim woman who brings sandwiches to people at riverfront park. she knows who the homeless are and she seeks them out. she brings water in the summer. she smiles as she hands it to you. she crosses no religious boundaries but exemplifies everything religion is suppose to be.
i see it in the jewish genteman's face that gives the homeless man five dollars every friday morning as he's walking to work. he always says...hurry up and find a job before you break me. he smiles and moves on.
i see in mark horvath who continuously strives to make you aware of the homeless and their situation. day after he tweets and writes and pokes and prods at you to see what he sees.
i see in mark of the ministry of caring. he brings lunch to the homeless in front of the chase building three days a week. tuesday in three degree weather....there he was. someone asked him...what are you doing here on a day like this. his response....you're here aren't you?
i see it in the faces of the people who run and work at the missions and shelters around the country. they strive to make sure the homeless and poor are fed and housed when they can. they struggle financially but continue the fight to save the homeless.
i see it in that little girl named brittany who gave larry the dollar at riverfront. it was instilled in her. it came from a child's heart and out of nothing but goodness and doing the right thing.
america...i see it everywhere. not in washington dc. not on cable news. not in the newspapers. not in some politicians speech. not in some social agencies grandiose speech or plan. i see it in you. i see it in the faces of the every day people who take it upon themselves to care for the poor and the homeless. i can see the kindness, the compassion and caring spirit that made this country great and still makes it great. some in small ways, some in big ways. each in his own way.
i see it america. look. stop...take a second....look....you'll see it too.
see you around town