- The Bishop is "good" because he is forgiving, generous, accepting - almost too much so.
- Javert is "good" because he enforces society's rules; innocent or guilty with no in-between.
- Valjean is "good" because he responds to the needs of others, often casting aside the laws or norms of society.
Most of us accept that we cannot be good like the Bishop. We'd like to believe that we're more like Valjean - a champion for those who cannot rise up themselves. But honestly, we mostly behave as Javert... conforming and judging, trusting in the government structures and other protectors of status quo.
After watching Spike Lee's docu-drama on HBO, WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE: A REQUIEM IN FOUR ACTS, I'm again reminded of this pattern of docile obedience supplanting irritating activism. Years from now, history will be taught in classrooms that revises the devastation of Katrina, not as a natural disaster, but as a failure of government to serve its people. But, the history lesson will not stop there, instead it will continue on to point out how the rest of us stood by and watched it happen - satisfied that enough had changed, when in fact, nothing really has. Where is the outrage, the irritating activism that pushes us forward?
In Pennsylvania the lawmakers gave themselves a raise. The result was a tremendous burst of irritating activism that drove the electorate to vote for change. Most analysts will say that the results of the election following these events, were shaped by this force of change - out with the old, in with the new... and by the way, we're watching you!
AND YET, it seems as if two years after Katrina, little has changed for the better - especially at the federal level.
Javert, upon realizing that all of his years of judging and conforming had left him on the wrong side of being right, takes his life, having "fallen from grace". Let us work now to see the wisdom and power of irritating activism - before its too late.
http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/whentheleveesbroke/
http://www.teachingthelevees.org/
1 comment:
I hadn't quite understood the whole situation with Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans until I saw a portion of that documentary on YouTube. I had no idea how much was not being accomplished by our government. The fact that Condeleeza Rice was spotted shoe shopping shortly after the tragedy appalled me. The idea of irritating activism with regards to Katrina is applicable. If people in a community, town, city, country refuse to take action because they are too afraid to step on someone's toes or criticize authority to harshly, then how can we expect to make change. I recently stood before my speech class and gave a speech about Female Genital Mutilation. I have never had an issue with public speaking, but the idea of discussing this sensitive and embarrassing topic with a room full of high school students terrified me. I was afraid the subject would be too graphic, or too taboo for the class. However, once I realized the magnitude and importance of discussing the topic, and bringing the horrific procedure to the attention of those who have the capacity to make change, I was able to relax and deliver an excellent speech that I knew had a purpose. I believe that if only more people bring controversial, taboo, offensive issues to the attention of those in authority, then and only then can we make change.
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