Friday, April 20, 2007
Points of Light, South Park and Ultimate Disrespect
Last night the Los Angeles Mission along with 229 other recipients were given grants from the Northrup Grumman Corporation and its employees. We were treated like royalty at the California Science Center and we had the outstanding opportunity to be challenged by Robert Goodwin, the retiring CEO of the Points of Light Foundation.
Mr. Goodwin reminded us once again that the overarching need in our society is acceptance and self-worth. He also reminded us that the greatest insult is disrespect. With the horrible murders at Virginia Tech we see once again the result of years of personal anguish turning into the ultimate disrespect of another human being – murder!
I am not a South Park fan mostly because I don’t find humor in the demeaning of others. Oh, I do some pretty stupid things and have learned to laugh at myself and most days I’m even strong enough to let others join in! The April 18th airing of South Park once again sought cheap humor by its attempt to address homeless issues. The thought: “send them all to California” though aimed at rich people with spare change only adds to the stigma of what a homeless person really needs and wants. Homeless men and women need and want lasting change – not spare change!
California does not need any more of the nations homeless! We are the undisputed homeless capital of the US. What California does need is what I heard Robert Goodwin championing, a proactive we-can-do-it-together attitude to create lasting and meaningful change in our society. To make it a society where people are valued as human beings, where respect of others is the norm and where helping those less fortunate than ourselves is part of our personal and societal DNA.
Here at the Los Angeles Mission we continue to provide services that restore self esteem, love and respect of others. We do so one life at a time. I know that the other 229 grant recipients are attempting to do the same. How about you?
--Herb Smith, President
Mr. Goodwin reminded us once again that the overarching need in our society is acceptance and self-worth. He also reminded us that the greatest insult is disrespect. With the horrible murders at Virginia Tech we see once again the result of years of personal anguish turning into the ultimate disrespect of another human being – murder!
I am not a South Park fan mostly because I don’t find humor in the demeaning of others. Oh, I do some pretty stupid things and have learned to laugh at myself and most days I’m even strong enough to let others join in! The April 18th airing of South Park once again sought cheap humor by its attempt to address homeless issues. The thought: “send them all to California” though aimed at rich people with spare change only adds to the stigma of what a homeless person really needs and wants. Homeless men and women need and want lasting change – not spare change!
California does not need any more of the nations homeless! We are the undisputed homeless capital of the US. What California does need is what I heard Robert Goodwin championing, a proactive we-can-do-it-together attitude to create lasting and meaningful change in our society. To make it a society where people are valued as human beings, where respect of others is the norm and where helping those less fortunate than ourselves is part of our personal and societal DNA.
Here at the Los Angeles Mission we continue to provide services that restore self esteem, love and respect of others. We do so one life at a time. I know that the other 229 grant recipients are attempting to do the same. How about you?
--Herb Smith, President
