Northwest Arkansas is so fortunate to have TheatreSquared (T2), our year-round resident, professional theater company, recognized last year as one of the nation’s 10 most promising emerging theatres.
During the holiday season, T2 off ered a delightful stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale “A Christmas Carol” - a timeless story of the eternal consequences of selfishness and greed. It offers a heartwarming invitation to embrace the generous, communal spirit of Christmas.
Scrooge himself is a stark picture of the consummate individualist. He treasures his individual “freedom” and “liberty” to seek his own interests and wealth without concern for the interest or well-being of anyone else.
Personal responsibility - 100 percent. Social responsibility - None.
America was foundedon a different moral vision.
Our founders declared that we join together to take responsibility for each other. Christian values played a significant part in creating that vision.
The Constitution opens: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
“We the people” -The public.
“A more perfect union” - a joint enterprise, with mutual responsibility.
Promoting the “general welfare” - the common good, basic protection and empowerment for all.
Scrooge’s partner Marley learned too late. A ghost doomed to wander in heavy chains, he appears to Scrooge. “I wear the chain I forged in life … I made it link by link … and of my own free will.” But Scrooge objects. Marley was always good. Good in business.
“Business!” cried the ghost, wringing its hands again.
“Mankind was my business;
charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The deals of my trade were a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
A good society is one in which “we the people” care for the common good. It is one that forms a government whose mission is to protect and empower all people equally: “Every one,” as TinyTim says. A good society supports the institutional structures that ensure our inalienable rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
“A more perfect union” which “promotes the general welfare” will make sure that no one suffers from hunger or malnutrition, and no one is left homeless. It will ensure access to medical and mental health care. It will empower every person with excellent public education, and exposure to art and music. It will protect us with the gifts of “justice … domestic tranquility … (and) the common defense.” It will keep our food and water safe, our lands and waters pure. It will build roads and bridges and airports.
It will maintain whatever people need to live and to make a living. And it expects the wealthy, those who have most benefi ted from its structures, to share generously so that all may benefit in this more perfect Union.
But Scrooge doesn’t buy any of this.
Scrooge isn’t bothered when the wealthy and powerful manipulate the tax code to their benefit so more and more money is in the hands of fewer and fewer people. Scrooge doesn’t care if we give tax cuts to the wealthy and then complain about deficits and cut services crucial to the poor.
Scrooge wants to cut and even eliminate things like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, helping poor children and families with some minimal off ering from the rest of us.
Scrooge couldn’t care less about a dysfunctional immigration system that breaks up families and tells children who only know this country that they don’t belong here.
Scrooge doesn’t mind leaving families out in the cold if they have a loved one living with mental illness or a disability.
Scrooge doesn’t mind three decades of growingincome for the rich and fl at income for the rest of us.
Scrooge doesn’t care if the minimum wage ever goes up. Scrooge doesn’t care if our public education goes underfunded. Scrooge thinks it is a disservice to the unemployed to keep their benefits going even when job creation is anemic.
Scrooge believes in dog-eat-dog competition, with the rewards of greed and selfishness as our inalienable rights.
Pope Francis describes how the “powerful feed on the powerless.” Jeff rey Sachs decries the “globalization of indifference.” Jesus says when we care for the “least of these,” we have “done it unto him.”
Scrooge says, “Bah!
Humbug!”
Until the Christmas ghosts visit.
Please, Mr. Dickens, visit the hearts of our Scrooges.
LOWELL GRISHAM IS AN EPISCOPAL PRIEST WHO LIVES IN FAYETTEVILLE.
Opinion, Pages 11 on 12/29/2013