The Rev. Steve Pankey writes at his blog, “Draughting Theology,” about being both “the 99%” and “the 1%.” What about you? Where do you fall?
I am 99%. I am 1%
By Steve Pankey at Draughting Theology
You have to really be paying attention to know it’s happening, but the Occupy Movement is now more than one-month old. I have some friends who are involved on Wall Street, so I’m trying to understand what’s happening, and, perhaps more importantly, why. It seems to me that the whole thing is modeled after the “peaceful” revolution that occurred in Egypt not too long ago. Find a space that is culturally important, and hang out there in order to affect change.
The argument, it seems, is that people are sick and tired of having their lives and livelihoods dictated by the 1% of Americans who make hundreds of millions of dollars running multinational corporations that take advantage of the 99%. Even though my degree is in Business Administration, and even though I am a fervent capitalist, I respect what this group is saying. In many ways, and by both parties over the past 30+ years, the Invisible Hand has been lobbied out of existence.
This all came to mind, as I read the Old Testament lesson for Sunday. Moses, God’s mouthpiece on earth for more than 40 years, says something that Episcopal clergy, legislators, and the Occupy folks seem to ignore with regularity. ”You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor…”