Kozol & Goldberg: Two contrasting realities of American Life

What!
In Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation Jonathan Kozol argues against the notion "that the largest portion of the suffering poor people undergo has to be blamed upon their own 'behaviors'(p.21). He quotes professor Lawrence Mead saying: "If poor people behaved rationally, they would seldom be poor long in the first place." Kozol is arguing against this flawed ideology that poor people are to blame for their own suffering. This reasoning will logically produce contempt for the poor instead of compassion. Kozol does a great job of showing how some of the choices made by government (the city of New York in this article) and flaws in the welfare system contribute to make it difficult for those who live in poverty.

In this article, Kozol describes the South Bronx ghetto neighborhood Mott Haven as the poorest in the Bronx. He explains the epidemic rates of HIV and prevalence of drug addiction in this area.He also describe the substandard project housing that most people live in and shows difficult living conditions in this part of New York. One example of social injustice he shares is how the city of New York chose to locate the incinerator in this neighborhood over the objections of parents. The most disturbing point is that the original site location was cancelled over similar parental objections in the more affluent east side of Manhatten.

So What:
Kozol gives us real reasons to care about the conditions of the people in his article. He describes serious health risks to thousands of children. On page 4 he states "Depression is common among children in Mott Haven. Many cry a great deal but cannot explain exactly why. Fear and anxiety are common. Many cannot sleep." On page 5 Kozol asks: "What is it like for children to grow up here? What do they think the world has done to them? Do they believe that they are being shunned or hidden by society? If so, do they think they deserve this? What is it that enables some of them to pray? When they pray, what do they say to God?

It is clear that children who are living in poverty haven't done anything to blame for their suffering. Kozol then shares the story of Alice Washington to illustrate that adults are often forced into poverty even while making rational intelligent decisions. Mrs. Washington encounters a welfare system fraught with error and abuse that can make it difficult for some who need help to get it while others may receive checks for those who have died months or years ago. On page 20 Kozol quotes Mrs. Washington saying "My doctor says, when it comes to the poor, they can't get nothin' right." This is why Mrs. Washington and others in her community suffer in understaffed, substandard hospitals. Sadly there isn't just inequity in our society but injustice, poverty and few options for those who live in poverty. This results in a continuous cycle of poverty and injustice.

Now What:

Jonathan Kozol quotes Mrs. Washington's son David on page 23.

David says "Somebody has power. Pretending that they don't so they don't need to use it to help people --that is my idea of evil."

The implication in this statement is that many of us who have power and ability to help others pretend we don't have the ability to do anything. In many cases this may be a subconscious easing of conscience. The result is the same, cycles of poverty and injustice continue. The answer is for all of us to recognize the poverty around us and do what is in our power to help those in need. It is much easier for many of us to do nothing about the poor around us becaus we don't feel as privileged as we are. As Johnson says in his article, "We use reference groups to construct a sense of how good or bad, high or low we are... we usually don't look downward in the social hierarchy but to people we identify as being on the same level as or higher level than our own."

I have some additional thoughts that I would like to share. I agree with Kozol that many are poor because of a lack of options and opportunities rather than irrational behavior and poor choices as it seems Lawrence Mead and probably Goldberg would suggest. It is true that irrational behavior and poor choices that lead to various addictions can contribute to poverty. However, most people who are poor have limited opportunities to improve their situation. In any case, it is not my place to judge why someone is poor but rather to do what I can to help those who are poor. There is some great wisdom in what David said on page 23 of Kozol's article. As a Christian, I believe God calls us to use the power we have to help people, especially those who live in poverty. It doesn't help anyone to ask them what they did to become poor, or criticize them for not making the best decision possible in every situation. However, there is tremendous potential for positive change if we ask "what injustices are contributing to or causing their poverty?" Then we will be in a better position to seek social justice and help those in need.

I would like to share a relevant verse from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 58:6-7 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"

In his article titled "Jonathan Kozol," Goldberg is arguing that our schools teach anti-America propaganda. He says on page 294 that so many of today's schools are turning out "smart" kids with little understanding of how precious their heritage is." Goldberg then goes on to say that this problem is a complicated one but Jonathan Kozol has had considerable influence in changing our classrooms. His books "focused mainly on poor and minority kids, he has preached his version of how kids should be educated and his influence today is immense. Kozol is a fierce opponent of traditional learning... He believes that education cannot and should not be politically neutral."

So What:

Goldberg expresses extreme concern about Kozol because "Kozol is strongly admired in the education establishment and his ideas are put into practice every day in classrooms all across America from high school all the way to preschool." Golderg also expresses concern about Kozol encouraging students skepticism of authority and the "left wing publications and organizations including information agencies of the Chinese and Cuban governments where teachers can get worthwhile classroom materials."

Now What:

I'm not sure what Goldberg wants us to do about this. It seems like he wants us to teach patriotism, a pro-American view of our heritage and obedient civic behavior (p. 294-295).
I have not read very much of Kozol's writing, only the earlier article so I don't know what to make of this critique. However, America has a very painful past and a record of extreme racial injustice toward African Americans and near annihilation of native Americans. There are also other significant examples of racial injustice in our past such as Japanese-American internment camps. Interestingly we did not have the same camps for German-Americans.

We have both good and evil in our heritage and it is advisable to give our students the truth about both. We have provided a new home for many millions fleeing religious and other persecutions. We helped defeat Nazi Germany in World War II and are a land of opportunity for many. However, there is still a great deal of injustice and racism in our nation. It is a land where those who have money and privilege often easily gain more and those who live in poverty usually only have limited opportunities. I plan to read more of Kozol in the future to see what I think of his ideas as he expresses them. Then I will have a better context in which to evaluate the criticisms that Goldberg has raised. What I did read of Kozol resonated pretty well with my limited personal observations of our society and government.