[Oe List ...] Salmon: Clinton's relationship to E.I. - Dear Susan

[David Dunn via OE]

I traveled in the UK (visited Schrijens and Heckmans), The Netherlands (Utrecht summer school), Russia (our Russian friends), Poland (a pilgrimate of sorts to meet church-rlated colleagues) and the Baltic nations (a RoadScholar study tour) this summer. Burna taught in China, then joined me from Poland onward.

All of the people with whom I had a intimate enough conversation to lighten up and get real asked about Trump. Their query was accompanied by the question: “Has American gone mad?” 


In the fray of the last year, it’s become clear to me that I have become what Europeans might call a “social democrat.” The countries and cultures that I admire most include the Scandinavian nations and Canada. I’d have to rummage around for the statistics that document well being and happiness for the others out there.

I’m heading toward the observation that advanced societies around the world are generous with their citizens, especially to their poorer, ill, mentally disturbed, and criminal citizens. They provide education, health care, safety nets, rehabilitation, and other services that help people stay on their feet and well enough to evolve. They pay the price in high taxes, but they reap the benefit in levels of security, human and economic development, and happiness.

The bottom line for me is pretty straight forward: which candidate shares my vision for a just and generous society that cares for 100% of its citizens and gives everyone an opportunity to grow, learn, and evolve?

Bernie Sanders touched some of these value points, but seemed an unlikely candidate. Donald Trump would take us in exactly the wrong direction. Hillary Clinton, faults notwithstanding, might buy us time to head in the right direction—right defined as equal employent opportunity, comprehensive health care and education, and a safety net that doesn’t let anyone fall through the cracks.


An instructive aside from a trip several years ago. When we crossed the border between Russia and Finland, we could palpably the psycho-social climate change. Burna and I felt relief. We relaxed. The countryside was suddenly neater, the train stations suddenly fresher, the cities suddenly newer, and the people overwhelmingly more helpful, more open, more responsive, and, it appeared to us both, happier.

There was a lesson in this about what makes a society sustainably healthy. It’s complicated. America isn’t quite there yet, and this election will set the direction for quite a while. There is a world of hurt and painfully intractable contradictions. But I’ve experienced several societies whose shared vision I identify with and would really like to emulate.

Sigh.


David





> On Nov 1, 2016, at 2:23 PM, Isobel Bishop via OE <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
> 
> Thankyou for this conversation, colleagues. I appreciate the 
> Honesty, pain and fear expressed in
> depth,to give us outsiders some real hope.
> Thankyou all.
> In peace and love,
> Isobel 

—



"Mystery, possibility, and the power to choose"
[read and share on David's blog—www.spiritjourneys.org]

David Dunn
740 S Alton Way 9B
Denver, CO 80247
720-314-5991
dmdunn1 at gmail.com

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