Dear Editor,
I appreciate you emphasizing the importance of avoiding the simple approach of replacing the reality of what is going on in the world with a historical or fictional event or situation. However, it can be useful to compare the pieces of what is happening with historical or fictional events or situations. The goals or thinking or strategies of characters, real or fictional, can be useful as clues for what to look for in the present. The creators of Project 25 clearly included history and fiction in developing their strategy. We must carefully distinguish between what people say and what they do.
For example, Prime Minister Carney described his budget as an austerity budget, but clearly there is no austerity for corporations or wealthy individuals.
When I read 1984 decades ago, I thought the government was an authoritarian one similar to Nazi Germany. The book describes life under a totalitarian government. I did not interpret it as a socialist government.
Understanding what is happening today requires awareness of the emotional drivers, the ideological drivers, and the economic drivers. An important question to repeatedly ask is, “Who benefits from this and how?”
As we grapple with the world today, we also need to hold on to the promise, “Fear not for I am always with you.” Faith calls us to engage the world with confidence that we can make a difference; we can identify our goals; and we can develop strategies to get there, working with each other.
Sincerely,
Jim Kenney
