My housemate and I had an odd conversation about the Trayvon Martin case and the state of racism in the US today. It was strange, mainly because we occupy very different perspectives. My housemate is a humble, genuine, and deeply compassionate man who self-identifies as an ultra-conservative that likes Sean Hannity. In comparison, I tend to be the more critical and argumentative member of the household, often pressing him on political perspectives from my position as center-left leaning NPR addict. He is … [Read more...] about Where are you FROM?
College Christian Humanitarianism: Part 4
Is there a real danger to the creep of utilitarianism in humanitarian thinking? Has the modern humanitarian world been reduced to little more than a competitive arena for non-profit interests? Last year, the Susan G. Komen Foundation imploded over scandals and bitter dissension over funding disputes with Planned Parenthood. The split took place on a number of levels - financial, ideological, and political - and took place between two technically secular organizations, but it was also complicated (and perhaps even … [Read more...] about College Christian Humanitarianism: Part 4
Issues in College Christian Humanitarianism: Part 3
"Join Wall Street. Save the world." This article went viral in my Facebook feed: [Jason] Trigg makes money just to give it away. His logic is simple: The more he makes, the more good he can do. He's figured out just how to take measure of his contribution. His outlet of choice is the Against Malaria Foundation, considered one of the world's most effective charities. It estimates that a $2,500 donation can save one life. A quantitative analyst at Trigg's hedge fund can earn well more than $100,000 a year. By giving … [Read more...] about Issues in College Christian Humanitarianism: Part 3
Issues in College Christian Humanitarianism: Part 2
Is humanitarian need blind? In college, my Christian fellowship sponsored a fundraiser for victims of the Southeast Asian earthquake and tsunami, sending money to the explicitly Christian humanitarian relief organization World Vision. During the fundraiser, several people approached the coordinators and expressed relief at being able to donate to a Christian organization. One person said, “I don't mind donating to a secular organization, but it somehow feels better to give to an organization that shares the same … [Read more...] about Issues in College Christian Humanitarianism: Part 2
College Christian Humanitarianism: Part 1
Not long after graduating from college in 2005, I interviewed students on campus about their involvement in community service. All of them said that they spent less time doing community service in college than in high school, and most of them said that they felt disappointed or even guilty that this was the case. All of them had difficulty articulating why this shift had occurred. No one claimed a lack of opportunity or motivation, but two main barriers emerged. The predominant factor was about structuring time (as … [Read more...] about College Christian Humanitarianism: Part 1