Archbishop Oscar Romero offers us much to consider in this most recent icon of relevance to our modern/post-modern context of living in an urban environment of first-world americana. The orphaned children, the helicopters, and hospitality fires of arson are so the norm of our existence, that sometimes they go without notice.
The child I currently tutor for literacy is in Kindergarten. In efforts to compete with the "rest of the world", kindergarten is now like first or even second grade used to be for us so many years ago. This means, that you better know the fucking alphabet when you walk into kindergarten, or you will not survive basic training. Our first week (a month after school began), my little dude did not even recognize the letter "A". In America, that is poverty. You lose.
Six weeks later, he recognizes several letters, including A and C, but not B. We spent an entire 45 minute session learning the letter B. His classmates already recognize words. Learning disability? Maybe. Unstable, unintentional home-life? Most likely. Fortunately, even though he doesn't recognize the letter B, he could tell me all about popular horror icon Michael Myers, whom he dressed up like for trick or treat. If you think that is disturbing, you should hear the violent fantasies he has shared with me. Poverty. You lose.
When I look at the Romero icon, I see this child I tutor, whose future is on the brink now, not in 12 or 13 years, when he might otherwise consider a direction for his own life.
Helicopters. They used to wake us up at night. Not anymore. Normal.
Arson. Too often results in the loss of life. Last week, a grandmother, a mother, and an infant fell victim to arsonists. Even one of our own homes dedicated to housing women coming out of prison, has been out of commission since spring because of a fire from arson. Is it vengeful, or just boredom? America.
We need more than the alphabet and firefighters.
We need hope.
