In the world to come I shall not be asked, ‘Why were you not Moses?’ I shall be asked, ‘Why were you not Zusya?’Rabbi Zusya

December 2014

  • Progress On Child Labor

    There are 168 million children in the world, and of those 11% are currently subjected to child labor. But countries worldwide are cracking down on those who employ, use or abuse children and as a result between 2000 and 2012 the number of children involved has been (more…)

  • Toward The American Dream?

    It now takes a yearly income of $96.513 to be able to afford a median price home in Los Angeles—$481.000. That is the third highest in the country. The highest needed income of $145,361 is In San Francisco, and the second highest of $101,682 is in San Diego. These figures assume a 30-year mortgage at 4.25% and a 20% down payment. As a result, the housing market in California is needless to say slow, although as one would expect, the high-end market is doing quite well. Yes, there is the other end of the spectrum where the lowest needed yearly salary for a median priced house in that area is in Pittsburgh with $32,373. Regardless of those few housing markets that appear affordable, the high cost of housing in several key areas of the country continues to exclude an increasingly larger group of people. It’s only a matter of time before such prices have more general consequences because rents are affected too. The cost of housing in turn affects disposable income, and when it does, it’s a concern, because with less money, people spend less and the economy of that area suffers. The housing numbers, collected by the mortgage research firm HSH.com, may seem dull but behind them there are realities affecting many lives—and a new poll tells us the American Dream. That’s why high housing costs have prompted both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mae to announce new housing programs with down payments as low as 3%, given that 20% down payment is a main obstacle to home ownership. Less people now believe that the American Dream, so centered on owning your own home, is within reach. These measures are a good step, but it’ll take a whole lot more than scattered efforts to restore the average person’s faith that the American dream can still be part of the national psyche.

  • Luz Maria Forgiveness Notes

    Luz Maria is Pablo Escobar’s sister. He was of course the notorious drug lord in Medellin, Columbia, accused not only of torturing but murdering numerous victims in his quest for domination of the drug trade. Luz Maria now leaves notes on the graves of many of her brother’s victims asking for forgiveness. Yet instead of a hero she has become a question mark. When I first heard the story, the BBC reporter surprised me by saying that she didn’t know what to make of Luz Maria. That is because Luz Maria does not see her brother as all bad. He was a good brother, she says, he helped the poor and she believes he did not commit some of the atrocities attributed to him. Luz Maria also does not receive a full endorsement from the families of those victims on whose graves she leaves notes. Felipe Mejia, the brother of one of Escobar’s victims says that forgiveness is not justice. That may be, but it would seem that the kind of justice Felipe Mejia would want is not within Luz Maria’s power. After all, how many of us would feel so strongly about atoning for the wrongs of a brother in a way that almost becomes a lifestyle? It’s hard enough to deal with the errors of a family member, but when those errors are a series of heinous crimes, how would we bear it? She ought to be lauded for her efforts. There isn’t enough forgiveness in the world, so I can’t help but praise anyone who engages in it.

Subscribe and Be Notified of New Posts

* indicates required

Intuit Mailchimp

We will never sell or share your information, we promise.