Circle of Protection

President Obama's video response to the Circle of Protection emphasized his own Christian faith and how it has lead him to be a better husband, father and president. Obama believes that our country should strive to be a place where everyone who helps themselves should be given assistance to live and strive. From healthcare, retirement plans, good jobs and good wages, and finally good education, the President has tried to make this country an easier place to live in. To do all this, Obama has been trying to balance the budget, without hurting the poorest in the country. He also believes that a government cannot fix every problem, and that faith must sometimes compliment actual aid. Finally, Obama believes that "We are all in this together, as one people, one American family," and that everyone is needed to solve the debt issue. This belief mirrors the Church's teaching that each person is called to help his or her's neighbors. Obama's statement is strong in theory, although it could be stronger if he used concrete facts and numbers to support his claims. Governor Romney believes that only when we fix our economy and eradicate our debt will we be able to help the people that live in poverty, which is 1/6 of our country. Romney says that the way to improving our economy is to create more jobs, and he mentions a five part plan that he has that will help attain that goal. However, he does not explain his plan, and that is one weakness of his response. On the other hand, a strength of his response is that he says he will work on budget cuts if he becomes president, while still trying to maintain the "safety net" that our government already has on the poor. Additionally, Romney supports a program that gives more money to those in need and less to those that help themselves. Finally, Romney promises that if he becomes president, he will listen to religious advisors in his decision making.

Project Home

Project H.O.M.E. is more than just a group of volunteers and social justice workers; it is a community of people working towards justice and freedom from need or want. It recognizes that everyone has the right to housing and security, and works towards helping the homeless and jobless secure the materials they need to get jobs or a place to live. They also try to provide basic medical care, because they also believe that everyone has the right to be healthy. Finally, they try to teach and empower their clients so that they may be able to help themselves in the future. What Project H.O.M.E does is different than charity; it is not short-term help, but rather a continuous aid to those who ask for it. Through the various programs offered, someone in the program can be helped as long as he or she may need it. Project H.O.M.E does not just offer someone a room for the night; it helps them find affordable housing for a lifetime. In this way, Project H.O.M.E is different than many homeless shelters, and is a better option for those trying to beat the cycle of poverty that they may find themselves in. One program that I believe is a very important part of Project H.O.M.E is the Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs. This program educates both young and old, which is so crucial in escaping continued poverty. Only with education can one get a successful job, and so education is really the first step in Project H.O.M.E. That is why Project H.O.M.E is a more effective and lasting program than the typical charity and relief group.

Forgiveness

Are we supposed to forgive Osama Bin Laden? When reading this question initially, my first response was to think "No, we cannot forgive him." Truthfully, the terror and destruction that Bin Laden's actions caused on the majority of Americans, as well as many other citizens around the world, are just cause for the hatred many people feel towards him. However, I must remind myself that as a Catholic, I cannot feel true hatred towards another human being--another of God's people. We must feel compassion and understanding for everyone in this world. Therefore, we can and must forgive Osama Bin Laden for his acts. If we do not forgive each other for our sins, we will live in a world of hostility and anger towards one another, rather than one of love. Once I remind myself of this, it is much easier for me to forgive Bin Laden and similar people for what they did. Jesus and the God of the New Testament emphasized many different laws, and two of those laws were the laws of forgiveness and love. As Catholics, we always strive to be as close to Jesus as we can, and one important way is through forgiving our fellow human beings. Everyone in this world sins or does something that turns them away from God; even so, we must accept each other, especially because we are sinners ourselves. Jesus himself accepted sinners at his table, to the surprise of his followers. The Bible says, "So watch yourselves! 'If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive' " (Luke 17: 3-4). Clearly, the Bible urges us to forgive all people, just as we ourselves are forgiven by God for our sins. Apart from my religion's emphasis on forgiveness, there is another reason why I believe that we must forgive Bin Laden. We know that who we become is shaped by the environment we grow up in, and that we are not born with hatred. Bin Laden's actions were caused mainly because of his upbringing; if he did not live in such an anti-American environment, he would not have committed such acts of terror. Bin Laden and many other Saudi Arabians were probably raised to hate Americans, and once that hatred is set in a person, it cannot be taken away. This is most likely the case for most acts of destruction by human beings. Therefore, we cannot simply blame one person for what they did, because it is a result of years of antagonism. We must also blame ourselves, for we accept a government that oppresses people like Bin Laden in the Middle East. If we do not allow ourselves to forgive Osama Bin Laden, we must also not forgive ourselves and our society. These are just a few reasons why I believe why we must forgive Osama Bin Laden and similar people.