Attitudes.

The reason that the poor and needy are neglected in our society is our attitudes.

Our attitude to the poor, to asylum seekers, to drug addicts and alcoholics, to gays and lesbians.....

We rationalize our privileges by claiming that they bring it on themselves.

"It's their own fault."

And those who preach sin and death rationalize their judgement of them.

This is how they justify their indifference and even their condemnation of those in need.

So what is needed is a change of attitude.

We must see that those who suffer are not guilty of some offense but victims of our oppression and prejudice.

They are human beings like us.

They have a name and a face.

They have their own story.

And it is our responsibility to care.

We vote for governments who persecute asylum seekers and cut foreign aid.

We profit from companies who use slave labor and steal land.

We support a system which exploits the poor and rewards the rich.

We must change our attitudes.

And we must learn to show care and compassion to those who are suffering.

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