Compassion V. Tough Love or Mother Teresa V. Marie Antoinette Page: 3 of 10
This text is part of the collection entitled: The Barbara C. Jordan Archives and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Texas Southern University.
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years ago, "While there has been relief for the railroads and relief for the banks, there's
been precious little relief for the simple farm people and ordinary men and women whom I
try to represent." Are not those the thoughts that you find charging across you
conscientiousness every day? How can the United States government bail out the savings
and loans when on some days YOU can't even order another thousand information sheets on
the warning signs of drug addiction? The ordinary men and women with whom you work
have been pushed into a small back room. A back room of fiscal restraint and scarce
resources. My message is that the door to that room is not locked. You and men and women
like you across our nation can re-open those doors. It will not be easy. Bpi, you must try.
Substance abuse. HIV. Maternity. Sexually transmitted diseases. Family planning.
You are dealing with the powder kegs of our society. You must give volume to the
suppressed voices of our most vulnerable citizens. Your cause is not popular, but its justness
gives it an unimpeachable rectitude. Those who work in health and human services are
doing work which is vital.
I see you as the fulcrums, as the levers. You are powerfully wedged at the pressure
points of society. You deal with those who are not only disadvantaged...you see the
dispirited. Those who have been without so long that it kills the "spirit and hope, and life
and future". You must find strength to give hope. You must deal with the leaders and
politicians who decide how much money you will have to do your jobs. It is, I know, in
dealing with this set of problems that at times you feel there is even less hope than in
dealing with your clients. Why should that legislator choose to give you money? After all,
bridges and buildings are named for politicians who make sure that there is always enough
money to buy more concrete. No cocaine baby ever took a legislator or Congressional
member out to lunch. Use the power that you have, to correct the grave injustices that you
see each and every day.
The problems attending this last decade of the 20th century are awesome but not
totally awesome...to say otherwise would be tantamount to an admission of defeat. You
must be almost omniscient to do your jobs. You must not only deal with the crisis at hand,
you must address the whole person. You must help people view life as a continuum, not just
for today but also for the long term.
You are not alone in your struggles. Remember that famous song of the 1960's ...."A
nation turns its lonely eyes to you." You provide hope. Your job is to keep others from
losing hope. Your difficult task is to re-empower the people...the people. Our democracy is
people driven. At times it appears our country is about to get away from us. Pull it back.
You are the fulcrums. You are the levers. I am asking you to become Archimedes and
believe as he believed. He said:
"Give me but one firm spot to stand and I will move the earth."
Federation for Community Planning, justice is your one firm spot on which to stand.
Your challenge is to keep greater Cleveland--moving--moving--toward the good society as
framed by Robert Bellah. Do what your literature says you can do...you are:
Facilitator
Coordinator
Educator
Researcher
Advocate
Planner
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Jordan, Barbara C. Compassion V. Tough Love or Mother Teresa V. Marie Antoinette, text, March 20, 1992; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth595177/m1/3/?q=%22~1%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Texas Southern University.