Faith Voices
of Columbia has been in a process to help congregations identify the core issues of concern that face our community. Over the past few months six congregations participated by conducting many listening conferences. As the many conversations were sorted the concerns fell into clearly identifiable areas. Many of these concerns are national, varying only by intensity or frequency in our local area. The identification process is the first step in moving toward priority actions and addressing the "upstream" causes:
Crime
Burglary, gun shots, drugs, violence, culture of fear
Criminal Justice System
Burgeoning overfilled prisons, the "war on drugs" unreasonable sentencing, lack of alternative sentencing, families broken apart through incarceration, loss of jobs and permanent records precluding future employment
Democracy
Politicians not accountable to constituencies because of gerrymandering, Citizens United and the corruption of big money in political campaigns, politicians who choose their voters rather than voters choosing their politicians
Diversity/Acceptance
Decaying respect for people of other religions, discrimination for those who are different, a continuing segregated society in our neighborhoods
Education
Diminishing funding, inequitable access to education
Employment
Lack of living wage jobs with benefits, underemployment and insufficient hours
Family stress
Unstable families, disconnected and isolated families, lack of extended networks of support
Gun violence
Increasing deadly gun violence that is expanding by scale and frequency. A highly armed citizenry with military style weaponry, magazines and ammo, bump stocks to modify weapons to fully automatic. Guns taken to school. Public shootings. Culture of violence.
Healthcare
Diminishing and in many cases intentional attack on women's access to health care, defeat of Medicaid expansion. Affordable health insurance. Health insurance tied to employment. Emergency room default the most expensive and inappropriate form of primary care.
Homelessness
Lack of affordable housing. Adequate emergency housing like Room at the Inn. Poverty and lack of employment precludes finding basic housing.
Immigration
Rejection of immigrants even as certain industries need more for work force. Insecure communities of immigrants who fear for deportation, especially the "dreamers"
Income
Income disparity nationally and locally - a growing gap between super-wealth and poverty becoming worse. Current tax plan increases the disparity. Often employment does not provide a living wage, certainly not one that can afford health care premiums.
Individualism
Our individualistic culture has lost its sense of cohesion. Fear keeps of separated. Society has changed and we have moved indoors with air conditioning. Lack of community.
Loan/Debt/Credit
People often fall into debt trap - both due to low wages, poor choices and predatory lenders with unfair interest. Some government loan plans seem ruthless. School debt often precludes graduates from participating fully in the economy; paying off loans.
Mental Health
Lack of available support for people with mental health issues - diminishing available resources.
Racial Equity
Racial barriers still exist and create mistrust and fear, disparities in policing based on race.
Safety
Not feeling as safe in public spaces as in previous years, even though crime is down.
Sexism/Harassment
Sexual harassment/assault in the work place and other social settings. We deserve safe spaces for women and all people.
Transportation
Bus routes fewer and longer.
