Dr. N. Yanthan
Should a society look upon a certain section of its people as 'no good' and thus put a mark of condemnation on their foreheads? Is that a right thing to do? Is it acceptable to a right thinking people and its individuals?
Discrimination of drug users, sex workers and those living with HIV and AIDS is a fact and a bitter reality in our society today. To combat this unhealthy trend of social attitude the Non Governmental Organizations and the likes have been making efforts over the years to make the common people aware of its negative impact. How far they have succeeded in this venture is although debatable.
Discrimination that comes from one's own people does hurt, and only those who face it know how hurting it is. They are often looked upon as people who are 'no good with no feelings' which is an inappropriate and incorrect perception. They are indeed a very part of our society with human values and feelings as any of us yet have unfortunately strayed into a wrong direction in the course of life's journey and therefore need to be understood as such.
The society at large needs to come to a realization that these affected people are not going through a 'merry go round' safari. But that there is pain and realization in them, that they have been trapped in a dark abyss with no way out on their own strength, that there is a cry in their hearts, guilt in their minds and tears in their eyes. That they are aware of the depth of the mess they have fallen into, yet see no light at the other end. That they feel the pain, realize their helplessness and long to come out and be restored. That, they long for someone who could come their way with an understanding of their situation and come to their help and rescue. It is such a cry; only those who identify with them will have the sensitivity to hear and feel their pain. Is it then proper to add salt to their wounds with a negative attitude towards them?
Rather than projecting a negative attitude the society need to sympathize with them. A deeper analysis will reveal that society is partly responsible for the state of affairs these people are in. Think of the factors that led a person to drug use or sex work ending up with HIV and AIDS. Can the home in which one is born and nurtured shrug off the responsibility? Some of them may have got into the situation out of fun-loving venture; some out of curiosity or some even out of sheer waywardness and still some out of hostile domestic environment and so on. But think of the majority of them who were drawn into it by no other reason than abject poverty and hopelessness of life. Whichever may be the reason the tragedy holds the same.
It is indeed painful to listen to a client pour out the pain from the heart with tears in the eyes that the factor behind was nothing else than sheer poverty - the need to fill the gnawing hungry stomach and having to go day after day and night after night with little or no food yet nowhere to turn to; the need to clothe the body and to meet the day to day requirements of life and so on. Equally painful is to hear failure of parental responsibility as another factor.
Applying one's mind to this scenario leads one to ponder where were the kins, the relatives, the neighbours and the society as a whole then? There seems to be no answer to this question although the people at large have the opportunity to pause and ponder about this disturbing social problem. What this section of the people needs from the society is neither frown nor rejection but a look into, with a mind to understand the situation they are in, and a change of mindset towards them.
It is worth remembering the fact that they are members of our communities with human values as anyone else and that they are our own people. They are neither aliens nor foreigners. In fact foreigners are putting in so much of their resources towards helping and restoring them. Therefore it makes more sense for our own people to spare concern for them in our hearts.
It is imperative for Christian communities to care for those marginalized in society. The essence of the idea in Christianity about caring for the disadvantaged is rooted in God's love for mankind; which is meant to be given out to those in need rather than kept for self preservation. In the light of the practice of this teaching there is certainly strength and hope for the lives of the people in question.
Most of the churches in our land are busy with many outreach programs outside the homeland- founding and funding churches, schools, crusades and conventions to mention some. All these are good and no one can dispute about. However, while engaging in all these good works it will also be honorable if we develop and maintain a concern for the disadvantaged sections at our own backyard and extend practical help to them. Such practical help can be materialized if and when the church begins to understand the enormity of the crises that is at hand. The church can play a pro active role by way of allocating budgets, setting up 'Care Units', providing trained and equipped personnel with willing and committed hearts, maintaining regular time of intercession for them as a branch of missions.
In fact time is overdue for the churches to change gear in her attitude and in the investment of resources and focus on the welfare of the people living on the fringe of life at her own backyard. With vision and commitment many churches have the potentiality to initiate and comfortably maintain and manage a 'Care Unit' as an extension of their mission activity. The longer the church remains unconcerned the bigger the population of the 'discriminated' will grow.
Sadly, the individuals who constitute this population are no other than our own, and members of our churches.
