The nationally recognized group Nuns on a Bus made a stop at Capital’s campus this past Sunday as part of their national tour to promote awareness of social justice issues in the United States to coincide with Pope Francis’s visit.
The three main points advocated by the sisters were a willingness to listen to the views of others, a dedication to spreading word about issues like poverty and racial inequality with others, and urging all people to find a cause they can connect with and to promote meaningful change in that area.
“You can’t have all eyes and you can’t have all feet…What is so important is that we all do our part,” said Sister Simone Campbell, the leader of the Nuns on the Bus organization.
During the course of the discussion between the Sisters and audience members, many Columbus issues were highlighted. These included payday lenders, inequality among school districts, lack of affordable housing, homelessness, and persistent racial divides.
During the course of the meeting, various audience members, many of whom were active in local charities such as Building Responsibility, Equality, and Dignity (BREAD) and the Community Shelter Board. These organizations brought up facts that propelled discussion. These facts included Ohio being the 7th largest center for human trafficking in the country, and Franklin County having one of the highest infant mortality rates in the nation.
In addition to facts, many people shared stories they had learned through their work with the poor and disadvantaged.
“One 12 year-old girl (the daughter of immigrants) attempted to commit suicide after her parents were deported after attempting to pay a parking ticket,” said Sister Elaine Riley.
“I meet people all the time who just cannot make it,” said Sister Mary Ellen Lacy
In addition to telling stories highlighting the work the Sisters believed to be important, the Sisters also shared incidents that caused them to have hope.
“[While visiting a school] we encountered hopeful stories in Cincinnati. The sixth-graders raised their hands [in the town meeting], and their responses were good… Kids give us hope for the future” said Lacy.
The bulk of the discussion itself was guided by two major questions the Sisters asked the audience to consider among themselves; what issues are facing Columbus, and how can we work to fix these issues?
Responses on how to solve the city’s issues were vast. Discussion included repealing Citizens United, a Supreme Court case that ruled that for-profit organizations could donate unlimited dollar amounts to political campaigns; not reelecting incumbent politicians; and simply telling everyone about community issues.
“We need to own our responsibility… We need to explain the truth,” said Kathy Darty, an audience member. Others stressed the importance of electing local judges who work to alleviate inequality, and urged that Americans seek information from a variety of sources when forming opinions.
Another issue brought up was the sense of apathy many people have regarding social justice issues.
“I am amazed at how many organizations are trying to do something… but the big majority of people still don’t care… Find something that resonates with you… get involved in something,” said Samuel Gracida, a sophomore Capital student.
Finally, many audience members urged that now was the time to reclaim the U.S. Constitution.
“It [the constitution] says we the people… not we the rich, or we the people who got here first… we means everyone,” said an anonymous audience member. Others stated that the government no longer seeks to live up to the constitutional value of promoting the general welfare.
While the opinions offered were diverse, most of the audience seemed to agree that bridging the political divides, especially the generational divide, within the U.S. is a first step to ensuring significant political reforms, and that more open spaces were needed to discuss community issues.
In addition, the Sisters stressed that people should publicize meaningful organizations and legislation already in place to alleviate social issues.
“Publicize the good, and do it with an attitude of joy. This gets people active… remember you are not alone,” said Campbell.
