c. 2005 Religion News Service

CLEVELAND _ It couldn’t be what it seemed to be.

For several weeks, as the garage roof at my employer, The Plain Dealer, is in being repaired, I have been searching for parking spots on Cleveland streets throughout the day. I often end up a few blocks away.

That means passing homeless men and women on my way to work, and even the uncomfortable sight of people seeming to sleep overnight in one of the doorways. Sometimes the smell of urine is overpowering.

But a closer look at the offending sight on a recent weekday showed this was what I thought it was, feces in the alcove where human beings often made temporary shelter with a few belongings under an overhang that barely protected them from the elements.

The waste would stay there for a couple of days, as invisible as the people who would seek refuge there at night.

As it has for the nation responding to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, an up-close perspective on the effects of poverty forces us to confront some troubling realities of the millions of people in this country teetering on either side of the thin line between subsistence and homelessness.

The response to hurricane victims has revealed some of the best of human nature, acts of individual moral courage among rescuers and relief workers and impromptu acts of generosity from millions of people of all ages across the country.

The other side of human nature _ the need to assign blame _ also has been revealed. At a time when the only response called for is love and compassion to people in need, some politicians, commentators and others could hardly wait even a day or two to exploit the tragedy for political gain.

But poverty in America is not a Republican problem or a Democratic problem. The truth is, neither party has shown the political will to address the issue, and one can have a rational debate over which party has been more cynical in its attitudes and actions toward Americans most in need.

The harsher reality is that you and I have not demonstrated the concern to create the political will for a solution to poverty. Change will occur when the poor and the homeless and the uninsured are seen as my responsibility and your responsibility.

It is not morally acceptable to pass off the blame to elected officials who hear no public outcry, nor is it acceptable to throw up our hands in helplessness at the enormousness of the problem.

So what can the rest of us do? Here are some thoughts.

We can open our eyes to the suffering around us, and then act. We can give more to the United Way, religious charities and organizations such as Save the Children that work toward a solution.

We can mentor youth, work toward a less segregated society and volunteer in any number of ways, from providing shelters in houses of worship to supporting economic development in the city.

We can transcend the political divide that separates issues of personal and social responsibility and has kept people in poverty over generations. Maybe a political party will arise that truly cares about the poor.

However, change comes first in the human heart. We can hope that even the worst of tragedies _ or in my case the ugliest of substances _ may have some redeeming value if they can pierce the hardness of a human heart.

To love them, we must first be able to see all the sisters and brothers around us.

MO/PH END RNS

(David Briggs writes about religion for The Plain Dealer of Cleveland)

To find a photo of this columnist, go to the RNS Web site at https://religionnews.com. On the lower right, click on “photos,” then search by last name.

Editors: Note reference to urine in 3rd graf and feces in 4th graf, which some might find objectionable.