With Whom Will We Walk? : Welfare: Wilson’s initiative to cut benefits amounts to casting out the least among us.

As the Gospel narrative of the Passion was read yesterday, Palm Sunday, a traditional question was phrased in English, Spanish and many other tongues in Christian churches: “With whom will you walk? With whom will you stand, not just today but come this Friday, Good Friday?” This is a timeless question, but timely now for voters in the State of California.

May it abide in our hearts and resonate in our minds during the weeks ahead, as a disheartening modern Passion narrative unfolds in California.

The Wilson Administration and a paralyzed Legislature are prepared to condemn the least among us, leading them outside the city walls, calling them thieves and robbers. In the heat of another election year and deteriorating budget woes, Sacramento is prepared to make a expedient political calculation. Like the intimidated procurator of another time, Gov. Pete Wilson will attempt to bring before the gathering crowd a distorted image of those who are poor, immigrant and refugee. He will pose a simple question: “With whom will you stand?” Given the poor’s want of political clout and, for many, their inability to vote, the powers that be in Sacramento hope the decision will be simple and uncomplicated. “Who can we forfeit for the sake of the rest?” is their question.

Wilson’s welfare initiative, known as the “government accountability and taxpayer protection act,” is a desperately irresponsible measure that will allow political leaders to wash their hands of the problem, and later point their fingers at a nameless crowd--the voters. The clumsy initiative process has unfortunately become a degraded form of public discourse on matters that are most essential to the state.

In the muddle of political posturing over the next few months, voters will be called on to exercise their right to choose. I hope that each can, despite the partisan babel, still greet a mother with children, look upon the daunted face of the homeless, see the countless immigrants and refugees who power industries and services in this state and who are the first to bear the consequences of any recession.

Where and with whom will we stand on that Tuesday in June when we make our choice in the midst of the madding crowd?