ShawnNeidorf.com

Covering the Progressive Faith Community

09 July
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But What Should We DO?

As this hellish week draws to a close, I’m asking myself, once again, what we’re supposed to DO to fix the sorry state of our culture. I have heard repeated exhortations for people–especially white people–to speak up. To stand up. To do something.

What I have not heard is what we are supposed to say and do. How do we move beyond the perpetual cycle of anger and lamentation?

I fear that the Black Lives Matter movement is going to devolve like the Occupy Movement, focused on public displays of emotion and solidarity such that it brings people together but doesn’t send them forth commissioned to accomplish concrete change. So reluctant to embrace centralized authority that no one can lead. Two years of protesting police violence against African Americans (on top of decades of protesting, really), and the same thing keeps happening.

What I would appreciate, speaking for myself, is some direction. I’m no expert in policing or criminal justice. I like to think I’m reasonably intelligent, and I’m fairly well read on these topics, but I don’t know where to start. What policies would be most effective in curbing this violence? Body cameras? Civilian oversight of police? Different recruitment and training policies for police? At what level should efforts be directed–at individual police departments? City governments? Counties? State legislatures? Is this a problem for Congress to solve? The Justice Department?

The goal is clear, but how are we going to get there? Who is going to provide the map?

 

 

22 June
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Beyond Thoughts and Prayers: What Churches Can Do to Respond to Orlando

In the week-and-a-half since the horrific attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, much has been made—understandably—of the role religion plays in feeding and justifying homophobia. And, as if on cue, several pastors delivered repulsive sermons, thankful for the terror attack. It’s been intensely frustrating and depressing for me, as a progressive Christian.

Thoughts and prayers are important, but there’s work to do. Here are my thoughts about what we in the progressive Christian community should be doing in response to Orlando and, more generally, because we just should.

BE IMMEDIATELY VISIBLE.

Many of our churches are welcoming to LGBT people. They serve in positions of authority, up to and including as our clergy and church leadership. We do a lousy job of letting outsiders know it, a lousy job demonstrating our commitments to equality and faith. I’m not sure why—maybe we’re just bad at PR, maybe we’re uncomfortable being self-aggrandizing, visions of Pharisees haunting our dreams. Maybe we’re just scared. But when hate is so visible, love and inclusion need to step up and be seen.

  • Put a rainbow flag or banner on your property—maybe by your church sign or your front door or both. Make your welcome known to people who drive by.
  • Make it clear on your church website, social media, and marketing materials that yours is an LGBT welcoming church. Make sure photos you use reflect the diversity of your church—in age, ability, race, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.
  • Make sure visitors know how welcoming you are. If your church uses bulletins, make your welcome explicit in the bulletin. If you put information on screens, publicize your welcome on the screens before the service starts. If you have a church brochure, include your commitment to LGBT inclusion in it. Ask your minister or worship leader to announce the church’s commitment to LGBT welcome at the start of every service.
  • March in your local Pride parade with a church contingent. Carry your church banner, wear your church T-shirts. Be seen.
  • Find out if your local LGBT community center has a list of gay-friendly congregations. If so, make sure you’re on it. If not, offer to compile one. (And don’t take it too personally if they decline.)
  • Remember: It’s not enough to say that you welcome “everyone.” You need to be explicit. Many people see an invisible asterisk when they see “We welcome everyone!” After all, some churches “welcome” LGBT people, but only if they are willing to try to “change” their sexual orientation or gender identity. Make it clear that in your church, “everyone” includes LGBT people—just as they are. This goes for other marginalized groups, too. Be overt about the depth and breadth of your welcome.

BUILD ON EXISTING MISSION COMMITMENTS.

Many churches have long-standing commitments to service in their communities. Build on those commitments in a way that lifts up LGBT concerns. For example:

  • If your church works on education, find out how good your local schools are at preventing bullying. Find out how they treat LGBT kids who want to take same-gender dates to prom and other social events. Find out if they use dress codes or bathroom rules to make life difficult for LGBT kids, especially transgender kids. If your schools are doing well, make sure they know you appreciate it. If they’re trying to get better, find out how you can support them. If they are doing a poor job on these issues, help—and pressure—them to get there. Hold your schools accountable.
  • If your church works on issues around foster care, make sure the needs of LGBT kids are addressed in those settings. Help recruit foster parents willing to take in and support LGBT kids. Support those foster parents. Be those foster parents.
  • If your church works with seniors, make sure your outreach gets to LGBT seniors. If your church visits people in nursing homes or other care facilities, make sure LGBT elders are respected and not expected to return to the closet.
  • Almost any issue—immigration, criminal justice, poverty—has an LGBT angle to it. Make sure to account for those concerns in your mission work.

MAKE SURE YOUR OWN HOUSE (OF GOD) IS IN ORDER.

Has your church made a formal commitment to endorse and support full equality of LGBT congregants, clergy and staff? If not, consider doing so. Some denominations have formal processes to get a church to such a status. Make sure your employment non-discrimination statements include sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Formalize your commitment to equality and inclusion.

Then take a look around. Are you living it?

  • Do LGBT people serve on your church council? In your choir? Are they comfortable and accepted in positions of authority in your congregation? If not, find out why not. Ask them. Do they visit once and not come back? If so, try (gently) to find out why.
  • Would a same-gender couple be welcome at a couples retreat or social event, such as a dance? If not, why not—and what will it take to fix that? If they would be welcome, do they know they would be welcome?
  • When your church works in partnership with other organizations (e.g. homeless shelters, food banks, etc.), do you check that those organizations treat LGBT individuals, couples and families on par with their straight, cisgender counterparts? If not, can you get them to change their practices or else find another partner?
  • Does your preaching on family and love and community reflect the diversity in your pews? If and when your pastor highlights current events or historical figures, are LGBT individuals ever featured? If so, are they discussed as having agency and doing something, or are they merely serving as object lessons for straight, cisgender people? Are the references to LGBT people always to white LGBT people? (While you’re contemplating all that, how does your preaching treat people of color? How’s the gender breakdown in these references? Where do people with disabilities factor into your preaching?)

UNDERTAKE EDUCATION AND TRAINING ABOUT LGBT ISSUES.

Many of our congregations have our hearts in the right place, but we aren’t well prepared to be advocates on the issues we care about, be they race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or other topics. This is totally fixable.

  • Use your Christian education program to cover LGBT (and other) topics.
    • Familiarize your congregation with the so-called clobber passages in the Bible and give people rhetorical tools with which to respond.
    • Dedicate yourselves to tackling the idea of privilege—white privilege, male privilege, straight privilege, cisgender privilege, able-bodied privilege. The point isn’t to demonize the holders of privilege, but to understand how it operates to systematically disadvantage those without it and look for concrete ways to change that.
    • Offer a session or series of sessions to parents in your congregation on raising progressive Christian kids in our society. How should we talk to our kids about race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and disability, drawing on our religious foundation?
  • Incorporate books that cover LGBT themes in your church book club.
  • If you have a group that gets together for informal meals and perhaps has a discussion on some topic, be sure LGBT-related topics make it into the mix.
  • Make sure you’re conveying your church’s beliefs about sexuality and gender to the youth of your congregation through Sunday school, confirmation preparation, youth ministry, etc. Does your church offer sexuality education to young people, such as the OWL program put together by the UU and UCC? If not, consider it, possibly in collaboration with another church if you don’t have enough kids to make it worth doing on your own.

SPEAK UP—ON LGBT MATTERS AND OTHER ISSUES.

Conservative Christians have spent decades getting organized and getting vocal. We need to catch up and get our ideas into the marketplace.

  • On an interpersonal level, challenge your congregants to talk with several friends who are not part of your church each quarter about LGBT and other social issues in the context of progressive Christianity. Use these opportunities to affirm the existence of progressive Christianity. Let people know “we’re here” in an informal way.
  • Be visible in the press. Learn to write op-eds and letters to the editor, and tie them to your faith and your congregation. Be brief, be on point and be timely—and identify your faith and, if possible, congregation, in the letter.
  • Get media training for people who are willing to be public faces of progressive Christianity. It might help to work with other congregations on this to make it cost effective.
  • Once you have a list of people willing and able to be public faces, make sure your local media know about them. Contact assignment editors and metro editors at your local broadcast and print media outlets and share bios and contact information of these people. Encourage your local media to think beyond the simplistic dichotomy of secular left versus Christian right on LGBT (and other) issues.
    • Thank your media when they include a broader range of Christian opinion. Call them on it when they don’t.
  • Reach out to policy makers on LGBT (and other) issues—and let them know you are speaking about these issues because of your faith, not in spite of it. They don’t hear enough from progressive Christians, and many times progressive Christians who do contact their legislators don’t emphasize their religious identity when expressing themselves.

RESOURCES:

Need help? Here are some places to start.

Theology: http://www.soulforce.org/ and http://www.hrc.org/explore/topic/religion-faith

Media training: http://auburnseminary.org/

Sexuality education: http://www.ucc.org/justice_sexuality-education_our-whole-lives

 

 

18 July
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Robby Jones: 1 in 5 Americans a Religious Progressive

Robby Jones of the Public Religion Research Institute (@publicresearch) has a piece in the Washington Post about a scale PRRI and the Brookings Institution (@brookingsinst) developed that shows that 19 percent of the country could be considered religious progressives. They are relatively young, particularly when compared with religious conservatives, and they come from a diversity of faith backgrounds.

The article is worth a read, as is the report on which it draws.

Interesting tidbits from the press release for the report:

On what it means to be religious:

Religious progressives and conservatives hold different beliefs about what it means to be a religious person. Nearly 8-in-10 (79 percent) religious progressives say that being a religious person is mostly about doing the right thing, compared to 16 percent who say it is about holding the right beliefs. A majority of religious conservatives (54 percent), on the other hand, say being a religious person is primarily about having the right beliefs, while 38 percent say it is mostly about doing the right thing.

On the role of government with regard to the economy:

On questions related to economic policy and the role of government, religious progressives generally hold similar views to nonreligious Americans and religious moderates, while religious conservatives stand apart. For example, 37 percent of religious conservatives agree that the government should do more to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, compared to 69 percent of religious moderates, 72 percent of the nonreligious, and nearly 9-in-10 (88 percent) religious progressives.

On religion and partisan affiliation:

Religious progressives and conservatives are also distributed in very different ways within the two major political parties. Among Democrats, 28 percent are religious progressives, 42 percent are religious moderates, and 13 percent are religious conservatives; additionally, 17 percent are nonreligious. Among Republicans, a majority (56 percent) are religious conservatives, 33 percent are religious moderates, 5 percent are religious progressives, and 6 percent are nonreligious.

01 July
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Sullivan on Dignity, Catholicism and Marriage Equality

British-American Catholic Andrew Sullivan (@sullydish) appeared on “Fareed Zakaria GPS” on CNN Sunday, speaking to Catholicism and marriage equality. Says the classically conservative blogger:

[D]ignity is a very important word in Catholic theology. Once you’ve understood a person, a human being has human dignity, there are certain things that will not and cannot be morally done to that person. And I think what he revealed was how gay people before that had been denied that dignity, even by their own church. And I think it’s a tragedy that the Catholic hierarchy has taken this position.

But I do believe also that a lot of this was driven by many of us who do have faith and who really believe deep down that God loved us and that what we were doing was God’s work. And I think the critical work we did in the ’90s and early 21st century was to bring the religious groups, and reach out to religious groups. Because remember, Reformed Jews, Episcopalians, many denominations support marriage equality. And if you look at the polling, you’ll find that Catholics are the second ethnic group most likely to support it.

And my experience was, as a Catholic in the pews, was callousness in the rhetoric from the Vatican, but incredible compassion and support from the people right and left of me in those pews celebrating the same God, wanting the same communion.

Watch the exchange with Zakaria below.

27 June
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Jim Wallis on Marriage Rulings

A strong statement today comes from Jim Wallis of Sojourners, who only recently came around on marriage equality. I know many people who have been heartbroken and angered by Wallis’ previous views and by his recent opinion that gay and lesbian binational couples should be excluded from the immigration bill to better its chances. Still, this is progress:

We need to stop blaming same-sex couples for the breakdown of the family. Heterosexual dysfunction, moral selfishness, sexual promiscuity, and economic injustices that pressure too many families’ lives are to blame. It remains an irony that many of those who speak out so strongly for marriage and family values are also so strongly against allowing gay and lesbian couples to get married and have a family. I wish I heard those same people speak as often or as strongly about Christian men who cheat or abuse their wives, or about too easy and convenient divorces, or about parents who don’t make their children their first priority.

Gay and lesbian people are children of God, fellow human beings, and American citizens. I have long believed that our LGBT brothers and sisters should have equal rights and protections under the law. The public policy conversation on what this means has clearly evolved. Years ago, civil unions seemed like a common sense, common ground solution, but I am now convinced that civil marriage equality is the best way to ensure that the principle of equal protection under the law is applied.

Read his whole reflection on this week’s Supreme Court decisions regarding marriage and the Voting Rights Act here.

26 June
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Faith Leaders Celebrate SC Marriage Rulings

At long last, the Supreme Court has ruled on Prop. 8 and DOMA.  I want to highlight statements from people of faith. The Washington Post did a nice roundup of responses from those who oppose marriage equality and from its supporters.

A few other statements:

A quote from Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer (@mikeschue) in a statement of support from the United Church of Christ:

Today’s rulings from the US Supreme Court are great steps forward in the movement for equality and justice,” said the Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer, UCC Executive for Health and Wholeness Advocacy. “The decision means a great deal to so many of our UCC members and their relationships. The General Synod has supported marriage equality in each of these cases by joining friend of the court briefs. …

Ultimately, this is not about what the UCC believes or what another church believes or what any other faith tradition believes,” Schuenemeyer said. “This is about the core values of who we are as a nation, in which our founding documents say, ‘All are created equal,’ and call for equal protection under the law for everyone. Every citizen places their hand over their heart and makes a solemn pledge of liberty and justice for all. Not just for some, but for all.

From the supportive statement of the Union for Reform Judaism:

There is no more central tenet to our faith than the notion that all human beings are created in the image of the Divine, and, as such, entitled to equal treatment and equal opportunity. Many faith traditions, including Reform Judaism, celebrate and sanctify same-sex marriages. Thanks to the Court’s decision, the federal government will now recognize these marriages as well, while still respecting the rights and views of those faith traditions that choose not to sanctify such marriages.

From a statement by the president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, Rev. Peter Morales (@uuprez):

While I am disappointed that the Supreme Court did not declare the freedom to marry as a constitutionally-protected “equal protection” right that would apply to all states, I applaud this historic step towards equality.

The Unitarian Universalist Association joined two amicus curiae briefs in these cases with other religious organizations in support of marriage equality. In both cases, the UUA argued that a broad cross-section of religious denominations recognize the dignity of lesbian and gay people and their relationships, recognize the necessary distinction between civil and religious marriage, and recognize that civil marriages of same-sex couples will not impinge upon religious beliefs or practices, but rather will prevent one set of religious beliefs from being imposed on others through civil law.

Unitarian Universalists have been vocal supporters of marriage equality for decades.  I thank them for their dedicated commitment to our Unitarian Universalist principle of affirming the worth and dignity of every person.

There is still so much work to be done to ensure equal protection for all who live and love in our country. As we know, marriage equality strengthens families, protects children, and ensures the basic rights of citizenship for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender couples.

It remains my fervent hope that soon marriage equality is afforded to all in this country. Unitarian Universalists will continue to stand on the side of love with all families.”

From a Huffington Post piece entitled “Movement for Justice: Changing the Story” by Rev. Dr. Jacqueline J. Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church in New York City:

;”>The U.S. Supreme Court rulings today are a testimony to the ways time and personal stories change our understanding. The decisions are part of an ongoing narrative of change in the movement for justice. It took time, but Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat changed the story of segregation in the south. It took time, but Martin Luther King’s inspired speech helped us all to dream dreams of reconciliation. It took time, but the court ruled it is unconstitutional to deny married same-gender couples federal benefits and the court paved the way for California to allow same-gender marriages. Congregations and religious leaders who testify for marriage equality change the story. We do it because we hear the still-speaking Word shout into our hearts: Now is the time for justice.

Finally, check out a prayer of thanksgiving by John Shore (@johnshore). Here’s an excerpt:

Thank you for this victory today. We need to know that justice can be done. And once again you have shown us what we so often fail to remember and believe, which is that we—us, ourselves, right here, right now—are the means by which your justice—being the truth of the love you instilled within us—is realized, presented, practiced, done out here in this cruel world we know.

Today the weak have been defended, the vulnerable protected, the persecuted relieved.

Today is your day, Lord. Today is our day. Today is a day for everyone who loves love. And that, whether any given person realizes it or not, does, and must, include us all.

23 June
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Exodus’ Exit Greeted with Relief, Skepticism

The big LGBT news did not come from the Supreme Court his week–that’s likely to be next week. Instead, it came from Exodus International, a long-time champion of “reparative therapy” to turn gay people straight (or straight-ish, anyway). Alan Chambers, leader of the 37-year-old organization, acknowledged that efforts to change sexual orientation are ineffective and apologized for the damage Exodus has done to gay and lesbian people. The dissolution of the group was covered on Our America with Lisa Ling in an episode alliteratively entitled “God & Gays.” Chambers says a new group, Reduce Fear (or possibly “Reducing Fear”), is being formed from the ashes of Exodus. Reactions to the announcements were mixed.

No one who believes sexual orientation is a given–not subject to nor warranting change–was sorry to see Exodus go, but the existence of the Restored Hope Network and the emergence of Reduce/Reducing Fear dampened the relief. And not everyone was impressed by Chambers’ apology. One of the best (read: snarkiest) take downs comes from John Shore (@johnshore), who identifies as an “Unfundamentalist Christian.” Shore, who frequently writes about how badly the Christian church has handled sexual orientation on his blog and in a recent book, doesn’t buy Chambers’ contrition. Says Shore in “An open letter to Exodus International’s super-remorseful Alan Chambers,” after reading the apology and listening to Chambers’ speech at Exodus’ last conference, held last week:

Not once in your speech—which I’ll be the first to say was veritably jammed with talk about God and forgiveness and healing and welcoming and redemption and reconciliation and peace and love and joy and salvation—did I hear you express regret for you and Exodus having spent over three decades helping to destroy the lives of gay people and their families through your peddling and capitalizing upon the message that God’s greatest desire for every gay person is that they cease to be gay.

I heard you say that you regret the way in which Exodus communicated that message. … And I definitely heard you repeatedly say that it’s high time for the church to start welcoming gay people, and all others who are marginalized and “in need.”

But (as opposed to them being “in need”) I never heard you say that it’s okay for people to be gay. You didn’t come close to saying anything like it. What you said—though one must resolutely gaze into the haze of the great many other things you said before this critical message of yours clearly emerges—is that your new house, Reducing Fear, will be built upon the same dark foundation upon which the ruins of Exodus now sit. …

I assume you’re aware of this, but just in case: acute remorse usually engenders a sense of profound humility. A lot of people find heart-wrenching regret incompatible with pride and ambition. I must admit that I am one such person. When I feel the full weight of something egregiously immoral that I have done, the last thing I want to do is go wading amongst the very people whom I’ve damaged, and start telling them about all my new plans for championing their best interests. But maybe that’s just me.

 

18 June
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Faith-Based Support for Marriage Equality

With the Supreme Court about to issue rulings on marriage rights any day now, the Rev. Dr. Katharine Rhodes Henderson, president of the very cool Auburn Theological Seminary (@auburnseminary) wants it known that many people of faith support marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples.

From her Huffington Post piece entitled “A Faith Voice Weighting In on Marriage Equality”:

Now is the time to dispense with the classic stereotype that religious leaders oppose same-sex marriage. A growing multifaith movement of religious leaders is helping the faithful understand how religious teachings and text compel acceptance — and celebration — of LGBT people and relationships, not rejection. …

Extending marriage to all couples is an important step toward acknowledging the shared humanity and equal worth of all God’s children, and I, along with many others, certainly hope the court will do what is fair and just to advance equality for all.

 

17 June
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Faith Leaders Fighting Gun Violence, State by State

Eleni Towns of the Center for American Progress has a nice piece showing how faith leaders are working together to fight gun violence and advocate for better gun policy. Towns highlights action in six states–California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland and Washington–and describes a relatively new organization, Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence, which sprung up in the wake of Sandy Hook. The group represents 50 diverse faith-based organizations. They took their message to Congress early this year. Though they were unsuccessful in getting legislation passed, they were clear in their intent to challenge the NRA without demonizing its members.

Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence is urging three federal policy changes:

  • The implementation of universal background checks,
  • A ban on high-capacity assault weapons and ammunition cartridges and
  • Making gun trafficking a federal crime.

Video from their January visit to Capitol Hill:

16 June
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Rev. Liz Muñoz: Economics a Core Christian Justice Issue

Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) of the Center for American Progress interviewed Rev. Liz Muñoz, an Episcopal priest with St. James Cathedral in Chicago, about strikes by fast-food workers seeking higher wages, better conditions and more hours. Muñoz works with Arise Chicago, which brings faith communities into the fight over labor issues.

From the interview (emphasis mine):

JJ: Why do you think faith communities and faith leaders are involved with these strikes? What basic principles and values are at stake here?

LM: Well, first of all I would say that it’s biblical. The prophets often warned people about landowners and those who controlled jobs and wages. “Woe to those who did not pay the workers just wages or who withheld wages.” Ezekiel, Isaiah, Micah, all these prophets spoke to this issue. Jesus told many parables of workers being paid just wages and right wages.

In fact, throughout history one of the core Christian justice issues has been economics.

JJ: So it sounds like there is a larger movement at work here—a sort of collaboration between faith groups and the greater labor movement. What connection do you see between these two groups especially moving forward?

LM: In this country we are in an age of crisis—of economic crisis. I don’t think anybody would deny that. As faith leaders we are called to respond to that kind of crisis. This is true throughout the Bible. The prophets have called leaders and people of faith to stand up.

To quote the prophet Ezekiel, “God said, I look for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land.”

I think we as faith leaders are called to stand in between that gap, to point out where injustice is happening, where there are wolves, so to speak, tearing at the net.

As the New York Times reported last summer, a study by the National Employment Law Project found that the recovery is generating more low-wage work than anything else (emphasis mine):

The report looked at 366 occupations tracked by the Labor Department and clumped them into three equal groups by wage, with each representing a third of American employment in 2008. The middle third — occupations in fields like construction, manufacturing and information, with median hourly wages of $13.84 to $21.13 — accounted for 60 percent of job losses from the beginning of 2008 to early 2010.

The job market has turned around since then, but those fields have represented only 22 percent of total job growth. Higher-wage occupations — those with a median wage of $21.14 to $54.55 — represented 19 percent of job losses when employment was falling, and 20 percent of job gains when employment began growing again.

Lower-wage occupations, with median hourly wages of $7.69 to $13.83, accounted for 21 percent of job losses during the retraction. Since employment started expanding, they have accounted for 58 percent of all job growth.

And that’s to say nothing on the still-too-high unemployment rate and the ominous numbers of long-term unemployed. Paul Krugman (nytimeskrugman) addressed this last week in a column headlined “The Big Shrug.” In it, Krugman lamented that the current state of affairs has been allowed to become a new normal, despite the harm it causes. Looking for answers to why this has been allowed, Krugman notes the presence of monetary hawks, warning about the perils of low interest rates. But he also points to two other reasons:

Why isn’t reducing unemployment a major policy priority? One answer may be that inertia is a powerful force, and it’s hard to get policy changes absent the threat of disaster. As long as we’re adding jobs, not losing them, and unemployment is basically stable or falling, not rising, policy makers don’t feel any urgent need to act.

Another answer is that the unemployed don’t have much of a political voice. Profits are sky-high, stocks are up, so things are O.K. for the people who matter, right?