The Church of Resentment

If you're poor, it's your own fault

By now you have no doubt seen the video of Father Pfleger giving his demagogic diatribe at Trinity Church on Chicago's south side. Many people in the media, old and new, have written about it

For many people who have been supporters of Hillary Clinton the focus has been on Pleger's charge that Hillary is a racist. And indeed there can be no denying that this charge has been thrown up against her for some time now in ways both explicit, as in the Pfleger video, and in ways less obvious. And if you are a conservative there is something of a delicious irony in seeing the Democrat party sliced up by its own racial politics that for years have been used against Republicans. Democrat tactics for generations have been based on pitting different groups against each other in order to secure power.

In watching the video and listening to the reaction of the audience though, I can't help but notice the dominant emotions of envy and resentment that are the common theme at Trinity Church. Unfortunately many in the black community, and especially on the South Side of Chicago, have been steeped in a politics of resentment and envy that serves the needs of the Chicago political machine, but does nothing to bring the people there out of poverty. Consider the fact that Chicago has been run by Democrats for generations. Blacks have had the benefits of big government programs and welfare transfers for all of that time. During that time what has changed for the poor population of blacks living in those areas of the city? The answer is; not much. Because in order to bring yourself up and move out of poverty you must have a different attitude and mind-set than the one promoted by dependence on government and the Obama welfare state.

Success is the result of planning, execution and determination in the face of all events. And the chances that you will succeed in life are directly related to your actions over time. Finish school, work early and often. Don't engage in crime and don't have kids before you're married and your chances of climbing the ladder of success are considerable. But the ethics of the welfare state that Obama wants to bring us are those of the failed South Side of Chicago where success is the rare exception rather than the norm.