environmental destruction
IN A STRIKING photo from August 2015, three kayakers on the Animas River near Durango, Colo., float in a plume of mustard-yellow water. They happened to be on the river the same morning that Environmental Protection Agency workers accidentally ruptured a retaining wall at the abandoned Gold King Mine upstream, sending 3 million gallons of wastewater contaminated with metals into southern Colorado’s rivers. According to the House Committee on Natural Resources, “EPA’s disaster dumped hundreds of tons of pollutants into a river that flows across four states—affecting farmers, treatment systems for safe drinking water and livelihoods, but no one has been punished.”
In the face of state and federal budget cuts, many of us have been fasting and contemplating the question: "What would Jesus cut?" In light of tax day, however, we might equally contemplate: "What would Jesus tax?"
After all, a great deal of our budgetary stress is the result of declining revenue, thanks to the economic downturn and decades of tax cuts.
A new report that I co-authored, "Unnecessary Austerity," argues that before we make draconian budget cuts at the federal and state level, we should reverse huge tax cuts for the wealthy and tax dodging corporations.
The Jesus I know would be concerned about the extreme inequalities of wealth and power that have emerged in our communities. He would rail against principalities and powers that rig the tax rules so the privileged pay less.
He would lament the destruction of God's creation through excessive consumption and pollution. And, he would be alarmed about financial and commodity speculation driving up the cost of food and worsening hunger. (In today's world of high finance, someone would be hedging investments on how quickly Jesus could multiply loaves and fishes.)