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Vol. XVII × No. 3

MARCH 2005

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Editorial

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by Corrado De Robertis

In writing the editorial of our December 2004 issue, I thought it appropriate, in view of the approaching Christmas festivities, to highlight the importance of solidarity as the expression of the ‘good will’ that characterizes that feast. Soon after Christmas the whole world was shaken and challenged to generate an unprecedented wave of solidarity. Now, nearing Easter, we contemplate the very same virtue as the mystery of the cross is indeed a mystery of solidarity.

Hopefully the world may be moving to a higher level of moral responsibility. While the manmade disaster of the New York Trade Center seemed to plunge the world into a deadly vortex of hatred, war and conflict, the natural disaster in South East Asia seemed to have reminded the world of its great potential for compassion, solidarity and unity. However solidarity cannot be only a temporary response to our emotional bewilderment and anguish before the atrocious images of death, destruction and suffering that held the headlines of the media in the first days of the year. Solidarity must be the result of a true and continuous commitment to the common good - well beyond the news of the day. Our life on this planet is precarious indeed and is marred by fragility: similar tragedies go unnoticed, like the six million people dying of AIDS, the 29,000 children who die every day of malaria because of neglect, and many others which no one reports. The world pledged almost 6 billion dollars to help the Tsunami victims but much more is being spent every single day on armaments and useless wars.

The world is not perfect, creation is unfinished, and we humans are entrusted with the task of completing God’s creation. If not, then what on earth are we here for? It has to be the responsibility of every individual and corporation to move on to a higher moral ground of action. All the choices we make must take into account not personal interests and profit at all cost but the common good. No corporation or firm may operate without social responsibility and sound moral standards. No government can neglect the needy. No one can stop feeling responsible for others especially after the headlines and the camera lenses have moved away from the visible suffering of so many.

We have been reminded, the hard way, that we cannot go on selfishly. Had those costal areas hit by the tsunami had a good degree of development and sturdy infrastructures which rich countries do have, most lives would have been saved. The millennium development goals proposed by the UN to be accomplished by 2015 (see pages 21-23) are a concrete step in the right direction; they could be accomplished even before time if every country and every one, rich and poor, make the practice of solidarity an everyday affair.