Thank God for the Central New York Labor-Religion Coalition. Just when I thought the world had completely lost its mind, along comes a grassroots group to help place the moral discussion about our country back on the right track. Without one reference to Monica Lewinski, President Clinton, or the Starr report, the Syracuse area chapter of the Labor and Religion Coalition met Sunday evening at the Wescott Cinema and held a benefit to kick off this its new Fall's theme, a Livable Wage. 

By showing Michael Moore's latest film, The Big One, the coalition helped to refocus moral concern off individual genitals and onto the really serious immorality of our time -- the corporate ravaging of America through downsizing and moving to foreign locations. 

Rather than slipping into the national obsession with sex, the group and the film raised issue of the growing disparity of experience between corporate wealth and ordinary working and, sometimes, not working families. 

The Big One, is a documentary filmed by the maker of Roger and Me, which follows Michael Moore on his book tour for his latest book, Down Size This! Being at this showing was like being a kid again, in college back in the early '70's. The audience laughed and clapped and cheered as Moore exposed the evil doings of corporations who chose outrageous profits for stock holders over saving jobs for their employers. According to Moore that is what downsizing is and he brilliant, entertaining as well as hilarious in educating about companies such as Pillsbury, Leaf,Hershey,to name but a few, who, despite making record profits, receiving millions in federal assistance have closed plants putting thousands of families out of work and into economic distress.

Think about that for a minute. Do you think its right in a time when we attack welfare spending for the poor, that millions are spent on corporations? Do you think its right that your and my tax dollars are going to companies who willfully move operations to foreign countries thus displacing American jobs? And here is the kicker... not because they are losing money but, only, because they want to make more. 

After eight months of scandal titilation and distraction from serious problems that effect many in this country, it is time to put aside our daily fascination. While soap operas are exciting we must put the country ?’s moral  discourse on a higher and more important level.  It is time to challenge our
legislator to get back to business and question whether companies should have such unfettered freedom.  

Ironically, we have come to accept that if a building proposal is made an environmental impact statement must be made before construction can begin.  Perhaps   the time has come to create legislation which would require companies who want to move plants to make a human environmental impact assessment before such actions would  be allowed.   If industry can be restricted for a spotted owl, Why not a human being ! 

Rev. Michael Heath, Fayetteville NY - 9/19/98