September 2008

Seven Years of Famine in the Land
by Rev. Amanda Hendler-Voss

There's an old, riveting tale from the Hebrew Scriptures about Joseph's years of imprisonment before he emerged as a rising star in the Egyptian kingdom. The false accusations of his powerful employer tossed Joseph into prison indefinitely. While holed up in captivity, he interpreted the dreams of fellow prisoners, accurately predicting that one would be executed in three days and another restored to his office in Pharaoh's household.

Two years later, the Pharaoh dreamt of seven emaciated cows devouring seven sleek, fat cows. The dream troubled Egypt’s king. He sent for many wise men, but none could interpret his dream. However, one member of the king's cabinet recalled how a young Hebrew named Joseph once interpreted his dream, and so the Pharaoh sent for Joseph.

Joseph interpreted the king’s dream this way: "There will come seven years of great plenty in the land of Egypt. After them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; the famine will consume the land." Joseph then moved swiftly into a bold policy recommendation. He suggested that twenty percent of all that the land produced during the good years be reserved for the seven years of famine. Pharaoh did just as Joseph recommended. In the years of famine, he opened storehouses of grain to those who suffered in Egypt and beyond.

This story came to the mind of columnist Thomas Friedman recently at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. With the pounding of hundreds of Chinese drums reverberating in his chest, he confessed: "I couldn't help but reflect on how China and America have spent the last seven years: China has been preparing for the Olympics; we've been preparing for Al Qaeda. They've been building better stadiums, subways, airports, roads and parks. And we've been building better metal detectors, armored Humvees and pilotless drones." He concluded, "When you see how much modern infrastructure has been built in China since 2001, under the banner of the Olympics, and you see how much infrastructure has been postponed in America since 2001, under the banner of the war on terrorism, it's clear that the next seven years need to be devoted to nation-building in America.” Can I get an amen?

Since the terrible tragedy of 9/11, we have learned that national security cannot be narrowly defined. We are not secure when our economy is in shambles. We are not secure when our bridges crumble and the housing market collapses. We are not secure when our children lack access to health care coverage. We are not secure when glaciers melt and hurricanes batter our coastlines. We are not secure when the U.S. has lost its good standing with allies around the world. We are not secure when children in poor countries are indoctrinated by extremist schools because no other educational opportunity exists in their community.

The bottom line is simply this: pouring money into George W. Bush's war on terror has not made us any safer in the last 7 years. And his economic policies that turned a robust surplus into mounting debt have weakened our nation from the inside out.

The endless war in Iraq has exacerbated the threats we face, providing to terrorists "the greatest recruitment propaganda imaginable," according to former counterterrorism coordinator Richard Clarke. This war has been both unethical and ineffective in resolving the genuine threats of evil in our time. It has taught us that military victory does not ensure political reconciliation, solve the root problems that perpetuate violence, or strengthen the social fabric of civil society. Gen. David Petraeus said there is no "military solution" to the Iraqi insurgency, adding that political negotiations were crucial to forging any lasting peace.

Furthermore, this war is just too costly. Friedman adds, "Trying to build democracy in Iraq, which I supported, was a war of choice and is unlikely to produce anything equal to its huge price tag." How much will our grandchildren pay for this war? Three trillion, when all is said and done, the experts say. Here’s an easier number to wrap your mind around: $720 million per day. We could be building 84 new elementary schools daily in our nation, or housing 6,482 families affected by the mortgage crisis, or adding 423,529 children to the health care rolls--each day. Instead we are pouring dollars into war as the Bush administration continues to insist that Iraq is the front line in the war on terror.

Instead of engaging in costly war is if it were the only tool in our toolbox, the next President must bring troops home safely and soon, eliminate Pentagon bloat by getting rid of obsolete weapons systems (like missile defense), and invest in a diplomatic surge that will secure our shaky relationship with nations around the world.

To respond effectively to terrorism, we need to rebuild our security infrastructure by investing in the three pillars of effective, responsible foreign policy: development, diplomacy, and defense. Development supports people at grassroots levels to help them improve their communities and address the root causes of instability. We need to invest in development—both at home and in nations where terrorism is on the rise. Diplomatic initiatives forge strong partnerships so people, nations, and regions can work together to address issues of security through political and legal negotiation. They emphasize conflict resolution and peace building strategies on local and international levels. Currently we spend 90% of our defense dollars on military action, 6% on homeland security, and a paltry 4% on preventive measures. When we balance our investment in development, diplomacy, and defense, the use of military action to safeguard national security truly becomes a last resort.

Examining our knee-jerk reaction to 9/11 through the lens of all that we've learned in seven years of famine time, the wisdom of Joseph's advice to Pharaoh is surprisingly relevant. Save up for our children's future. Strengthen national security by investing in infrastructure. Shore up social security by preparing for the hard times that come in the life of every nation. We can't afford anything less in the next seven years.

For WAND’s congregational study guide (a great resource for fall religious education classes) on non-partisan get out the vote efforts, please visit: “In Times of Great Decision: How Congregations Can Take Part in Legal, Non-Partisan Election Activities.”

Amanda Hendler-Voss Faith Communities Organizer Rev. Amanda Hendler-Voss is the Faith Based Coordinator for the Women’s Action for New Directions Educational Fund and the Minister of Christian Education at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville, NC. She is a graduate of the master of divinity program at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, where she received certificates in the Black Church Studies and Church and Community programs. Her studies have taken her to London, England and Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Amanda serves as a member of the Wellspring Clergywomen’s Alliance of the Black Church and Domestic Violence Institute. She has a background in case management and experience working with people with HIV/AIDS and single parent families. Amanda is ordained in the United Church of Christ.