Sister Simone Campbell addresses The Brookings Institute (continued)*:
Her second story involved Jason, a 35-year old entrepreneur she met at a fundraiser in San Diego. Jason, who had built three companies, ‘starts talking about political realities’ and ‘that he pays a living wage to all of his employees,’ Sr. Simone said.
Jason said his employees ‘were more committed, more loyal, [had] better productivity, [and] it made sense for his business.’ But, she said that he told her that ‘it was beginning to make him angry that his taxes were going to fund his competitors. … His taxes were going to food stamps. They were going to a variety of other safety net programs which Robin and her friends were having to use because they were being paid such low wages.’
'It is wrong that our people cannot earn enough in their employment to live in dignity," she said at the conclusion of these stories. ‘In the richest nation on earth, we’re better than this. We need to speak of the stories of Robin and Jason.’
Sr. Simone also relayed a story about meeting Rep. Pete Gallegos, whose attitude toward immigration reform is connected to his concern to protect his own son, and how that concern was mirrored in the body of a woman he found dead in the Arizona desert, holding the body of her child, who was trying to immigrate to America:
‘Now, where does this leave us?’ she asked.’ As people of faith, for me immigration becomes a life issue. For me as a person of faith, wages are a faith issue. For me, as a person of faith, we the people of the United States have work to do. It is wrong that we are so divided. And so I do think that faith can inspire. I do think that faith can challenge. But most of all, I think with loving hearts, with hearts broken open, we can welcome in the hundred percent. And if we welcome in the hundred percent, then we the people of the United States can be a more perfect union.’
**
‘I think one of the great things about being a faithful progressive is that I have a high tolerance for pluralism. Even for tea party folks, it’s a challenge, but we have to radically accept everyone in this hundred percent. And in that process I think, while I come at it from faith, where we meet up in our nation is the Constitution. And that is where we become we the people of the United States striving to form this more perfect union.’
‘So, progressive faith is desperately needed in the hundred percent. Conservative faith is desperately needed in the hundred percent. But what is needed most is healing, so that we can have this conversation in our amazing country to build,
not only a nation, but a world where the world is cared for, we create a sustainable environment, we honor the dignity of all. We, the people of the United States: we’re that good that we can make that happen.’
Code:
[brookings.edu/blogs/brookings-now/posts/2014/04/sr-simone-campbell-hunger-in-america-transcends-politics-and-ideology](http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/brookings-now/posts/2014/04/sr-simone-campbell-hunger-in-america-transcends-politics-and-ideology)
[youtube.com/watch?v=lmXEzOV4wXA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmXEzOV4wXA)**
