The Boston Globe

The Boston Globe, the main newspaper in New England, like The Hindu back home, carries a lot of socially relevant news and articles. Unlike in India, however, the Church is a significant institution here and hence, there are often articles in the media on the positions taken by churches on issues such as immigration, same sex relations, the poor and the homeless etc. Several churches here are giving protection to illegal immigrants, running the risk of antagonizing the authorities. A fine role indeed of the public mission of the church.

There seems to be a lot of violence in this society, especially as the American government is rather liberal in allowing its people to keep guns, for "self defence" though they are often used for aggression. Recently the Supreme Court of the country too ruled in favour of a liberal gun policy. During the July 4th Independence day recently, within 24 hours in Boston itself, four people were shot dead. Most of the victims of violence, unfortunately, are Blacks. In The Globe recently there was a detailed report on the "English High School" in Jamaica Plain, a suburb of Boston. That is a predominantly black community where most boy students are in and out of jail and most girls are teen age unwed mothers. The School's results in exams have been dismal and the Education Department considered closing it down.

The news item, however, focussed on the efforts of the School's Head Master and team of teachers who are determined to keep it open. They motivate the students to attend school regularly, whatever their problems outside. The report highlighted the recent experience of a student who, following his father's and brothers' examples, took to violence and went to jail. The head master, however, refused to throw him out of school. He worked to get the boy out of jail and encouraged him to continue his studies. The report concluded with the boy, now a reformed person, passing school with honours and preparing to go to college, the first in his family to attend college.

Such thrilling stories are so refreshing. Even in this highly materialistic society, there are individuals and institutions that make a difference.