“The Battle for Social Welfare” Electrifies and Inspires Activism
(April 2004)
Two hundred-thirty social workers and students were brought to their feet several times during an inspiring day listening as speakers and “voices from the field” discussed what is at stake in the 2004 Presidential election. City Council member Margarita Lopez called for renewed advocacy activity – starting at the local level.
William Greider, correspondent for The Nation, warned the audience of the Right’s
long-term plans to “roll back the 20th century”. He observed their
greater comfort with the public policies of the early 1900s. The incursions
into the protections afforded by social welfare initiatives are just beginning,
according to Greider. He sees the conservative agenda as a long-term strategy
in which the current president is only a convenient participant.
The story told by Ann Lown about the Salvation Army’s tactic of requiring
staff to provide information about their religious affiliations and practices,
elicited a collective gasp from the audience, as people realized ways the current
administration’s “faith-based initiatives” are being handled
by some organizations.
Gloria Totten, of the Progressive Majority, declared that the current loss of
“structural” jobs from our economy is permanent. This is having
an unprecedented negative impact on individuals and communities.
Because social workers are particularly adept at “people skills”,
they can utilize those same skills in the political arena to move progressive
issues into policy. That time is now, as several examples illustrate.
Cynthia Wolf issued a call for volunteers to work in swing states* in a strategy
organized by 1199 and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). She
said that what is critical is that people understood the issues and what is
at stake. She invited social workers to join in the union’s efforts.
Bertha Lewis, Co-Chair of the Working Families Party, closed out the day with
a rousing call for social workers to get involved once more in organizing, and
to “come out of the closet…and reclaim their historic role as change
agents” in the lives of the individuals and communities they serve. Fred
Newdom’s words, “…if not now, when? If not you, who?”
set forth the next steps. Most of the audience committed to further action.
Let us all do our part in this “Battle for Social Welfare”!
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* “Swing states” had close races in the 2000 election, and it is
anticipated that their results in 2004 could determine the election’s
outcome.