Unitarian Universalists and the American Myth

There is a myth among Unitarian Universalists that our congregations are full of affluent, highly credentialed liberals. Once the myth is accepted and begins to shape our expectations; the carpenter, the store clerk, and the hospital worker sitting in our pews become abnormal, simply because we have constructed our norm on the basis of that myth. The myth also masks the economic insecurity of the middle class.

In my experience there quite a few blue collar workers in our congregations, and there many desperate middle class or "white color" workers. How will our congregations serve the real people in our pews: through the celebration of a myth of affluence, or by talking about the desperation that people face daily in their lives of failing to make it in America?

Barbara Ehrenreich who introduced many middle class readers to the plight of the working poor in her Nicked and Dimed; On (Not) Getting By In America has written a new book Bait and Switch : The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream. In this book Ehrenreich attempts to get a white color job, she goes to job coaches, vocational counselors and she was told to think positively. She writes; "there is a tremendous American theme about positive thinking. We have a hard time dealing with truly bad news and discouraging information. Throughout my experience trying to get a white-collar job, I was encouraged to think positively. You are supposed to see your job loss as some great break, your chance to move on to something bigger and better. The reality is that 70 percent of people who lose their jobs and do get rehired, are rehired at a lower pay. But to criticize the system, or to be negative is considered "un-American."

She was unsuccessful in her job search, a not unusual experience among many qualified and experienced members of the congregations I have served. Both of Ehrenreich's books are a must read for Unitarian Universalists who seek to understand the increasing desperation of our people. Here is a link to a great interview with Ehrenreich.