Good Samaritanitis

A terrible side effect of Hurricane Katrina is affecting Western Massachusetts: a disease of Good Samaritinitis. Also called ineffectual helper’s syndrome, it is a result of two factors: one is the basically good desire to reach out to one’s neighbor and in this regard, its sufferers are to be commended (and are definitely healthier than those who imagine that God’s wrath is in some way evident in this catastrophe. How did their Bibles manage not to include Luke 13?) What some people don’t recognize however is the insidious secondary cause of this disease which has to do with our innate fascination with horror: the same thing that makes us slow down and stare at accidents, read obituaries etc. we want to be close, to see, to understand how it would feel because deep down we are very very glad that it didn’t happen to us, and we are very very afraid that someday it will. It is this secondary factor that causes the victims of Good Samaritinitis to start tripping over one another in their desire to be helpful. One of the worst symptoms is the sudden need to run around frantically forming committees. They collect objects and pile them up (New Englanders love to have something to do with the stuff they don't need, other than throw it out.) Now the simple, obvious thing to do if you want to help is to send money to the relief organizations that have experience and infrastructure to help: The Red Cross and Episcopal Relief and Development are my top picks. Even if it’s a five dollar check, that is $5 more they will have to distribute supplies that they are getting at wholesale rates. But no, people would rather go to the store, buy $5 worth of supplies at retail rates, drop them off at the church where we will have to package them and then spend money to have them shipped out to the Diocese of Mississippi. One woman spoke of the joy she felt buying diapers. Might this possibly have more to do with wishing her children were not grown than with really helping people in need? Have they suddenly forgotten that it takes fuel to ship materials 2000 miles, fuel that is now three times more expensive than it has been?

Funny thing is, I’m usually so cynical about the local folks that come around to the church asking for handouts, but suddenly I’m their advocate. “Hey, remember, we got homeless people here too.” You can help them without shipping stuff 2000 miles. They’re still just as destitute as ever. Just not as glamorous.