Earl Stafford is the businessman who is not going to gouge others for the inauguration, but is going to ensure that the disadvantaged -- not just the wealthy and connected -- have a chance to witness history.
Stacey Waring is the woman who is not going to gouge others for the inauguration, but has offered her family's home to persons who need a place to stay ...... with no cash or strings attached.
This is Mr. Stafford's story: US Businessman invites disadvantaged to Inauguration (Voice of America)
EXCERPT:
Earl Stafford booked 300 rooms at the J.W. Marriott Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue as part of a special package that also includes $200,000 worth of food and private access to a hotel balcony overlooking the inaugural parade route.
Stafford plans to invite disadvantaged people, wounded soldiers, terminally ill patients and others to the event, which he is calling the "People's Inaugural Project."
...The 60-year-old Stafford said his Christian faith inspired him to take on the project. He said he wanted to give the opportunity to those who otherwise would not be able to attend an inaugural ball.
That's in bold for everyone (you know who you are) who too often associates Christianity with hypocrisy and intolerance, just because someone says they're a Christian. Or feels comfortable knocking all Christians down with the same brush.
This is Ms. Waring's story: Company's coming to see history: Who Needs Greed? (Washington Post)
EXCERPT:
Interspersed among these ads, however, were ads from people in need of housing for the event: single mothers with children, hoping to not have to sleep in their cars, and young college students spending their fortunes to fly here to share in history but having little money left for costly lodging. The stories were numerous and poignant, and quickly took me aback. What was happening here? Had we so quickly lost something since Nov. 4, when Obama asked us to come together as a community, to help each other to create a new spirit? Couldn't we share our space with less wealthy souls, fellow campaigners or seekers of history that weekend without asking for what amounted to a down payment on a house?
A sense of disillusionment and sadness began to filter into my head as my husband and I discussed this. Though our jobs are secure, we know that many others have fallen on hard times, and we had fewer objections to those asking a reasonable amount for a sofa than those seeking ridiculous sums for rooms. But, even so, we could quickly see that being able to pay anything would be difficult for some. Who would house the single moms with young children, the family driving cross-country from Oregon, the young historians with barely a plane ticket in hand? Didn't they deserve to be here? Where would they find a place to sleep, with so much gouging going on?
So a Craigslist ad was quickly penned and submitted, offering space without strings or cash, hoping to attract those really in need. We heard from several folks who were thankful to see the ad, and we set up housing arrangements for some that we'll host that weekend, including four students from California and a Cuban family with a father newly sworn in as an American citizen. We look forward to sharing this wonderful moment in history with newfound friends in our home.
Her religion is not mentioned, and does not matter. Her seeing a bad situation and choosing not to be part of it, but choosing to be a positive lighthouse showing the way out of such bad behavior, is what matters.
I make no public judgements on exactly whom ultimately she invited into her home. I do have feelings about it; but it was her offer, and it's not for me to say -- because I'm not offering my home, and this isn't Katrina (where people opening their homes to folks who were outside their comfort level in the spirit of love went above and beyond what's usually been expected of America and Americas). At the end of the day, you have to feel safe.
She's obviously trying to get a counter-swell moving, and for that I commend her.
Among the stories about the bars being open late and who's going to hit them up, and people having dollar signs in their eyes about how much money they can make renting out their place, and the latest 'to hissy fit or not to hissy fit' discussions about children not being encouraged to attend'.... these are the two stories I think most people should read.
When I read the stories about apartment dwellers -- who don't even own the pad they're making money off of for Inauguration week -- crowing about how much money they're going to make, I'm reminded of the soulless greed nurtured by the media and retailers for Black Friday.
All that greed and expectation of bad behavior for the sake of capitalism led to the death of an innocent temporary worker (link: Kansas City Midwest Voices on Wal-Mart's response to the death of Jdimytai Damour).
Well, I want to thank Mr. Stafford and Ms. Waring for bucking the overwhelming expectations of bad behavior which is being cultivated into a 'well, everyone else is doing it, I have to do it, too or else I won't fit in and will miss out' atmosphere going on right now. To those of you who are following Mr. Stafford or Ms. Waring's examples, no matter how small a way:
Thank you.