Great reasons to do things locally

One thing that I cherish about both our Constitution, and congregational/presbyterian forms of church government, is the opportunity to keep authorities close at hand. Here are a few examples in the news that illustrate just why this is important.

British education advisor recommends that schools drop academic subjects like history and science in favor of training them in "energy saving" and "civic responsibility." Now I don't think for a minute that this professor is unaware that to truly save energy and be a responsible citizen, you've got to understand history and science. He merely understands, as did Dewey, that if you want to control people, just deprive them of the means of thinking things through themselves.

Wouldn't you love to see the local school board meeting after the local paper reported this? Too bad for the English; he's in London.

Hurricane Katrina relief organization seeks to host party at the Democratic national convention. Anyone who donated to "Friends of New Orleans" will be happy to learn that their money, instead of helping out "Big Easy" residents, will be spent instead on entertaining prosperous convention delegates. Don't you wish that the leaders of this group got to face those they're cheating at the supermarket?

Habitat for Humanity in Sarasota has just abandoned plans, after much public outcry, to help Planned Parenthood open an abortion clinic. Yup, nothing says "I love the poor and want to help them" by offering to help Planned Parenthood kill preborn babies.

If you want accountability in how your charitable donations are spent, I dare suggest that you'll do well to contribute to local organizations where you'll see the leaders in church, at the grocery store, and at the doctor's office. It seems to me that when organizations get big and distant, they quickly lose sight of their original purpose and accountability to their supporters.