Wordplay

[bcholmes]

I was asked to speak at the department of social work at the University of Toronto, today. I got to share the stage with two amazing speakers. Dr. Melanie Newton, who I mentioned in a previous journal entry, and Dr. Alissa Trotz, a professor of Sociology and Equity studies at U of T. Both of them were absolutely fascinating to listen to.

In the Haiti activism circles that I've been part of, a phrase has been oft-repeated: solidarity, not charity. I confess that I haven't really internalized this phrase. I don't think I have a strong connection with the word solidarity (it has something to do with Poland, doesn't it? :)

But Alissa made an interesting comment today. She was talking about the Oxford English Dictionary, saying that she often disagrees with its definitions of words. She said that if you look up "solidarity" in the dictionary you find it related to shared interests, sympathy or empathy, fellowship or community of feelings and purposes. If you look up "charity", it talks about help, relief, giving, and generosity. She said that from this she gleaned that the essential difference between these words was that charity didn't require you to have any particular feeling toward -- or change how you felt about -- the subject of your charity.

I thought that was kinda poignant.