R U ready to be a Champion of Justice?

Champions of Justice.  This is what the Universal House of Justice (the international governing body of the Baha'is) asks us to be. What does champion mean?   Champion- someone who fights or speaks publicly in support of a person, belief, cause, etc. 

After my visit the other day and our sharing about what alcoholism and addiction is doing to our family and our friends, I have to say we as a Baha'i community could be doing more to support individuals, families and communities in their struggles. It is a law of our Faith to be alcohol and drug free. But what does that mean when we live in a society that alcoholism and addictions surround us? On some levels there is still great shame about these diseases as individuals struggle with Recovery and relapse. That's why AA is Alcoholics Anonymous.  Because there was in the past tremendous shame about these diseases. 

Living in Indian Country anonymous doesn't really work. In tiny Baha'i communities it doesn't work either. EVERYONE knows who is struggling. Everyone. Only in the past couple years as I have used Al-Anon in my life did it occur to me in my almost 40 years of being a Baha'i that never have I heard alcoholism or addiction formally discussed within a Baha'i community. Why is that?

As a person who comes from Indian Country where we are genetically predisposed to Addiction and where the consequences of historical trauma still are felt daily through Racism, poverty, violence, lack of access to education, it's a bit bewildering. How are we as Baha'is systematically assisting our own members who struggle with Alcoholism and Addiction?  Do we hide in shame? Are we paralyzed by guilt?  Do we somehow feel unworthy because our parent, sibling or child is an alcoholic or an addict? 

I have had Baha'i friends thank me privately for my writing about Al-Anon because they have loved ones who struggle. I think it is long over due that we as a community talk about alcoholism and addiction and what are ways we can help families today and what are some long term plans and goals to help families in 5 years, in 10 years. If we don't have a goal, we will NEVER achieve progress. 

Let's be Champions of Justice. Let's look to the Sacred Writings and find ways to help families. I heard some people respond with "let's pray for them". I say let's use the Revelation and Teachings of Baha'u'llah and our principle of the harmony of science and religion and begin to use some science along with our prayers. 

If you have a family member past or present struggling I challenge you to be a Champion of Justice. Find someone in your life to talk to about this need in our community and take some action. It could be to buy some Al-Anon books and keep them at Baha'i Feast. Or to keep a list of local meetings and phone meetings posted in a Baha'i space. 

There is absolutely no excuse for us not to be proactive in helping families. There is no place for denial, shame or guilt in our Baha'i community. We are here to help heal the world. And it's by being Champions and speaking up that we will change the world.