COLUMN: Charity is just a matter of decency

 Whether you believe in Jesus Christ, there is no denying that the holiday season has a certain zing to it. Sure, there is the commercialization and the useless gifts, but there is something to be said about the charity and the giving that is encouraged this time of year.

I can recall, even from a young age, going with my brothers every Christmas Eve to anonymously leave the makings for a Christmas dinner on our neighbor’s doorsteps because the family didn’t have much.

I never had too much growing up, but I would consider myself rich because, as comedian Maria Bamford put it, “I have a lot of stuff that I don’t need.” I am no saint but I do feel obligated to donate my spare change every time I walk by the Salvation Army bell ringers. I hope that I am never down on my luck and need assistance in that way, but I do know lots of good people are.

There is a bill that is being considered in the Utah Legislature that would regulate more strictly the help that is given through welfare programs. The bill would require anyone that receives public assistance from Utah to be tested for drugs. According to The Deseret News, Rep. Carl Wimmer said, “If they are going on the public dole, they should be obeying all laws, including not taking illegal drugs.” The logic being that public money should not be used to purchase drugs, assuming that it is used for such. However, this places the legislature in a predicament: It is trying to decide who is worthy of assistance and who isn’t.

Historically, the majority of people that are “on the public dole” are single parents, children, the elderly and disabled. There are sure to be many unintended consequences to the law and some would unduly be denied aid. At what cost would we deny our own neighbors the help that they need?

According to The Deseret News, there are approximately 360,000 Utahns that receive some sort of public assistance. The cost of routinely testing each and every one of them for drugs could easily be used to fund drug treatment facilities. As the deceased rapper Tupac Shakur once said, “Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs.” Rather than focus on a real solution to possible drug problems, some Utah representatives are willing to fund massive drug tests because of their personal beliefs and ignore the public good. The purpose of the welfare programs is to help those who cannot help themselves. Why would we force the needy to jump through more bureaucratic hoops and make it even more difficult to receive aid?

Whether people are Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Atheist or of any other denomination, they should all be able to agree on human decency and helping those in need and doing so out of charity.

During this holiday season, hopefully Utah representatives can feel the non-judgmental holiday spirit and do what would benefit the collective good of Utahns. Here’s hoping that our representatives declare a war on poverty, not a war on drugs.

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