Solidarity the Objective of This Study Is

Solidarity The objective of this study is to read the article Ada Mawria Isasi-Diaz who died this summer and to compose a four-page reflection essay on this work in writing. This work will respond to what Diaz has to say about Solidarity in terms of the views of this writing about solidarity.

The Meaning of Solidarity Diaz writes that the real meaning of solidarity "has been under attack" in that it has been watered down so to speak and that the word is over used and the meaning of solidarity has been lost in this overuse because it is spoken often and loosely and seems to hold no meaning.

Diaz holds that there would be change that is both "visible" and "radical" if the true meaning of the word were "understood" and "intended," at least in the lives of those who adhere to solidarity. Diaz states that what Solidarity is not is "a matter of agreeing with, of supporting, liking, or being inspired by the cause of a group of people." (p.89) All of this might be some aspect of solidarity but solidarity is more than just that and extends further in its meaning.

Because solidarity views clearly that links that connect such as "oppression and privilege, between the rich and the poor, the oppressed and the oppressors" and in its real meaning speaks of the glue that should bind together what Diaz refers to as "the communities of struggle." (p.89) II.

The Formation of Solidarity Solidarity is described by Diaz as a union that exists between persons who are "kindred" and to be the result of a sharing of "responsibilities and interests" (p.89) such as exists among "classes…groups…communities of interests, feelings, purposes, or action; social cohesion…" (p.89) Solidarity is such that is understood as being separate from the altruism of service to others as it has its roots in responsibilities and interests that are shared in action that is of a joint and cohesive nature.

The Christian view of solidarity is such that calls one to be participative in what Diaz refers to as an "ongoing process of liberation" (p.89) in which God's salvation and liberation are both centric in the lives of Christians and in which both of these factors are linked inextricably one to the other.

Salvation is a gift of God and is such that flows from God to humans and forms the primary goal of life representing God in his fullness among humankind and serves to motivate the participation of humankind in an "active involvement" in their relationship with God and other men. This active participation in God's salvation is referred to by Diaz as that which results in liberation or the act of Christians culminating in what is a transformative work in the world.

According to Diaz, that primary barrier to the kingdom of God coming into its fullness is "the alienation from God and each other experience by all" in the form of social categorization that is oppressive in nature and those structures that serve to create and support oppression. Diaz holds that this alienation is that which forms "both personal sin and structural sin." (p.90) Sin's affect is extended to that of the entire person and that person's relationship with God and with other people.

Sin not only saturates the individual man but also is replete throughout society and remains strong by institutionalization of personal behavior that is followed by normalization into the social world and as such is the "fundamental alienation, the root of a situation of injustice and exploitation." (p.90) In the struggle against oppression and alienation Diaz holds that personal transformation is inclusive of the individuals' attempts to bring about transformation of social structures that serve to alienate certain groups and that in reality personal transformation cannot result in separateness from this attempt to change that which serves to oppress and alienate.

III.

The Poor and Oppressed Diaz holds that the poor and the oppressed and their alienation are an insult to God's sovereignty because they are the individuals in society who are "exploited, who suffer systemic violence, the victims of cultural imperialism." (p.91) The poor and oppressed are those whose way of life is characterized by a struggle and who are hungry and illiterate and due to exploitation do not understand that they are "a person." (p.91) The poor and oppressed suffer from marginalization, lack of power including sexism, racism, ethnic prejudice, classism" all of which are "interconnected parts of a worldwide system of domination in which the few oppress the many." (p.91) This can be seen throughout the world in many countries and regions where the mass of poor people are under the rule of a few elite and privileged individuals.

III. Solidarity -- Both Theory and Strategy Diaz holds that solidarity is not only a theory but also is a method of opposing systems of oppression that is effective in nature. Diaz holds that control and domination are the primary characteristics that exist in structure and relationships that are oppressive in nature.

Radical change in society is according to Diaz such that makes a requirement of "radical societal change" and further makes a requirement of "insights and strategies that can effectively undo and replace control and domination with communality of feelings and interests…" (p.92) Therefore, the first step of solidarity that is theoretically-based cannot be simply a "generalized conception of oppression that easily becomes abstract…" but instead is the oppression of certain persons that is the result of those who are serving to oppress and their accompanying privileges. IV.

The Root of the Formation of Solidarity Centric to the formation of solidarity is a shared or mutual interest or interests and a shared or common fate. Diaz holds that in today's world that the links between nations and peoples across the globe show the "obvious need for embracing commonality of interests as an important goal." (p.94) Diaz cites as proof "two world wars, multinational corporations, the threat of global annihilation, the global spread of AIDS, the.