Three cups of deceit
Five months ago, scandal engulfed a guy from Montana named Greg Mortenson.
He'd made a name for himself through a book called Three Cups of Tea, which is his story of accidentally becoming one of the world's most inspiring humanitarians. Through the book, which remained on the New York Times bestseller list for four years, Mortenson inspired tens of thousands -- if not millions -- of people to support his nonprofit organization, the Central Asia Institute. He even managed to get himself nominated on more than one occasion for the Nobel Peace Prize. President Obama himself donated a hundred grand to the cause.
Then came April of this year, when 60 Minutes aired a report suggesting that this seemingly unanimous enthusiasm might have been misguided, citing allegations from well-known writer Jon Krakauer and others that some of the most impressive and inspiring stories in Three Cups of Tea were either grossly exaggerated or completely bogus, and that Mortenson was responsible for appalling misuse of his organization's funds. Here's the 60 Minutes segment, in case you'd like to get up to speed that way:
Mortenson responded to CBS with a short statement and a longer statement, and the CAI board issued a response to the accusations as well; you can read them for yourself if you'd like. I didn't blog about any of this at the time, partly because deep down I wanted to believe Mortenson was being falsely maligned (honestly, who didn't love Three Cups?), but also because about a million other bloggers suddenly took it upon themselves to publicly crucify him, rendering my two cents a bit redundant.
Recently, however, with Borders going out of business and selling books at steep discounts, I came across Krakauer's 70-page exposé Three Cups of Deceit, and decided to give it a read. For those who have seen the 60 Minutes report, the gist of the accusations come as no surprise. Krakauer arranges the book into three sections which are, broadly speaking, the three problems he sees with Mortenson and Three Cups. First, the problem of fabricated stories presented as fact. Second, the problem of lack of financial accountability. And third, the problem of lackluster results in the places where Mortenson claims success.
The accusations do seem fairly damning, and I don't think that Mortenson's or CAI's responses sufficiently defuse them. So in the midst of profound disappointment and disillusionment it's only natural to want to demonize the man, to throw out your copy of Three Cups, and to distance yourself by pretending you never liked it in the first place and would never fall for such deception. But I think there are at least three big lessons we can all learn from this.
First, it is good to be reminded of the need for organizations and their leaders to be held accountable. Charity Navigator is one of the leading nonprofit watchdogs, and while it isn't perfect (it failed to flag CAI's shady accounting ahead of time), it has been evolving to become a more accurate measure of financial accountability and program effectiveness. There are good places to put your money to use for the common good, so please resist the two extremes: either donating on a whim just because someone asked you to, or refusing to donate at all because scandals like this exist.
Second, it is good to be reminded of the seduction of power and money, to which none of us are immune. Mortenson discovered a formula for pulling on people's heartstrings, for enlarging his personal bank account, and yes, for helping a lot of people at the same time. Mixed motives are hardly foreign to any of us, so while it does seem that Mortenson has engaged in manipulative, greedy, and deceptive behavior and has taken advantage of people's generosity and goodwill in the process, we simply cannot say that we'd be immune to these temptations were we in his shoes.
Third, and finally, it is good to be reminded that we live in a messy world full of complicated people and conflicting reports, and that a nuanced perspective is almost always helpful. Krakauer himself is quick to affirm the good that Mortenson has done -- and the good he has done is considerable -- and that is perhaps what I most appreciate about the book. While obviously first and foremost an exposé, Three Cups of Deceit demonstrates that for those confident in the facts, we can afford to be honest about the good, the bad and the ugly. And that's what separates Krakauer, a true journalist, from so many bandwagon bloggers: in lambasting a man who misled people through looseness of facts, it's all too easy to disqualify our critiques by doing the same.
Repaso: McKibben on calm power, Brooks on rugged altruism, Mouw on Christian civility, Van Dyke on beautiful questions, and a video referencing martians
1. Bill McKibben on jail and MLK’s “calm power”
You probably haven’t heard much about it, but a group of activists are staging a nonviolent protest outside of the White House in opposition to a proposed oil pipeline stretching from Canada down to the Gulf of Mexico. Bill McKibben, a leading environmental activist, was among those arrested. He reflects on the example of his nonviolent hero, Martin Luther King Jr., who gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech 48 years ago this Sunday, and describes his experience behind bars:
We spent three days in D.C.'s Central Cell Block, which is exactly as much fun as it sounds like it might be. You lie on a metal rack with no mattress or bedding and sweat in the high heat; the din is incessant; there's one baloney sandwich with a cup of water every 12 hours. I didn't have a pencil -- they wouldn't even let me keep my wedding ring -- but more important, I didn't have the peace of mind to write something. It's only now that I'm out, with a good night's sleep under my belt, that I'm able to think straight. And so, as I said, I'll go to this weekend's big celebrations for the opening of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial on the Washington Mall with even more respect for his calm power.
2. The rugged altruists
New York Times columnist David Brooks writes about the "virtues" of those Americans who venture into the developing world trying to do good. It’s not the most profound column he’s ever written, but it’s worth a quick read:
As you talk to people involved in the foreign aid business — on the giving and the receiving ends — you are struck by how much disillusionment there is. Very few nongovernmental organizations or multilateral efforts do good, many Kenyans say. They come and go, spending largely on themselves, creating dependency not growth. The government-to-government aid workers spend time at summit meetings negotiating protocols with each other. But in odd places, away from the fashionableness, one does find people willing to embrace the perspectives and do the jobs the locals define...
3. Richard Mouw on Christian civility
Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary where he also teaches philosophy and ethics, was interviewed by Krista Tippett on Being as part of the radio show’s Civil Conversations Project. Mouw is a political conservative and an evangelical and here he is on American Public Media challenging his own people to civil public discourse, and he does so with humility. This sort of message and example is something I think we desperately need, perhaps these days more than ever.
4. The art of asking beautiful questions
This reflection comes from a guy I haven’t met, but who works as a missionary in Guatemala City. In this rather raw reflection, he describes Guatemala City as the “strange context of street gangs in prisons, homeless youth on the streets, teenage prostitutes and families caught in relentless poverty.” It’s worth the read:
The acclaimed English poet E.E. Cummings once wrote, “The beautiful answer is always preceded by the more beautiful question.” Do you believe that? If we really believed as a community that the beautiful question was far more important that the well crafted answer, our ministries with young people would be far more effective. The belief here is that beautiful questions actually reveal beautiful answers. If we really believed that, we as Christians would be the best question askers in the world... I have come to believe with all of my heart that it is a profound and highly successive ministry that learns how to ask beautiful questions of high-risk kids in hard places. I believe this out of the conviction that beautiful answers spring forth from beautiful questions.
5. Asset from Chalmers Center
Here's a cool two-minute video from the Chalmers Center on a new model for community development they're trying, linking churches in the US with churches elsewhere, emphasizing microfinance and education. If that's not enough to pique your interest, as a bonus, there's even a reference to martians.
Beyond Charity: An environment of hope (part 4/5)
So far in this series we’ve taken a look at what Christian community development is, emphasizing the so-called “three Rs”: relocation, reconciliation and redistribution. We have also considered the marks of an authentic church, the kind of church that would make Christian community development possible.
Now we turn to the important role of the urban environment that many find themselves in. Perkins says that over the years he has learned that “it is difficult to be salt and light if we ignore the concrete realities of people’s environment.” So what are some of the important factors at play in underdeveloped urban contexts? And what can be done to enrich communities in each of these ways, so that development is possible? Before we take a look at eight factors, Perkins advises us to remember that “local leadership is the most important sign that long-term community development is taking place."
1. Dignity. Theologically, it is true to say that all of us have equal dignity because all of us are made in the image of God. But generational patterns of dehumanization (whether from the outside or within) can convince the rich and poor alike that some are more dignified than others. By encouraging a healthy sense of pride in one’s cultural and even ethnic background -- all in the context of who we are in the eyes of God -- and by emphasizing the importance of the place in which one lives, dignity can slowly be restored.
2. Power. The urban poor experience powerlessness in many ways, often unrecognizable to the wealthy and middle classes, and certainly beyond much of our understanding. It’s not surprising that many poor people are suspicious of those with power, because it has so often served them so negatively. Perkins does not suggest a combative response to those with power, but rather collaboration for the sake of the powerless. Power can be life-giving when it’s in the right hands.
3. Education. The crisis is two-sided: the quality of education available in inner cities is generally terrible, and people in inner cities are increasingly not seeing the value in education. Which causes which is hard to say, but it’s a real crisis with real ramifications. Perkins promotes the incalculable value of after-school tutoring as well as encouraging teachers and parents to hear from each other. This would be a start in circumstances far from ideal.
4. Employment. Unemployment rates are often highest among the urban poor, and while some people find themselves in poverty after losing a job, the chronically poor are unemployed primarily because they are unprepared. Small businesses and social enterprises in poor urban areas are crucial in creating employment for those ready and eager to work but unable to find it, and fostering an entrepreneurial environment where more will be inclined to do what it takes to land steady, fulfilling work.
5. Health. You and I inherently understand the sky-high costs of health care, which is why the benefits package that comes with a potential job is a significant consideration. For the reasons above and more, health problems that would be inconveniences for us in fact constitute crises for the urban poor. Many Christian community development organizations start health clinics to fill this gap, often depending on volunteers from the medical profession as well as donations, offset a bit by modest fees charged to patients.
6. Security. Poor urban areas are notoriously dangerous, and many residents would argue that the police have done more to hinder security in some cases than to protect them. Racial profiling is real, and even for the city police departments and officers with the best intentions, budgets are often so tight they are prohibited from timely responses in the worst areas. Neighborhood crime watches and other community coalitions can go a long way, Perkins says, but ultimately what matters is developing the next generation and exposing them to non-destructive alternatives.
7. Recreation. There’s far more to life than work, and many of us underestimate the importance of rest, exercise and fun. Whereas busyness may keep us from these things, urban environments are often loud, chaotic and tense. Whether it’s basketball or Girl Scouts, giving kids and teenagers healthy ways to spend their time could pay enormous dividends.
8. Beauty. If what we want for ourselves and for the urban poor isn’t just more money or more stuff but abundant life, we need to consider the importance of aesthetics. Many poor neighborhoods don’t have a lot of green space, and the arts are often neglected. Community gardens that relieve neighborhoods of the eyesores of empty lots and invite neighborhood participation are one idea. Programs giving kids the opportunity to explore the arts like painting, music, and acting can help kids and adults alike recognize the beauty that already exists and the capacity they have to be creators.
This list certainly isn’t intended to be exhaustive. What else would you add?
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