by Jennifer John

I recently heard about a part of psychology that I hadn’t been fully aware of before, but it seems especially pertinent to all of us who hope to practice social justice in today’s society. I saw a video on the YouTube channel “Parkrose Permaculture” by Angela, who lives in Oregon. She described the “bystander effect.” She referenced several articles, and one was Simplypsychology.org which defines the “bystander effect” as “a social psychological phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help a victim when others are present. The greater the number of bystanders, the less likely any one of them is to help.”

If a large number of people are present during a crisis, each person may think, “Surely someone else is going to do something.” That is in contrast with a situation where you are the only other person there. You would feel solely responsible because there is no one else to step in.

Something else that contributes to the bystander effect is that people are expected to behave in “correct and socially acceptable” ways while in a crowd. No one wants to misjudge the situation and be embarrassed. Also, everyone may be gauging everyone else’s reaction and think that if no one else is acting that maybe it’s not a true emergency.

It may be easy for each of us to think that if we were witnessing an emergency situation in public that, of course, we would jump right in to help, but the bystander effect is real and if we’re unaware of it’s impact, we might be frozen on the sidelines, not doing anything. However, just knowing about it might be enough to help us in that moment.

In 1970, social psychologists Latané and Darley proposed a five-stage model called the “Decision Model of Helping,” explaining why bystanders may or may not decide to intervene. “At each stage in the model, the answer ‘No’ results in no help being given, while the answer ‘yes’ leads the individual closer to offering help.

1. The bystander must notice that something is amiss.
2. The bystander must define that situation as an emergency.
3. The bystander must assess how personally responsible they feel.
4. The bystander must decide how best to offer assistance.
5. The bystander must act on that decision.”

Angela goes on to offer some advice on how to break the bystander effect and reminds us that it’s also important to remember that we don’t want to match violence with violence. We are trying to de-escalate the situation.
The first thing you can do is use your voice- step up and say, “This is not ok, stop.” Enough voices saying “stop” might be all it takes.

Another step is to take out your phone and document what’s happening. If you think the situation has become serious enough to get law enforcement involved, ask the victim, if possible, “Do you want me to call the police?”

If you can’t physically get involved, make eye contact with another bystander and say, “You, help this person; they need help.”

If you are a victim: Point at people in the crowd, make eye contact, and say, “You, help me.” If you know anyone’s name in the crowd, call them by name rather than just yelling, “Help!”

Just learning about this psychological phenomenon makes you more likely to overcome it in the moment. Please check out the links below to articles and the video by Parkrose Permaculture:

“You Need to Understand the Bystander Effect and How to Overcome It”
Parkrose Permaculture YouTube Channel Video

“Bystander Effect in Psychology”
Simply Psychology Website

“How to Break Free of the Bystander Effect and Help Someone in Trouble”
Popular Science Website

 “If they are really hungry, they’ll eat anything.” This was a quote that was said to me when I began requesting specific items for a food pantry I was running at a local university. I received push back from colleagues when I asked for brand named items, gluten-free products, and snacks for students. My students weren’t “hungry” per se, they were “food insecure” and I believe in food dignity.

Food insecurity is defined by the United States Department of Agriculture as the lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life. It’s when someone may have to make a difficult choice between paying their heating bill, or buying milk for their children’s cereal. They may choose to skip lunch because they need to put gas in their car to get to work. It's a big problem in the United States, where 47 million people experience food insecurity annually. In 2022, 14% of Luzerne County was reported as food insecure, with 22% being children. That’s more than 1 in 5 children in this county are food insecure.

Some causes of food insecurity include poverty, unemployment, food deserts (living where there aren't many stores that sell healthy food at a good price), lack of affordable housing, having a chronic health condition (making it harder to work or having high medical bills), and racism and discrimination (marginalized communities, including people of color, LGTBQ individuals, and those with disabilities, are at higher risk of food insecurity due to systemic discrimination and poverty.)

“Food dignity” supports and honors everyone’s right to nourishing food. “Choice” food pantries and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) are two ways to provide food dignity. Having a stocked food pantry with quality items that people need and want can reduce the shame that often accompanies food insecurity. Growing up in rural Upstate New York, my family received SNAP (commonly referred to as food stamps) for most of my childhood, in addition to receiving free/reduced lunch at school. I was not aware of the support we received until I was an adult, and can’t imagine how my parents would have been able to feed us otherwise.

Among the harmful proposals from Republican lawmakers is an emerging push to require states to pay a portion of SNAP food benefit costs to help pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest business owners and households. Pennsylvania would have had to pay almost $427 million last year to ensure that families didn’t lose food benefits, which is about 1.5 times what that state spends on its entire community college system or about twice what it spends annually on environmental protection programs.

So what’s our call to action? It’s frustrating that our representatives in Congress don’t seem to be listening, but that doesn’t mean we should stop calling or writing. I personally recommend a website and app called “5 Calls,” which directly links you with your representatives and provides topics and scripts. If you are more of a behind the scenes person, be aware of what you are donating to the UU’s food pantry or other pantries. Pay attention to their requests for specific items and whenever possible, donate food that supports the ideas around food dignity.  Thank you.

5 Calls -- Calling your congressperson is the most effective way to influence policy.

by Brian Dugas

Yesterday, March 8th was International Women’s Day. The theme “For all Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”

Michelle Wu - Mayor of Boston
Jasmine Crockett - Congresswoman from Texas
Alexandria Ocasio - Cortez - Congresswoman from NY
Janet Mills - Governor from Maine

What do they have in common? All are women, 3 of the 4 are minorities, all have been elected to leadership roles where they live - but now there is something more. All four have chosen to take on the role of national leadership in this country's time of need. In this country, great leaders have always emerged in times of crisis. For those of us who were lucky enough to learn and teach about American history, we recognize that it is precisely those times of crisis that we are forced to rise to the challenge, for great leaders to emerge, and for major changes to occur.

This country and the majority of the world has been led and controlled by men throughout history. Stop and think for a minute where this has gotten us - to this very spot we are in right now. I personally feel it is time for a new type of leadership in this country and the world. I believe that we are currently in one of those critical periods and on the verge of great change. I hope that we have the wisdom to support great leadership regardless of race or gender. At this point it seems like it is our only hope.

Now I’d like to share some opportunities for those who want to get involved:
Sunday, March 23rd, after the service - workday at the community garden. We will start clearing and organizing the community garden at Hillside Farms. Everyone is invited to join in the work and to reap the bounty during harvest time. If you want to participate somehow, but the community garden is too much, perhaps you can have a garden at your own home this year. I have learned from personal experience that it is not too difficult, and your property really can support a garden regardless of how small it is. If this is of interest to you, but you don't have the knowledge to feel comfortable with starting your own garden, then speak to one of us. There is a wealth of gardening knowledge right here in our congregation and we would love to share. We can even organize classes if that would help. So get your green thumb on, and get gardening!

Wednesday, March 26th, 6:30PM at Burke Auditorium on King’s College for A Conversation with Attorneys. We have worked with other organizations in the Wyoming Valley to provide people with the latest legal information available on a wide variety of topics. Lawyers from the valley and beyond have offered to speak and answer questions. Their concern about the status of our rights is quite evident through the interactions we have had, and I would urge you to join us at this event for your own benefit, and for those who might need support in the future. There is no fee or registration required, and everyone's invited.

Thursday, April 24th, 10:00 - 3:00, Daryl Lewis, Black Lives Matter, on Wilkes Barre Square, Wellness Fair, Volunteers help with set up, registration, operations etc. The Wellness Fair provides medical assistance and support for a variety of medical issues to the public in collaboration with the City of Wilkes Barre Health Department.

by Lilly Gioia

Here’s an interesting LIST:  What could all these businesses have in common?  MATTEL TOYS - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE –  EXPEDIA -  TYSON FOODS –  SANOFI PHARMACEUTICALS – NIKE SNEAKERS – ANHEUISER BUSCH - IBM - ALASKA AIRLINES – MORGAN STANLEY – & MICROSOFT ??  45 Companies in all.  It turns out that they are on Stephen Miller’s DEI Investigations List!

Stephen Miller is one of President Trump’s closest allies and serves in the White House as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy.  He has a history of violent opposition to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in any form.  President Trump’s early Executive Orders banned DEI in all federal agencies and the military.  They resulted in the firing of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Air Force General Charles Brown and Navy Chief of Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman ever to serve on the Joint Chiefs.  General Brown is a highly decorated leader with over 40 years of outstanding service.  He just happens also to be Black.  Half of Admiral Franchetti’s 40 year Naval career was spent at sea. The new Defense Chief Pete Hegseth believes they were merely DEI hires.

Agencies began erasing DEI in February by erasing Black History Month.  Thousands of federal agency website pages were taken down where there was any reference to words connected to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.  

But two weeks ago Business Week reported tactics led by Stephen Miller to pressure private businesses to end DEI, threatening US Justice Dept. criminal investigations and legal actions if private businesses refuse to abandon their DEI initiatives.  These companies targeted for “illegal DEI” have a combined market value of almost $10 trillion.  Miller is after any hiring practices based on gender or race, any scholarships based on race, and funding for startups owned by underrepresented groups.  Miller’s group, America First Legal, has been the most active in pursuing DEI programs that they say discriminate against white men Business Week said.

Beyond the issues of equal opportunity and DEI elimination, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker spelled out the danger we are facing in his recent State of the State speech when he warned:
“It’s in fashion at the federal level right now to just indiscriminately slash school funding, healthcare coverage, support for farmers and veteran’s services.  they say they’re doing it to eliminate inefficiencies. But only an idiot would think we should eliminate emergency response in a natural disaster, education and health care for disabled children, clean air and water programs and  monitoring of nursing home abuse, nuclear reactor regulation and cancer research. 

If you think I’m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this:  it took the Nazis one month, 3 weeks, 2 days, 8 hours & 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic.  
All tyranny requires your fear and your silence and your compliance.  Democracy requires your courage.  so gather your justice and humanity Illinois and do not let the tragic spirit of despair overcome us when our country needs us the most.”

Thank you Governor Pritzker – I hope that goes for Pennsylvania too!