Some Thoughts About The Christic Institute

I had heard the name Christic Institute before, but had no idea about what the organization was up to.  As it turns out I found that the organization was a legal services non-profit  organization which takes on cases of significant public interest.  Some of these have been the Karen Silkwood  case, as well as an investigation into the criminal activities of the Iran Contra affair and the environmental impacts of the nuclear mishap at Three Mile Island. 






In the video Daniel Sheehan explains the work he did for the Christic Institute.  From what I can tell they are good people who were addressing inequities and outright wrongdoing in the public sector. 

In the past some of the most dramatic changes in social practices have come from the religious bodies in the land.  Not all of the activities have been welcomed by all.  When it was the issue of slavery, the abolitionists motivated by religiously based morality opposed the slave owner who opened their bibles to find support for slavery.  Perhaps the most significant revelations made by the institute have to do with drug and gun running.  You can read through the FBI files on this aspect here

I think it would be fair to characterize the Christic Institute as kind of a religious ACLU public advocate.  I had heard the name before from time to time but knew nothing at all about it until today.  It sounds like a pretty good thing for people to be doing.  From what I can tell the organization is being referred to in terms of 'was'.  So I assume it has ceased.  The purpose was noble and what they did was valuable.  In that the structures of power and capital were the objects of the Institute's legal activities I suppose it is to be expected the Institute would find it necessary to close up their doors.  Organizations like this are necessary in a corrupt situation like the world finds itself in today.  The appearance of organizations like the Christic Institute is necessary but when they rise up and obtain justice for the afflicted those with the reins of power often rise up to see that such an event does not happen again.

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