Barack Obama has returned to surprise us with a new measure. This time announcing that aid from the State for social work will have a secular orientation, which will not favour any particular confession, nor shall it prejudice to non-believers, so collecting the principle of the U.S. Constitution which stipulates the separation of Church and State. With this measure, the US President intends to lay the foundations of the attempt the fair distribution and non-discriminatory public money to help the most disadvantaged. It is a topic that I consider crucial because, while the first amendment to its Constitution proclaims the separation between the State and the churches, United States has become a hotbed of religions, cults and sects of all kinds become a bloody contest the allocation of public funds for social causes. Organized religions that traded with the spiritual employ up to the telepredicacion, which is nothing more than a crude procedure coercive attract and deceive You consciences, and handling wills to swell the volume of followers and, incidentally, the total revenue.

Something similar happens in Spain. The Catholic Church has cornered almost all of public funds destined for social work, which have been almost 160 billion euros in 2008. The Church in Spain has registered nearly 40,000 confessional character or supposed social purpose organizations. The alleged social work of the Church is an argument that holds its survival and continuity. However, one might wonder about the fate of that huge amount of public money, in view of the enormous social gaps that persist; There are obvious reasons for suspecting that such funds do not reach the hardest sectors. It should be asked to state that you inspect and control the use of that money that actually reached needy and marginalized citizens.

I have no doubt that there is a good social action of the Church in view of everyone, perhaps by way of showcase. Numerous organizations to carry them out, but with teams of volunteers, and with private donations; then where is the public money that receive these religious associations? If a democracy work, solidarity should replace charity, which may be no more than a mode of wash consciences, and an excuse for perpetuating classism and social difference in marginalized and disadvantaged sectors. And, if a democracy work, social work should be carried out by the State, by a controlled and fair allocation of public funds, through structured bodies with personnel qualified and independent of any ideology or religion. And the State should inspected registered partnerships which, with the alibi of the supposed social assistance, are dedicated to collect all the money possible from the public purse. Because as long as the charity there will be the shadow of the belief in the superiority of some over others, and while social work is in the hands of the churches, still having misery, need, and lack of solidarity. After the facade and the appearance of charity and altruism may hide (as denounced Moliere in the philanthropist) the most vile and perfidious pretensions. This measure of President Obama shows that not all politicians are the same, and that there are some who are concerned about doing things well; We hope that this initiative is not an exception and is disseminated as an example of democratic lucidity. Coral Bravo PhD in Philology and member of Europa Laica Elplural.