Robinson Award to Ron Claassen

The Carl and Esther Robinson Award for the Outstanding Advocate of the Common Good was established with the aim of calling public attention to those whose lives have been dedicated to the pursuit of the Common Good, to lift up these people as models for the larger community. The award was named for Carl and Esther Robinson who in their 90 years of life have exemplified on-going activism on behalf of peace and justice for all. The founding sponsors of the award are Fresno Metro Ministry, the Interfaith Alliance of the Central Valley, and the Fresno Ministerial Association.

The idea of the Common Good is not new but it has been eclipsed by the many social pressures that emphasize narrow self-interest. The value of the Common Good is thoroughly embedded in our nation’s founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence that states, in part: "All men are created equal, . . . they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." The nation's constitution that followed from this declaration is therefore designed to promote and protect the rights of all, not a select few.

Finally, one can find the idea of a compassionate concern for the Common Good at the heart of the world's great religions. In a presentation at the Fresno Ministerial Association by six of the world's major faith traditions by leaders of these religions, it became clear that each affirmed the ultimate importance of compassion and concern for the Common Good. The religions represented were Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Sikhism.