<i> During 1990, many Orange County residents wrote about their thoughts and feelings in articles for Orange County opinion pages. As we look back on the year, some of those thoughts are recalled.</i> : Bishop Michael P. Driscoll on Poverty

When I first came to Orange County in 1975, there was not much visible poverty here. Yes, there were poor people, but they were well-hidden. Orange County was known for its wealth. It truly had become the “Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey.”

What a difference 15 years has made.

The reality is that Orange County’s 1990 poor are no longer hidden. They are on our streets, in our neighborhoods. Many want them to become invisible again.

My concern is a creeping attitude of isolationism here in the Promised Land.

I hope that we can learn from the generations that have gone before us, who cared for the less fortunate, that care for the poor is the true mark of humanity, the measurement of the integrity of a people.

We cannot and must not in Orange County turn our backs on our brothers and sisters who happen to be poor. We must not try to make them invisible again by refusing to acknowledge their presence.

We must not let an attitude of “me-first” or “let them take care of themselves” become a part of our community attitude.

Whatever happened to the Promised Land? The place to look for the answer is within. Our attitude, our involvement, can make the difference.