I was just watching a news report on the Occupy Wall Street movement, and something struck me. The reporter was talking about what a bunch of freaks the protesters were, and how it was hard to sympathize with their movement when they behave so oddly. Then he interviewed a group of so-called “Normal” Americans who all agreed that something had to be done about the income inequity in the US. Not by them, of course, but by SOMEBODY. They all had kids to take care of and football games to watch, etc., etc.
The great Rabbi Hillel said, among other things, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And when I am only for myself, what am ‘I’? And if not now, when?” In other words, the oft-misquoted “If not us, who? If not now, when?” So WE have to do something about it. I think that these protests will wind up having the same net effect that the WTC riots in Seattle had… net zero. So it’s not up to the protesters. It’s up to us. And if we’re going to change this, it’s going to require a massive grass roots movement. So how do we do it?
First off, let me say that I’m not anti-wealth. I’d like to be wealthy myself one day. Frankly, I don’t care how much money and stuff people like Phil Knight and the rest of the 1% have. What I care is how they GOT it. When the chairman of Chrysler says that his company can’t afford to pay Americans a living wage to make him rich, and then he himself nets millions of dollars per year while the Americans that he’s NOT employing are on food stamps, that’s a problem. And I’m not talking about forcibly redistributing his or anyone else’s wealth, either. I’m talking about forcing him and the rest of them to start reinvesting that wealth into America and Americans to strengthen our country and our economy before it’s too late.
So… how can we do this? I mean me… you… individuals. What the heck can we do?
For starters, pay attention to your candidates when you vote. FORGET YOUR DAMNED PARTY, IN OTHER WORDS. (Sorry about the swear word. I can’t promise that it won’t happen again, but I am trying to keep this blog friendly for everyone. Just get a little irate where political parties are concerned.) Both major parties in the US have become so corporatized and corrupt that it’s hard for me to tell them apart. And just like I was sick of Bush’s so-called conservatism after a few years, I am sick of Obama’s so-called liberalism as well. Neither of these men apparently know what those words mean. So pay attention to your candidates, not just their party. If you’re a republican who supports American jobs, and your representative was one of those who voted against the jobs bill, don’t vote for them. If you’re a democrat who feels like Obama didn’t just DROP the ball on health care, but actively handed it to the other team, don’t vote for him again. Spend some time. Do some research. “Throw your vote away” on a so-called “third party” candidate. Think of this… in the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore won the popular vote and George Bush won the electoral vote. In real terms, they each got about half of the votes cast. That means that since only about 60% of Americans voted, they each got about 30% of Americans to vote for them. So what would have happened if the other 40% had “thrown their vote away” on Ralph Nader? It would have been President Nader in 2000 instead of “President” Bush in 2001. You can bet that the 1% and their lackies are paying attention and voting. The 99% should, too.
Another way that we can do this is to vote with our dollars. If you know that a company is taking huge amounts of money OUT of America without putting any back IN (I’m looking at you, Apple and Nike) then don’t buy their shit. When my wife and I went out to buy new sneakers for me, she got a little frustrated at me because I wanted to find a pair that was made in the USA. She didn’t like any of the ones that I found and I REALLY didn’t want to buy a pair made with Chinese slave labor. We finally found a pair of New Balances that we both liked that was made in the USA, that cost less than most of the sneaks made in China. And they’re comfortable, for a bonus.
Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it takes time. But your choices, 99%, are to either take the time to take care, or shut up about it. There is no viable third choice.
Oh, and while you're here, please take a moment to click on one of the ads. You don't have to buy anything, just click. I'm trying to make a living off of my writing, and that's one way that I can do it. Thanks.
Peace.
Randal
The problem with this is the assumption that a vast majority of Americans have an entitlement attitude. One of the main reasons I can't stand that stupid occupy crap. They don't want to get a job and work their way up the way everyone else did. Yeah school is expensive and that sucks. But that doesn't mean you're going to be immediately offered a job as CEO, though that's what they expect. If you hadn't noticed I have an issue with entitlement.
ReplyDeleteSince you brought up food stamps, I'm going to vent a bit. It's freakin hard out there, as you know or you wouldn't be working the same soul sucking job I am. So why is it I see people in brand new cars, with designer clothes and wads of cash in their pockets paying for things with foodstamps? Only to see those same people turn around and complain about how life is so tough and no one is helping them out? One of the famous rappers YEARS ago actually has a video out there of him going to a welfare office in a bentley or rolls royce or some horribly expensive car to pick up with welfare, and they let him. How about we seriously reconsider how we distribute government assistance?
Ah, a perfect example with excellent timing: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/michigan-woman-still-collecting-food-stamps-winning-1-201751693.html
DeleteWell, first off, i don't think that anyone here is talking about entitlement. What the occupy protesters think that they're talking about (although their message is a little muddled) is that the wealthy in this country, the "1%" have made their money off of Chinese slave labor and tax loopholes. There IS no more working your way up from the bottom in this country. You want to open a little grocery store and make a go of it? All well and good until Walmart decides that you're a threat and puts you out of business through unfair competition. By that i mean that they can drop the price on their products in your area under wholesale while raising prices in surrounding areas to make up for it. They've done it before.
ReplyDeleteAs far as food stamps go, do you actually KNOW any of these so-called welfare queens out there? If you do, then don't you have the responsibility to turn them in? Personally, everyone that i've personally ever known on food stamps needed them in order to eat. If they didn't have the food stamps, then they can either eat or pay their bills, or in some cases, medicine. And i'm not saying that no one is gaming the system. Unfortunately, any time that you have money and people you have corruption. But i honestly think that these people are in the distinct minority. Also, if you can figure out a way to cut the bad people out without hurting the good, please share. I haven't yet.
And i honestly hope that you were being hyperbolic when you referred to our job as "soul-sucking". Personally, i think that this job will be a cake walk. Easiest job that i've ever had, personally. I almost feel guilty taking their money for it, it's so easy. Almost. Of course, what i REALLY want to do for my living is write. That's why i always nag people to click on an ad or two when they visit my blog. For the first time in February i actually made a little scratch off of my ads. Not much, less than $10, but it's a start.
Peace.
Randal