Occupy This

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Man, the protests are growing. What is going on in this country? A lot of unrest, for sure.

Let me try and figure out what I think.

Tuition is going up. Fuel costs are through the roof. Food prices are high. Entertainment prices are higher than ever. Medical costs are a freaking joke.

Those that have jobs have not been handed cost of living increases. Wages have been stagnant for 30 years.

Debt is through the ceiling.

We are fighting with everyone, still, right?

Do I have it down?

So, why are they protesting?

The battle seems to be that none of them truly know.

Let me tell you a story. I was teaching a class this week. One of the people arrived for class twenty minutes late. I decided to excuse the fact that he was tardy and told him to sign in and grab the handouts. He needed the class to keep his job.

He screwed up what he was supposed to do. With 30 people looking on, I repeated my instructions. He got the proper paperwork, went to his seat, took out his cell phone, dialed, and began talking loudly.

While I was talking.

"Do you believe this guy?" I said, and everyone laughed.

He jumped from his seat and ran to me, shouting every curse word he could think of.

"Get out," I said.

"You're fired," his boss said.

He was escorted from the room. Now he's looking for a job. To hear him tell it, he's being beaten down by the man.

So, while I do sympathise with men and women who bust their ass every day, I really feel as if personal responsibility is lacking in a lot of people's hearts.

Let's interview me in the style I hate:

Is corporate greed a problem?

You'd be crazy to think it isn't.

Are politicians to blame?

They are stooges in the battle to the corporate heads.

Do the people who have no idea that they can't afford a thousand dollar mortgage with a $800 paycheck deserve some of the blame?

Do the math.

I am sick to my stomach when I read the stories of the rising prices and the shrinking benefits. I'm doing okay, but certainly would feel more secure if the world wasn't going crazy just outside my window.

I know guys who work real hard every day and are one bad break from being out in the street with hungry kids.

I know other guys who have good jobs and they act like they are being pinched if they are working harder than they think they should.

We need to occupy a whole 'nother attitude fairly quickly.

This is getting sort of scary.

Comments

Patricia said…
good analysis....did Susan Sarandon get back from Italy yet to help Occupy Wall St?
01 November, 2011
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