Poverty and racisim
Katrina hit Louisiana and Mississippi. Almost all the people who live there, be they black or white, are terribly poor. Poverty is America's great divide, not race, not religion. It's poverty.
I've been down that way, in Mississippi and Louisiana, and I know that what I think of as my lowest point financially would be a step up for many of the people there.
I know a little bit about living in poverty, not having a car, getting up an hour early to ride the bus to work, picking which bills to pay each month, turning off the AC in July because the electric bill was unpayable. I know how hopeless it feels, how you can never seem to get ahead.
I know that the life of a person doing temp jobs or day-labor, even call center and office work is just a new formulation of a very old social situation. Serfs, peones, temps, day laborers, customer service representatives, indentured servants, what is the difference?
But wait, modern laborers are "free." Free how? Free to walk away, but also not free, bound by social pressure, by morality and practicality. Workers today are free to quit their jobs whenever they want, if they don't mind being evicted from their homes, harassed by collection agents, (who are themselves caught in the same predicament) and put through the often humiliating process of finding work.
How are poor Americans kept in this perpetual state of servitude? Surely they could work together and demand some simple social supports, unions and social democratic parties in Europe have stood up for workers and made life more bearable for those citizens who aren't highly educated, wealth-generating, top-ten-percenters. Why not here? Because here in America, we have several different colors of poor people, and they all hate each other.
That's why we hear Kanye West saying "George Bush doesn't care about black people." It's just not true, George Bush probably cares quite a bit about Condoleeza Rice, and maybe even cares a little bit about Colin Powell, and I'm pretty sure they qualify as "black people."
It wasn't racism that screwed up the evacuation of New Orleans, it was the inability of the ruling classes to understand the situation. They were simply unable to imagine people who didn't own cars. They gave the order to evacuate, (again) and didn't understand that thousands of people who wanted to leave simply couldn't.
In America, we have reached a day where a man no longer judged by the color of his skin, but rather, by the content of his bank account.
I've been down that way, in Mississippi and Louisiana, and I know that what I think of as my lowest point financially would be a step up for many of the people there.
I know a little bit about living in poverty, not having a car, getting up an hour early to ride the bus to work, picking which bills to pay each month, turning off the AC in July because the electric bill was unpayable. I know how hopeless it feels, how you can never seem to get ahead.
I know that the life of a person doing temp jobs or day-labor, even call center and office work is just a new formulation of a very old social situation. Serfs, peones, temps, day laborers, customer service representatives, indentured servants, what is the difference?
But wait, modern laborers are "free." Free how? Free to walk away, but also not free, bound by social pressure, by morality and practicality. Workers today are free to quit their jobs whenever they want, if they don't mind being evicted from their homes, harassed by collection agents, (who are themselves caught in the same predicament) and put through the often humiliating process of finding work.
How are poor Americans kept in this perpetual state of servitude? Surely they could work together and demand some simple social supports, unions and social democratic parties in Europe have stood up for workers and made life more bearable for those citizens who aren't highly educated, wealth-generating, top-ten-percenters. Why not here? Because here in America, we have several different colors of poor people, and they all hate each other.
That's why we hear Kanye West saying "George Bush doesn't care about black people." It's just not true, George Bush probably cares quite a bit about Condoleeza Rice, and maybe even cares a little bit about Colin Powell, and I'm pretty sure they qualify as "black people."
It wasn't racism that screwed up the evacuation of New Orleans, it was the inability of the ruling classes to understand the situation. They were simply unable to imagine people who didn't own cars. They gave the order to evacuate, (again) and didn't understand that thousands of people who wanted to leave simply couldn't.
In America, we have reached a day where a man no longer judged by the color of his skin, but rather, by the content of his bank account.
posted by JC at 12:00 AM
7 Comments:
Ask me that during my "Rush Limbaugh speaks for God" period, before reality set in for the I.T. industry and left me almost homeless, and you might have had a fight on your hands.
Since then my net worth dropped to -$30,000 give or take a penny and I rent a room from my parents while I rebuild. I am proud to say I have only required government assistance for my daughter's medical expenses.
I know what it feels like not to know where your child's next meal will come from. I know what a gun barrel tastes like. For 6 or 7 years I was not even allowed to have a bank account because of my credit. Now I have one because of a local bank that ignores credit as long as you keep it from hitting zero (which even now takes some fancy juggling).
Their is absolutely a class barrier. The only reason the upper class buisnessmen I deal with count me as a friend is I provide a service they can't find from anyone else locally. I keep their business making money by keeping their computers running. I still have yet to get an invite to play golf though...
Power to the people!
That's probably the first time I have ever seen golf mentioned within 1/2 inch of "Power to the people!"
Funny thing is, I love golf.
Does that make me a champagne socialist?
Maybe a Bolli Bolshevik?
Golf is the game of those in power. If power goes to the people, then the people play golf...or maybe I am just an idiot...the caffeine hasn't kicked in yet...
brilliant.
Champagne is also the drink of the powerful...
JC - I like your posts and awesome comment on my post! I responded and I'm looking forward to what you have to say.
America has always been devided into the haves and have nots. The difference between America and any other country is the have nots can become the haves.
I was poor and I put myself through college, did not use drugs like my mom and have received a great job. I went from a have not to a have.
I've worked for bad employers and awesome employers, as have you. This world is competitive, those who have loyal employees succeed.
Question I have for you: what causes poverty? It is not the employers, they offer a gamment of jobs, from minimum wage to 6 figures.
What causes poverty?
For this and other fine insights see my response at Political Pie
"Nobody suffers like the poor."-- Charles Bukowski.
Been poor. Been "Sleep under some bushes in the front yard of someone whom I hope doesn't find me there and call the police" poor. Not long. Just a couple days. Enough.
Poor sucks. I pulled my ass out *WITH HELP*.
Now I'm good. I have a car, an apartment, blow lotsa $ on trinkets and beer. I consume and spend.
But I save some - just in case. Cause I been there. Chaz was right. Nobody suffers like the poor. It's god-damned frightening.
Most (if not all) of our current leaders have only had to struggle with the question "Where will I eat today?"
Not: "HOW will I eat today?"
Until the latter happens, the poor will go un-noticed.
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