Sunday, December 21, 2008
A DIFFERENT AMERICA
I remember a different America. A place where people never locked their doors because it would be unthinkable that someone would be so bold as to walk in uninvited. A place where people walked about the streets day or night without fear of being accosted. A place where whole families sat down to dinner together, not just on Sundays, but every evening. Amazingly, the family members actually talked with each other. A place where neighbors not only knew each other, but watched out for each other's welfare, as well. A place where anyone who wanted a job could get one and be paid a living wage. A place where doctors not only cared for but cared about their patients and even made house calls. A place where honor, respect for others and high moral values were admirable traits. A place far different than the America we live in today. So, what happened?
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What happened? We were taught "greed is good". Social Darwinism took over during the Reagan era -- if you couldn't take care of yourself, too bad. It no longer mattered whether you were poor because of bad choices or poor because of things beyond your control, it was your own fault for not being rich, and you didn't deserve any help.
ReplyDeleteI recently had an ultra-conservative friend come around to my point of view. She can see that I've done everything right, and just happened to get slammed with a disabling condition for which there's no vaccine, no treatment, no cure. Discussing my financial situation, she exploded "doesn't the middle-class taxpayer ever get a break?" And the answer is, No. Only the rich get breaks under the Republican mindset. AIG was a victim of circumstances; I clearly somehow brought this on myself and deserve to suffer.