Mr. Alec Baldwin was interviewed in NYC at the site of the Wall Street protests yesterday. He appeared to be chastising the media for the view they’d taken of categorizing the protestors instead of listening for a common denominator. He wanted to know what “these people” wanted, instead of who they are, so he went down himself to find out. Thank you for asking, Mr. Baldwin.
What do the protestors want? Some of the same things the rest of the other 99% want.
We want the lies and corruption and pandering in our political system and economic system to stop. We are not ignorant, we are angry. There is a difference.
Our viewpoints are valid, though spawned from an experience vastly different than the 1%. Recognize that we contribute to the wealth of Corporate America. Businesses: Stop threatening to leave the United States if there is tax reform. Go ahead. Find a different country. If you don’t want to leave, SHUT THE HELL UP! You’re not helping, you’re hindering.
We want to be viewed as valuable instead of expendable. You may believe the world would be better off if a few more poor people were dead, but my children, my spouse, my parents, and my siblings have a different viewpoint.
I am the caregiver, the lover, the dependable rock in times of trouble. Are you willing to take my place? If not, consider affordable healthcare a human right, not a benefit of the rich. Many of our lives would change if we had the same health system that our public servants in Congress are afforded.
We want the American dream, or at least the opportunity to strive for the dream. Instead we are pushed down by inflation, inability to procure mortgages and loans, over-charged for gasoline and paid wages that put us below the poverty line.
The stereotyping needs to stop, Mr. Baldwin. We work, though we may qualify for entitlement programs. $10 and hour, more than minimum wage, equates to $1600 a month before taxes. Try living on that. Now add an unemployed spouse and a child.
A child we could afford 13 years ago. Now we can’t. Will you take care of our children Mr. Baldwin?
1% of our population has millions and billions of dollars setting in the bank, doing nothing. Waiting to be spent. Do you know how much money I would need to make a true difference in my life? $160,000. How many of the 1% earn that in a day? In an hour? In a minute? And not off wages, but off INTEREST and tax breaks that my wages help offset!
I do not speak for every woman and man, but I do speak for many. Our wants, our needs, our desires go no further than to ensure our families are well taken care of and our grandchildren have the same opportunities that you had.
Let us die in dignity, without foreclosure forcing us to a shack. Don’t make your fortune charging us interest on a car title loan that then steals our freedom. Call loan sharking what it is! In a time of spreading economic hardship, question why billion dollar companies are still making record profits and giving their management pay raises. Then do something about it.
Ensure that the least among us, the sick, the disabled, the elderly, the downtrodden, are taken care of, lest it someday be the able bodied in the same situation.
Learn integrity. Learn compassion. Care about the water we drink, the air we breath, the ground in which we grow our food. Value us as you value yourself.
That’s all we want, Mr. Baldwin.
No comments:
Post a Comment