09-12-2005, 08:23 PM
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Unemployed Food Critic
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 124
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A more direct response to the original thread
It’s hard to understand how different life is when you are standing at the top of a mountain versus being buried under it. It is not a case of someone having it tough and so they could get over it as many of us do. I am stating a circumstance that goes far beyond having it tough; it is about trying to outthink a system that was invented to protect the powers of those who created it, inherently crushing any who attempt to gain power (the poor) from those who posses it (the rich).
This is a government not elected by the people, but elected and determined by the rich, whom naturally are listened and placated to by such officials being their primary constituency. Applying this to the context of Katrina and other government failures, it is obvious these situations are not about race. They are about class. Race is simply a more visible scapegoat than economic class because being a minority and being poor is often synonymous (mostly due to US history and its legacies, not because of current discrimination policies or racist implications).
The innate definition of a government is to represent, protect, and support its people, especially for the limited amount of people who find themselves with an inability or a limited ability to do so for themselves. To the extent and the lengths a government fulfills it's duties, in a democracy, is limited by how we choose our representatives, how we elect them, and how we vote on ballot measures.
For these problems, I INDIRECTLY assign a large portion of blame to our government and those whom financially support it. I do so primarily because of the loop holes in campaign financing (thus allowing political and corporate corruption and domination) and the obvious conflict of interest of the American media in not fairly representing the interests of its audience.
However, I DIRECTLY blame those who elected our government; those who do not educate themselves, ask questions, and simply listen to what their told or allow themselves to be complacent with the obvious choices. To an even greater extent, I also blame the 50% of the population who never represent themselves in deciding their own fate by taking the 5 minutes necessary to cast a ballot once every four years...not a lot to ask just so your own interests can be served.
Yes, I am a liberal...although a moderate one.
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