I must unload. My heart feels so very heavy.Three disturbing things, three chances to reflect, today.
At my first stop, I approached a convenience store clerk with my purchase. He was so obviously sick he was trembling. I asked if he was okay. He told me he was not but had no sick days. All I could muster to say was, “I am so sorry.” I too, was shaking as I left the store. He was so very sick.
I stopped at McDonalds to have a salad for lunch. There were two young men in painters clothing in line ahead of me. I was appalled at how terribly thin they both were. The eyes of the taller man looked like huge globes, his face resembling a skull. The other smaller man did not look up once. They both ordered one hamburger and asked for tap water. They paid with change. Before they sat down they went to the soda station and took packets of ketchup and salt. They sat quietly as they ate. One burger and about ten packets of ketchup each. There was no conversation, no laughter between them. The mother in me wanted to buy them four big macs each, but I understand pride. I was so unsettled I was shaking again.
The last incident happened while I was sitting at a red light and looking over at a group of people waiting for a bus. A young mother sitting on a bench had her eyes closed while she held her baby. She started to drop the baby, obviously falling asleep. The old woman beside her caught the baby and returned it to a crying mother’s arms. All the people at the bus stop comforted her. The old woman put her hands on the young Mother’s back and spoke into her ear. As the light changed, I could barely find it in me to drive.
So, four very young people who have obviously fallen through the cracks. What’s even sadder than their current predicament is the fact that they are learning something so inherently wrong about society that our heads should be spinning.
It is not normal to work when you are too sick to stand. It is not normal to raise a child without help and need to travel while you are so tired you can’t stay awake. It is so very not normal to starve here in a country that claims it is a “superpower.” It is not normal to teach our next generation these things.
In my youth, my mother stayed home and cared for us. My union father had help with grocery bills even when he was on strike. I never worked a day in my life when sick. I stayed home and recovered. I grew up believing in societal values. I was taught that we all do better when we all do better, and we must lift each other up at every turn. EVERY. SINGLE. TURN
. Please vote early. Please vote for the party that does not shame or blame. Vote BLUE for the love of people. We need to show these young people that we care about them and ourselves and most importantly, our society.
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14 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.When people talk about American exceptionalism, it now seems to refer to the fact that we have a sliver of the population who is obscenely wealthy and wants for nothing....and simultaneously, have a much larger number of people who are underpaid, underfed...... homeless.... some dying for lack of proper medical care. So when you hear that term- don't beam with pride. It doesn't mean what you think it does....
Lavergne
Level 8
Oct 25, 2018
4
Yes . And screw everyone who isnt a white male christian. Get under the boot and grovel.
Honestly.. I don't think this is the fault of just one term of govt.. it's more of a general sign of where society is going .. it will likely get a lot worse before it gets better.
hippydog
Level 8
Oct 24, 2018
3
And there is absolutely no need for it. We have everything we need to be a great society.
This is how they feel about these people. This is what they think about the vulnerable. This:[agnostic.com]
How can we ever be a society when people think like this? This is devaluing human life. This is selfishly thinking you are better than others. ?
SukiSue
Level 8
Oct 24, 2018
1
This is heartbreaking. We are a throw away society. ?
patchoullijulie
Level 8
Oct 24, 2018
2
How did we get here?
@SukiSue Greed and the lust for power?
My father was a union truck driver. I was 11 in 1971 when his union went on strike for 13 months. I never even knew anything was wrong. The union gave it's members food money and negotiations took place. Everything worked out. THAT was the American dream . THAT.
SukiSue
Level 8
Oct 24, 2018
5
So well said.
Bigwavedave
Level 8
Oct 24, 2018
1
How can we help? What can we do? Our young ones have to know how it used to be. 
So sad - I saw so many homeless in Las Vegas when I visited one of our members back in February. Mothers who had trouble managing a stroller on a public bus, a homeless man who smelled so bad and handicapped veterans struggling in their walkers. Dems care-Rethuglicans don't.
sassygirl3869
Level 9
Oct 24, 2018
2
It's crazy. This is America for crying out loud!
Seattle is a very progressive city but the homelessness is at record levels. Even here on Lopez we have homeless. Yes, conservatives are often heartless and exacerbate the problem. But often the issue goes beyond politics. To me it is about access to resources. Resources are limited and demand often outstrips supply.
@JackPedigo then why not increase the resources?
@SukiSue Resorces on a finite planet are just that, finite. So many things are resources we don't normally think of as education. Housing, jobs, food, unpolluted air, water and soil are big resources. My late partner had a question for her 2nd graders: "What is more important, people or Dirt?" The Humanists group later rephrased that as "what is more important, people or the planet?"
@JackPedigo ugh. I understand.
I agree and find it tragic how Red is de-humanizing our society.
On the drive home tonight I drove by an old man with warn (rags) clothes sitting on the ground next to the street. He was tethered to an large old dog and held a piece of cardboard asserting (with blue paint) for help as he had no job and was hungry. In North Dakota, It will soon be very cold outside. The primary shelter that once aided folk like him closed a year ago (ND is a deep red state). Hope he finds a way to seek shelter.
NoMagicCookie
Level 8
Oct 24, 2018
2
This is insane!
@SukiSue I have a friend that works in the medical profession. As many aspects of medical care is tied to politics and she provides care to a needy segment of our population, she carefully watches political policies. Based on current trends, we both fear similar scenarios will become increasingly prevalent. Local news doen't make a big deal of the occasional person who lived in cardboard box now a frozen body.
@NoMagicCookie And I remember when friend's parents died because their cancer drug was not covered before the ACA. I can't stand it.
@SukiSue I know many similar stories that will likely become more prevalent as we continue to move backwards as humans (those that care for each other)
@NoMagicCookie This has to change. America is so young. It needs to learn how to support a society.
@SukiSue It sadly is changing (for the worse). tRump and his Republitards are actively destroying our social fabric.
@NoMagicCookie This brings me to tears.
@SukiSue I've become too numb to cry over this ongoing disaster. Life is too short. Enjoy the beauty of life. Share happiness with others. My old (he was 92 when he told me this saying) landlord had a wonderful outlook about life. "Every day you get our of bed is a good day. Some day you will not be able to get out of bed. This will not be a good day." I try to enjoy every day you can get out of bed.
It always amazes me how many Americans think they live in the best country, because they know no other way. If they got out and travelled, they could truly understand how it should be. I’m so sorry you had to experience that, it takes me aback all the time.
Green_eyes
Level 8
Oct 24, 2018
3
It's too much. And I don't want our young folks thinking this is what America is all about.
I love u .
Pralina1
Level 9
Oct 24, 2018
2
Oh Pralina. It's so sad. We really need each other, don't we?
@SukiSue I had the priveledge not long ago to take a bunch of deaf teens out to lunch and games. Poor working class parents plus medical bills . I was heart broken to see one of them , asking a box to take left over home : left over was exactly one bite of hamburger and maybe 3 fries . Just like u , my immediate thought was , I ll get u more . But I did not want to bring attention to it and make the kid feeling even more poor . These are hard working poor class folks . W kids that have more medical bills than ever . I went home that evening feeling like sick .
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