Time for my next treatise on our amazing nation and the rights we have as citizens of such.
This afternoon gas prices went to $4.19 a gallon. Oh, you say, in the big cities and in Europe one may pay over $5.00 a gallon. I know this folks, I'm not saying that being from my small community makes us so special that gas for us should not cost the same as it does for folks in numerous places. Stick with me on this one, for just a little while and I'll try to explain why this has such an impact on my home.
First of all, I want you to know that the vast majority of citizens in my small community work somewhere. They want to live in places like Roodhouse and White Hall for the same reasons you want to live where you live; they perhaps have been raised there, they like being in a community where everybody is familiar with each other, they like being able to walk the neighborhood in the warming evenings and see people on their porches, their parents are still living and they want to be near them if they need their help and support. In either of these two communities a family can purchase a home for a modest price, not always easy to afford, but certainly easier than to purchase a home in a larger less personal place. School classes are smaller, and it is very usual to see your teacher in the grocery store or at church. For whatever reason, small town living appeals to 21% of the population of the United States.
I'm not sure, maybe in the suburbs or in your large city, you are experiencing the same things. Jobs are disappearing, not reappearing. I wish I could find out where these great areas of economic growth are taking place, I hope for you it is in your community and everyone who wants to work is able to do so, and at a wage that allows them to live without worry about $4.19 gas. In my community it is not happening. As a matter of fact the opposite is taking place. The state of Illinois is looking at huge budget cuts and those recommended cuts are substantially targeting services to the poor and disabled. Every time I hear that we need to cut prescription medication support for the elderly by 70% or cutting TANF help to disabled individuals I cringe and wonder why we don't just stick these individuals out on the ice flow to die. Even more I wonder why we are doing nothing about it.
I am, indeed, of that generation that believed we could help end a war by making our feelings known. Some of what we did was good, and some was terrible; but we did something. For some unknown reason we are currently sitting on our collective butts, shaking our heads, fighting with each other about where the President was born, and generally allowing this crap to happen. As the kids say...WTH??????
We have so much power in how we respond to this crisis and yet we sit passively by and say, "well, what can I do about it?". Are we even serious? We can stop it, yes we can. We can tell the world we are not tolerant of outsourcing our jobs to other countries by simply not buying goods or services we know are not being taxed at a rate that discourages that sucking of jobs out of our wonderful country. We can support small businesses in our communities. We can quit pouring our money into industries that have gotten so out of line by paying an athlete or an actress or a musical group outrageous sums of money.
Here is my suggestion. Let's all take one month, 30 days and prioritize the things in our lives that are important. I love the Cardinals, they have been my ball team since I was a little girl. I enjoy movies, I live for music; however, I can certainly go for a month without spending one dime on renting videos, downloading music, going to Busch Stadium, buying beer, going to a concert or buying an app for my iPad or iPhone. In order to show that I am serious about my priorities, when asked why I am giving these things up, I can explain to people that I control the economic status of this nation with my consumerism. I can demonstrate my displeasure with the inequalities of our economy by taking control of my own life and my own priorities. I can read, I can watch one of the large number of videos that sit on my shelf, I can listen to the Cards on the radio or t.v. and not have a beer while I just enjoy the sport for the sport itself. I can attend a free concert in the park done by volunteer musicians or I can make music myself.
Oh, and since I'm not going anywhere....I don't have to worry as much about gas being $4.19 a gallon.
I'd love to hear your ideas. cindyand@mac.com
