Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Actions Speak Louder than Words

REAL TITLE:  Stop the fucking whining and go do something yourself to "solve" the "problem".

It is quite clear after only about, oh, five seconds on Facebook that I really should wait another 24 hours or so before reviewing social media.

I live in a swing state.  When political commercials weren't airing, the politicians themselves, visiting nearby areas, were on the television or radio.  I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tired of politics and all this crap.

And I pretty much left a comment on a friend's status that said Oh for God's sake, quit your whining.  Today is the same as yesterday.  It took us more than four years to develop this mess. Go volunteer for a vocational training program or do something to help the problem yourself.

Tough words from a writer.  ;)

Y'know maybe our President isn't doing everything right.  Maybe, even, he might be the source or contributing to some of the problems we have.  But you know something? He's not the first, and he's not the last.  AND - the most important piece of all - he's one person.  Let's not fricking forget that any legislation passed - any "law of the land" must go through Congress first.  If we have fricking sequestration it is going to be because CONGRESS didn't pass a budget.

So let's stop blaming OTHER people and become involved ourselves.

Seriously.

My church runs a food pantry.  I see the "entitlement" issues - believe me.  But I also see the people out there who truly are hurting and truly need help.  Hell, in the last three years, I was one of those people, too.  Much like our justice system that lets guilty people go to try and avoid imprisoning innocent people (another system that is FAR from perfect), our assistance programs help some people who don't really need help so that those people who DO need help get it.

Do you REALLY believe that people are not entitled to food? REALLY?  Do you really believe as a society we should let people starve?

But part of the reason for the lack of discipline in our adults is the failure of our society - as parents, as teachers, as fellow citizens, to help provide appropriate structure and discipline for them when they were kids and now as adults.  Now I'm not blaming EVERYONE.  I am just saying that we have created this problem by raising a generation of kids - generally speaking - who believe that when they say "give me" they will get.  We have had a generation of parents who give their children EVERYTHING - video games, cool bikes, pokemon cards, etc. - WHENEVER they ask.  Without requiring them to earn it. Parents who clean their rooms for them, and are adverse to making their kids do chores because it frankly takes longer than doing it themselves. 

So, when you're planning for Christmas this year - or Hannukah, or whatever gift-giving tradition you're doing, consider whether or not buying your kid everything they ask for isn't contributing to the problem.

Okay - that went a direction I wasn't planning - but you can't blame all of this entitlement - that has been going on for quite a few years now - on Obama.

You can't.

You can look inside yourselves and your fellow human beings in this society and consider how the things you've done and they've done, and others have done have contributed to this.  Like Bush's Leave No Child Behind that took the teeth out of the education system by removing ANY consequence for not doing your school work and failing out.  I have a fellow blogger friend write about a new substitute teaching job she has that is pure hell PARTLY because her students know that they can get a D- with 20%!! Really? REALLY??

And you all expect ONE man - whether it be Romney, Obama, Ryan, Biden, Clinton or Jesus to SOLVE that problem.  And to do so in FOUR YEARS??? FFS folks.

Going back to the original point of this blog post - is that if you see that something needs to change - be the change.  Do it yourself.  Go volunteer for a vocational training program.  Go volunteer for an after-school tutoring program so that our children can learn to learn.  Go volunteer for a soup kitchen and recognize that there are some people who are simply not able - mentally or physically - to care for themselves in the way that you are.  Go volunteer for a drug prevention program so that we limit the amount of people who abuse drugs and incapacitate themselves from being able to take care of themselves.  START a program that does any of these things or anything else that you think might be contributing to this attitude of entitlement.  HELP provide opportunities for people to take care of themselves.  BE A PART OF THE FRICKING SOLUTION AND STOP WHINING!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you truly truly believe that ONE person can make a difference and change things, then go be that one person!! Seriously.  Because I don't believe that ONE person can, I believe that ALL of us working together as a society can.  I think each of us can make a significant difference, but it is only by working together - something that Congress and the President have a hard time doing because of BS - that we can truly make a difference.  So go.  Work with someone, and MAKE A DIFFERENCE!  Quit your fricking whining. 

Today is the same as yesterday - but you can be part of making a great tomorrow!

9 comments:

  1. You're preaching to the choir here. I agree wholeheartedly. Well said.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now go make it viral. Post a link in response to all the social media posts that piss you off with the whining today! ;)

      Delete
  2. Very well said.
    It doesn't matter what country you live in, I see a dramatic decline in anyone willing to be responsible for themselves. It's always somebody elses fault, somebody else is the reason for every bad thing that happens. When people start stepping up to the plate and try to be the change, only then will things begin to turn around. But I'm not very optimistic in that actually happening.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I sadly agree, but today, frankly, my message is a harsh one - put up or shut up! :) (Does the smiley face soften the message too much?) Thanks for the comment.

      Delete
  3. Well said. I'm so tired of the sense of entitlement I'm planning to become a recluse. I can't take it.

    I am, however, thrilled beyond words that my own two boys have grown into responsible adults and contributing members of society. I'd like to believe there is ultimately hope for society.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I admit, I have been ranting on FB further about other entitlement programs: frequent flyer programs, credit cards (I'm entitled to buy today something I can't necessarily pay for today), mortgages, capital gains tax (because I reinvest my money into America, I'm entitled to a lower tax rate on those earnings than the guy who is working two jobs and sweating in a factory). "Entitlement" is pervasive throughout society. It's just easier to recognize the behavior in others than ourselves.

      I don't participate in political conversations frequently - and I respect everyone's right to agree to disagree. I don't pretend to have all the answers. But all of the apocalyptic rhetoric is driving me nuts. The apocalypse may be near - but it wasn't caused solely by Obama. We have a deficit in our society, and it isn't JUST economic.

      Sorry - I should back away from the keyboard...

      Delete
  4. You got is sista. My husband works in real estate and often with subsidized housing projects. What a sham. People live in these gov't subsidized housing units for years and years... making an effort NOT to make a better life for themselves, trying NOT to earn a higher wage, trying NOT to move up. Why? Because there is no incentive when you only have to pay $300 a month for a place that at market rate would be $800. This is a systemic problem. Although I totally agree we have become a society of people who just expect to be given everything, there are programs and government traps that encourage that behavior and mode of thought. Until that changes, until we say, look... we'll help you out as long as you are willing to make an effort to help yourself, rather than here ya go... no questions asked, this will continue. And it is devastating for those who actually need short-term help, because so many assume you're just crying wolf and trying t take advantage. Entitlement programs are just that, when they should be short-term assistance programs.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Totally agree with you but you knew that :)

    ReplyDelete