Enough Is Enough, Lets Put An End To The Madness

Kat- wrote on April 20, 2015, 2:48 PM

I agree about the race thing, race is being made the central topic of blame far too often. Yes, there are racists out there, but they are on BOTH sides. As far as the business thing, well, I'll leave that one alone.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 20, 2015, 2:50 PM

Thanks for sharing Kat- your thoughts and I know what you mean on the second part. :)

JohnRoberts wrote on April 20, 2015, 2:51 PM

I agree with you except for the job situation. Many are not in a position to go and out and get a better paying job. It's hard just getting a job period and some of us have to take what we can even if we hate it just to get a paycheck. The days of all you had to be was a willing worker to get a job anytime you wanted and brighter chance of advancement are over.

Isn't funny how the race and gender cards are only valid toward liberals and Democrats but Ben Carson, Herman Cain, Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin and any other non-lily white conservative do not get to enjoy the benefit?

As to that social utopia not happening, all the liberals like SoundNFury will blame it on right wing Christian fundamentalists, the Koch Bros, Walmart, the Tea Party, ignorant red necks, white police officers whose only thought in life is where can I kill a black man and those nasty conservatives for not seeing the "light" of his "glory" and getting on the kumbaya bandwagon of brotherhood where Al Sharpton would happily never take a dime from race baiting.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 20, 2015, 2:59 PM

I am sure SoundNFury will not read or comment on it, but yes that is more than likely what he will say.
I know what you are saying about it not being that easy to find a new job, but to sit and bellyache in hopes to guilt businesses to pay people more, is not the answer either.

JohnRoberts wrote on April 20, 2015, 3:07 PM

People need to understand higher wages have nothing to do with gaining employment. Some people are sitting back on funemployment and food stamps sticking their nose up at flipping burgers for $8 bucks an hour and waiting to dazzle with their lack of skills at a high level executive position because, damn it, they are entitled to it! There are so many reasons for unemployment and you can blame big business for some of it (outsourcing jobs) but without big business there are no jobs. If big business is so evil and greedy then why have a record number of well known companies gone out of business in recent years. Mostly under Obama's watch I might add. Oh wait, I'm wrong. Blame Bush!

SoundNFury wrote on April 20, 2015, 3:43 PM

Well, I agree that ultimately people need to be responsible for their choices and actions. It would be nice if corporations and business were held to the same standard, such as what we saw with the bank bailouts. The problem is, that we live in a society where money corrupts everything and the interests of the people are simply not heard or acknowledged. It's not so much about blaming the rich, as much as it is accepting the fact that the middle and lower classes have been getting the short end of the stick for decades. Yes, you could say just find a better job, but the problem is that those jobs will still need to be filled by someone, and there's so many of them, that it won't be just teenagers. The simple truth is that a ton of money has been made, but it's almost all going to the top. If you think that is acceptable, then that is your choice. But a lot of people are fed up with being expected to accept an increasingly worse standard of living for doing the same level of work. As for the race baiting, I don't think every instance of pointing out racism is race-baiting. I think that terms is used to deny racism exists, because it is a bit of an inconvenience. Sure, some headlines may be sensational, but on the whole I think we have very real race issues to talk about.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 20, 2015, 4:11 PM

You know SoundNFury if you truly believe people need to be responsible for their choices, why do you go on to blame the businesses and the rich for everything? That is simply just making excuses for people not to take responsibility for their own situation. Racism in this country goes both ways and just because someone claims racism does not make it true and it is on them to prove that it is.

SoundNFury wrote on April 20, 2015, 4:13 PM

Well, it's kind of like a game in which it is apparent that things are slanted towards one team. True, it is ultimately the player who needs to play his best game, but he also has the right and responsibility to point out to the refs where infractions are being missed.

Kasman wrote on April 20, 2015, 4:19 PM

I think that JohnRoberts is right about the job situation - at least that is certainly the position in the UK. Decent jobs are hard to get and there are still graduates working for peanuts in burger joints. I don't know about the US but the UK government massages the unemployment figures by creating all sorts of training schemes which take people out of the unemployment numbers but don't give them any useful skills. But the economic situation is such that all the training schemes in the world are useless if there are no jobs to be had!

morilla wrote on April 20, 2015, 4:22 PM

A LOT of this has been going on for a long, long time. Many of the stereotypes, accurate or not, were thrown out the window with the crash in 2008. Those on Welfare or unemployment are not drug using, vacation seeking, leeches on society the way some Republicans characterize them. By the same token, neither were those programs created so that people could 'retire' at 35 and live on the dole the rest of their lives. They were created to be an 'aid' in times of emergency, not a way of Life.

When it comes to politicians, the media, et al., everyone is interested in pointing fingers at the stereotypes and not accepting their role in the problem. The fact that people are dug into extreme positions, often parroting talking points they clarly have little or no understanding of (whether the evil rich/business, race, religion is delusional, liberal nuts, et al.), doesn't help in that they dismiss rather than listen; then try to sound reasonable while simply continuing to spew invective rather than recognize, let alone deal with, the actual problem(s).

At the moment, finding a new job isn't just 'hard,' it's impossible for many. There are many factors - concern about higher minimum wages, Obamacare, changing industries, an aging population, etc. - most of which are outside the influence of the normal individual to change or, in some cases, even adapt to. Yet, again, people fall back on stereotypes and ignorance; which is NOT the same as "clinging to their Bible and guns" as someone said not too long ago. It's not about innate intelligence, pandering, or being 'unenlightened.'

The reality is that 'everyone' complained before. However, we now have social media where 'everyone' has a megaphone. So, we get lost in screaming louder rather than taking it is an object lesson. It's why the Founders gave us a Constitutional Republic rather than a 'straight democracy.' Such a 'democracy' is messy as trying to get 2 people to agree on anything is difficult. Try it with 319 million. With that said, a Constitutional Republic depends on the People's representatives reflecting the views of the constituents rather than Party or self-interest or agenda. That demands leadership and courage rather than stereotypes and depending on ignorance, lack of information, and alignment with Party over common sense and critical thought.

As Stallone said in "Rocky Balboa" - "It's not about how hard you can hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." It's not about race or lack of jobs or even nefarious politicians. It's about working with what you've got, whether it's personal skills/assets or cultural circumstance, within the Law and the opportunities you can avail yourself of to 'succeed.' It's not even about the race baiting and class warfare given that such has always been and will always be with us. It's about giving yourself over to it without 'thinking it through' and recognizing it for what it is. It's about letting such dictate your vote, your actions, and your thinking rather than working with what you've actually got to succeed or learn.

maxeen wrote on April 20, 2015, 4:47 PM

The facts are you are wrong. It is hardly ever one white against one Black. It is always a bunch of white or white sympathisers who go for the Black victims,usually Women and schoolkids are the ones persecuted. I don't say that you are not allowed your opinion though.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 20, 2015, 4:58 PM

Congratulations on being able to stop working early without having to rely on anyone else.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 20, 2015, 5:01 PM

I appreciate you adding your comment to the discussion.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 20, 2015, 5:08 PM

Thanks morilla for adding your well thought out response to the discussion.

maxeen wrote on April 20, 2015, 5:18 PM

Including the useless 'self-employed' con for the young which serves to get them into an even worse situation.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 20, 2015, 5:26 PM

Our government has been messaging the numbers to make them look much better, when a person no longer qualifies for unemployment or just quits looking for a job they are automatically removed from the equation.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 20, 2015, 5:28 PM

Nothing is slanted against one team, this is part of what I was talking about, people need to stop blaming someone else for their inability to get a job or a better job.

SoundNFury wrote on April 20, 2015, 5:51 PM

That's where I'll have to agree to disagree. I think, looking at data over the years, it is abundantly clear that the system is failing hardworking people.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 20, 2015, 5:53 PM

That would probably be the best at this point. :)

Paulie wrote on April 20, 2015, 11:40 PM

I agree entirely with everything you say. The race card is played way too much in the States.

BarbRad wrote on April 21, 2015, 2:55 AM

Morilla, I appreciate your thoughtful answer. I'm too tired tonight to write much of anything, but you have expressed a lot of my thoughts. I think part of our problems is that voters depend so much on what they hear about those in leadership and those running for office because they have no real way to evaluate those people in person. That's why I encourage people to be active locally in local government where they can meet those in office and watch them in action. Then voters can decide who deserves to move up to represent them on higher levels. Otherwise we can't really know who to believe unless we pay careful attention to what they do in office -- not just what they say or who they say is to blame.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 21, 2015, 7:07 AM

Thanks Paulie for adding your comment to the conversation.

rosepetal wrote on April 21, 2015, 12:17 PM

I will have to agree that the race issue seems to be dramatized by the media. This makes it difficult for anyone to truly know the true facts of what is going on in any situation. But needless to say, racism of any kind should be addressed. As to jobs. I feel the job situation is improving for some areas of the country, but maybe not for all yet. I'm just beginning to see, read and hear that people are beginning to try to look for different jobs. But the economy has changed, and in my opinion, many of the skills of the past needs to be updated for people to get the new types of jobs in the market now.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 21, 2015, 1:10 PM

I agree with you 100% as far as the people needing to update job skills to adjust to today's job market.

iwrite28 wrote on April 21, 2015, 2:38 PM

I would love to see a world without politics and boundaries of any sort.

Soonerdad3 wrote on April 21, 2015, 3:11 PM

I can agree with you about politics, but without boundaries there would surely be chaos.