All About Trey

Class Warfare

No one really talks about it, but it's there. In the concrete and the abstract. If you want statistics, there are plenty that talk about the widening gap between the haves and have nots in our society. The rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer.

I asked a friend of mine in San Francisco where was a good area to stay when I go there in September. His response is eloquent and poignent:

"Union Square West would be your second choice, but it is a distant second because the further southwest you go from the Square the more you enter The Hood. Seriously. Crack available on most street corners, 24 hours a day. Look for the miscellaneous little Hispanic woman, who frequently employs a little 12 year-old brother as delivery man. Sad on the one hand, but also pretty incredible that six blocks from the Westin St. Francis is a segment of our population whose quality of life leaves much to be desired, and whose poor life choices only make things worse for them. In America today there does not seem to be quite the opportunities to escape one's economic heritage, and some people whose skin is the wrong color appear to be just giving up--without actually killing themselves. Meanwhile, at the Cheesecake Factory on the roof of Macy's, Marin County residents in the city for a shopping day at Tiffany's and Neiman-Marcus have parked their Mercedes-Benzes in the Union Square garage, and are unwrapping the boxes and bags that were so carefully wrapped for them just minutes before. They are comparing what they got compared to what their friends or family members already have. And they are talking about the 2006 model of some luxury automobile. And they are wearing real designer sunglasses, confident that their Visa card can solve just about any problem."

Living where I do, I see that same disconnect between the haves and the haves not. I realize, and am very thankful that I'm in the haves category. But as I walk by the latino day workers who are sitting along the wall of the McCormick paint store waiting for a chance at some work, I realize that this is really a problem.

Is it the government's responsibility to help these people? Maybe not give them jobs, but what about job training? Stuff like that? Basically, the government shouldn't make it harder for them. And the government shouldn't be making the difference between the haves and the have nots even larger. Can someone please explain to me the HUGE tax breaks for the oil companies in the Energy Bill that was just passed? Exxon/Mobils profits (profits! not revenue!) jumped 32% in the second quarter of this year. 32%. And they need tax breaks? Or this is just the government helping the rich get richer? Or should I say, the ultra rich get insanely rich?

*okay, the next post will be up beat and funny. I promise!*

posted by Trey @ 10:27 AM