Tell us what you see. Do it by interview. Do it by documentation or video but do it.
I have for the past two days really started looking and observing. I want to report
what I am seeing in America. We cannot depend on the media so here we are.
Friday, my little girl and I had to go run errands when I decided I wanted a milkshake and had drank about all the tea for two days before payday I could handle. My little girl said as we pulled into the drive-thru..Mama, why is that man in the street crying?
This is not what I like having to explain to a 6 year old. She was observing and she
noticed. I pulled the car out and pulled up to a man with a sign around his neck and now joined by a police officer. I rolled down the window and said, "My little girl noticed
this gentleman and I wanted to know if we can help". The man quickly said, "No..No..
I am OK...I said, "it's hot out here do you want some cola or water or food?"
He dropped his head. My youngster was quite but again very observant . The policeman had a ticket book out then he put it away. My little one spoke up and said,
"Why is the police giving him a ticket? What did he do? I looked at the policeman and
said, "You want to explain that to my little girl"? He looked somewhat embarrased.
He spoke up defensively and said, Mam...I will see what he needs. I didn't budge.
The policeman's whole demeanor had changed. He sat down next to the gentleman.
I never stopped watching the policeman and said, " This man needs a lot of things. I don't think a ticket is one of them. The policeman smiled and said, "He'll be OK".
I said, Gosh I hope so...I mean our children are watching and times are hard. I am teaching her about how we can trust the police to help those in need. Serve and protect, and as a former police dispatcher I want her to see how we are all supposed to help. The gentleman seemed scared to begin with but not so much now.
I saw the policeman and him talk while I drove away looking back in the rear view mirror. I don't know what happened. I know 10 minutes neither the cop or the man was there but I told my daughter I hoped he drove him to a cooler spot or fed him.
Two days later taking my daughter to school...She sees another man. He had a cart and banging his head on a pole. She said, "What's that man doing". When I stop at the light I see tears. This time I see several people come and surround him and clearly
offering him something. A tear fell down my cheek. We live in a little community but
clearly the times has reached it's ugly head and pain to our own neighbors even in the
smallest of communities.
We need to document what would not be appropriate to video and we need to talk to
those who have a story. We need to intervene when we can. I went to the Foodbank
and the shelves were empty because I knew a family that desperately needed. I was told Angel Food Ministries had gone belly up and everyone in town almost was depending on the food pantry. That includes my family at the end of the month.
Yesterday I went to pay for reduced meals for my daughters and saw a little girl with
ragged clothes, shorts, and a little coat (it was chilly in mid Florida). She smiled so big.
I noticed all of the childen had a fruit cup and bun with milk and juice for breakfast.
I asked the cashier if the food had been cut back at the schools and she nodded with a big sigh, "yes, it has". You seemed to be the only one out of the school sytem that noticed....That statement right there made me decide to start reporting what I see everyday because everyday it is getting worse.
I am going through more clothes to donate and will be looking for books and other things around the house and from here on out will have eye WIDE open because we are the reporters now.
This is my account of the last several days, and I suggest we start doing this,
Added this after Mr. Hobbs enlightened me .
Vets.org has it up and the song is getting around on Occupy.