I'm a college student in Buffalo, New York. Much like many of you, I first came to this site during the 2008 election.
At the time I was enthused about the prospect of having a president who stood up for the people, and having strong majorities in congress to pass the legislation we needed to move this country forward.
I have since learned a valuable lesson. The fervor with which we elected the first black president was unprecedented, mainly because he ran a solid campaign and truly had in mind what the country needed. This is not enough, though, to create the change I had in mind. It doesn't start with the president, or congress, or Steve Jobs or Tony Hayward. It starts with us.
With this in mind, I wrote a letter to the other side. If not to change their mind about our states of being, then merely to inform the world that we the suffering and hungry persevering through this crisis.
Hello,
Hello from those of us who prefer pensions to paydays and parachutes. From those of us who live paycheck to paycheck or don’t live on any check at all. We are the huddled masses, we are the cold sick and dying. We are the protectors of children and the caretakers of the elderly. We are the educators, nurses, and refuse collectors who teach your children and bathe you when you’re incapable. We’ll even take out your trash.
One thing we cannot do, however, is pay for your vacation. Some of us haven’t had a vacation in a while, so I hope you understand. We can’t pay for your third house or your fancy yacht either. We’re trying to do with what we have the best we can. That means feeding our children for the week, or paying the electricity bill, or paying tuition. We make the tough decisions. This is one we cannot make. We will not stand idly by while the futures of our children are put in jeopardy by a single group of 40 individuals. We will not allow the future of our great nation to be mortgaged directly into the hands of those who set off this horrid course of economic events. We deserve some relief, we deserve to be able to eat on a daily basis and not have to wait for the bus in the driving Western New York cold. We are talking, are you listening?
We are a group of the most resilient and kind hearted individuals you will ever have the pleasure of meeting. Our morals and intestinal fortitude stand tall in any light; our bleeding hearts run through the rivers and streams of every neighborhood in America. We can eat ramen and peanut butter and jelly on a daily basis, and not complain half as much as the haves in our society. We are the first to pick you up when you fall, and the first to forgive you when you’ve wronged us. We are white, black brown and every color in between. We help beleaguered neighborhoods when devastated by ruin. We’ll even give you the shirt off our back when it’s Buffalo cold. Do not take our patriotism into question with such blatant disregard for truth. We live strongly by our ideals. We believe that the least among us is most in need, as would Jesus Christ. We believe that Buddha’s ways will guide us to eternal salvation. We believe that in Allah all things are good. Our beliefs shape us to be peaceful and eternally forgiving, both of which are central tenets of all religions. Our love for country is strongly displayed every day through our kind actions towards our neighbors. We are the force at the bottom driving upward.
We are progressives and conservatives and moderates who believe that there is another way. But more importantly we are Americans. And so are you. Americans are those who truly care about others and treat our neighbors with kindness. All of them. We will be the first to flash a peace sign, or pay for your meal when you’ve forgotten your wallet. Being neighbors, we as Americans strive for the same goals. We all yearn to feel loved and respected, and have the dignity to be able to take care of our families and live a life of success and happiness, however it may be defined. Our cries for peace, nonviolence, equality, and love will continue to magnify, as does the cohesion with which our country moves forward through this time of crisis.
America is a righteous and good country, and we can only hope that prosperity and kindness will continue to prevail.