"I freed a thousand slaves I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves."
Harriet Tubman
It saddens me to see people respond to calls for social & economic equal access to opportunity with comments like "why do you hate the rich?" or "why are you envious of the rich and why don't you go get a job?"
It is almost like they are saying "why don't we make these chains a little thicker?" and "why can't people love the master of the plantation more?"
In the 1800's and earlier the slave masters used the whip, the chain and the gun to keep slaves working and subdued. Today they use corporate think tanks feeding talking points to the corporate media about "work giving people dignity" and "class warfare and class envy." I'm not attempting to directly conflate the economic enslavement of most of America with the genocidal atrocities of early American slavery. Only to point out that the systematically protected and promoted race and class oppression of the modern economy exists to enrich the few at the unfair expense of the many in what one could call a much more subtle form of slavery. It is a form of oppression which depends on the oppressed to defend it and continue it.
Instead of everyone supporting a fair share for the profits workers help businesses create everyday, and the dignity of a wage that allows one to have sanitary housing, nutrient rich food, healthcare and very importantly time to be with our loved ones, many people look down at laborers who serve them as not worthy yet of all that.
At the same time as millions of people are still out of work from the greed induced economic collapse of 2008, millions of our children are living in poverty, and most Americans are just one illness or layoff away from complete financial disaster, the entire amount of new wealth created since 2009 has gone to the top 1% riches people in America.
As Warren Buffet said, there is a class war going on and his side won. But usually as wars end there is some attempt at war reparations, repatriation of prisoners, etc. After World War II America rebuilt Europe with the Marshall Plan and the Allies forgave 100% of Germany's war debt with the understanding that with all that debt they would be unable to stand on their own and be a strong ally.
So why can't we have a Marshall Plan for America? Why can't we return the people who were chased from their homes and jobs by the greedy Wall Street Real Estate schemers to their homes and good paying jobs? Who will help the refugees of capitalism gone amok without the moral restraint of justice?
Perhaps the first step is to help people become aware of our own enslavement so we can help liberate each other. Yes voting is critically important but it doesn't begin at the polls, we must be the ones to choose our candidates not the donor class that only wants to maintain their lucrative status quot ownership of us. That is done mostly inside the Party structure in committee meetings and conventions. We have to put our few dollars into the hands of the candidates who fight and stand with us not with the "greed is good" crowd that feeds off of Washington and state politics to make themselves fatter while the masses are told to tighten their belts and do without.
What we need is an underground railroad for modern economic slavery. Just as the way was marked with secret symbols to show a safe route to the freedom of the north during the days of the underground railroad, we need to mark the way to economic and political liberation so people can find their way!
That way would include a map of all of the union held jobs and job openings in the nation. It would include a map of all of the employee owned companies that pay a fair share wage and give workers a fair voice in the companies they help build. It could include a directory of websites that help people find the real news untainted by corporate sponsors pressure and influence so we can know about the opportunities and threats we have as a people who seek justice and equality. And a directory of public meeting spaces where people could come and organize for higher wages for higher education affordability, for social equality for every gender identity and sexual orientation and a place where we can share resources for healthy living.
In love & light,
Joseph Segal