Originally Posted By alexbook Yesterday's L.A. Times's front page article on the current Orange County bus strike had the following headline: "Strike means hard road for working poor Their struggle to get to jobs underlines Orange County's disparities." It seems to me that we often get news stories telling us that the rich and poor live in two different worlds, and that *this* event will finally make the American people wake up and notice the differences. The most widespread example in recent years, of course, was the coverage of Hurricane Katrina, but I've seen similar sentiments in stories about everything from the Iraq war to local building code enforcement. There seems to be an assumption that, if only the American people realized how difficult things are for the poor, there would be a great mass movement to make things better. But is it possible that the American people *do* realize just how difficult things are, and don't care? It's a heretical notion. We Americans like to think of ourselves as "a caring people." We believe that we will always reach out a "helping hand" to anyone in need. Could we be lying to ourselves about our own nature? It's a scary thought, but I'm starting to entertain it.
Originally Posted By jonvn I think the American people don't want to be poor, or think about them. But they are becoming poor. We're not a caring nation. You don't have people living on the streets in a caring nation.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<We Americans like to think of ourselves as "a caring people." We believe that we will always reach out a "helping hand" to anyone in need.>> We are not a caring people. Although we will respond generously to big events like the tsunami, earthquakes, etc; we tend to ignore those around us on a daily basis who need help. For those people we tend to say that "God helps those who help themselves."
Originally Posted By cmpaley >>For those people we tend to say that "God helps those who help themselves."<< Which is found nowhere in Scripture of Apostolic Tradition.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Which is found nowhere in Scripture of Apostolic Tradition>> Correct. The original source was an Aesop's fable "Hercules and the Wagoner". source: <a href="http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/16/messages/896.html" target="_blank">http://www.phrases.org.uk/bull etin_board/16/messages/896.html</a>
Originally Posted By LPFan22 Ugh. Well let me review my copy of the Scripture of Apostolic Tradition... because, of course, everyone has one.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "Ugh. Well let me review my copy of the Scripture of Apostolic Tradition... because, of course, everyone has one." Touche.
Originally Posted By cmpaley A typo and I get these insulting posts after me...gee thanks. It should say, "Scripture OR Apostolic Tradition" At least one person knew what I meant.
Originally Posted By jonvn I'm writing a book called "Scripture of Apostolic Tradition." I am saying it is divinely inspired, and it will be filled with lots of machine guns and sex.
Originally Posted By friendofdd Orange County has disparities???? They were probably smuggled in by LA County in the dark of night.
Originally Posted By friendofdd I think I understand now. Sorta like San Francisco and Oakland. Or Palo Alto and East Palo Alto.
