I was encouraged by the Occupy Movement. I remember reading a column or two by Chris Hedges 4 or 5 months before things got rocking here, where Mr. Hedges was talking about the need for civil disobedience and marches and protests.
And I remember thinking, it's been a long time since there was any sustained activity of that sort. And I wondered whether large numbers of people would answer the call.
I suppose that the suffering has risen to sufficient levels to where it's become almost unavoidable. I mean, there's something seriously wrong where in our country we have it built into our economic model to have unemployment at roughly 5% and consider that to be a good thing. So, with the real unemployment number probably much closer to 20% (depending upon who you listen to), the level of misery is such that it touches almost everyone.
All of this made me wonder about when was the last time you heard any of our elected officials or politicians talk about the poor.
We always hear about the middle-class. And I've got nothing against the middle-class; I'm thankful that I'm probably still considered a member, but it's as if the poor are invisible.
So, I thought I would try to encourage some discussion and conversation by writing a song to try and capture my views on the situation.
Here's the lyric, and I hope to have the song ready for release soon:
There's no more poor
Somehow,
I must have missed the celebration.
I guess,
it was just by invitation.
Hungry eyes, must be gone;
Homeless must have a home
are you wondering how I know
there's no more poor?
You see,
we're all just middle class these days
talking
about the plight of the poor don't pay
Tattered clothes are in style
everyone has a junk pile
are you wondering how I know
there's no more poor?
Bobby and Martin
used to talk about them
and once upon a time
we may have even listened
But now, no one gives a voice
to those we'd rather not see
don't it feel good to believe,
there's no more poor?
We say,
pull youself up
by your bootstraps
knowing,
poverty has many folks trapped
A rising tide won't lift all boats
when your boat is filled with holes
ain't it so good to know,
there's no more poor?
Copyright Leemanuel
And I remember thinking, it's been a long time since there was any sustained activity of that sort. And I wondered whether large numbers of people would answer the call.
I suppose that the suffering has risen to sufficient levels to where it's become almost unavoidable. I mean, there's something seriously wrong where in our country we have it built into our economic model to have unemployment at roughly 5% and consider that to be a good thing. So, with the real unemployment number probably much closer to 20% (depending upon who you listen to), the level of misery is such that it touches almost everyone.
All of this made me wonder about when was the last time you heard any of our elected officials or politicians talk about the poor.
We always hear about the middle-class. And I've got nothing against the middle-class; I'm thankful that I'm probably still considered a member, but it's as if the poor are invisible.
So, I thought I would try to encourage some discussion and conversation by writing a song to try and capture my views on the situation.
Here's the lyric, and I hope to have the song ready for release soon:
There's no more poor
Somehow,
I must have missed the celebration.
I guess,
it was just by invitation.
Hungry eyes, must be gone;
Homeless must have a home
are you wondering how I know
there's no more poor?
You see,
we're all just middle class these days
talking
about the plight of the poor don't pay
Tattered clothes are in style
everyone has a junk pile
are you wondering how I know
there's no more poor?
Bobby and Martin
used to talk about them
and once upon a time
we may have even listened
But now, no one gives a voice
to those we'd rather not see
don't it feel good to believe,
there's no more poor?
We say,
pull youself up
by your bootstraps
knowing,
poverty has many folks trapped
A rising tide won't lift all boats
when your boat is filled with holes
ain't it so good to know,
there's no more poor?
Copyright Leemanuel
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