changing the world, one message board at a time.

Let me ask this, what have any of YOU done to improve our country... other than bitch on a message board or quote (equally) jaded "facts"?

Politicians haven't made America what it is today... greedy, lazy, uneducated citizens have!

For 16 years I served once a month as the cook (4th Saturday crew!) at a local soup kitchen, making soup for the hungry.

By the way?  I don't like to mention this, but I noted it before - mainly to try to recruit other bay area JBFers - none ever came, by the way - and by mentioning this, I've been mocked since then.  Not only do blow-hards not contribute to society, they attack others for doing so.

What a wonderful world. 

Since moving from SF, I've been floundering a bit finding a local charity to work with, though I've given time a bit to a few local food banks. 

I feel it's my duty to complete all civic obligations - I proudly serve Jury Duty, I pay my taxes and I educate myself on issues when I vote, which I do every election.  I also maintain contact with my congressperson to voice my concerns about issues.

Well, yeah!  It really does - look - I'm lucky - I don't have a family to take care of - I'm just me, so I've got a step up there.  Though, like, when I was working at the soup kitchen, sometimes families would come in to volunteer - make it a family event.

(Sadly, more often families would come in for the soup.)

Here's the important thing to remember - this is something that Geoff and I seem to really see eye to eye on - the people?  The PEOPLE - not the politicians?  Those folk aren't so concerned about red and blue and left and right - we all want the same thing - to take care of ourselves and our own (families or otherwise) - to have food on the table, a roof over our heads, steady employment to provide that.

And a lot of times, in an effort to make that a reality, the people don't have time to participate - that's for sure.  And if they're going through their lives, doing what they can, I don't fault them at all.

It's rough out there.  It's not easy for anyone.  For those working hard?  Well... that's what it is - hard work.  For those living on charity, be it via government or family or religion, etc?  They're paying for it in pride and loss of self-respect.  And besides - we talk a good game about Reagan's mythical "welfare queens", but I can vouch for this - I've known a lot of people who got welfare, or got GA (in one case because of such a violent physical attack that her brain was damaged and she had trouble holding down steady employment due to black outs and so on) and NONE of these people were getting rich from the government - they weren't making enough to LIVE on - you have to work really hard to work the system enough to live off it.  What you get from a government check and food stamps is just less than what you need to survive - one suspects it's that way to encourage you to not get used to it.  WITH the government checks you still need the charity of others.  They alone won't pay your rent or get you enough proper food to get by on.

Now, could the system be adjusted to include more education or support to help the recepients not be dependant on it?  Of course.  I'm all for that.  You show me any politicians or spokesmen who are against that and I'll rage against them.  I'm with you on that.  But I don't advocate the elimination of the programs.  I am firmly behind them - I believe in this sort of insurance.

Look - I don't like paying my car insurance each month.  But if I ever get into an accident, I'm going to go kiss my State Farm Agent on the lips.  I'll slip that hairly sonofabitch the tounge, too!  Because while I hate paying into it each month, the beauty of insurance is the comfort of knowing that when the unthinkable happens, you're covered.

Unless it's the American Health Insurance industry, where you're screwed either way, but that's another debate, isn't it?

Let me ask this, what have any of YOU done to improve our country... other than bitch on a message board or quote (equally) jaded "facts"?

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I volunteer at a local shelter for abused children. I even had a club I belong to at school raise money for their Christmas. I'm also on the executive board at my local American Legion, and we spend a lot of time doing various things for veterans and the local community. I used to volunteer at the local SPCA, but with going to school full time, it's just too hard to squeeze everything in.

Does the fact that those of us who don't brag about any kind of charity work, mean we aren't doing it? I certainly don't give my time for the accolades.

This certainly is aimed, I guess, at Democrats (though, I think Republicans, in a spirit of wanting what's best for America might at least take a look) - but I got a copy of 50 Ways You Can Help Obama Change America by Michael Huttner and Jason Salzman and it's got a lot of interesting thoughts and ideas of you, the citizen, can do your share.  Some ideas are local, some are global.  I find that some appeal to me, so I study the ones that don't; so I can try to get new ideas.

A lot of the sections in the book are really Obama/Democrat specific - there are chapters on forming your own local groups, etc - but there are some that are good for all Americans - doing charity work in your community, living responsibly, etc.

A thought.  Check the book out of the library if you're not sure you want to invest the cost of buying it, but I found a lot of interesting thoughts and strategies in it.

Clearly, I haven't studied the chapter yet on "Reach Out to Conservatives".