Something I said to a right-wing friend.

[socialshockwave]

Edited out his name and such, however.

He was a former progressive(the dude inspired me to politics) but soured and became a very conservative kinda guy as we got older.

I tried to reinvigorate his spirit. :D



"Being someone of a low income status, I look around throughout history and see that the Canada and America I thought I knew is really starting to disappear.

The right wing says they are trying to gather personal responsibility for people and eliminated government waste, but their hypocrisy about so much of their positions - "there is no torture at gitmo" after they said "there is torture" for example - just jumps at me like a sore thumb.

You, or at least, the old you inspired me. I can't help it and I'm not apologizing for it. People say that progressives/left wingers are naive. We're not. We understand about monetary policy and things like that - we just differ on how to bring about change. But the progressive you - the you I know felt the injustice and the stinging defeat of the recession caused by Wall Street's casino tactics - showed me that "even if we are only two, if we can go to the grave having convinced one person, we've made the world a better place."

Right wingers say that we hope for a world that won't be - but that's not true. We've been programmed with 2 centuries or more of selfishness and deceit. It's ironic that when we're young, we're taught that sharing is good - but when we get older, it's all about me, me me. Look into my eyes and say you don't want to see us go from a selfish society to a selfless one. I'm not advocating communism or even pure socialism - social democracy, something we both believed in at one point - would work. A market system, regulated but still able to produce. A safety net where people are looked after. A tax system where the rich don't pay the lowest taxes in fifty years(like now) - and where the people, not special corporate interests - determine our government policy.

A nation of compassion, not apathy. Of selflessness, not selfishness or greed. A nation of diplomacy, not aggression.

I'm not naive. I know this will take time. It will take gradual steps. But I know,<name retracted> - it might not happen in our lifetime. but WE CAN DO THIS. If I can go to the grave having convinced ten people or even ONE PERSON of this new world - I'm happy.

I can't stand by and watch the evils of the corporate world take over this once beautiful world. But I can't do it alone. You, my inspiration for this - I know that together, you and I can do great things."

[Mimosa]

1. Quite beautiful, SocialShockwave.

You're a dreamer, but you're not the only one. ;)

[socialshockwave]

2. I make no secret.

Of the fact I'm a dreamer. I just believe progression takes time. The right attacks us for being naive.

They said the same when we demanded worker's rights and basic legal protections.

[sabrina 1]

3. That is beautiful, Socialshockwave

I hope he responds positively to your plea!

[socialshockwave]

4. He has so far. :3

[sabrina 1]

5. That is good to hear! It would be hard for anyone not to!

:-)

[socialindependocrat]

6. I hear ya!! Keep on Plugging. We'll get there!!

I had a sign on my office door that read - IF YOU AIM AT NOTHING< YOU'LL HIT IT !!!

I put it on my door especially for a workmate of mine who said my goals weren't realistic.

I think that you aim high and you'll continue to make progress toward your goal.

I can hear my mother say (40 years ago) - I know you kids want change but do you have to change everything at the same time?

I could hear her fear that if too many things changed at once that she would loose control.
Some people need to keep things as they are in order to feel in control. I feel that things need to change in order to make life better - especially to get out of the financial mess this country is in and to make life better for all Americans - not just the wealthy. They don't seem to understand that if you give the middle class money, we'll spend it and grow the economy. What's so hard to understand? It's the goose that laid the golden egg. Make yourself rich and screw the economy!!

[socialshockwave]

7. Yup.

All this rubbish about tax cuts and such for the rich. The rich do not invest their money into the economy. if they did there would be no unemployment and no need for any form of increased spending for social programs. But the world doesn't work that way - the rich will hoard their money and never use it, whereas folks like myself and my family(who are in the low income bracket) would spend any extra money we may have, stimulating the growth of companies and thus, creating jobs.

its' the people who do the real job creation. Not some figurehead who says he or she is the job creator. Rupert Murdoch didn't create the jobs that he has, for example - it was the news guys who worked their butts off to get the news out there. So, really, Saint Rupert of Murdoch is no job creator. It's the little guys he's stepped on throughout his million year reign who really got him his wealth. The least he, and other rich people can do - is take care of the people who made them wealthy in the first place.

Even with increased taxes on the rich and on corporations, they'll still have tons of money left to make a profit and pay for wages and maintenance. You can keep your million dollar home - just pay your fair share. That's all we ask.

[socialshockwave]

8. Just a note.

My friend and I have known each other since 6th grade. He's been there for me when I've been down.

When I first met him, I laughed at politics. I didn't care. But he showed me that it was interesting. We railed together against big bonuses CEO's made, against exploitation of workers, of regular people and we wanted a religious tolerance in our society.

Then something changed. He joined the Tea Party of Canada(YES, there is one. Lead by a guy I know.) and he started spewing the regular right wing stuff.

Me and him fought to no end about politics then. Almost tore our friendship apart. I knew there was still that progressive spirit inside him...I guess I unleashed it, tonight. :P