Where the Rubber Meets the Road

"An injury to one is an injury to all." -- Industrial Workers of the World

 "Love your neighbor as yourself.”-- Jesus

 "True charity occurs only when there are no notions of giving, giver, or gift." -- Buddha

We all know that there are some folks out there who picked up the phone today and called a few of their friends and were able to send tens of thousands of dollars or more into the coffers of some right wing candidate or PAC.   A few others walked into a congressional office and had conversations today that protected or increased their corporate welfare subsidies to the tune of millions.  

Meanwhile, countless other Americans are going hungry or homeless.

The refusal of the House Republican leadership to even allow another vote to extend unemployment benefits to 2 million Americans whose benefits expired in December has caught the attention of many of us. Being caring people and good progressives, many of us have dutifully let our voices be heard through petitions and calls to Congress.  Although this is certainly a good thing, there is more we can do.

Recently, that got clearer to me.   I found out that one of my friends Maure, a passionate activist and 
 (READ MORE PLEASE)

fellow meditator,  and her husband Tom are 2 of the two million who are directly effected by the current unwillingness of the Tea Party controlled Republicans in Congress to extend unemployment benefits. In their early 60's, they are caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place.  They had been relying on Tom's extended unemployment benefits to make ends meet.

With failing health, with few job prospects at their age, Maure and Tom are the victims of a failed system, a system that rewards a few at the top with unimaginable wealth --at the expense of the rest of us.  Now, at risk of eviction, they have turned to others for help.

Well, I can't pick up the phone and have somebody write out a check for $10, 000.  Being part of the 99%, I don't know anybody who has that sort of loot.  

This is what I can do, though.  I plunked down $20 (20% of my life savings) and I'm pestering all my friends and relations with this blog post, emails, etc. to help keep a roof over Maure and Tom's head.  

I hope you can join me.  Please click the photo above and do what you can.  Thanks.

Love your neighbor as yourself?  I guess this is where the rubber meets the road.

In the Spirit of Love,
Brother Lefty