[lit-ideas] Re: Paying taxes for months on end
- From: Eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 01:57:44 EDT
In a message dated 5/24/2005 6:10:55 PM Central Daylight Time,
phil.enns@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Getting
government to do it for me strikes me as, in some way, shirking my
responsibilities.
Hi, Andy,
I don't think any of these people read any part of the link you sent.
Especially the part about how us little folk are paying for the corporate
jet subsidy for even people like Jack Welch's retirement jaunts (until he was
'outed' by the Harvard Business Review article which is mentioned...and I DO
remember that...as well as more in his life that came out, esp during his
divorce from his sacrificial lamb um, I mean former wife...)
I wonder if Brian has a corporate jet that the rest of us are
subsidizing...and he just wants to make sure that none of us ever are in a
position to know
about it...
If so, well, the least he could do is provide it for the Lit-Ideas House
Party... I mean really!! how rude and selfish!! Esp when we are subsidizing
it...
Of course, I kind of concur with the One who stated that much in the past
has been done by NGOs and all. As the words of one of the 'goodest' men I
have
ever known stated once, if "the Church" [meaning people like Brian] would
just do what Acts 2 states to do, there would be no reason for any of the
social programs.
(He would not, though, have ever ever made people convert in order to
benefit...or do anything else, either. But, then again, he also believed in
the
whole "Caretaking" mentality of those who have been given much, much is
required. [that is also from Scripture if people like Brian who profess to be
Christian would bother putting into action the 3000 Scripture verses about
taking
care of the poor and lesser folk...without judgment...)
But, that is NOT part of the neo-conservative type of Christian that has
become so popular. THAT type is pretty scary...for there is little that is
done
in terms of caring for the least of those who Jesus said were his and the
little ones...
I am SO glad I am not the woman that Brian knows. Can you imagine how
horrible it would be to have a 'deformed' child and know that he would have
preferred that the kid be dead on the street rather than have been born or
given
any additional medical treatment to [maybe] make the quality of her life
better?
I mean--I ended up in such a situation. Though for me, I ended up owing
$40,000 as my part of the initial cost of my child to be born...took a while
to
pay off as the hospital here didn't tell me that they *might* have had to pay
for him to be in the neo-natal intensive care unit and all the rest of the
stuff that went on... (and that does not count the later surgeries, etc)
And, many of the people in the so-called Christian world were alot like
Brian's sort of faith-y type--no *real* support in terms of really figuring
out
the stresses involved in dealing with that. (I am convinced that some of that
is what ended my marriage...for it was too much for my child's father esp
the reaction of those around us...and, when one is in 'that world'...well, it
is, indeed, a bit like [as you wondered] the world of a drug addict who is
surrounded by other users...and while I had already dealt with the other
aspects
of the whole faithy stuff that dismayed me--it still kind of sort of makes me
sad.)
But, maybe people like Brian live in lack and limitation and not in
abundance and prosperity and are unable to share what they have and to believe
that
there is more Out There for them...they don't really believe in miracles made
by People and inspired by Their God any longer...sad, really. I do kind of
think, sometimes, that my sweet Episcopal priest (who also is one of those
'old kinds they don't make any more') was correct--my G-d is not the same
one...)
and, that's okay. Just makes me sad and yet, glad, that there ARE still
those who are either walking the same Path that I am (the care of the Other is
what we base our lives upon--for all sorts of reasons) or taking a more
Humanistic Approach in terms of Man Caring for Man or who take to heart the "to
him
to whom much is given, much is required' and 'what you do unto the least of
these, you do unto me' and all of that ...
I gladly gladly have paid for those who have had to use Medicaid for their
kids. (and I do know a number who do--esp with the cost of healthcare so
horrible that even though, for example, individual healthcare if provided via
my
work, the cost for a family is simply incredible. Esp if you are getting
paid only $10 an hour...[which also qualifies you for things like Headstart and
Evenstart, etc.]...and these are people who are working hard and trying so so
much ... but they cannot afford health insurance for their kids.
And, those in my world also know that if there is Need, the People come
a-runnin' ... even if it is only ME who is the People.
I also do not mind, in a sense, that there are the Mean Ones who are
creating mean and horrible policies. I do mind that they try to act that they
are
not being mean--I'd rather they face it and see it and know what they are
doing. I would prefer that they know that they are behaving not as morally
and
ethically responsibly as the types of people they claim to be. NOT to be
patronizing, but because I believe that we need to be 'straight' not just with
Others, but with ourselves...for maybe maybe we do such horrible and uncaring
things because we really are not aware of our fears...and if we face our
actions, maybe we will dig deep and face them and overcome them and be on The
Path
[again or at last].
But, otherwise, one ends up kind of like Missouri's governor, who was not
able to get the last of the 98,000 kids out of Medicaid through the
legislature
[though he tried really hard and got rid of many...] is trying, now, to do
so via one of the state's departments...which is, pretty much, not legal but
he is trying anyway. And, he claims so much ... and his actions are pretty
scary if that is how he interprets his faith and claims...
I know! Maybe Brian ought to move to Missouri! I bet he would really
appreciate what is happening here...
and the woman with the child might get a person in her life who would not
judge her so harshly...and might, even, 'be there' for her and her child...in a
more "Christian" sense...the 'old-fashioned, caretaking' sort of
Christian...(like my former library director...the old kind...the kind they do
not make
any more...and whose caretaking legacy is being systematically destroyed ...
by the 'new' so-called Christians...who believe in a 'market-based'
world...and who do not see what that has caused...kind of like Brian...)
Sending positive energy and thoughts to any who are struggling -- esp with
the judgment of those who would prefer that they just be dead or dying in the
street [or hungry or have hungry children...] as well as for the practical
needs to be met [by someone...],
Marlena in Missouri
ps not able, yet, to fully respond -- regular life and all, you know! So
sorry as I have much in my head and wrote several drafts...but wanted to say I
was here so am sending this one [probably the worst written one <wry look>!]
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