Am I just an uncaring, pos, a-hole? I belong to a neighborhood i-net site (Nextdoor) that started out as a pretty decent site to pass on neighborhood news, events and a place to share info such as good a/c repair companies, lawn service people, honest auto repair shops and even crime reports etc. But lately, I seldom read it. Over time it's turned into nothing but 95% posts by people asking for hand-outs. I admit, times are tough, but gosh-dangit, I can hardly walk into a retail establishment these days that doesn't have a help wanted sign on their door. 2-blocks from my house is a MacD's that has had a help wanted sign on their main signage (that used to display special price items) that says, "Help wanted, $13-$17/hour". That sign has been up for probably the past year and a half. Yet I read constantly of people who are out of work and can't feed themselves, can't pay their rent, can't afford to fix their car, etc. etc. etc. ad nauseum.
Damn, I've been down and broke so many times in my life, I couldn't count them all, but I ALWAYS found a way to pull through .... usually by doing without things that were absolutely not necessary. Divorce, child custody, job loss, recessions, inflation ... you name it, I've pulled through it. The most recent, MAJOR rough spot, was my last health crisis, 2 months in ICU and 2 weeks of that in a coma, not to mention a couple more years in physical therapy along with numerous surgeries. In just a couple years time I lost the business I'd successfully built and ran for 20 years, lost my ability to work, was within a blond c-hair of losing my house, car, etc. BUT .... I found a way and not ONE of those ways was by begging strangers (OR charity organizations) for help. We cut back to the bare essentials and got super creative with finances to pull through. Sometimes I wonder how we did it, but somehow things worked out. I've maintained a credit rating that bounces around 830-840 and have never filed a bankruptcy or missed a payment on ANYTHING. EVER. I always figured I'd pay my bills first (no matter what it took) and if there's anything left over, I'd eat. IMHO, if I BOUGHT it, I need to PAY for it! I started my own business when I was 10 or 12 years old and if I wanted anything like a bicycle, skateboard, clothes ... I had to buy it myself. I never knew it while growing up, but I think we were relatively "poor". I had no idea and simply thought the "normal" people I knew were rich. Granted, we had a roof over our heads, food on the table and basic school clothes (many hand-me-downs), but there just never was anything extra. If I wanted something out of the ordinary, I had to find a way to get it myself ... by hard work, even as a kid.
These days, due to physical limitations, I have to find someone to rake my yard, trim my hedges, cut my grass, etc. etc. etc. Do you think it's possible to hire a neighborhood kid to do ANY of those chores? Ha ha ha ha! No, they're in the house playing the video game mom and dad bought for them. Or chatting on their pricey cell phones. If they want something, mom and dad will buy it for them. Where does work ethic come from these days? I just don't see it out there anymore. I recently witnessed (and I won't say where as it could cause issues if anyone involved should read this) an 18-years old whining to mom and dad ... and I quote (in a whiney voice), "I neeeeed a new caaaaar!" Now mind you, this girl has never held any sort of "summer" job (or any other sort of job) and is getting ready to head off to college. My first car was a '49 Plymouth purchased with my own money for $75 ... and this was in the mid-60's, so it was FAR from new. You know what dad is looking to buy for her? A frigging Mercedes! (she's now driving a Lexus)
I guess I've steered myself off on a tangent, but the above is related to my rant as I have the feeling the younger crowd is so accustomed to having everything handed to them, they have no clue how to obtain anything for themselves. Maybe I'm just an old curmudgeon, I really don't know. Is this the norm nowadays? Is this where people get the idea that if they can't get it, the government ... like mom and dad .... will give it to them? It gripes the living piss out'ta me when all I hear about from business owners is that they can't get any help, yet on the other side of the fence, all I hear is, "there are no jobs available!" WTF? Which is it? From my personal observations, they're out there.
I'll admit, something really set me off this morning that sent me into this rant. I guess it was like a "last straw" and I snapped. Enough is enough. I'll post the pic that did it for me. Maybe I AM just a heartless, uncaring SOB, I really don't know where my emotions are any more. This guy LOOKS pretty healthy to me. He's a vet and says the VA will do nothing for him (although in fine print he "complains" he has free VA health care, but no dental!) WTF? He's using the old "I have a baby with no food or diapers, etc" tear-jerker to tear at your heartstrings and also mentions something about needing a SECOND job. He ain't gonna find it sitting on a frigging street corner holding a sign! I don't know, this whole scenario reeks. He's using his military uniform, VA card and backpack as a "prop" ... I guess to gain extra sympathy. I'm kind of wondering why he didn't simply stay in the military? They'd take care of everything he's asking for! Or get off your ass and take a walk down the street ... within 2-blocks, you'll most likely walk past 5-6 help wanted signs. I'm tired of it. GO TO WORK you bunch'a whiney-assed free-loaders. This country is going to Hell in a handbasket. (rant over)
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