nibbling at the edges

Over the years I have come to the conclusion that we try to solve major problems by picking around the edges. 

Bussing, which I embraced, is an excellent example.  The major issue was, and still is, Poverty.  But I, along with my Liberal pals, believed that if we educated the children in integrated schools the children would grow up to be integrated adults, working together and living together.  But our system would not allow this to happen.  Children returned to their homes and all of the same controls were still in place.  Run down neighborhoods overcrowded with unemployed, disenfranchised people, mostly people of color; slum lords controlling property and rents; educational opportunities beyond secondary school was almost non existent. 

How well I recall "Red Lining" in Seattle.  Whole sections of the city were off limits to Blacks and most other non Whites. 

How many of my neighbors in my all White neighborhood honestly feared that if you let one "of them" in the property value would drop and soon they could not sell their house.  And how many times did I hear a coworker say, "Once one of them get hired they bring in all of their kind and take our jobs away from us". 

But that's the world I grew up  in.  Once upon a time it was those Polish or Italians or Irish or Jews or...the list goes on and on.  Why do we allow this to continue?  It is because of poverty.  Do you think for a minute that if all Americans could find decent jobs and live in decent housing in decent neighborhoods that we would be so frightened of each new wave of disenfranchised people trying to muscle into the job market? 

But it is to the advantage of our Empire Builder Masters to keep a large supply of unemployed laborers.  It keeps the workers on their toes worrying about keeping their jobs.  They work harder for less.  They are distracted from taking on their Masters by being directed toward fear of the unemployed rabble.  We are turned against ourselves because it is good business.  We are allowing ourselves to be managed like so many cows, or sheep, or chickens. 

No, I no longer believe that nibbling at the edges will change the system.  It is the system that must be changed.  And because Greed never knows when to let up, one fine day we will make that change.  We should be talking about just what this new world should look like. 

 

Curious Carl