The Ant and the Grasshopper

[PSS]

If ants would only work for other ants there would't be a problem. Discontent is ugly. It's simply not true that an ambitious citizen of this great country can't get ahead. At times they are held by by greedy people and over regulation aimed at "leveling the playing field". But with sacrifice and hard work success is more than likely. The real problem is the entitlement attitude. We are blessed to live in a country where our poorest citizens are far wealthier than the mass majority of the world. If your family income was over $10,000 you are wealthier than 80% of the world population. If it's $50,000 or more a year, you make more than 99% of the world. That can either make you grateful or unhappy because you resent the other 1%. I would wager that in the terms of justice that the western civilized world is much wealthier than even that.

Regardless of your party affiliation, us Americans have largely fallen prey to the message of discontent that is preached by both sides. There is absolutely nothing wrong or shameful about being poor if it's not the result of laziness. And it's a rare case that someone in this great country finds themselves in that position and they don't receive help. Life isn't perfect. Injustice is always present in some form. The fact is it is taken serious here and dealt with. Sure its' justice is served in imperfection. We're human. The very real danger is the division that social activism brings. Hate and discontent is evil regardless of the source. It's ironic that social activism tends to polarize and demonize. I won't give a bum in Grand Junction a penny and that makes me a bad person in a humanist view. But I will and have give my last 100$ to a friend in honest need. And I personally know scores of good Americans who do that. And that is true wealth. It's not measured in dollars and that is a fact. A point mostly missed in materialistic "grasshoppers". I would wager to say the most vile corporate master has done more good than the best "grasshopper".

I am truly thankful that my great grandfather emigrated here shortly after the reds won in Russia. I've done some travelling in this world and this country wins by the measure of commitment to good. Doesn't make us perfect. Perfection is the enemy of good.

Puts soapbox away.