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We Are All VERY Lucky

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Post  Richard Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:13 am

It was a simple matter of luck that I was born a white man in the industrialized West of the world. I am very lucky in that. I sincerely doubt that anyone on this forum is in grinding poverty - I sincerely doubt that anyone here went to bed hungry last night for lack of food and safe water. I sincerely doubt that anyone on this board will die this week due to the grinding poverty that prevents medical care. I sincerely doubt that anyone on this board was unable to attend to attend school or to learn to read and write. We are ALL very fortunate in that way.

Plentiful food, safe water and lots of it, flush toilets, showers, public librairies and schools - life is good. Access to medical care and government monitored safe medications, and especially the ablility to take a walk or drive in a car without the threat of a warring tribe over taking us or bullets slashing into our bodies.

At LEAST 12.3 MILLION kids and women and other folks are not so lucky. !2.3 million is MORE than ALL the people that live in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and all the Bay Area ... more than TWICE the number of people. 12.3 million is about 20 times the number of people who live in Alaska, And 12.3 million is the most conservative estimate of the number of children and women sold and forced into human slavery around the world TODAY! The more reliable estimate is 27 million - but let's hang on the minimum ... 12,300,000 children and women sold into sex and work slavery at the age of age and ten. Women forced into slavery as "3rd wives" ... a euphomism for domestic worker who gets raped occasionally. Girls as young as 8 - I typed 8 - who are Madams and lure their school mates into the slave trade of prostitution.

Yeah, we all have bills to pay and doctors to complain about. Yeah we have to shovel snow and walk in rain and have migraine episodes. But I thank my lucky stars that me and mine were never forced to sell our children to pay off hopeless debts. Me and mine are not in grinding poverty. Me and mine can read and write and flush the toilet and we even have a choice (!) as to what clothes to wear today. All by the luck of the stars that we were born in the West.

But our birthright by luck does give us human obligations. To be aware. To care. To agitate and change the world as best we can. Wish I could do more.

Abolishslavery.org
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Post  estre004 Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:15 am

You are so right!!!

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Post  Paradox Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:56 am

Kudos for bringing it to our attention.

Charlotte
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Post  theresae Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:38 am

i thank my lucky stars every day that we have a civilised, democratic society here in the uk, with health care and education i also thank my lucky stars that i wasnt born a hundred years ago!

thanks for posting that richard i shall have a look at the website.
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Post  Brenda Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:28 pm

you are very right, Richard. It takes just a minor inconvenience like the one we have here now where we TEMPORARILY don't have flush toilets to make me exceedingly glad that we normally do. This problem is only lasting 2 days as opposed to permanently. We in the western world have things so good. I'm extremely grateful.
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Post  Guest Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:26 pm

Richard,

What about sacrifice, hard work, dedication? It's not that people are just handed everything on a platter (or paper plate).

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Post  LG Tue Feb 09, 2010 3:11 pm

Not for nothing but I tend to agree with you PF. I went from living in a shed with no toilet, no shower, no food or running water to getting an apartment with all those things because I worked hard to do it.

Yes, I used the bathroom in the bushes for almost a year and took a shower MAYBE once every two weeks. I barely ate and was lucky enough to get hand-outs from people as far as water and food goes. I went from 200lbs to 130ish in a couple of months. I had no medical and got really really sick and relied on a friends extra antibiotics to get healthy. It was hard concidering I barely ate anything.

It is $&@#^$ HARD to get a job when you look like a street rat but thank god people helped me and I did it. Not only did I do it, but I also held the job too.

That is for us here though, I tend to agree for people on the other side of the world. They really don't have the same opportunities we do. They don't get hand-outs from friends because their friends don't have anything to give. They don't have ANYTHING period.

It is acceptable to live that way because they don't know anything else. You know though, I often wonder (and I'm not saying it is right because it isn't) if they are happy to live like that because they have no idea how good it can be. Maybe they think that what they have is great. When I was poor it wasn't fun by any means, but I wasn't unhappy either. I wasn't poor for that long either, but then again it was me who made that change.
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Post  tecky Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:40 pm

Again, you so eloquently remind us of our riches, Richard.

I look at all the "stuff" I possess in my home and feel so richly blessed. It's especially apparent when watching the survivors of Haiti's earthquake, the tsunamis a few years ago, or when I see homeless people or the very poor. Most of this "stuff" is not necessary. It's just nice to have--it may make life easier or more fun or provide memories. We have so much more than the necessities of food, clothing and shelter.

And like Theresa stated, I'm thankful I'm living where I am now rather than 100 years ago. I can't imagine living in a soddie in Montana during these -40 degree F winter days with no electricity and no other humans for miles around. Imagine trying to keep a stove fired up all hours of the day and night, caring for a family in a very small home, and all the everyday chores required to stay alive during that time in history while experiencing a migraine.

The older I get, the more I appreciate simple things in life.

We are so very blessed, despite migraines and pain. It's good for me to remember this and be grateful.

Thanks, Richard.

Becky I love you flower
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Post  Ivy Wed Feb 10, 2010 12:47 am

Amen
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Post  Richard Wed Feb 10, 2010 1:43 pm

Howdy Marc,

I always enjoy your insights, but in this case I think you are bit off the mark. I will consider only my life.

I, a gay man, was born in 1951 in Virginia in the United States to a white, middle class family. I have worked hard and sacrificed in my career and around my homes. but let's get serious about that sentence.

I was born a man. this meant and means that I will probably get hired AND earn $1.00 for every 78 cents a woman makes. As a boy I was encouraged in math and science, unlike my girl friends. As a man, I never had to worry about protecting my virginity unless I chose to ... non-virgin status would not decrease my chances of a good marriage. I never had to worry about an unplanned pregnancy except on the edges ... as a man in 1951 I could walk away - unplanned pregnancies were the girl's fault alone then. Being born male gave me HUGE advantages at school and play and work. No one ever told me I could not be ... well anything, when I grew up. Unlike my female cousins who were told to be nurses and not doctors - even at play. Being male is a very good thing in this life.

I was born white. This means that I was born able to vote, unlike black kids and their parents. I was much more likely to earn 20% more in the career of my choice because I was not a person of color. Not bad. Add "white" to male and we have real winner!

I was born in Virginia in the USA. My towns and cities have never been invaded by an army, militia, or mob - except for 9-11 (which I watched on TV from far away). I have always had safe and floridated water for good health and strong teeth. With no effort. I was educated for free from kindergarten through the 12th grade and got many scholarships for college - the government even gave me a very low interest loan. I had access to vaccinations at school (remember the polio sugar cubes) and at the doctor's office. I never had to worry a moment about being captured and sold into slavery - unlike the 12.3 million folks today. I had free libraries wherever I lived. If I got diarehea, I did not have to worry about death unlke millions of kids today in other countries. So, safe water, great sanitation (flush toilets - and I always had access unlike the black kids in VA in 1951) free education through high school and subsidized college, no war, access to healthcare public and private, and no threats of violence to me and mine by militias - all because I happened to be born in Virginia. I might mention that I have never had a cross burned in my front yard. Pretty nifty. (note: In Alaska, I had my rainbow flag set aflame on the front of my home - it extinguished on its own)

I was born to a middle class family. It was always expected, without question, that I could go to college. I always had adequate food and healthcare - including dental and vision - at little or no cost to the family - DuPont paid for it all. Being born into a middle class family in the USA meant I got the advantage of books in my home, vacations to new and interesting places, two parents who loved and cared for me - all at no effort and no expense to myself. Not too shabby.

So I was born a white male in the USA to a middle class family.

Great supply of love, food, public health measures, medical care, free and subsidized education, racial and male advantages in school and work and income - all because I just happened to be born male and white and American in 1951.

Yeah yeah yeah ... I started working when I was 12 and only stopped when I became disabled. Work and sacrifice ... yeah yeah yeah.

But let's face facts. As a white male American I was born with HUGE advantages over most people in the world. Over war torn Europe and Asia (WWII re-build), over all people of color everywhere, and over women and girls - huge advantages in the basics (food and shelter) Huge advantages in education and healthcare and huge advantages in the work place.

Being gay only brings my advantages down a bit (gay men earn about 15% less than straight men with equal education and experience.) Still, as a gay man, I am likely to earn more than a straight white woman. And let's not even talk about people of color. I am also, unlike many gay people, not afraid of being out there - so I get adequate, good healthcare - unlike most gays and lesbians who thru poverty or fear or discrimination do not get adequate healthcare. And being male, I can be assured that doctors will take any chest pains I have very seriously - unlike women in the USA.

So Marc, I think I would be naive to credit my good fortune this life on only my hard wark and sacrifice. I know I have had huge advantages over most people in the world, in the western world, and in the USA ... just because I happened to be born male, white, and middle class in the USA.

BTW - I also happen to be proud with what I had accomplished with my advantages. Through my own choices and effort. But that pride is based on the full knowledge of all my free, unearned advantages.
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Post  Chinookgrl Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:28 pm

It if funny you bring this up Richard. I had a conversation like this with my husband last week. He had a tough day at work and was complaining about it being rough all around. After commiserating with him for a bit I took a moment to remind him about how blessed we are. He then reminded me we were blessed because of our hard work, well then I said yep with a few built in advantages.

I reminded him that we were both born into upper middle class white suburban families in Canada. We were both provided with not only what we needed but in most cases most of what we wanted as well. There was never any question of whether or not we would go onto University etc. It was "built into" our lives. I reminded him that for most of the world this kind of life is not a consideration and we have to not only be thankful but be constantly be giving back.

I am so aware of how lucky I am to be born where and when I was. And I am thankful that my children were born to me where and when they were. I just hope I can bring them up with a social awareness worthy of their "built in" opportunities.

Jo
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Post  estre004 Thu Feb 11, 2010 7:57 am

Whenever I have a migraine coming on, I pray that if it does not progress I will not complain about one thing that day. Being migraine free is enough. Whenever I am having a bad day, I tell myself "well at least I do not have a migraine". That is how much they have a hold on me. They do make you appreciate being pain free and understanding others with chronic conditions, so they are not a total waste.

Richard, although everything you say is true, give yourself lots and lots of credit also. Just because the cards were with you, doesn't mean you had to do anything with them, and you did.

And be thankful that you are thankful. A lot of people aren't appreciative of their good lot in life, so it is wasted that they did have the advantages. You aren't wasting it. If we all stop and count the good things in our lives instead of dwelling on the bad, we would be doing ourselves a great favor.

Thanks for the reminder.

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