By: Keith Bender

Keith Bender — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 05:38:42 +0000

The courage to change the things we can is maybe a philosophical difference if that is a common definition we could agree with. The word spiritual is the word I would use instead since compassion is included in the conversation. That thing we can change is ourselves. And that is difficult to consider when caught up in the rhythm of daily habits designed to keep our own lives balanced. Most of our middle class is caught in the Housing Affordability squeeze especially if they have children. That desire to change and improve the lives of immediate family may have a great number of preoccupied people already with this Economic meltdown and it's "impending" concerns. I believe more People want to help if they could but need to know what the "PATH" to Housing is that works and will succeed is. Enough fear hides beneath the surface which is preventing forward action and momentum.

The pure number of individual problems is quickly overwhelming for most. It is for me if i identify all the unfinished and unattended concerns about myself and compassion becomes a nice word but not a practice. The idea that we are somehow pursuing happiness in an "American Dream" format preoccupies our collective mind or at least seems that way. 10 year Plans offer the confidence we seek in a solution oriented focus but still collides with what it costs as a barrier with limited Federal funding in the near future and beyond. The words we use require agreement up front before concerns like cost and price seep in. Political Spin has been attacking these same words creating the stigma's we encounter. Welfare, Wealth, Social contract, Rights, even equality and freedom can not be taken for granted. Spiritual instead of or in addition to Philosophical because the purpose of SPIN is influence and that is what we would hope to accomplish if changing our world is what we agree is needed.

This "Inside Job" means we look closely at ourselves and not the People we think we are pretending to help. I believe we have allowed Homelessness to be an accepted social ill is because our Housing Affordability is based on Profits and not the Universal need we all share. In our quest for higher and higher profits we have limited our horizon of possibilities by thinking we have an infallible basis as our foundation. The concentration of Wealth currently a topic of this Presidential Race proves that the Vertical collection that "Owns" ,controls much of our resources , makes the case in point. We have nearly tipped our way into a lopsided anemia .

Without a firm grasp of what our "Pauperty Rights " are we will never be able to protect them. California has a Declaration of Rights that has similarities with The Va. Declaration of Rights. Read no further that the first 3 or 4 Rights of each and the "Declaration of Independence" quickly dwindles to a simple introductory document at best. One says "good luck" while the other says "You have good luck". To Pursue and Obtain Happiness and Safety along with the means of ACQUIRING and POSSESSING PROPERTY does not fall short like the sacred document which is our Declaration of Independence does. Thats "In your face" simplicity which will probably require a Court Ruling to drive that point in. Hidden "RIGHT" in front of us.

Comments on: We Don’t Need Good Samaritans, We Need Great Ones

By: Keith Bender