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Why do we run away? - by John Edwards


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If we want to end the great moral shame of America — the 37 million Americans who are denied economic justice in our country — then we need to ask the most basic question: why? Not why are "they" struggling every day, but why do we accept things as they are?

Why do we accept that the waitress who just brought us lunch needs the church's food pantry to feed her daughter for the rest of the month? She's working and that should be enough.

Why do we accept that the man who just bagged our groceries is 72 years old and lost everything when his wife got sick? He's worked all of his life and retirement shouldn't mean more work.

Why do we accept that the men and women who wore our uniform are committing suicide in their trucks because they can't afford to see a doctor? They served us and they shouldn't even have to ask.

Why do we accept the family living in their car, the mentally ill and the addicts who die on our streets, and the children who go to school tired and hungry? Maybe we accept things as they are because poverty has always been with us and we think nothing will change. Or maybe we accept things as they are because it's so easy to look away.

And that demands that we ask another question: why has it been so easy for us to look away? . . .

Four decades ago when Bobby Kennedy took a tour of the forgotten places in America, the image that lingers with me is him bending down and touching a young child whose stomach was swollen from malnutrition. He did not look away. He did not accept things as they are. He saw things as they could be and asked, "Why not."

And after 40 years, it is time for us to extend a hand, embrace our neighbors, co-workers, and friends and build One America that works for all of us.

Why not?
Chique

26 responses // Why do we run away? - by John Edwards

  • I want to help and don't know how. I want government programs that give them a hand up. I want universal health care, and work toward it every day. I want good public schools for every child in America. I want a collage education for every young person that wants one. I am a Liberal Democrat because I don't want anyone to go to bed hungry. I don't want one veteran living under the freeway begging for food because they have to drink their pain away. I want to help and I don't know how. There are plenty of us that would help if we knew how.
    Marilynn_Murray
  • We can start the process of this thing called Change by contacting our representatves on local, state and national levels, telling them that they won't have a power seat come next term if they don't listen.
    We can join groups that focus on the activities that we each care most about to show our support and strength in numbers.
    We can be better people by treating others better.
    No individual, not even Barack Obama, can take all of the needed steps to fix what is broken but, he is a great catalyst for inspiration and motivation. That's what we need most in a US leader.
    I want to see him standing, side by side, with John Edwards.
    recommended by  Chique, Marilynn_Murray
    huntre
    1 response to this
  • Very well said Huntre.
    Marilynn_Murray
  • If you do not know what to do to change this World for the better, here is a suggestion.

    Every Revolution starts at home first.

    1. Fix the issues around your house first.
    2. Start to get involved in your Local Community.
    3. Learn about the social issues and the wrongs going on around your local Community.
    4. Gather your neighbors and plan to show up at City Hall for a protest against the issues that is wrong.
    5. Do not support or vote blindly for issues just because a bunch of people are doing it. You do not believe how many people fall prey of the Lobbyists pushing their agenda on you. Learn about the issue. Analyze if that issue is socially acceptable or not.

    It does not stop there. There are lots of more effective things you can do but it is a start!
    recommended by  Chique, Marilynn_Murray
    stopnoise
  • 38 million Americans living in poverty and 42 million living just above the poverty line is shameful.

    Act locally to alleviate poverty in our own communities and contact your Congresssional Representative and Senators that you care about the millions living in poverty and want them to enact legislation to eradicate poverty in America.
    recommended by  Chique, Marilynn_Murray
    TouchArt
  • We turn away because that is what has always been done. Evolution and the progress of man till this point has rewarded doing so. But maybe, just maybe, we've reached a point where not turning away is essential to the continued path of mankind toward a higher place.
    BetterWatching
  • BRAVO Chique!
    sueathome
  • He really is a great guy.
    lemonsun12
  • It's been awhile since I read an article and cried. Thanks for adding this, Chique. Huntre and StopNoise are right. It's the things we need to do to get this started.
    I hope that we have Barack Obama as president with John Edwards standing beside him as vice-president. That would certainly make it easier to get things going in the right direction.
    I was at a pharmacy with my daughter when a young mother came in to get her very ill daughter medicine for bronchitis and she ended up in tears because she didn't have enough money to buy it. She was short $5. The pharamcy wouldn't budge to help her. Before I could do a thing, my daughter stepped forward and paid the whole bill. I must have done something right with that one! I have never been so proud of someone as I was her that night. Now, how do we inspire other people to do that type of thing? I know I've been trying harder since then.
    John Edwards always did remind me of Bobby Kennedy. I read of a lot of people saying Barack reminds them of Bobby, and he does have some of his qualities, but I always saw it more in John.
    recommended by  Marilynn_Murray, Chique
    JoQ
    • JoQ
    • 2 months ago
  • Too bad so many didn't care what John Edwards had to say about poverty until he endorsed their candidate, even though he was the better candidate in every way. i would say what John Edwards stated about making change: Dont wait for politicians to do it. There is something we can all do everyday to make life better for someone who is less fortunate.
    JanforGore
  • Jan, not fair. A lot of us were behind John Edwards right up until he dropped out of the running. I am a long time admirer.
    recommended by  Chique
    JoQ
    • JoQ
    • 2 months ago
  • John Edwards was and is the very best. The media wouldn't cover him. He knew that because of that there was no way on earth he could win so he got out. He suspended his campaign so he kept his delegates and could step in and help the candidate of his choice when he needed to. Which he did. I expect that eventually Obama will asked him to be his VP. I would like some input from John Edwards in shaping the administration after the election. Obama/Edwards 08.
    recommended by  Chique
    Marilynn_Murray
  • Thanks to everyone that cares. It's a huge impersonal world out there and sometimes we all feel one person can't do anything but it's not true. We are all realizing that if we truly care we have to be involved and not wait or blame someone else. There are representatives to write, communities in which we can serve and homeless to help feed everywhere. I totally agree with Marilynn, huntre, cosmo, touchart and all. These are the basics a country like ours shouldn't have as problems but it takes a village.
    recommended by  Marilynn_Murray
    Chique
  • It's kind of sad. Since I was a kid reading about Appalachia I have felt bad and wondered why there was such a problem with poverty there. Why we allowed it to continue for generations with no apparent help? Now we see the coal companies coming in and taking the top off the mountains and filling the valleys with toxic waste. We are allowing their world to be destroyed. Is it just sheer greed, unconcern or is it just because they have never mattered?
    recommended by  Chique
    Marilynn_Murray
    1 response to this
  • Fair to me.
    JanforGore
  • Yes, Marilyn. Then why do you condone Obama touting clean coal which is anything but? How can you support him knowing he is no better than Republicans on that issue? That he lies to the American people everytime he tells them that carbon capture and sequestration is some savior when it is nothing of the kind and will not even be on line if at all for at least another twenty years while they will continue to despoil this Earth and bring cancer and death to its inhabitants? How can you condone him going from state to state and pandering to the coal and nuclear lobbies to get votes instead of vocally speaking out now to the poverty stricken people in Appalachia about green jobs and encouraging them to stand up to the coal companies and demanding those jobs to not only save this economy but their own lives? I say you are what you support.
    JanforGore
  • Jan, I support him because he is so cute. Why do you oppose him? What is wrong with a little filthy air anyway? Mine is filtered. Now don't attribute things to me, that I haven't advocated. Do you think just because Hillary sits down to pee that she is somehow a savior? Or maybe it's McCain you support? You are what you support? According to you, you support nothing.
    Marilynn_Murray
  • Jan, I am curious to know what the alternative is right now in this moment. You are right in much of what you say about Obama and his ideas around energy. But I think when all the smoke of this nonsensical noisy campaign ends and he sits down with the RIGHT PERSON to REALLY make the case for what we are facing around the issue of global warming he is smart enough to change. Keep in mind that there has almost never been a president who did everything they campaigned on after they took office. I am HOPING that OBAMA will get wise to this URGENT reality you speak of. Honestly, I don't think anyone can take office now and ignore the devastation that is rapidly happening around us. Real action (not green washing) will be mandatory over the next 4 years or we are fucked. To back out of participating in our BEST option at the moment could prove to be as destructive to change and forward thinking as keeping BUSH in office for another 4 years.
    recommended by  Marilynn_Murray
    twodee
  • TwoDee, I agree I believe he will make the right decisions. He will surround himself with the best people and has asked for input from us. I'm not going to just complain about some of his policy that I don't like I'm going to advocate for change in his policy. He can't know everything and I believe he really wants to do the best thing. I have every faith he wants to be a great people president. He was not my first choice, but I'm not upset about him being the candidate because I think he is sincere.
    Marilynn_Murray
    4 responses to this
  • Thanks for this post Chique, it is a reminder we need now and again.
    Marilynn_Murray

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