Religious Liberty?

[Brian37]

Well, that story sheds a lot of light on your own views; thank you for that.

The problem is that the downtrodden can't really stand up for themselves.  Poor people need a Spartacus-- someone who has a foot in both worlds, and who knows how big business and finance works but wants to see it fall.  There are a few candidates: Branson, maybe, or ones of Bill Gates' kids or something.  At the very least, people from poor backgrounds who end up with worthy degrees from Harvard or whatever.

But unless the wealthy have either a strong positive or negative motivator, why would they change their behavior?  Complaining about the environment won't even make their radar.  What WOULD get their attention is if Occupy Wall Street involved molitovs and crowbars instead of drum circles.  What WOULD get their attention is if Bernie Sanders became president.  What WOULD get their attention would be a mass arrest of bankers, and maybe a couple of death sentences for the especially prickish ones.

Unless the poor and downtrodden can generate a legitimate threat to the financial or physical welfare of the rich, it might take a revolution to press the reset button on the society.

Benny, it seems we were never really that far apart in the first place. I don't think it has to get to the point of a revolution, but I would agree we need to have a bigger push and sustained push like the Occupy movement started. It would be nice to do what Iceland did after the crash, arrest some bankers and bail out the homeowners.

I'd have no doubt if we had a sudden mass worker walk out it would send a message. I think the limited ones we have had are sending a message, but business has a horrible shell game they play long term by throwing crumbs at workers to get them to back off so they can re-group.

I would advise the uber rich in America to stop listening to the likes of the Walmart Family and Kochs and start listening to the likes of Nick Hanauer, and even Bill Gates, who has said leaving some industries to their own devices is hurting our planet. It really cannot continue the way it is going currently, not just in America, but globally. 

"Downtrodden" is such a demeaning term. I don't think you mean it like that, but I'm not an "untouchable" caste system slumdog. Instead of putting like that, just say "low wage" or "no wage". I don't see you as better than me so please don't see me as less than you. We are both human beings.


It is ok to have empathy for those who have less or are hurt by life more. I don't think it is however to use language like that which may be well intended from your point of view, is seen as demeaning to the very people you say you have empathy for.

And as far as motivating the wealthy to do better I'd simply say what Nick did, if you don't want the pitchforks coming after you, then don't let your selfishness or greed be the center of your existence. I don't think rich or poor want it to get to that point.

And again, even without talking about humans, evolution demonstrates why, while inequity will exist, any ecosystem that gets lopsided will become unstable and collapse if nothing is done to counter it.