Elizabeth Ross
Writer
- March 17, 2009 • 2:05 pm PDT
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Tables and racks full of clothing. This picture is an emblem
to me of what we are facing today. The floundering economy is leaving families
scrambling for basic necessities like food and shelter. In my town when we were
left with a few handfuls of people in dire need, that picture was just the
beginning of the response.
The clothing poured in and was set out in the gymnasium of a
church that was a little over a block away from the smoldering remains of the
hotel that was home to about 16 people. March 5th was the day that I
saw the better part of people that I'd forgotten about for at least a while.
It made me ask myself why there have been so many complaints
about the concept of the government stepping in to save various businesses. The
approach so far has been imperfect – like A.I.G. – but objecting to the entire
process of bailing out our economy seems a bit mean-hearted when it is
considered as disaster relief instead.
People who could ill-afford it stepped up and gave to fire
victims here for one reason – it was the right thing to do. We've been living
so long in a culture of greed and avarice; it is refreshing to see that sort of
charity – even if it is from those who have the least to give. I am not saying
that the people of my town are poor, but when compared with those who have
placed us in the current economic peril, they are. There are no billionaires
here, but the people here have enough sense to realize when they need to give.
The call now, for those who have been hoarding money
at the expense of many, is to stand up and take responsibility for your actions.
We are beyond the point where making money for the top one or two percent of
the nation is the goal. Wall Street needs to realize that it owes Main Street –
and Capitol Hill needs to make the laws to enforce the payment of those debts.
It's a simplistic statement, and will undoubtedly take mountains of paper and
weeks of debate to make it happen. It is unfortunate that all those businessmen
and politicians can't seem to get a simple concept – you don't stand by and
watch people suffer in the wake of a disaster. You help.
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