It is a New Year and every “New Year” we make resolutions and declare how we will better ourselves and our lives in the next twelve months. We look back on the previous year to analyze whether or not we made good on our resolutions. This New Year let’s look back on what we, the people have experienced in 2017, what we have accomplished, and examine what resolutions we need to make for the future.
Last year was one of deteriorating conditions for millions of us. Despite the valiant efforts of “we, the people” to come to the aid of our brothers and sisters in distress, providing aid to hurricane victims from Puerto Rico to Houston, standing with the water protectors at Standing Rock and elsewhere against a destructive pipeline and for protection of our environment, fighting the fascist emergency manager law and the corporate effort to takeover water in Flint, protesting the increasing police brutality across the nation, and marching for health care and immigrant rights, for housing, education, against racism and sexism, (the list goes on), we, the people find our government aiding the corporations at our expense.
Story after story reveals a government blind to the cries of the people for housing and health care for all; a government that is more and more an outright front for corporate shareholders, billionaires, and millionaire wannabes.
The reality for a growing section of American workers (fifty percent of us are living in or on the edge of poverty) is economic starvation and ruin. An estimated 6.5 million youth are now homeless. Hungry children in rural America are breaking into neighbors’ homes and stealing food from their refrigerators. Young single moms are car-pooling an hour’s drive to sell their plasma to buy food for their kids. Children are selling their bodies on the streets to help support their families. It is winter. Our homeless brothers and sisters are forced from their tents, roused from sleep by cops at the orders of our elected officials. They’re scattered to die in the cold, while public housing is destroyed. Public property is given to private developers, turning cities into playgrounds for the rich. The holiday season of “Good Will Towards Men and Peace on Earth” has ended. Charitable organizations are strained to the limit. We have a system that protects the “rights” of corporations over the people’s “rights” for life itself.
The decimation of our class by the economic revolution cannot be stopped by any one leader or by reforming the system. Labor-replacing technology is here to stay and is being introduced in every category of jobs. Some are forced to work three poverty-wage jobs to keep a roof over their head as a result. Meanwhile, in the face of mounting oppression by the corporations and their government, unity of those who are fighting for their survival is what we are in the process of accomplishing.
Let us resolve to fight forward to secure a future with a vision of a sustainable society based on distribution of the abundance produced today to meet the needs of “We, the People,” whether we can pay or not. Let’s move onward to build the revolution for a new society that is truly governed by us in our common interests.
Prisoner donates week’s pay
A prisoner showed his appreciation of the People’s Tribune by donating $2. Prisoners make about 37 cents a day, so the donation was more than one week’s pay. This donation challenges us all! Won’t you also donate? Send to PT, PO Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654-3524 or donate via paypal at peoplestribune.org. — The Editors
Tell us what you think we should do with those who can’t work (health, etc.) and those for whom no jobs are available. We’re over 20 years into our war on the poor, during which the overall life expectancy of the US poor fell below that of every developed nation. Democrats made the war on the poor cool and middle class liberals moved on to other issues. (Incidentally, the great majority of very poor are white.)
Dear Brethen,
Your comments said it all: those who are sought out by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, vs. those who are well off and
pretend that they know nothing of fellow human beings who are suffering so much, but unwilling to do anyhing out of selfishness.
I am on the edge of poverty, having lost everything, and observing those who are homeless has been an eye opener for me.
When the Dear Lord blesses me with prosperity again, I shall endeavor to do my utmost for the poor and destitute.
Very Truly Yours,
Larry Howerton, I pray A Humble BondServant
Thank you for your comments! So very true and a reality the world is waking up to – so much want on one hand, so much abundance on the other. This is not good or godly according to any spiritual tradition or human moral, you express that very well. Please let us know if you would like a bundle of the People’s Tribunes to distribute or a subscription for yourself, to get this vision we share out to others who are struggling to create the world we envision and need, all of us. Best to you, the Editors