Add tags and can you please edit the text so that it shows up in the comm font?

I just... continue not to understand why people who are not doing that well are so up in arms about the possibility that obscenely rich people might have to pay as much tax as the average people do. I don't think they understand the movement. They think people are asking for handouts. They are not. They're asking for a slightly more level playing field.

And I'm slightly curious as to what this girl is doing? I'm curious as to what work she's actually doing rather than posting anecdata.

My ancestors? Came over here doing UNPAID labor. Sunup to Sundown. But I doubt that this child would want to hear about that.

Okay forreal, how could she even write that without breaking down in tears much less pose with it and SMILE?? Her life is part of the American tragedy. Somebody please relieve her poor father of his duties so he can rest! Why aren't these 4 college-educated kids taking over the family business so he can GET HEALTHY AND NOT DIE???

Edited at 2011-10-28 08:50 pm (UTC)

I just don't understand why we accept things like this girl's story as totally okay and normal and everyone should have to endure it because that's AMERICAN AND STUFF. THAT AIN'T RIGHT. No one should have to endure that much shit just to get by. She's proving the whole point of people's anger with the system.

Dying of cancer while working 72 hours a week: The American Dream!

Seriously though, I don't know what it is about the US but y'all seem to have a really high number of people who take a kind of twisted pride in how much they're struggling to keep their heads above water but don't have the unmitigated gall to ask for help to afford basic things like food, housing and medical care.

How can someone write this without even a hint of irony? Just - what?

I am so familiar with this attitude from my parents. I mean, my parents are massively lucky and don't really have that many problems, but I can't complain about anything unfair that happens to me around them (I am, like much of my generation, never going to be as prosperous as my parents--I live paycheck to paycheck despite having done everything "right"). Their response is always, "Oh well, that happens to everyone." Yes, yes it does happen to everyone. BUT WHY? WHY DO WE ALLOW IT? We don't have to, you know. Companies should be allowed to screw you over, and they totally will, but that's ~just life~. It's like the natural order of their universe is for people to constantly take advantage of others in the name of commerce and there's nothing anyone could ever possibly do about it. And trying to do anything about it, or even pointing it out, is just whining.

Oh, but they're currently being sued by the city for taxes (it's a complicated situation related to property assessments they had nothing to do with, so not their fault and the city is definitely being dicks about it) and they'll bitch and moan and complain about that for hours. But I can't say one word about my health insurance not covering something sort of necessary without it getting brushed off with "well, all health insurance is shitty oh wellsies that's just life."

People are so brainwashed. Work is a means to living. Not the other way around.

If you think there's something not fucked up about running your fingers down to the bone working long hours at a shitty job for crumby pay, then go on to deride people who are just trying to point out that's not the way things should be.. well, you're not tough, noble or anything like that. You're just a mark.

You know, I am not American and I think I do kind of get the appeal of the "American Dream" and liberty and shit, but when it comes to someone having a life threatening illness, how do you just say "LOL, I worked for my insurance too, so guess you are shit outta luck!"
It`s not that I don`t have any admiration for how strong her father is and how much he fights for his children having a better life, but being/getting healthy, come one, kinda a human right, right? What do you need to form a society for, if they won`t step in for you even in a life or death situation?

I was so about to make a post related to this but linking instead to Not 53 blog. That is pretty much breakin each of these signs down and saying how they are wrong.

This thing is continually making my head explode. There is no way that image depicts the American Dream. At least, not the one I aspire to. I do not want to have to work full time while my cancer is dehabilitating me because I have no other choice. Because I can't get any financial help, because there's no cure for cancer.

These people really just need to stop.

That is the American Nightmare and a reality for some many people. And the people posting to that tumblr need to wake the hell up because all this mixed consciousness shit is getting old.

You and your father could have, and deserve, so much better.

I honestly cannot tell if she is trolling the 53%ers or not. Ending your story with, "The cancer still grows. This is the American Dream" just seems too over the top to be real, even for the 53% blog.

I just do not understand why and how these 53%ers do not ask more for themselves. In what world must a cancer-stricken man believe he is supposed to work more than 72 hours a week to support his family. Why would his daughter celebrate this?

Is her father a strong man? Yes, absolutely, but he is working himself into an early grave.

Edited at 2011-10-28 11:42 pm (UTC)

You know those social situations where something is giving a laundry list and you are silently shaking your head in agreement, then they sum up with a sentiment that is the EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU THINK THE EVIDENCE LEADS TO? That's how I feel about the 53%-ers.

I mean, why are people proud to work 80 hrs a week? get less than 5 hours of sleep a night? never see their families? not have a life outside of work? I get the weird sense of satisfaction one most get to know they can survive such horrific conditions, but why then praise the system? You managed to put yourself through college while working full time and having kids? Amazing. Truly. But that doesn't mean you should have had to, or that others should have to, or that others are failures because they cannot.

Life shouldn't be about surviving. We shouldn't be merely proud about surviving. We should be fucking angry and demand that we all get the chance to live.

I never understood anti-government or anti-tax rhetoric from former (and some current) service members. It just seems so over the top, ridiculous. If socialism is anathema, why are you in an inherently socialistic career field?

If you can't stand paying taxes, why are you in a job where your salary is paid for entirely by taxes? Hell, while you're busy complaining about taxes, maybe if they raised them, they'd give us a raise. You don't know, you're too busy being irrational.

American dream? Seriously, this is the frigging American nightmare, lady! Wake up and smell the coffee!

SHE IS IN THE 1% GUYS EVEN THOUGH SHE IS UNEMPLOYED AND 100K IN DEBT

I know that I probably don't have much speaking rights right now as I am currently a second time student as well as I'm not American; but man. I kinda wish that 53% meme existed back when I was employed, just so I can hold a sign saying "I pay tax so people who are in need are catered for. Please, if you need help, don't feel like you are "leeching" off us because as far as I'm concerned it's way nicer than having my tax money going to the 120k/year politician's lunch".

Been on both sides of the situation. I hope I never, ever start to think that my tax shouldn't be used to cushion for the time when others are less fortunate.

so much false consciousness, I can't even.

and if that's the American dream, honey, I'll pass.

Right, so, my one and only 53%er friend (I literally can't believe I have one and I was thisclose to reconsidering that earlier today but I digress) explained this whole 53% thing to me because I just did not fucking get their point, and it was kind of an 'ahah! ...oh :/' kinda moment for me. Basically what these assholes are saying is, they are NOT part of a mass group of 99%, because basically a large portion of that 99% don't matter. They, special snowflakes that they are, are part of 53% of that 99% percentage, that actually DO matter--the 53% that pay income taxes. They are basically saying they disagree with the 99% portion because there are a lot of 'regular people' (i.e not billionaires) who are as much (or more?) a part of the problem as wall street, billionaires, whatever and et cetera, by not contributing/working hard/idek (it's the whole if I can do it so can you mentality here I guess), and they don't want to be grouped in with these non tax paying freeloaders. Because they --the 53%-- actually matter. And it seems to me they are also saying 'if I'm not complaining --me, who actually has the right to!!!!-- than these 'freeloaders' surely need to suck it up and not complain, either! Or some such shit like that.

fuckers aren't checking their privledge, basically. And are also doing a fantastic job at victim blaming and making themselves out to be the 'real victims and ... just smh.

Let me reiterate that my 53%er friend explained all of this to me today. I swear to god until today I just thought these people were stupid in a very very different way, in that they seemingly often miss huge giant glaring points and can't do maths very well. But, turns out they are actually completely idiotic in other ways! Just thought that might help others who don't get it, like myself, understand where these idiots are coming from. I've seen a lot of confusion about their 'point'. That's it I guess. I kind of felt sorry for how 'misguided' they seemed until now, so yeah.