Sunday, August 29, 2010

Brother... can u spare a dime?

I don’t know about you....but I have always had a rough time saying no to a beggar on the street, asking for some spare change....still do....
I can remember at times in my life feeling indignant...and other times feeling a sense of pity....to other times...feeling frightened by having someone, uncleanly approach me...on the street...to other times in my own life searching for a dime myself...even if it was between pay periods...
I suppose there is a deep rooted belief that exists...that being penniless equals being dirty...and to avoid people “like that”.

Times are tough for many, right now...and shortly... will be getting worse...normal people are falling on hard times...people everywhere will soon become displaced.

If you are fortunate enough to have done well financially, then you will be more insulated, to a large degree... to what is about to unfold in our country...cohabitation will become common, children will be seeking shelter from their aging parents.. families will be living together in larger numbers.....street life will become more commonplace...and the beggar, the one we may have avoided at all cost, in the past.....will soon start to resemble a person we know.

The Great Depression...triggered by the collapse of the financial markets in 1929.....affected many ordinary lives...and led to a free fall into unemployment....hunger and poverty......yet our collective memories sometimes fall short of the reality...of the “2nd coming” of a great depression...which is upon us....the markers are lighting up... like when they look at the early stages of cancer..

I don’t know what will be....or what I can do personally...to help others in need.....but I do know.....that this is not the time to judge harshly those deeply affected by these economic times...and to call on our elected leaders to put people as our top priority...jobs and people.....

Sometimes the written word from the past can allow us to see more clearly what is before us today....old words ...new meanings...here is a famous song from the Great Depression......


"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" lyrics by Yip Harburg, music by Jay Gorney (1931)

They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob,
When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear, I was always there right on the job.
They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead,
Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?

Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad; now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime;
Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell,
Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum,
Half a million boots went slogging through Hell,
And I was the kid with the drum!

Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time.
Why don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell,
Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum,
Half a million boots went slogging through Hell,
And I was the kid with the drum!

Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time.
Say, don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?

....rayray

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