#structural inequity

[unwelcome-ozian]

[luverofsupernatural]

My coworker was rightfully upset yesterday when one of our ignorant coworkers started disgusting how people don't deserve a living wage. And now, my mind is racing, thinking about all I've learned about how fucked up our country is. I can't remember everything (and may misremember, but here's a list

*disclaimer, I started this at 4am, was doing it from memory, and probably got a few things mixed up

The pilgrims, who we laud for escaping religious persecution, were actually hella strict and possibly trying to force their religion on others

Washington hated the idea of a two party system, but that's what happened anyway

The constitution was made to be amended, and the founding fathers expected it to be shredded every 10-20 years

Laws written, even in the constitution, can/are racist

13th amendment, free from slavery amendment, had an exception for criminals. So what happened? White folks started making all these bullshit laws and reasons why a black person could be arrested (runaway slave, they look dangerous and like they could rape, loitering)

Regulations are written in blood. Why can't lead paint be stored in the same place as workers? Because someone did, and people got seriously ill/dead because of it

De-regulation causes a race to the bottom

Corporations are not people, they do not have morals. They will squeeze you dry, as a worker or as a buyer

The patent for insulin was sold for $1 under the pretense that it could be sold and affordable to all who needed it. It is criminal the price gouging that is happening

We have so many more oligopolies in this country than you realize. And collusion is becoming far easier to raise prices/price gouge

Segregation laws “separate but equal” still had effects after they were abolished. The Black family looking to move to a better neighborhood was prevented from doing so (housing association, racist homeowners) or they couldn't get a loan because they had insufficient collateral.

You cannot expect to build wealth when most of your income goes towards just surviving and you cannot get a job because the hiring committee makes the assumption (or sees) your black and says you aren't a good fit for our culture (translate, not white) or not qualified enough (they are, you lying)

A question I thought up, does a child not deserve the chance at getting a better education for herself? (In notion to Ruby, the famous black girl who was bussed to a white school district and was severely protested.)

Why the fuck do some people not deserve the right to earn enough to live? What possible reason do you have? Criminal? System will throw them in jail for anything

Also, on that, mandatory minimums are predatory and the war on drugs became a way on people of color and drugs because no one arrested the rich white boy or white CEO for doing cocaine

Also, jail is like a scarlet A. So you can't get a good job most of the time to get savings to live a decent life

Also, cops are not your friend. They will lie and focus more on arrests or playing cowboy/John wick, or just getting someone arrested than do they do about catching the criminal.

Laws cops follow can be/are racist. Loitering? You are literally just existing. The cop assumes you are doing something illegal. Traffic stops? "You looked like you were gonna speed". Or use those as a cause to find any reason to arrest/fine you.

ICE cares more about deporting than who/why they are deporting. A majority of illegal immigrants are people who over stay their visas, not border hoppers.

And now I'm thinking about how the word refugee is used. In the media right now,. Ukrainians are refugees, but a few years ago (or recently, maybe), Syrians fleeing their country weren't deemed refugees (they were) and there was a "migrant crisis" and they were "illegal immigrants". You see how language is misused?

The Republican party has moved so far right and is blatantly racist and misogynist and stands for hate. Full stop.

Back to why the fuck don't people deserve the right to live.

Disabled people are severely limited with that $2000 month limit. You cannot build wealth or have savings because what? We need you to be dependent on the government? We don't want you in a better loving situation? Big government is afraid you'll hoard money????

And back to medical pricing. Demand is inelastic. You need this shit to survive. Whatever price the drug company can charge, they will, because you pay it or your die, and you don't want to die, so you are forced to line their pockets (who's really hoarding?)

Back to why the fuck don't people deserve the right to live? Your status shouldn't be determined by who you were born to, but that's kinda the case now. There are institutional structures keeping people from working their way out of poverty ("pull up by the bootstraps" myth).

Why the fuck can't some be paid a living wage? Because some jobs are beneath you and therefore the people in them should be beneath you? What made you do special to be better than the cashier who deals with far more crap than you every do and has much more patience and restraint?

What the fuck gives you the right to deem someone as lesser than you? You don't like a person, fine, your choice. But they are still a fucking human being. You lucked out on the lottery or ableness and corporate get a job.

Oh yeah, people who hate the disabled or think they are inconvenient, go fuck yourselves. You got lucky so far. People do not intentionally make themselves disabled, you monster.

Back to living wage. Actually no, the myth of the American Dream. You know why we have so immigration? Because people believe that life here is better than in their country. But now, as we've said, this country is racist towards immigrants depending on where you came from (Europe or somewhere else) or how you got here (cross the border illegally or over stay a visa). But if a boss knows you're and illegal immigrants, it's that race to the bottom (of job roles and pay) because they can lord ICE over you.

Now, some people are nice and understanding, but this post is about structural decay and rot in a festering system

Actually, the American Dream was dead the moment wages stopped rising with the incredible myth of Reagan’s “trickle down economics". Companies are amoral. Their sole purpose is to make profit. If they can keep labor costs low, they will. And they will charge you more for it

Your father in the 50s worked one job and supported his family. But you can't do the same. Why again do we not need a liveable wage?

Why do you want people in constant debt or homeless?

Are you better than them?

Or did you luck out?

And had money behind you?

And don't have predatory student loans?

Or didn't grow in a neighborhood whose social injustices were met with jail time and housing prices kept low or housing controlled by landlords to prevent ownership?

And did you not have to worry about your safety and life every day for simply existing?

And did you not have to worry about medical debt?

Or being torn away from your parents?

You were able to pass the social test of an interview to get a decent job. Good for you.

Not everyone is deemed worthy, and unjustly so.

Oh yeah, having a bachelor's degree for some jobs is pointless and a barrier to entry for people who don't have enough to get a college degree or don't want massive debt to get a college degree

Okay, i think I'm done. I probably said some wrong stuff in there, or mischarcterized, and I'm sorry about that. It's nearly 5 am, I'm doing this from memory, and why the fuck do I need to be accurate to argue that it is immoral to treat someone loving in less hospitable/unlivable conditions than you as someone who is unworthy of living? Corporations are amoral. You shouldn't be.