Stand Alone, Together

I am Citizen 1. I am 99%. I stand alone.

[the53]

[thecitizen1-blog]

the53:

I was a religion major.

Most jobs want business or computing majors, but my passion was (and still is) the big questions in life.  I don’t regret my decision.

I’m almost done with my student loans, but I had to go bankrupt on credit cards.  Some choices I made were foolish.  Others were necessary at the time.  Now I live with my mom to help make ends meet.

I’ve worked retail for eight years.

BUT I HAVE A JOB!

So many people in this world would switch places with me in a heartbeat, rather than continue dying of famine or disease.

Some of my peers object: “I didn’t go to college to sell clothes.”  I’m appalled by their sense of entitlement.

You don’t need to like your job - but don’t look down on mine.

I don’t share your opinion - so don’t speak for me.

OCCUPY WALL STREET, you do NOT speak for me.

I am the 53%: working hard, and grateful for my life.

Agreed.

[thecitizen1-blog]

I figure ...

NOTE:  This is an extreme metaphor.  A hyperbole.

The next time a mugger decides to come up and take the few dollars I have in my pocket ... I will give it to them, no questions asked.  He clearly was in need, and the few dollars won't destroy me financially.  I just hope the mugger doesn't realize he can do that again the next day and the next.

I work for my money.  I don't work for the thousand of others who need my one dollar.

[gypsay-deactivated20120126]

[thecitizen1-blog]

gypsay:

My parents met the first week of college. My mom came from a more upscale lifestyle than my dad who was raised on a farm. My dad failed out of college his sophomore year and joined the Navy. My mom later graduated from school and got a job as a social worker. My dad busted his ass while he was in...

[thecitizen1-blog]

My rant that got me started.

Someone posted a link to the westandwiththe99percent.tumblr.com and I got to thinking why aren't any of these people already giving their money to causes and needs.  Why are they asking the government to take the money that someone earned or someone could earn?  Here is my rant on the situation of no one knowing what they are protesting for. A little discombobulated and unpolished, but this was spur of the moment.  I would gladly have arguments against some of things I said, too.  But this is it verbatim.

"Question: If I were a 1%-er, and I was there because I raised my small business to a bigger private/local business ... let's say selling pizza ... if I were to be taxed more because I am the 1% ... wouldn't that money be going to bail out national/international companies because they are "American Institutions" ... thereby killing my opportunity to grow into the whole that would have been left by the bankrupt corporation?  

Simply ... Tax means it will belong to the government, thus it is given to whoever the government deems in need. I don't encourage the government caring for my money or trust in them to give me money. I encourage the 1% to give their money. If they don't, oh well. Sorry, it's just a general mistrust in the goodness of others and the group mentality. 

The economy is built to fail and crash in order to maintain a quo. Otherwise the rich get richer, the poor get poorer. Taxing the rich more only keeps the rich rich, making the poor slightly less so, and destroying the middleclass which myself and my family reside. Jobs will remain a rare commodity. Unfortunately, we've built ourselves so much debt crashing can't be an option because then we will be "bought."

And if a tax like that is established ... the 1% will no longer be the 1% but maybe the .5% who hold all the money and power. I encourage expanding the 1% ... and the only way to do that is to support small businesses and middle class, not the poor class. The more we increase the 1%, the more we support the middle class allowing poorer classes to get in the door to better jobs and more money and be upgraded to a middle class status.

Taxing the rich more creates less jobs by the big corporations ... but the big corporations stay afloat, and with the big corporations unable to fail, little corporations cannot grow and die. You don't see big corporations fighting anymore, instead with less money they hire less and buy small businesses (only to close shop and kill competition) ... in the long run it will pay off more for them.

All I'm saying is I want to work for my money. I want to have the opportunity to work my way up, no matter my class. Rant over.

‎... Rant not over ... when you get out of college with your degree, where do you expect to get a job? In the high 1 percent of umbrella corporations, or in the wide middle margin of smaller businesses? Imagine how much harder it will be to get a well-paying job when both those areas are smaller. Now rant over.

Where would one think the money taxed from the rich and corporations will go with the government? It will go back to the corporations to purchase more of their services and products, on the higher end. I'd like to see a product other than by IBM, HP, Apple, or Dell in a government office ..."

[thecitizen1-blog]

This one may be a little snide.

"I am the 1%.  I stand with the 99%.

I was born into money.  Luckily, my family had the money to give me.  they were not taxed and could give me money I have the choice of giving, too.

I am Occupying Wallstreet.  Bought a ticket get there from California by purchasing a major US airline ticket.  I skipped work to get there

I have my Protest Playlist, mostly by mainstream artists from major labels, on full blast on my portable electronic device of choice.

I look my best in my brand name polo and cap sporting my favorite national sports team.

After the Occupation, I plan on getting some coffee with my like-minded protesters at the nearest internationally gripping patisserie.

Later, I'm going to go on my large social network and recruit more Occupiers.

During the entire trip I passed several homeless people asking for change.  I pretended they weren't there ... unless making a point.

I have more than what I want.  Tax me.  I have more money than I know what to do with, so please take it and do as you please, Government.

I am the 1%.  I stand with the 99%. ... because everyone else is."

I am Citizen 1.  I am 99%.  I stand alone ... because of people like this.

[thecitizen1-blog]

We are a nation of wants

What makes this nation great is that we don't necessarily need.  We can all afford to want and to want as much as we want.

Don't take my want away from me.

Real poverty is the loss of choice.  The loss of want.  The American Poor and Lower Middle are not aware of how many choices we still have.  Go to all third world countries and see how much choice they have.  Consider yourself lucky.

Real poverty is to have only that loaf of bread that can keep you alive for the week, and to expect about the same or less the next week.

No one will get what they want or deserve, when we all only get what the powers that be deem we need.

I am Citizen 1.  I am 99%.  I stand on my own.

[thecitizen1-blog]

I am an artist.

My profession relies on the generosity of the "greedy" 1%.  I act at theatres sponsored solely by those in money.  I design for those who invest in my artistry.

Arts are dying because of government actions.  However, those wonderful people with money can freely spend their money on luxuries of art and entertainment.

My profession of 99% exists because of the 1%.

I am Citizen 1.  I am 99%.  I stand on my own.

[thecitizen1-blog]

You cannot help everybody all the time.

There's that old saying.  Many people confuse giving everyone what they want and giving people what they need.  It is impossible to give everyone what they want.  You can give everyone what they need.  You'll be surprised what little an individual needs.  You'll be surprised that most everyone in the US, even the poor, get what they need.

However, happiness has been adopted in our culture as another need.  What gives happiness you may ask?  Giving someone what they want gives them happiness.  A want, however, by definition and logic is not a need.  So, though most everyone in the US gets what they need, a good amount are not happy.  You can be happy with what you have, but start getting used to being happy with what little you'll have.  HAPPINESS IS NOT A NEED; IT IS A WANT.

If you can give, please do give.  Consider it.  But remember, it's more beneficial to give one like-minded person $1000 than it is to give 100,000 random people 10 cents.  That one like minded person can more easily turn $1000 into $2000 and in turn give it to someone else.  Those 100,000?  Half of them are needed to double their return to break even.  But it is more likely that a good percentage are not so giving and not so adept with finances.

I am Citizen 1. I am 99%. I stand on my own.

[thecitizen1-blog]

I do not support redistribution of wealth. I stand for redistribution of business.

[westandwiththe99percent]

[thecitizen1-blog]

westandwiththe99percent:

I remember walking around town collecting aluminum cans with my dad so we could get money for food. I remember heating water on a propane stove to have a bath and storing our food outside in the winter to keep it cold. Years later we lost our house and lived out of the family car for a short time.  I now have a great job and great health insurance Me and my wife have degrees and have more than enough disposable income. We have great health insurance which covers my wifes $60,000/year medical bills.  We are the 1% and stand with the 99% 

It's amazing we live in a nation where you get paid for picking up trash.  Now you have money, please give back.  Don't wait or ask to be taxed because you can't already give it.

[thecitizen1-blog]

"We are the 1%; We stand with the 99%"

Let's deconstruct some of these photos and "1%ers."  For one, most of these KIDS (most "1%ers" are underage, college students or fellow recent grads) who are Upper-middle class ... YOU ARE NOT THE 1%!

This one states that every person deserves a life such as their own.  True; we all deserve that life.  We should all aim and work towards that life.  To start with raising your taxes?  Well, that would mean losing one of your "luxuries."  If your parents were taxed more, you would not have been born into money; you might not have health insurance; you might not have afforded college; or you might not have lived in an upscale neighborhood.  Congrats, you've been taxed to give a government office new computers, or given half a cent to hundreds of thousands or people in need for the year ... who, guess what, will still be in need next year.

You could have just simply given up one of those luxuries and given your money to someone or something.

[thecitizen1-blog]

Hello

I am the 99%.  I stand with the future 1%.  I stand with myself.

Shocking right?  I don't stand with the 1% of the 1% that don't give freely of their own money, but that's their right.

I am a recent college graduate.  I received a free ride.  However "free" is not how I would describe it.  I received scholarships and money from my parents.  I didn't go to college for free; I was paid for.  Those scholarships from sponsors, the government, and my parents were all investments in the product that is/was myself as a student.  A return is expected in the form of a graduate who could one day contribute to the community/society.  I did not get more than I needed; I received exactly what I needed to achieve the degree.  Every dollar was a dollar I did not have to work for.

Myself and my family are both lower middle class.  We do not live outside our means.  I understand the difference between needs and wants.  There is a difference between "poor" because you have no money and "poor" because you spend all your money.  It's amazing to know how little you need to live, how very little money it takes.  It also amazes me to realize how much money I can afford to my wants.

I long ago grasped the concept of the value of a dollar.  My father worked for every cent for my family as member of the Air Force, then as an employee of the local sheriff's office.  My mother never had to work, myself and 4 other children in the household never had to work through school (we all went to college locally).  Homeowners since 1981 ... the same home for 30 years in Tampa, FL, in one of the more privileged suburban neighborhoods.  We live with what we need and we never wanted the most expensive/newest products.  We retain the intrinsic connections between the value of a dollar, the worth of a product/service, the quality of labor, and the time worked.

By definition of how much we've earned, we would be considered in need.  I've had exactly what I needed, and the luxury of getting what I want when I can.  It upsets me to think that I am considered poor.  It upsets me to think that those in Occupy are "in need."  It upsets me to see that when I see them on Apple products, wearing designer/brand clothing, or drinking Starbucks; and they still consider themselves "in need."  In my town, I've seen those in need; and, yes, they are not to the American average wealth ... but in the world perspective, they have exactly what the need and then some.  Half of my family is in the Philippines, and many of them would trade their lives to become "American Poor." The homeless and the hungry in America do not compare to those who are hungry and homeless around the world.  If you want a place where everyone gets exactly what they need and only what they need ... go tour some of those communist and socialist countries. 

I may be considered to have more than what I need ... but what happens when I may be considered to have more than I should have.  That is the confusion being spawned in Occupy.

I give what I can and when I want, to whom I want.  I give freely.  What makes this nation great is that I have the potential and opportunity to climb to or one day find myself in the 1%.  Every single citizen has that.  When/if I make it to that status, I would be more than happy to give my money to causes and peoples I feel deserve or need it.  I am an artist, actor, dancer, and writer, but if ever I come into money I will support those college/school programs that brought me here; I will sponsor the organizations that gave me opportunities early in my professional career; and I will invest in future students of craft.  That is what I want, not what I need.  So they will not be considered in determining how much the government should tax me if tax based on class income should come to pass.  What can I give, when what I don't need is taken?

I am the result of a want.  I was never a need.  My parents didn't need me, they wanted me.  I didn't need to go to college; everyone, including myself, wanted me to go to college.  Someone didn't need to give me scholarships to go to university; they wanted to invest in my education and future.  I don't need to go to Grad School; I don't need to be an artist; I don't need to one day have a family; I don't NEED anything but food, water, clothing, and breath.  Neither does anyone else.  What makes life great is our wants.  I am a want.

I am a future 1%, or 2% or 3% ... or more!  I will one day give freely my money to those I deem deserve it.  I do not support Corporatization.  I support Capitalism and Competition.  Taxes such as these destroy competition and support conglomerate schemes.  I support the opportunity to grow as large as you want, and risk falling as far as you came up.  Don't confuse wants with needs, because you'll be surprised what little you need.  Support those who can support the less fortunate.  Support those who can give; do not support those who take.

I am Citizen 1.  I stand on my own.