I got a chance to see comedian Jerry Seinfeld in concert recently. At the end of his show he took some questions. One fellow asked Jerry: “You’re a millionaire, why would you do a show here?” People were already laughing at the question. Jerry’s reply: “Well, I am only here for awhile.... YOU, on the other hand...” The crowd was laughing so loud, Jerry had to pause. When the laughter died down, Seinfeld continued: “You have chosen to live here”
I wanted to steal that line.. “You have chosen to live here.” This line is so true. We do choose to live “here”. Mentally and physically, where ever “here” might be.
In the last three post I have done, I have been very blunt. I have talked about the events of the tragedy of New Orleans in a cold-hearted, “just the facts” type of way. I did not talk about New Orleans until I saw democrats blaming only President Bush for this tragedy. I have been called racist, uncaring and basically stupid. This has caused me to do some soul searching.
I grew up in a predominantly African-American neighborhood. Mine was about the only white face you would see. In the 1960's and 70's, blacks were told that the White Man was holding them back. ‘It was the White Man that causes black people to be poor.” So black people were not too happy to see me. They never seemed to care that I was just as poor as they were. I was beat up many times. I remember one time, several guys tried to make me drink urine from a bottle. That was time I learned to run.. VERY FAST. I had guns held to my head, just to see if they could make me cry.
Running doesn’t always work. When people gang up on you, you can’t out run them. I have been on the ground being punch and kicked by a gang of 20. When I wasn’t getting in trouble by the police, I spent everyday looking for a way to get drunk and stoned.
I learned to fight. I became good at it. I learned to be funny. “If you can make someone laugh, they are less likely to shoot you.” As soon as I could, I took all kinds of jobs. I moved the hell away from that neighborhood. I changed the people, places and things that caused me trouble.
You may think I would be bitter, but I am not. Before that time, I was shy and quiet. I didn’t fight for anything. Today, I fight for what I want. I do not wait for the government or anyone to give me anything. Actually, those guys from that neighborhood probably turned me to capitalism. I saw first hand what liberal / social programs do to people. Makes them lazy. “You are living by hand-outs and never rise above the poverty level.
So I am going to return a little “Tough Love” to people who are living in a city like New Orleans.
“If you choose to stay in that neighborhood.. Then in that neighborhood you will stay.”
But.. If you get off the booze and drugs. Get a job. Get out of that city. Change people, places and things that screw your life up. And learn. Learn something new each day. If no one will teach you, teach yourself at the library.
I wanted to close by saying that I have several black friends from that old neighborhood. They stuck up for me and we have watched out for each other ever since. They also got out of that neighborhood. It’s tough, but it can be done. Am I prejudice? I do not think so, but I could be. Am I tough on the poor? Yes. Someone has to be! “If you wait for someone to ‘lift’ you out of the ghetto, it isn’t going to happen. You have to walk out of the ghetto.”
In my travels I will sometimes end up in a bad section of a city. I see the trash on the streets. People giving you the “stink eye.” Guys drinking booze on the street corner. A chill will go up my spine. Then I think of the Seinfeld line...
“I’m only here for a while... You, on the other hand, have chosen to live here”....AR...
Here are some comments from another Blog system...
You are right. Without going into my whole life history, I had a chance to do or die. Make a life with welfare for my kids, or put myself thru school and look ahead, not back. That was my choice. I never forget "where" I came from. Sometimes I drive thru that part of town, and it is a sober reminder to never forget where I came from... and even at my age, I will continue to learn and experience new things because once I stop... I die.
comment by mentalhealthrn
You are so right! Good for you that you didn't give up or get bitter! You excelled and went on to better yourself, and in doing so you make the world around you a better place.Jenn
comment by chihulahualover
Thank you very much!! Both of you. I kind of feel like my guts are laying out for the world to see. I am kind of a private person. I wrestled with this editorial for days. It still isn't presented well. Thank You!…AR…
comment by angryrepublican
I saw in an economics book someplace a mathematical formula that proved poverty doesn't exist. It was quite simple, divide the amount of money spent on poverty by the number of people in poverty, the result was something like fifty thousand dollars going towards every person in poverty a year. Of course its absurd to say that poverty doesn't exist cause of this equation, but it shows that money isn't the whole story. But I don't remember the numbers that well.
comment by manning
Thanks to everyone who comments!!...AR...
