A society can be judged by how we treat its weakest members

[intooblivion 10]

(Observed by Gandhi.)

 

I've noticed over the past few days there has been some harsh posts relating to people less fortunate than some of us. Does anyone else read Max Pemberton's column? Here's a little example from last week.

 

'That man has just spat at me. It takes a while for what has happened to sink in. But he definitely spat at me.... I'm not sure what to do. No one has ever spat at me before. No one is coming to my rescue because I'm not on a ward, and the person who has just spat at me isn't a patient. He's just a random passer-by. I hadn't even looked at him, let alone done something to provoke such an attack......

 

The man sitting next to me isn't outraged because he's used to it. As I sit there, it dawns on me that the man who spat at me has done so because he thinks I'm someone else. He doesn't realise that I'm a doctor, sitting down on the pavement, trying to persuade a patient with a gangrenous leg that he should come with me to hospital. He has spat at me because he thinks I am homeless.

 

And so for a brief moment I learn what it's like to be on the lowest rung of the social ladder, quite literally scratching around in the gutter to survive.....

 

There's something seriously wrong when our society produces individuals who are so incapable of respecting others.'

 

I hope over Christmas and New Year this gives everyone something to pause and think about it and no more posts dis-respecting any member of our society.

[futura2000 10]

Yes!

This is just one of the contradictions we are faced with within our society.

People are homeless, but some people own 3 houses, some people are unemployed ---->> train them to build more houses! But they don't.

WE work - can't afford things so we have to work longer hours, we get a raise but the tax goes up, the rent goes up.

We want 2 rebel but can't because they have gave just enough of the carrot so you can't persuade all the people you work with . We drink to get away from work, when we aren't at work we are resting from it!

 

We have these contradictions so the bourgouise can carry on dominating us.

Think about it - Black against White, Males against Female, Goth against Chav, employed against the unemployed ect.. ect... The media portray help us take these contradictions in. EG: unemployed are making tax raise, In New Orleans the black people were "looting" and the white were searching for food ect..

 

They have us thinking about those small differences and fight between us instead of Uniting with each other! Uniting and rebelling against the Bourgouise!

 

The homeless are only homeless, probably, because of their exploitation anyways... and that person who thinks he is wayyy better than the homeless is probably, in reality, not much better and he has to do that 2 make himself feel better about his position in society.

 

Like Oblivion says

this gives everyone something to pause and think about it and no more posts dis-respecting any member of our society

[Zenmaster 10]

yes yes yes

 

I also value one of gandhi's other famous quotes which to paraphrase is: an eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.

[tiffy 10]

I remember as a child being in the family car and my dad suddenly stopped and got out to talk to a raggedy looking man. We (kids) asked mum why dad was talking to a tramp - they talked for ages but she had no idea. Finally dad returned and we drove on home. On the way we asked him the same thing we'd asked mum only for him to warn us never to talk like that. Turns out he was a distant relative of dads that had once owned his own business and had done some travelling etc etc. Dad didn't tell us much but ever since then when we've seen someone who appears to be a down and out we always remember that.

 

Another thing he told us was never to make fun of someone worse off than you (financially or physically etc) you never know how you're going to end up.

 

Acceptance and tolerance would definately make for a trully Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[shoeshine 10]

tiffy....

Another thing he told us was never to make fun of someone worse off than you (financially or physically etc) you never know how you're going to end up.

Your Dad was a very wise man.

 

Happy New Year to you and yours:)

[intooblivion 10]

Our local 'tramp' died a couple of years ago. Not known to any of us he was in all the papers. Apparently some professor in physics, very wealthy but had chosen to live his life that way and his house was a barn in a field.

 

You just never know who you are talking to!

[Andy 10]

Originally posted by tiffy

Another thing he told us was never to make fun of someone worse off than you (financially or physically etc) you never know how you're going to end up.

 

I recall reading that the average person is only three pay cheques away from being homeless.

 

Certainly makes you think.

[katy1981 10]

i cant belive that someone would do that for that reason or that they can do for any reason at all to be honest im very appauled!!!

 

i often talk to the homeless people to town when i have time for a chat i have even bought two coffee's and took one over to the guy that sells the big issue outside tg hughes and had a coffee and a chat with him and he himself has bought me a coffee as well! we talk about how his life and his family is going how me and my son are and we talk about news and polotics weather and when my son is with me he sits with my son and talks abut the latest power rangers or the latest kids tv programe thats on. it takes nothing us to be nice to this guy there is nothing in it for me i have nothing to gain from being nice to him i do it cos i can! my sisters hate it they say whats the point he'll prob be picking your pocket while you arnt looking are trying to find out where you live so he can rob you! this man i no less of a person then me and i am no better than he is we are both human beings trying to make the best of what we have my son once said mummy i cant talk to that man i dont know him and he looks funny i then said to my son ok firstly i said if i introduce you to him then he wil not be a stranger i said son every person is a potential good freind and in this world sweetheart freinds should be held tightly with both hands freinds are the family we choose to have and he may not dress like you or me and he may be a little different doesnt mean he is not the same he has feeligs like you and me ! i have found him to be a very nice well mannerd polite young man and he has never been rude to me. my son now shouts hello to him even if we are on the opposite side of the road and he always shouts back. a little common curtouisy costs nothing and probably makes his day a little happier!

 

i just dont know why all people cant just love each other and be civil at the end of the day we only have one life! and there is millions of people on this planet they come from all countries and from diferent backgrounds its a shame as we could all be so much happier if we was a little nicer to each other. i personaly dont pick my freinds by what they earn or what they have!

[Cyclone 10]

Originally posted by futura2000

Yes!

This is just one of the contradictions we are faced with within our society.

People are homeless, but some people own 3 houses, some people are unemployed ---->> train them to build more houses! But they don't.

WE work - can't afford things so we have to work longer hours, we get a raise but the tax goes up, the rent goes up.

We want 2 rebel but can't because they have gave just enough of the carrot so you can't persuade all the people you work with . We drink to get away from work, when we aren't at work we are resting from it!

 

We have these contradictions so the bourgouise can carry on dominating us.

Think about it - Black against White, Males against Female, Goth against Chav, employed against the unemployed ect.. ect... The media portray help us take these contradictions in. EG: unemployed are making tax raise, In New Orleans the black people were "looting" and the white were searching for food ect..

 

They have us thinking about those small differences and fight between us instead of Uniting with each other! Uniting and rebelling against the Bourgouise!

 

The homeless are only homeless, probably, because of their exploitation anyways... and that person who thinks he is wayyy better than the homeless is probably, in reality, not much better and he has to do that 2 make himself feel better about his position in society.

 

Like Oblivion says

 

ermm, who exactly are the "bourgouise"? and why would they want to make people homeless?

[intooblivion 10]

Originally posted by Andy

I recall reading that the average person is only three pay cheques away from being homeless.

 

Certainly makes you think.

 

I'm about half a pay cheque away from being homeless

[pk014b7161 11]

money as become the only god some people worship everything comes down to money a disaster occurs they say how many are dead and in the same breath how much it has/

will cost in money terms

[donkey 10]

Originally posted by Zenmaster

yes yes yes

 

I also value one of gandhi's other famous quotes which to paraphrase is: an eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.

 

Here's a quote from some zen geezer: ''A tramp on the road is more likely to see the true nature of reality than an abbot in a monastery.''