The Second Knock...

Tupac Shakur. Have you ever heard this man speak? He is eloquent. He is full of pathos and heart, but many would rather focus on the kind of music he chose to make, which is nothing more than a snapshot of the world you gave him and the man you made him become. I say that to say that Mr. Shakur gave an analogy one time for the angst of the disenfranchised toward a prosperous government that exacerbates their already bleak situations. He said “we knock on your door politely to ask for food. You say ‘there isn’t any’, but we smell something cooking. We knock a second time a little less politely asking for food and again you tell us ‘there is no food’, yet we see you throwing sausages around in the back having a good time. Now, that third time will not be so friendly. This time we are kicking the door down.” In essence, how can you look us in the eye and tell us the cupboard is bare when we both know that is a lie. Moreover:

Knowing the Iraq War has cost over $500 billion since its inception, how can you look us in the eye and say that:

• We are in a recession and there is nothing you can do about it- We are definitely in one, no doubt. But how in the hell did we get here? 100 billion a year? Money that could have been put back in to the economy for, I don’t know, more after school programs for at-risk youth or increased spending on welfare and clinical research programs. Or how about reinvesting some of that in the housing market so that I-banks wont have to lay off thousands of people (you know who you are company that rhymes with UPS)…that would have been nice…

• My generation and the ones preceding will not have Social Security- I repeat: 100 billion a year…

Knowing that the war on drugs, censorship on television and in movies, etc. is for “the sake of the children” and that the Iraq war has cost $500 billion since its inception, how can you look us in the eye and say that:

• We cannot afford universal healthcare for children-Everything we go through nowadays is for the kids. Oh so I have to have a damn 7 sec delay on all sporting events and congressional hearings on music and video games all to protect the babies, but you guys recently passed on a bill that could give health care to children in america. Uh-huh. When it comes to censorship of adults and everything else that is thrown in under the guise of “helping the children”, its cool, but when you have to put money up, its F the kids…Nice, real nice…

Knowing that Oil companies have made collectively over 120 billion in profits this year and that “The Fight for the substantial portion of the World’s Oil reserves” aka The Iraq war has cost $500 billion since its inception, how can you look us in the eye and say that:

• Gas prices cannot be at LEAST a dollar cheaper-Its not just at the pump man. Although that hurts like hell too. Its more than that. Increasing gas prices have affected damn near ever facet of our society. Consumer goods: That Gatorade is now 50 cents more expensive b/c it now costs more to get the damn bottle to the stores. Travel: airlines tickets are more expensive because the fuel’s more expensive. Everything that has to be shipped is now more expensive because of gas and you SOB’s are making 120 BILLION dollars in profit. Come the hell on now. What part of the game is that? You say prices are the way they are because of the volatility of the oil market and I feel you on that. Oil’s a bitch, constantly fluctuating. But, you SOB’s are making 120 billion dollars in profit. Seriously, gas cant be 2.50 and you guys get 115 billion? Cut us a break or “for Christ’s sake cut [us] check”…(Before you get all Bernake on me, I know that many oil companies have diverse holdings in other areas that could contribute to their overall bottom line. But, lets be feasible here. They are not called oil companies because they have substantial stake in the Jheri curl market.)

Knowing that there are people who go without food day after day, that there are people that have to live on the streets, that there are people that work 10 hrs a day and still cant support a family, that there are people arrested for taking drugs just to make the day slightly better, that billions are being spent to take a picture of a red rock on mars, you still spent 500 billion dollars on the Iraq war. Now, how in the fuck can you look us in our tired, poor, and huddled eyes with any kind of self-respect and tell us that:

• THERE IS NOT ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE.

Consider this your Second Knock.