Trapped in Your Own Home?
By: Lance Winslow
As we look on at the rescue efforts we see hold outs in New Orleans who care not to be rescued. They are trapped in their own homes with water all around, but none to drink. No power, electricity surrounded by disease and despair. Some have new TV sets to look at but no way to plug them in? Is this anyway to live your life you ask as you watch with wonder and amazement; why don’t they leave? Well it is their home and all they know, what little they have left, they cling onto.
Now then, if you live in a big city, have you ever asked yourself why? Why do you put up with the traffic, crime and filth only a few miles away? More homeowners and more homes bring increased equity, but also more traffic, less convenience and more stress. Longer lines everywhere you go, if you even care to attempt to go anymore. Higher fuel prices mean when you do, you must combine trips and pay more to go less distance. The Housing Bubble and increased traffic has trapped many in their own home. It takes 30 minutes to go a few miles and there is no parking at the grocery store. No parking at Starbucks. Often you cannot get across an intersection or make a left hand turn. SUVs take an extra 1.6 seconds to go thru an intersection, thus are the same as 1.6 additional cars on the road rather than one. The Freeway is often more like a free parking lot. There is no freedom if you are trapped in your own home. Why do you stay, why don’t you get out? Because it is your home and that is all you know, the little you have left so you cling onto it.
If you run a small business your productivity is cut by a third in traffic. Small businesses, such as pool cleaners, landscapers, delivery, maids, etc are very much effected and do not forget fuel price increases are at least one-third higher now. They are not making a good standard of living and work day and night to make ends meet, they take their stress and work home every night. They cannot afford to send their kids to the colleges they wished they could, eat out as often or move to higher ground, yet they stay; Why do they stay in business? Why don’t they get out, because it is their little business and American Dream, that is all they know, the little they have left, so they cling onto it.
No one said life was going to be easy and obviously the current reality is clouded but it certainly is not good enough, so many feel trapped, economically enslaved, yet they press on, but what keeps them going? Why do they allow this? Because this is all they have and all they know, so they cling onto it.
Folks this is why, the folks in New Orleans are staying in their homes, surrounded by dead floating bodies, sewage, and disease. My question to you is why do you live in mediocrity and accept this as the best we can do? They have an excuse in New Orleans, they have nothing left, how long are you going to wait before you wake up and help us fix what we have and make America the promise that is suppose to be? Think on that; too heavy, okay think about something else and come back to it later, but do not wait to long, we know what happens to those who wait, we can fix this and must, before it is too late.
Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/