Make it Relevant!

It’s exhausting and sickening to watch one side going after the other.

All this side steppin’ has us at an utter stand still, as we plummet and drop deeper into chaos and painful madness.

Enough already with the Right attacking the Left, and the Left taking cheap shots at the Right.

What has the domestic attack on the Capitol taught us?

Words matter!

There’s consequence to rhetoric.

And rhetoric is a dangerous thing; when it is employed to play with people’s vulnerabilities and exploit the very vulnerabilities around the intensity (of) frightening, undesirable conditions people are struggling through every day; like poverty, unwellness, food and housing insecurity, lack of quality health care, lack of transportation or the essential means thereof.

Moreover, there’s environmental injustice, systemic racism / injustice, education inequality, not to mention domestic terrorism and a CoVID crisis.

We cannot move forward without a bridge to get to the other side. What secures that bridge in safety is accountability.

There is systemic injustice that effects all American ethnicities.

It is not human beings we need to go after. It’s policies that fasten people in conditions that keep them flailing close to if not actually falling below a (realistic) poverty line (a poverty line that has not changed much since the 1950’s and even then, did not reflect the realities of the true cost of living).

A livable wage ain’t livable if it can’t at least pay the rent. Bump a “livable” wage, make the wage relevant.

Relevant to today’s living expenses starting with basic housing, transportation, healthcare and (healthy) food costs. Create federal funds that help businesses pay wages that are relevant and help businesses to ensure that all workers have quality, necessary benefits.

I present to you today, that if wages were truly reflective of today’s cost of living (especially in NYC), minimum wage would be $35/hour; because in NYC, a 2-bedroom apartment in a relatively decent neighborhood is easily $1700 to $1800 a month.

How do we do this?

If this country can invest over a trillion dollars in war, and create a Space Force, then we have every ability to be determined, creative and capable enough to make this a reality. Naturally, if minimum wage is raised to $35/hr., then all pay scales would need to increase, and the country’s capital would need to be distributed in accord with that. America's middle class is evaporating in this current struggle to do more than just "survive."

With that said, no relationship can survive harm or abuse without healthy reconciliation and actions to make it safe moving forward, and make it right. Ideally this needs to happen expeditiously.

You don’t get to hurt someone and tell them to “move on” or “get over it” if you expect to have a healthy union.

Stop it. No more Left, Right cheap shots. It’s time to get to the heart of the matter.

You’re wasting America’s time and causing her children (our future) harm.

Stop the gas lighting and voraciously reckless lying to our country… this is confusing, it’s dangerous and nothing short of emotional abuse (at best).

Instead let’s get the babies out of “cages” and connect them back in their mother’s arms (in cases that are not harmful or abusive) as best we can. And, by the way, the way to put an end to crime (drug abuse, mental illness, sickness and domestic violence) is by creating access to advancement (give people hope for a true future).

Create equality and access to quality opportunities to higher education and vocational training for every American.

The burden of the economy is on the backs of overwhelmed, under paid & over-exploited minimum wage and essential workers. This country is fueled from the bottom up.

Therefore, the stronger we are at the bottom, the more secure this whole country will be.

Increase the peace in our environments (well conditions and equality) and there will be peace in our homes and peace in our streets.

Stop deflecting, projecting and refusing to make it right.

With all that said, livin’ “just enough” ain’t even enough at all.

If essential workers are so “essential” then treat them as though they really are, and stop sending them home emptied and nearly empty handed, because there is no fair compensation, when they have to choose between whether to pay the utility bills or the rent.

So, bump “livable conditions” on a “livable wage,” make it relevant!

There is something you can do right now in real time to impact the minimum wage and ultimately, the wellbeing for every American human being, see this episode of Roland Martin Unfiltered (2/15/2021), beginning at 29 minutes and 40 seconds in, Rev. William J. Barber will be presenting shortly thereafter, listen and take action: https://youtu.be/ChVlNtGDV2c