Poor People's Campaign Readies Nationwide Mobilization

[YmirGF]

'Poor People's Campaign' readies nationwide mobilization









FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES - Poor People's Campaign

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

1. 
   1. We are rooted in a moral analysis based on our deepest religious and constitutional values that demand justice for all. Moral revival is necessary to save the heart and soul of our democracy.

1. 
   2. We are committed to lifting up and deepening the leadership of those most affected by systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, and ecological devastation and to building unity across lines of division.

1. 
   3. We believe in the dismantling of unjust criminalization systems that exploit poor communities and communities of color and the transformation of the “War Economy” into a “Peace Economy” that values all humanity.

1. 
   4. We believe that equal protection under the law is non-negotiable.

1. 
   5. We believe that people should not live in or die from poverty in the richest nation ever to exist. Blaming the poor and claiming that the United States does not have an abundance of resources to overcome poverty are false narratives used to perpetuate economic exploitation, exclusion, and deep inequality.

1. 
   6. We recognize the centrality of systemic racism in maintaining economic oppression must be named, detailed and exposed empirically, morally and spiritually. Poverty and economic inequality cannot be understood apart from a society built on white supremacy.

1. 
   7. We aim to shift the distorted moral narrative often promoted by religious extremists in the nation from personal issues like prayer in school, abortion, sexuality, gun rights, property rights to systemic injustices like how our society treats the poor, those on the margins, the least of these, women, children, workers, immigrants and the sick; equality and representation under the law; and the desire for peace, love and harmony within and among nations.

1. 
   8. We will build up the power of people and state-based movements to serve as a vehicle for a powerful moral movement in the country and to transform the political, economic and moral structures of our society.

1. 
   9. We recognize the need to organize at the state and local level—many of the most regressive policies are being passed at the state level, and these policies will have long and lasting effect, past even executive orders. The movement is not from above but below.

1. 
   10. We will do our work in a non-partisan way—no elected officials or candidates get the stage or serve on the State Organizing Committee of the Campaign. This is not about left and right, Democrat or Republican but about right and wrong.

1. 
   11. We uphold the need to do a season of sustained nonviolent civil disobedience as a way to break through the tweets and shift the moral narrative. We are demonstrating the power of people coming together across issues and geography and putting our bodies on the line to the issues that are affecting us all.

1. 
   12. The Campaign and all its Participants and Endorsers embrace nonviolence. Violent tactics or actions will not be tolerated.

A good, righteous cause to get behind, for both religious and non-religious alike. I especially like #10: "This is not about left and right, Democrat or Republican but about right and wrong."

The poor and the lower classes will not be ignored or swept aside. What do you think?

Do you see how not one of these supposedly "high ideals" demands education or enhanced skills training? What left-leaning claptrap "feel good" twaddle.

 

[YmirGF]

How do you raise yourself out of a minimum wage job, especially if you have kids? Try it and see how far you get.

That one is a tough nut to crack given that the person(s) involved have already made monumentally bad life choices. Education cannot hurt even in cases like this. The 12 points listed in the OP would certainly do little, if anything, to lessen their plight.

 

[Orbit]

That one is a tough nut to crack given that the person(s) involved have already made monumentally bad life choices. Education cannot hurt even in cases like this. The 12 points listed in the OP would certainly do little, if anything, to lessen their plight.

Social programs like PELL grants that are income-based would help them get some education. That program has been cut to almost nothing.

 

[Revoltingest]

That one is a tough nut to crack given that the person(s) involved have already made monumentally bad life choices. Education cannot hurt even in cases like this. The 12 points listed in the OP would certainly do little, if anything, to lessen their plight.

Principle #15
I will not start a family before I can afford to. I will be frugal,
saving my money, & making wise purchases. I will consider
the consequences of my actions before implementing them.
I will avoid dependence upon others to the extent I am able.

 

[YmirGF]

Social programs like PELL grants that are income-based would help them get some education. That program has been cut to almost nothing.

I don't see anything in the OP about PELL grants. Do you? I am thinking of educational aid much more basic however. A high school diploma would be a good start.

 

[YmirGF]

Principle #15
I will not start a family before I can afford to. I will be frugal,
saving my money, & making wise purchases. I will consider
the consequences of my actions before implementing them.
I will avoid dependence upon others to the extent I am able.

You are almost as bad as Hitler. Have you no shame? Next you are going to start talking about personal responsibility.

 

[Akivah]

A lot of poor people do hold down jobs, so your strawman argument here is irrelevant.

It's the wealthy who are the burden, since they collect so much money and do absolutely nothing to earn it. They're nothing more than con men and leeches. None of them earned their money, so they are the true burdens while deceiving the public that they're actually doing something. They do nothing.

Dave Ramsey recently completed a survey of 10,000 millionaires. He found that 94% were 1st generation millionaires, meaning they EARNED their own money. Only 6% of the millionaires surveyed inherited their wealth.

 

[BSM1]

How do you raise yourself out of a minimum wage job, especially if you have kids? Try it and see how far you get.

I did.

 

[Revoltingest]

You are almost as bad as Hitler. Have you no shame? Next you are going to start talking about personal responsibility.

Only "almost"?
Woo hoo...that means I'm better than Hitler!

 

[BSM1]

This is kind of weird thinking the wealthy are a burden are nothing more than con men leeches. This is just as much of a strawman.

Folks have to know how to deal with money, work with the economy, otherwise they don't stay rich for very long. It's a skill set along with personal characteristic my people don't possess.

These are the folks you'd need the poor to emulate to whatever degree they are capable of to allow them to become more affluent. Instead you demonize them.

You need to make the poor think and act like the rich. Education maybe, but our current system seems incapable of providing the education necessary.

I think it's telling that the poster seems to direct this hatred toward industrialists and business types without even raising an eyebrow towards the professional athletes who, on bent knee, rake in millions of dollars without really doing anything productive. Or the liberal Hollywood types who pontificate about the evil rich while sitting on huge fortunes.

 

[BSM1]

Are you claiming people don't work and somehow getting a free ride for life?

Wasn't even close to my point, but nice try.

 

[BSM1]

@Revoltingest and @BSM1, I might have asked you about this before, but what are your opinions on the rate of wage inequality now compared to at any other post WW2 period?

Not really talking about the middle class, here, but more the truly wealthy.

As a slightly less interesting bonus question, how do you feel about America's position compared to other first world nations?

I'm more interested in a pragmatic response than an idealogical one, but it's obviously up to you guys.

There is a tonne of data out there, but in case it's useful, this is pretty decent.

Income Inequality - Our World in Data

All for it. Next question?

Seriously, what is wealthy? Who decides? How much of someone else's money do you feel entitled to? If you suddenly won the lottery how much will you give me? Isn't this thinly veiled wealth envy? You see the mine field we are stepping into?

 

[Nakosis]

How do you raise yourself out of a minimum wage job, especially if you have kids? Try it and see how far you get.

It's really tough after you've made the bad choices. Got to get to folks before they've made them. Why do folks have kids they can't afford?

A nice campaign to prevent birth among younger adults in poverty stricken areas would fix so many issues when it comes to poverty.

 

[Orbit]

I did.

Aaand we have: The Fallacy of Dramatic Instance! (This happened to one person, therefore it can happen for all people.)

 

[YmirGF]

Aaand we have: The Fallacy of Dramatic Instance! (This happened to one person, therefore it can happen for all people.)

Which neatly ignores the possibility that a natural path to financial emancipation exists that others in similar straights could utilize to their own benefit.

 

[David1967]

A lot of poor people do hold down jobs, so your strawman argument here is irrelevant.

It's the wealthy who are the burden, since they collect so much money and do absolutely nothing to earn it. They're nothing more than con men and leeches. None of them earned their money, so they are the true burdens while deceiving the public that they're actually doing something. They do nothing.

That's throwing a pretty wide net. Where is your evidence that all people who become wealthy did nothing to earn it? That is like saying that all poor people are lazy.

 

[David1967]

personal responsibility.

Talk like that is not going to make you popular.

 

[Mister Emu]

Aaand we have: The Fallacy of Dramatic Instance

You'd have to show that his experience is in fact dramatic, which you can't know without questioning, and/or what prevents others from following a similar path. You can't just call out the names of fallacies and believe you've made any kind of point.

 

[Orbit]

You'd have to show that his experience is in fact dramatic, which you can't know without questioning, and/or what prevents others from following a similar path. You can't just call out the names of fallacies and believe you've made any kind of point.

All I have to do is point out that HE is using a dramatic instance to make the claim that what he did is possible for everyone. The fact that 80% of the US population dies in the same social class they were born into is not something I should have to establish--that's well known enough.

 

[Nakosis]

'

1. 1. We are rooted in a moral analysis based on our deepest religious and constitutional values that demand justice for all. Moral revival is necessary to save the heart and soul of our democracy.

Sure, we have a system that support justice. When injustice is found we try to correct it. This seems already the moral standard among most folks.

1. 
   2. We are committed to lifting up and deepening the leadership of those most affected by systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, and ecological devastation and to building unity across lines of division.

You have to first prove systemic racism. Where our system of governance is show to be racist then of course, we should all fight against it. Claiming systemic racism does nothing to solve the problem. Where it is show the system is racist then we should all have an interest in correcting it.

1. 
   3. We believe in the dismantling of unjust criminalization systems that exploit poor communities and communities of color and the transformation of the “War Economy” into a “Peace Economy” that values all humanity.

Sure, like with 2, where injustice can be shown we should correct it.

1. 
   4. We believe that equal protection under the law is non-negotiable.

Agreed, but this is covered under injustice, #2

1. 
   5. We believe that people should not live in or die from poverty in the richest nation ever to exist. Blaming the poor and claiming that the United States does not have an abundance of resources to overcome poverty are false narratives used to perpetuate economic exploitation, exclusion, and deep inequality.

If I can't or don't support myself and my family, who's to blame? Should I blame the president? Rich folks? This doesn't really make any sense to me.

I started out homeless and there were groups that help me get started. However it was up to me after that to educate myself to get better jobs before I felt I could support a family. I could likely get by on a minimum wage job but it's no place to start a family. Even with a deceit middle income job, supporting a family is a struggle.

1. 
   6. We recognize the centrality of systemic racism in maintaining economic oppression must be named, detailed and exposed empirically, morally and spiritually. Poverty and economic inequality cannot be understood apart from a society built on white supremacy.

This assume systemic racism is the problem. I kind of doubt that it is but were it can be shown to exist then by all means, let's deal with it.

White supremacy, well it's on the uptake now because of identity politics. However I don't see it as systemic. If you can show were it is systemic then by all means let's correct it.

1. 
   7. We aim to shift the distorted moral narrative often promoted by religious extremists in the nation from personal issues like prayer in school, abortion, sexuality, gun rights, property rights to systemic injustices like how our society treats the poor, those on the margins, the least of these, women, children, workers, immigrants and the sick; equality and representation under the law; and the desire for peace, love and harmony within and among nations.

Emotional plea which won't necessarily provide any solutions to the problem. Unlikely this will do much to alter anyone's moral perspective. Nobody likes that there are poor folks. Most governments just don't have a workable solution to deal with the issue.

1. 
   8. We will build up the power of people and state-based movements to serve as a vehicle for a powerful moral movement in the country and to transform the political, economic and moral structures of our society.

IMO too much focus on trying to change other people's morality. I don't think morality is an issue. Coming up with a solution that works is.

1. 
   9. We recognize the need to organize at the state and local level—many of the most regressive policies are being passed at the state level, and these policies will have long and lasting effect, past even executive orders. The movement is not from above but below.

What regressive policies? What's a regressive policy?

1. 
   10. We will do our work in a non-partisan way—no elected officials or candidates get the stage or serve on the State Organizing Committee of the Campaign. This is not about left and right, Democrat or Republican but about right and wrong.

1. 
   11. We uphold the need to do a season of sustained nonviolent civil disobedience as a way to break through the tweets and shift the moral narrative. We are demonstrating the power of people coming together across issues and geography and putting our bodies on the line to the issues that are affecting us all.

1. 
   12. The Campaign and all its Participants and Endorsers embrace nonviolence. Violent tactics or actions will not be tolerated

Nothing to disagree with here.

This was a MLK movement? I think a lot has changed since then. I can see perhaps it being more relevant back then and I suspect his movement caused a lot of the improvement we do have.

Although well intended, I think some of these views are obsolete. I suspect MLK would have realized this and taken steps to change the focus in order to tackle many of these modern issues we face.