I was 14 years old when Bobby was assasinated. His presidential campaign was the first time I became engaged as a volunteer in politics. As a disaffected, alienated, confused, pimply, overweight and shy teen - volunteering on his political campaign helped me "come out of my shell." I realized for the first time - belonging to something "larger than myself." I remember my abject horror when I heard on my middle school P.A. system announce the news - that Bobby had been killed by a madman’s bullet at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. I grew up in L.A. - and having Bobby assasinated in my home town - just a few miles from my own school - really made it much worse.
Now I am 50 years old - a different era - a different war - but STILL the same problems plague our nation. The big difference between 1968 and 2005 - is that my generation of youth in the 1960’s really BELIEVED we could change the world - and WE DID change the world. For the first time in American history - a sitting president was forced to resign in disgrace. Nixon left the White House in "ashes" of defeat. We ended the Vietnam War, black people were given the right to vote, women gained reproductive freedom.........now Bush neo-cons have literally abolished the Voting Rights Act of 1964 - Black people cannot vote in Ohio or Florida, women find it increasingly harder to get birth control - now neo-con pharmacists are refusing to even dispense birth control pills - fuggedabout safe, legal termination of pregnancy. What is going to be next? Abolishing womens right to vote? It would not surprise me if Bush succeeeded!
Today we have a generation of young folks who despite earning a college degree - face unprecedent unemployment, the most environmental pollution in recorded history, the polar ice shelf broken into shards and melting.....within 20 years the coast of Scandinavia, Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, and Europe will be under water - 40 feed into the shoreline. New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles will have disappearing shorelines - 40 feet at the shore line will be under water due to global warming. Our unemployed urban and rural poor are being forced to join the National Guard to avoid homelessness and welfare because there are no jobs. When our young men and women are deployed to Iraq because the good jobs have been "outsourced" to India, China and other overseas nations - they are denied the right to come home to the U.S. after their tour of duty is completed.
At least during Vietnam War - soldiers did one tour of duty for a year - then were guaranteed they could return home to the States. Now our soldiers serve BEYOND four years and have no hope of returning home - unless it is in a coffin.
At the age of 50 - with three college degrees, 25 years corporate experience, 10 years experience in non-profit - I am having a very hard time finding ANY job that pays more than $8.00 an hour. All the jobs I see in the paper are PART TIME as a way to avoid paying benefits. Once in awhile a full time job for $10.00 pops up in "Help Wanted" - but 300 people apply for that one position.
I am waiting to see what happens to my Social Security pension. I will reach retirement age in 12 years. Will all the taxes I paid into the fund since I was 15 years old - still be available for me to collect as a retired senior? Or will I have to work until the day I drop dead - at "Wal Mart" type job with no benefits? I am computer literate, have teaching experience and extensive experience in marketing, promotion, office management, secretarial support and working with
at-risk youngsters. My three degrees do not count for much.
The only reason I’m not a bag lady living under the freeway bridge is because I live on Financial Aid, student loans, Pell Grant and Cal Grant. Once in awhile I earn some scholarships due to 4.0 GPA and excellent references. However, I cannot spend the rest of my life in a "holding pattern" as a "professional student". I am 50 with $46,000 in student loans. As long as I stay in college - I don’t have to make student loan payments - but what I really need is A JOB.
Bobby Kennedy cared about the outcast, broken people who live in the margins of society. All my life I was white, middle class, professional person with marketable skills. Now I am facing middle age - wondering if I will be eathing cat food to survive when I reach 62 if Social Security goes bust.
Immigration to Canada seems to be my only option if democracy is "raped" again at the 2008 presidential election. Souns pretty grim - but I really try hard to "keep hope alive." I listen to Bobby’s son - on Air America every Saturday morning. I wish he would run for President - but with Diebold online voting and neo-cons refusing to let Black voters cast their ballot in Ohio and Florida - I’m wondering why we even have Presidential elections at all?
Defend the American Republic! Our Republic is in peril!
Keep Hope Alive!
I was 14 years old when Bobby was assasinated. His presidential campaign was the first time I became engaged as a volunteer in politics. As a disaffected, alienated, confused, pimply, overweight and shy teen - volunteering on his political campaign helped me "come out of my shell." I realized for the first time - belonging to something "larger than myself." I remember my abject horror when I heard on my middle school P.A. system announce the news - that Bobby had been killed by a madman’s bullet at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. I grew up in L.A. - and having Bobby assasinated in my home town - just a few miles from my own school - really made it much worse.
Now I am 50 years old - a different era - a different war - but STILL the same problems plague our nation. The big difference between 1968 and 2005 - is that my generation of youth in the 1960’s really BELIEVED we could change the world - and WE DID change the world. For the first time in American history - a sitting president was forced to resign in disgrace. Nixon left the White House in "ashes" of defeat. We ended the Vietnam War, black people were given the right to vote, women gained reproductive freedom.........now Bush neo-cons have literally abolished the Voting Rights Act of 1964 - Black people cannot vote in Ohio or Florida, women find it increasingly harder to get birth control - now neo-con pharmacists are refusing to even dispense birth control pills - fuggedabout safe, legal termination of pregnancy. What is going to be next? Abolishing womens right to vote? It would not surprise me if Bush succeeeded!
Today we have a generation of young folks who despite earning a college degree - face unprecedent unemployment, the most environmental pollution in recorded history, the polar ice shelf broken into shards and melting.....within 20 years the coast of Scandinavia, Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, and Europe will be under water - 40 feed into the shoreline. New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles will have disappearing shorelines - 40 feet at the shore line will be under water due to global warming. Our unemployed urban and rural poor are being forced to join the National Guard to avoid homelessness and welfare because there are no jobs. When our young men and women are deployed to Iraq because the good jobs have been "outsourced" to India, China and other overseas nations - they are denied the right to come home to the U.S. after their tour of duty is completed.
At least during Vietnam War - soldiers did one tour of duty for a year - then were guaranteed they could return home to the States. Now our soldiers serve BEYOND four years and have no hope of returning home - unless it is in a coffin.
At the age of 50 - with three college degrees, 25 years corporate experience, 10 years experience in non-profit - I am having a very hard time finding ANY job that pays more than $8.00 an hour. All the jobs I see in the paper are PART TIME as a way to avoid paying benefits. Once in awhile a full time job for $10.00 pops up in "Help Wanted" - but 300 people apply for that one position.
I am waiting to see what happens to my Social Security pension. I will reach retirement age in 12 years. Will all the taxes I paid into the fund since I was 15 years old - still be available for me to collect as a retired senior? Or will I have to work until the day I drop dead - at "Wal Mart" type job with no benefits? I am computer literate, have teaching experience and extensive experience in marketing, promotion, office management, secretarial support and working with
at-risk youngsters. My three degrees do not count for much.
The only reason I’m not a bag lady living under the freeway bridge is because I live on Financial Aid, student loans, Pell Grant and Cal Grant. Once in awhile I earn some scholarships due to 4.0 GPA and excellent references. However, I cannot spend the rest of my life in a "holding pattern" as a "professional student". I am 50 with $46,000 in student loans. As long as I stay in college - I don’t have to make student loan payments - but what I really need is A JOB.
Bobby Kennedy cared about the outcast, broken people who live in the margins of society. All my life I was white, middle class, professional person with marketable skills. Now I am facing middle age - wondering if I will be eathing cat food to survive when I reach 62 if Social Security goes bust.
Immigration to Canada seems to be my only option if democracy is "raped" again at the 2008 presidential election. Souns pretty grim - but I really try hard to "keep hope alive." I listen to Bobby’s son - on Air America every Saturday morning. I wish he would run for President - but with Diebold online voting and neo-cons refusing to let Black voters cast their ballot in Ohio and Florida - I’m wondering why we even have Presidential elections at all?
Defend the American Republic! Our Republic is in peril!