Entitlement and the True 1%

It's been hard to not hear about the "occupy" demonstrations in the news.  Thankfully I haven't been hearing as much about them and I hope that they are nearing their end.  I'm sick of hearing about the "1%", the young adults who can't find a job, people demanding more from others yet giving nothing in return, and those whining for more assistance from the government.  That's right, I don't want to hear about it.  Yes, there are definitely people in this country who are hurting, can't find jobs, and are in legitimate need of help.  And I think that they are the "1%".  Then I hear about the $1 million lottery winner who lives in a nice waterfront home who is still receiving benefits from the government in the form of food stamps.  Lottery Winner  Yes, you read that right.  She won $1,000,000, lives in a very nice house, and still receives government assistance and only feels "a little bad" about taking our money because she doesn't work.  She has the same mindset that so many Americans do.  The government pays better than a minimum wage job so why go work?  (Apparently feeling good about yourself and a good day's work is overrated?)  I read about the government providing cell phones and internet access to low income folks and calling it their "right". Of course the health care "right" issue falls in here somewhere.  I am subject to drug screens and taxes but someone who is receiving government benefits is not?  I work very hard for my money and I not only pay for my internet, cable, phone, health care, other luxuries that I decide to give myself, car, food, etc but I also have to pay for someone else's?  They sit on their butt, refusing to get a low paying job, and I bust my ass to pay for not only me, but them?  The government is as much to blame in this situation as anyone else.  Who is holding these citizens accountable?  Who is keeping watch over the money?  Do we have standards for those receiving assistance?  Somehow, somewhere, at sometime a list of rights have come about that are so far from being a right that they must have confused the definition with a privilege.  Where has our common sense, our sense of pride (the right kind) and self worth gone?  Yeah, maybe you can't find a job in your major or in the income range you want but there are jobs out there.  We, as Americans, are too proud to take jobs that are supposedly "beneath" us and are more willing to take a handout from the government than work a good honest day's work.  That's why so many of our jobs go overseas.  They are actually willing to work at a minimum wage.  Our standard of living is so high that we can't imagine being without cable, driving a fancy car, or buying the latest technological gadget.  We could get by on so much less than what we are willing to do.  But we can't give up a 3 car garage, our fancy coffee, or our smart phones.  We whine and complain that the government isn't doing enough to help us but the blame can't go beyond the end of our own nose.  We need to own up and take responsibility for our actions and for our inactions, we need to prioritize the "needs" and the "wants" in our lives and realize that our "rights" do not include our "wants" and that the government doesn't need to provide either, and take some pride in a honest days work.

Take some time to read the thoughts of another kind of 1%.  The Other 1%  Our service men and women who have lived in nothing over in Iraq and Afghanistan and come back to find us complaining about "not enough foam in our latte" while they sacrificed their all over there.  And some don't come home to hear your complaining, whining attitudes.  I'm ashamed of the protesters, the generations around me that expect to be waited on hand and foot and expect an A+ for C work, and refuse to accept the blame for their actions and responsibility for consequences.  To those who have their parents come in and talk to the professor when their child doesn't get the grade they want, despite it being the grade they deserved, and to the children who allow it to happen-you are raising a generation of helpless kids.  We live in a world where everyone gets a participation ribbon and there can't be losers.  My losses taught me more and pushed me to work harder and get better.  It pushed me to work hard to become a starter on my volleyball team, to graduate with distinction from college, and to push myself to be the best me I could be.  Helpless Kids  I was raised to learn from my mistakes, to take ownership of my actions, and to work hard each and every day.  I will be successful even if I never make more than my low 5 digit salary from camp because I'll know that I worked hard for every dollar, I made a difference, and I did it myself.  And you can bet that is how I'll raise my kids.

In the eyes of the Lord, I deserve and are entitled nothing but He has given me everything that I don't deserve.