Several years ago on one of the PBS channels I watched an interview with an old Civil Rights activist of the 60s. He spoke of the interesting times I grew up in and had a lot to say, really.

He said one of the biggest times he got floored was when he was talking to his grandmother about the upcoming Alabama state election. He wanted the old woman's take on it.

The old woman said, "You know, I think I'm going to vote for George Wallace. He's opened more trade and technical schools than any governor in history."

The old civil rights activist was floored. Here he was out there fighting against the biggest segregationist in the entire state and here his grandmother was going to vote for him!

When I heard that I was sort of stunned for a second or two until I realized that the old woman had a valid point. The grandson was fighting to be able to ride in the front of the bus and Grandma was looking at the young people being able to get decent jobs so they could simply be able to pay the fare to get on the bus in the first place.

It was an interesting and eye opening moment for me and it made me start to head to the 'follow the money' attitude I have these days.

There are a lot more important things out there than which part of the bus you ride on. First of all you need bus fare. This means money and money means a job. Black unemployment in Alabama at the time was pretty high and the few jobs available to blacks were generally hard manual labor. For anything above that one needed some kind of schooling.

A lot of people do not understand how important employment is. They HAVE a job, go to work, gripe, take their money and go home. They think that things like unemployment and welfare can fill the gap. It can't. One ends up with too much idle time on their hands and a lack of the dignity that goes along with being productive.

That feeling is probably a lot more important than which end of the bus you ride in. 

One of the things the president did that has been overlooked is that minority employment has been lifted to an all time high.

While the activist was certainly 100% spot on demanding equality he seemed to have forgotten the fact that in order to do much of anything one must eat. This generally requires a job.

Want to understand things a lot better? Follow the money.








To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY