January 22, 2009

It was the day before the Obama inauguration. The DeKalb International Farmer’s Market in Decatur was extraordinarily packed, as bad as the predictable pre-holiday mob. 

Upon checkout, a black woman next to me was buying a mountain of crab legs, and I looked over and chuckled with her, saying I had recently purchased a heap of them myself and it cost me an arm and a leg.   She laughed and said, “I would do anything for tomorrow!” Tomorrow. I didn’t understand, but then it hit me. The inauguration. She then proceeded to buy what had to be $100 worth of crab legs with her food stamps card.

Here was a woman effortlessly paying for crab legs to celebrate Obama’s parting of the waters while I watched every penny I spent that day because I was paying for food with my own money. 

While America continues to whine about the recession, realize that those on welfare, the people we taxpayers work harder and harder to support, and not affected whatsoever, and in fact, will get more under Obama’s watch while we get less for working harder. Punish the working, successful people and reward those who don’t work at all. One needn’t wonder why Obama won this election.

Further, and in case you missed the data, the Georgia Lottery experienced a record high in 2008 since its inception…yes, during this recession. A huge majority of the same group who can buy crab legs with food stamps are also playing the lottery every day. I must plan when to walk to the local food mart because of the line of people buying lottery tickets. I take notes as to who is doing it and how often. I know. And, it’s the taxpayer who is supporting this abused addiction.

These are the same people who ridiculed Bush while he continued to support extended unemployment benefits throughout these difficult times. But, of course, unless you were receiving unemployment, you wouldn’t know that the very president many abhor was helping millions around the nation to continue receiving a paycheck. 

Bottom line: Why should diligent, respectable people who wake up and go to work every day feel the loss while those who do not work feel no loss and get our money and more? Did anybody really listen to Obama’s inaugural speech? If you did, you would know that he’s urging everyone to rise up and be the best contributing citizen you can be and work to make a difference for America. Many of us have done this every day of our lives to support those who have not. It’s time that comes to an end and we start building from the bottom up, not from the top down.

We are all granted rights, simply because we are American, but the right to a roof over our head, a vehicle, a television, a paycheck and health insurance are not lumped into those rights. Those are things people should earn through dedication and hard work, not by expecting the government to provide it. That is socialism, and if our country moves closer and closer to that, then we can kiss goodbye this freedom half of us are grateful for every day while the other half, those who, ironically get the most from the government, complain about.