The United Kingdom’s majority vote to sever from the European Union is a big deal. Understandably, there is a lot of confusion, uncertainty,panic and even anger out there right now.
The short and long term future stability of the U.K. are uncertain. Adding insult to not yet known injury is the fact that the vehicles of conservative racism and fear of immigrants were used to as a rallying point for the decision.
But at the moment, the largest point of concern seems to be the fate of the financial markets.
Whenever I read a story about stock markets falling or even crashing,
I believe I speak on behalf of most people like myself from poor & otherwise disenfranchised communities when I say
“ok…And? So what?”
I then proceed to yawn, watch reruns of “Let’s Make A Deal,
pick the sock fuzz out of my toes
or perform some other analogous activity that demonstrates a life unaffected.
Not out of callousness.
Not out of economic ignorance
Not out of political apathy.
I’m proud to say (and I think most would agree) that I am neither callous, ignorant or apathetic.
But because for those of us who are already being crushed under the weight of a financial system that was created to only benefit the wealthy, it’s hard to feel bad when newspapers and news shows tell us that the sky is falling.
For many of us, there is no sky. it fell a long time ago.
This is because our politicians have turned a blind eye to economic corruption and collusion. Even worse than just ignoring the problem, many politicians (especially presidents and prime ministers) have paved the way for the bulldozers of corporate greed to make their way into our neighborhoods and destroy everything in sight.
The results are unprecedented and immoral levels of income disparity & spiritual despair.
How can someone who is poor and systematically left out of participating in this wealthy, robust global economy feel panic for giant corporations that in many ways profit from pain?
Why should someone who has been kicked out of their home and onto the street because of the predatory actions of big banks feel sorry for their billions of dollars in assets sliding a few million in value?
How can a farmer, whose life of sustainability is on the brink of extinction (thanks to the malicious tactics of the Monsantos of the world) shed tears for the governments and systems that allow it to happen?
How can Blacks and Hispanics in this country who have been politically pimped, economically auctioned and then demonized by the elite, feel bad for a system that has told them long ago that they don’t count?
Why should a homeless woman, spit on and cast aside by society, feel sorrow for the minuscule deprecation of wealth controlled by mostly male billionaires?
We’ve place markets over morality.
stocks over standards
equities over equality
junk bonds over justice
This is not an attempt to stoke the fires of so-called “class warfare”.
I am not some socialist, economic anarchist who wants to see the whole system burn down.
Stock Markets aren’t inherently evil.
Capitalism, when fairly regulated can be a great tool to stimulate financial growth and national prosperity.
But our political and business leaders still don’t get it.
When you place love and equality in the center of the equation, everyone prospers. Everyone is a winner.
However as things stand today, our financial systems are not regulated with love, justice or fairness. Greed is running wild and free and the well being of all of humanity is not a priority for those in charge. As they say “it’s just business”.
What the world is watching occur with the Brexit vote and the United Kingdom effectively chucking the deuces at the European Union has serious implications and potential consequences. It is very important. It matters.
All I’m simply asking is that as someone who lives amongst, takes the train with and looks into the eyes of the struggling and the suffering every day –
until my life is deemed as valuable as that of a giant bank or corporation, why should any of this matter to me?
the conscience cloud 