Tag Archives: President Obama

Corporate America

They own people, have for years. They were called and still are called slaves. Indentured servitude is what I call it. Sign a contract to get a job and you promise never to work for anyone in that business for at least two years after you leave or are laid off. Not just clients, anyone who might give you work. And they add other businesses to the ban list that have nothing to do with theirs.

We’re OK with the non-disclose of corporate secrets part. When one is paid as little as the corporation wishes to pay, then that company keeps one from feeding a family for two years, I call that indentured servitude. Then the contract you signed years ago makes you pay for legal fees when they sue you for getting a job to simply keep a roof over your head.

The worst contract I’ve come across and we fought was that every idea my husband had from birth until death is their property. They have no right to any information other than that which was created on their premises for their use. If my husband wants to work on a motorcycle, a Beemer he named Mary Lou, his first girlfriend, anything he invents or designs is sacred to our garage, not a corporation that is a bank. He is not using their equipment, he’s at home with his hobby. The company does not own the contents of his brain.

I believe that contract included me as well. So dear, how about we use flint to light the fire? Also, could we slice the bread I just made on said fire? And how about you make us a fork to deal with that dinosaur steak you have on the spit you created?

I thought I grew up in a land of freedom and democracy. We still have slavery. Investigate the corporations for civil and human rights violations. I can see the 3:00 a.m. legal ads now for compensation arrangements. Dee

First Petition

I just started a petition on the White House petitions site, We the People. Will you sign it? http://wh.gov/2Ur

Today I received disturbing news that there is a petition at the White House that calls for banning certain questions from the Census that deal with race and ethnicity.

I worked for an education organization in a poor part of town that was mostly African American.  These folks had never seen a Census worker, and the 2000 Census wanted to make sure their voice was heard.

Schools were built in the neighborhoods that were too small, because local government depended on Census data to see how many local children would be going to those schools.  The schools were too small and had out-buildings as soon as they were built.

These children were marginalized before they were born and now have to go to school in temporary classrooms.  Now someone wants to eliminate race and ethnicity from the Census data and I say no!  Until there is some kind of equality for people of color, people who live in poorer parts of town that the Census takers don’t want to go to, these questions must remain in the Census and the government should go out of its way to make sure all people are counted.  The last Census went door-to-door here, but probably didn’t go through the poorer neighborhoods.

I’ve introduced a petition, President Obama, to make sure underserved neighborhoods are counted.  Yes, an old, upper middle-class white woman cares about Southeastern San Diego and other poor communities.  After all, I’m a “community organizer” so you know my leadership qualities.

I spent several years as a consultant to CPIE, the Center for Parent Involvement in Education under Walter Kudumu.  He and his wife Maisha taught me a lot and while I never became Sistah Dee, I walked the walk and loved the fried catfish and people I met who’ve gone on to great things.  Here’s to you, Kudumu, in the afterlife. You owe me! Dee