Kindly do not use my name as an attempt at some feeble joke. James E Jacobsen wrote:
>Wizard?mark says: > "The Kennedy's did not get wealthy by honest means. Nor did the >Bushes, the Carnegies, the Rockerfellers, etc." > > I know there are real crooks out there. > I suppose then you are using this unfounded statement to say that >people should not try to -or be held to- getting rid of poverty for >themselves and by using honest means? > I didn't say any such thing. The Kennedy's made their money bootlegging during prohibition. There is a difference between removing oneself from poverty and accruing great wealth. Illicit endeavors can produce great wealth. > > Could you give us some dishonest means you would suggest people >avail themselves to, like, do you mean drug dealing, theft, etc.?? > Having grown up in a crime household--which was also a poverty household--my parents preached that education was our best opportunity. I think my father, grandfather and uncle, who ran the minor criminal activity in the family, expected that criminal activity would not be required of our generation. However, maybe to hedge their bets, they also taught us the tools of their illicit trades. Personally, I found drug dealing, fencing, and making book boring as cow dung. I also found that my income, though not great, was at least more dependable with a job. My grandfather and uncle had legitimate jobs as well and my aunts and grandmother would say that it was only when they also ran the book that there was enough money in the house for necessities. Our generation was the first in our clan to produce high school graduates and college graduates. My immigrant grandparents were required to work and didn't finish grammar school. My father didn't finish high school, though my mother did. We did have the distinct advantage of being white, though that was not a plus for my Irish immigrant forebears. For the desperate poor being held to "honest work" is probably not going to move them from poverty to a minimally comfortable living because the "honest work" they can do does not produce enough income. WizardMarks, Central > > James Jacobsen // Whittier > > >_______________________________________ >Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy >Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: >http://e-democracy.org/mpls > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
