Response #3

Depressed People

The year is 2011, but by looking at the economy you would think we were back in the 1930's. America is the land of opportunity, but watching the news lately it seems to be the land of disappointment and heartache. For the last three to four years it seems like things are getting worse and worse for the average american.

In the book "Someplace like America" Dale Maharidge compares the Great Depression to the way things are now. Maharidge states that "officials brag that another Great Depression has been avoided", but Maharidge wants to know "what has been done for workers and low income Americans." He also states that "rapids appear to lie in wait in the economic river ahead of us." Like Dale Maharidge, I don't think the term Great Depressions means anything to the thousands of people who have lost their jobs or took a pay out to keep their jobs.

Someplace like America tells many stories of everyday normal people falling on hard times due to the economy. There are stories of couples losing their homes and being forced to relocate to find work. Women who are working two and three jobs just to care for their children, and families spending their savings to pay for medical bills because insurance wont cover all expenses. Reading all of these stories is very hard. It breaks my heart to hear these stories knowing that is only a small percentage of the people who are struggling to make ends meet. I think the story that impacted me the most was the story about the tree people. How could a community that is so rich and blessed be so mean and hard on those down on their luck. The so called "tree people" are not living on the streets by choice. I am sure if they could they would choose to live in a nice, big house with a big income to match. Instead of trying to hurt these people they should be trying to help them.

While reading the book I realize that these stories are true. I have a cousin who is married and has two children. She was a homemaker and he was a construction worker. As the economy fell he lost his job. At first he took a pay cut to keep his job, then his hours were cut and eventually he lost his job. They had a beautiful home, nice cars and went on nice vacations every year. Things got so bad that they lost their home and cars. They had to move in with her mother, my aunt, and are still there today. He looks for work everyday with no luck. Thank God they had family to fall back on.

We have fallen on hard times and have been suffering for years now. It has taken years to get us here and it will take us years to recover(someplace). The struggling economy is a problem to everyone. We are going to have to work together to build america back up. We must pull together and help one another. If someone is struggling we must reach out a hand to help them. America is the land of opportunity and we must work to return to that motto.