Good bye, Campers…

The time has come, as Carroll wrote, to talk of many things,
To slide down the rabbit hole, and go adventuring.
 
Tiz true, tiz time to say good bye,
It has been fun, gracious, and a slice of sweet cherry pie.

My last day is Friday, the Twenty-Sixth of April,
But you can find me on the interweb where I oft' set sail.

Those are the words I used to announce to my coworkers that I am leaving LifeFitness, and Chicago. I wanted to go out with some class and style.

Many times since November of last year I’ve been told by ChiTownPhilly, RAD, and the “in group” that no one cares about my life, or what happens to me. And as Kelly Haze put it, I am not a real activist. Since then Occupy in Chicago has died in all but its name. However, I figured I would post this for posterity. 

Most of what we saw with the protest from 2011 to now, are a very small group of  people calling themselves anarchist who want to inconvenience others, but have no ability, or desire, to actually make anything better for anyone outside their small groups, and harass, defame, and ostracize anyone who point this out.  Most of them are from the privileged class. Very few of the lower working class can afford to be so consumed in the endless agitation. Moreover they use the workers to further their political agenda while living off wages they have not earned. This is no different than the rich capitalist which they condemn. They quote Marx (and other Revolutionaries) as an evangelist quotes Jesus. It is their anti-religion religion. They sing high praises for independent thinking, but protest, harass, terrorize anyone who does not share their selfish view and their agenda. They are sexist, they are racist, and they are ageist. Their attacks are based on their irrational, unthinking, hate filled propaganda and selfish philosophies in the name of some twisted version of "love."

Chicago is a wonderful city. It has energy. It has grit (sometimes too much grit). It has a unique personality all its own. However, it is too damn expensive to live in Chicago. 

At $16.32 an hour the take home with four dependence is roughly $940 every two weeks. Rent in Jefferson Park 60630 (as an example) is $800.00 a month not including utilities. As such even $16.32 is not a reasonable living in Chicago. Employers know this. It is public record. They are utterly unconcerned about impoverished employees. 

Since we do not take care of one another, and we do not have a community of compassion, and we do not have a safety net which protected people from the harsh brutality of the dark side of Capitalism, one has to find a place where one can find community, or survive on one’s own. That is what I am doing. 

If you are only tolerated, you need to go someplace where you will be celebrated.

I wish the best to all in Chicago, and those still flying the Occupy Banner.