Monday, August 29, 2011

2011-08-29 "Armstrong Williams: “The Wealthy Are A True Minority”" by Robin M.
[http://www.care2.com/causes/armstrong-williams-wealthy-are-a-true-minority.html]
Somehow, despite being uncovered as a paid shill who in the past has been hired by groups to push their propaganda under the guise of writing columns [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56330-2005Jan7.html], conservative writer Armstrong Williams is still being given column space to pontificate about the state of the U.S. government. His latest lament? How difficult the rich in this country have it. After all, they have been given the daunting responsibility for caring for a large portion of the country’s wealth, a challenging task indeed.
Armstrong writes [http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/152-uncategorized/178559-the-poor-get-poorer-and-the-rich-get-richer]: “The wealthy are a true minority in the world and are often criticized and ridiculed for their success in spite of the fact that everyone, given the choice, would rather try it rich than continue being poor.” But before you think he is really referring to those hard working, nose to the grindstone rich, he closes his piece by discussing inherited wealth — something that takes no more effort than the fortune to be born into the right family. “I don’t know where it originated, but the cliché ‘the poor get poorer and the rich get richer’ has been in use for some time, implying that the poor will never rise out of poverty. Is this true? Why do people stay mired in poverty while others can pass on generational wealth?”

Is it really the result of hard work not to squander away a fortune, when provided with million dollar annual bonuses or multimillion dollar inheritances? And is it harder work than working two or more jobs in an attempt to bring yourself out of poverty? Plus, doesn’t calling the rich the “true minority” both belittle the struggles of real minorities and place a group of people who are in many ways the most privileged in the world in a status of somehow being victimized?

No comments:

Post a Comment