Dirty Hippie

chipwillis:

wearethe99percent:

WE WERE TOLD

WE COULD BE ANYTHING

WHEN WE GREW UP.

WE’RE GROWN UP.

NOW WHAT?

OCCUPY WALL STREET

OCCUPY CHICAGO

WE ARE THE 99%.

I was told I could be anything when I grew up. I was black, my grandmother was on welfare. 

My grandmother told me I would have to work harder than everyone else. 

I took flying lessons in high school, from working a part time job. 

I worked to pay tuition for the Catholic school I went to. I got scholarships too. 

She said I could do what I wanted, but you don’t get anything for free.

She taught me not to have kids if I couldn’t afford them. She told me “If you make a baby, you take care of baby”

She told me to be responsible.

She passed on when I was old enough to make it on my own. 

A mortgage broker said I could afford a 350K house. I got one for 120K, because I knew their math was iffy.

We didn’t have a kid until we planned on it. We used birth control After we had one kid, we used birth control not to have more. 

He’s in College now. We have a ton of bills to pay. I knew that when I signed the dotted line. That means, our lifestyle would change, as we paid stuff back. It is no secret. 

Where has teaching responsibility gone?

Where has the notion “relying on the government is bad” gone. It’s a pretty sound idea. 

Where has the idea, that you have to start at the Bottom and Work your way up gone?

No one starts at the top. 

You can be anything you want. Probably should research what it pays and if you will be happy. You will probably have to work your ass off.

That’s what I did, and that is what I continue to teach my son. 

I left a well paying job for a dream two years ago. The future is uncertain. I spent 25 years in the Aviation Industry. I might have to go back to it one day, but don’t want to. 

I am going to make it and be happy. 

If you don’t make it, look in the mirror. Then ask yourself, “Why”

Your photograph made me angry. 

You are the 99 Percent of what?? Sit long and ponder this question. 

Did your parents fail or did you not listen? It is one of those two options, and neither is looking rather good right now. 

Go out, get some ambition and work your ass off. This is how it’s done. Not by holding up a piece of paper with words on it.