When making an honest living is restricted
Rest assured, predatory business practices are alive and well. Just over a year ago, one of the two daily newspapers that keep the local population informed went through a winter of discontent. The owners, unhappy about the covenant made with their employees, locked the doors and told everybody to stay home until less money for longer hours was acceptable. The advertisers didn’t show much solidarity with those apt to be their customers, and things dragged on for a very long time. Nobody won (unless you count the shareholders).
Take two. The same employer, a different city. The reasons remain the same; to take advantage of the innocent. You see, most of us don’t have the liberty to go and find “another job” whenever things get tough, and employees tend to be loyal beyond belief. We’re watching the same game played for a second time, and unless there is a miracle, the outcome of the game will be the same. Sadly, labour laws don’t work very well in cases like this.
On a completely different tack, I watched a performance on PBS this afternoon by Pete Seeger. The dean of folk music in my times, he’s currently 90 years young, with a ready wit, a banjo and a will to denounce the wrongs of our society. It’s too simple to label him as an entertainer. I’ve heard songs by Pete and his friends for pretty much my whole life, and his message rings as clear as the “Freedom bells” he mentions. Too bad some of the people mentioned earlier wouldn’t stop and listen.
