A Personal Theory Regarding Wealth and Privilege

[The Whiskey Priest]

For sometime now I have personally subscribed to the thought that those with wealth and privilege are not satisfied with having the “best of the best” and what they desire most is for all the rest of us to give them a parade.

So, in order to make those on top feel a little bit better about being on top, what say you shall we give them that parade?

[SteppingRazor]

1. Yes --

We should parade them through East St. Louis or northwest Miami, or south central Los Angeles, or east Chicago, at around, say, 3 a.m. :evilgrin:

[txaslftist]

7. Exactly the parade I had in mind...

...ending at Gitmo.

[prolesunited]

20. People deserve to be in Gitmo

for the sole reason that they have money?

So, are we locking up Hollywood stars that lean to the left? Michael Moore? Kerry and Edwards?

[txaslftist]

29. They sure ought to see it.

Because Gitmo is where their policies lead.

[Democrats_win]

2. If they want a parade let it end at the Guillotine.

The French taught their rich a lesson. Unfortunately, some of them escaped to America i.e. Dupont, and they still screw working Americans. Never forget, Dupont comitted Treason when he tried to overthrow the government.

It's past time for Dupont, Coors, Bush, Rockefeller, and any other rich entitlement queen to learn once and for all who gave them their wealth and that we're taking it back.

[elehhhhna]

17. Imagine Marie Antionette's horror when she saw her best friends head

pass by her SECOND STORY WINDOW on the end of a spear.

Heartbreaking.

[rucky]

3. What shall we throw from the floats? n/t

[musette_sf]

10. change the county to Fort Bend

Last I heard, Ronnie was gonna let him appear in "his own" county. My, it's a lovely old courthouse in Richmond... I did some tech work there some years ago for one of the departments. What a pleasure to be able to visualize this in great detail!

[bertha katzenengel]

4. Good theory. Why throw them a parade?

I think we should have a huge parade of all the useless shit they've purchased - houses, cars, $16,000 umbrella stands, all the whores, all the mistresses and all the shit bought for their mistresses, all the toys bought for their adult children, all the drugs they've ever done can make up one huge float, and don't forget the CDs and bearer bonds and gold bullion and portfolios....

Parade all that shit down main street usa to a huge fucking auction. Only the ground-down poor are allowed to bid. A penny for that umbrella stand. Five cents for a house. Etc. The rich fucks get the pennies and that's what they have to live on. The poor people can either use or live in or do whatever with what they've bid on, or they can re-sell it and live off the proceeds.

FUCK THE RICH!

[elehhhhna]

18. PARADE THE "Tithe" tax deductions that really pay private school tuition.

The churches are in cahoots on that one, bigtime.

[porphyrian]

5. I think you're right. What gets me...

...is how much the wealthy and the priviledged DO get. All the time, the rich are given better treatment, free meals, free products, while the rest of us barely get a thank you. Fuck these entitlement-issued brats of all ages. They need to be reminded that they are only one bad day from the guillotine right now.

[Bloodblister Bob]

8. Are you advocating murder? n/t

[porphyrian]

16. Nope, I'm advocating the recollection of history.

I'm against murder, which is why I'm against the war being waged against the non-rich by the rich. What I'm advocating is reminding the murderers what happens when the rest of us are pushed too far.

[Bloodblister Bob]

33. Two wrongs don't make a right. n/t

[porphyrian]

36. If a frog didn't have legs it wouldn't bump it's ass a-hoppin'...

Are you trying to dismiss my comment with a cliche? I don't care if you disagree, but what I'm saying is fact. If the rich don't start standing up for the rights of the poor and middle class rather than attacking them, they're going to find out what it means to be a hated minority.

[Bloodblister Bob]

6. Greed is the problem, not wealth.

Money is only a tool, which can be used for either good or evil. I think most DUers would agree that the important thing is what's in the heart and soul of a person, not the size of their bankroll.

[SteppingRazor]

9. Wholeheartedly agree... greed, not money, is the issue...

indeed, if someone creates a good or service and becomes wealthy from doing hat, it's utterly against everything America stands for to take that wealthy away from them. It's the very opposite of capitalism.

[ashling]

11. Capitalism is based on

"self interest" ... that is how my college economics text put it as I recall (too many years ago to mention) which boils down to the same thing: Greed.

[SteppingRazor]

14. I agree there is a fine line between greed and self-interest...

But it's not exactly the same thing. You can have self-interest and still care about the welfare of fellow citizens.

[ashling]

25. So fine as to be invisible

in many - dare I say "most"? - cases.

[Bloodblister Bob]

34. Defintion of capitalism:

"An economic system in which the production and distribution of goods depend on invested private capital and profitmaking."
-Oxford Modern English Dictionary

It must be understood that we do not have a pure capitalist system in the United States. We have a mixed economy, in which the state is playing an increasingly larger role.

Corporate welfare, shady no-bid contracts, phony price supports, and pork-laden legislation are typical. It is in these things that the true greed in our system is manifested, and they are not part of true capitalism; they are part and parcel of state power.

[ultraist]

21. It's about HOW they got that bankroll

Did they rape the retirement funds of thousands of workers so they could assign themselves a 30 million dollar salary, with bonuses all while taking corporate welfare?

Sorry to say, many people with huge fortunes did not come upon those fat bankrolls ethically.

[porphyrian]

23. The important thing is their actions, not what's in their heart.

Intent does not excuse inaction, nor does it excuse complacency in allowing others to use money for evil, especially given that money is power in the world today and that those with money have the most power to prevent its abuse, or to allow it.

[Thirtieschild]

26. Greed - Why do they want so much?

I can't begin to understand what motivates people who want more and more and more, the CEOs who bleed a company dry and abscond with their many-million-dollar bonuses, the evil ones who start a war to line their own pockets. What do they do with all that money? You can only live in so many houses, take so many vacations, and you sure can't take it with you. Karma WILL catch up with them - they're going to find themselves in deep poverty next time around.

[Bloodblister Bob]

35. I agree. Greed is senseless and bad.

But greed, be it for money or power, is not unique to capitalists or capitalist systems.

[MN ChimpH8R]

12. Can we pelt them with rocks and garbage?

Just wonderin' :evilgrin:

[greatauntoftriplets]

13. Flying pigs.

and pink elephants.

[EstimatedProphet]

15. You're absolutely right

I've tried to explain this to people, and it amazes me how so few people get it.
When someone is extremely rich, what way do they have of setting themselves apart from the rabble and scum anymore? More money loses its meaning-if you have a billion dollars, what does another million mean? When someone gets to that point the only way they have of keeping the "I'm rich so I'm better" buzz is to really lord it over everyone else, and this often comes out in attempts to make life worse for the poor-kill off the safety net, defeat school bonds, let the roads decay, etc. Their stuff is maintained, so they don't care, and anyone else can go hang.

[ultraist]

22. True. The large majority of the top 10% voted for Bush

And of course, by voting for the chimp, they acted out in selfish and greedy ways by supporting cuts to the "safety net."

To be a Republican is to be a greedy, selfish, "Godless" person.

MILLIONS of people have fallen into poverty under Bush. 'nuf said.

19. poverty sucks too

- communism is dead
- and population control is voluntary
- property can be bought, including natural resources

just a few thoughts.

[tk2kewl]

24. Yes, as long as there is a short pier involved

[Loonman]

27. "Eat the rich" is so 1960s

Boring...

[Hardrada]

31. Starve the serfs is so 13th Century!

And it's getting old!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

28. Parade them up a long ladder and down a short rope.

Not really, being a pacifist, but the sentiment is alluring.

[Greyhound]

30. Insatiable dissatisfaction defines the ruling class. There will never be

enough for any of them. It is a psychological dysfunction that should be treated with deprivation. I would suggest a lifetime of treatment.

[Lexingtonian]

32. Ambrose Bierce's Devil's Dictionary:

DISTANCE, n. The only thing that the rich are willing for the poor to call theirs, and keep.