Of the 53%

I have spent my adult life thus far working to feed, clothe, and house myself.

I have faced hardship and adversity on occasion, and done so with a small amount of grace.

But I am a thinking person.

As such, I am capable of recognizing a few things:

* I would not have had the means to overcome life's challenges were it not for the opportunities provided by a fundamentally co-operative society.

* Whatever success I have had in this life, however meager or robust, does not invalidate the life of anyone else.

* Sometimes, life-shattering things happen to people through no fault or action of their own, and some of these people, for whatever reasons, cannot extricate themselves from the resulting poverty, or pain, or hardship, no matter how hard they try.

I think those people deserve help.

I think the people who caused their troubles should be punished.

And, I think we should try to keep it from happening again.

I am the 53%.

That's all for now.