Busting the Door Open

Well, it finally happened. The people revolted, and the lobbyists won yet again. Business as usual in the government. For the first time, some people might actually get a sense of how the government works, and why the corporations come before the citizens.

In my mind, corporation is like a dirty word. On one hand, they drive our economy and our employment in ways previously unseen. They make the rich richer and even drive the standard of living up for the rest. At the same time, I am driven to hate them and what they do. They profit off of the poor and keep the resources of other countries for themselves. They often take the easiest route out, doing illegal and immoral things to drive the bottom line higher, all the while trying to give off a completely contradictory image. They assault America with images of advertising and consumerism, and help to foster false instincts connecting consumerism and possessions to happiness. I am too honest to work in a corporation; I could not willingly do some of the things they do without having a crisis of faith.

Still, I cannot entirely blame them for their actions. When everyone around you places emphasis on making as much money as possible regardless of the means, you have to act in ways you may not normally. I am willing to think that some of the economy's biggest players are actually decent people in normal life. They have to make money because it is their job. They might be forced to make harmful decisions to others because it is the cheapest alternative. The question I want to raise is where to draw the line. When does the greater good take precedence over money and power? When is it morally right to take the easy way out, and when it is right to stop and help out those in need? What obligations, if any, do these companies have to the people who buy their products versus the people who own shares in them? All are complex questions beyond the scope of a college student's blog, often involving answers that are just as complex.

I applaud the efforts of those protesting the closed-door actions of the government. They are doing the right thing in pushing against the oil lobbyists for their chance to be heard. I implore all who are reading this to protest to their local governments for mass transit programs around the country. To eight the push of the lobbyists, the consumers must push back harder. My only request is that you join a group that uses nonviolent means. I agree with the cause, but not with their rioting in the streets. That just reinforces the idea of an angry and unruly mob, when they are a group of rational humans just like everyone else.