Sunday, March 19, 2017

Human Decency

I was in Chicago to study at the Cosmedent Center for Excellence. I have been studying at the CCE for the entire 18 years that the center has been at 401 Michigan Avenue and, in fact, I had been studying with Cosmedent for 2 years before the Education Center was started.  The Center brings in dentists who are among the best in the world at direct resin bonding including Newton Fahl, the Brazilian dentist who IS the best in the world.

Class ended at noon on Saturday and I took a short walk on  Michigan Avenue, commonly called the Miracle Mile because of all the exclusive stores and hotels on this road...Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Rolex, Apple etc are all here. Also on the street was an elderly gray haired  lady, sitting on the cold pavement next to a tree, with her crutches near her feet. She desperately needed a handkerchief to wipe her nose. Also next to her was a paper cup in her lap for people to put money in; and in a little voice she repeated, "Help me, please."

I know that many beggars do quite well and, in fact do as well as if they had a 'real job' so that many people feel that they are being scammed. This old lady was not one of them. Yes, I understand that many street people are mentally ill but that does not make me feel better to see that old lady. I initially walked past her by 20 feet, reached into my pocket and took out a $5 bill and walked back to her and put the money in her hand rather than the cup. She looked at me and mouthed the words, "Thank you," still needing a Kleenex.

When I reached my hotel room, I turned on the news to see that 'Wheels On Meals" was being severely cut. This is a program to deliver 2 meals a day to elderly shut ins that can no longer fend for themselves.

I am sorry but where is our humanity. This is not a Liberal or Conservative issue but one of human decency. How will these people eat?

How and why is this happening?

Because rich people want to pay less taxes.

What am I missing here?  Do we want the elderly to starve?  Have we really become this desensitized to people who have nothing?

Not in my name.