My Work Equals Your Pay?

  “To take from one, because it is thought that his own industry and that of his father’s has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, ‘the guarantee to every one of a free exercise of his industry, & the fruits acquired by it.’” Thomas Jefferson.


   Wow, after reading this quote I am almost at a loss for words.........This is from the man who authored the Declaration of Independence. It amazes me that something that was written over 200 years ago is so relevant today. Is this not EXACTLY what Barack Obama is trying to institute in our country as we speak? It is scary that a man who helped initiate our country’s freedoms knew more about what we need today than the man we elected to run our nation. Why do I need to GIVE to people that won’t help themselves? I am not talking about someone who is down on their luck and needs a little “boost”, but instead, about a way of life that would have some people “labeled” as WORKERS and others as TAKERS. Where has “self-motivation” and “the reward of our labor” gone? Our government has condoned a way of life that is centered on failure. It seems that they would have you believe that you don’t need to succeed, as the next man will “gladly” pay your way. Well I personally will not “gladly” pay any man’s way if he is too lazy to try and succeed.

   This sparks a memory of something my father would tell me as a teenager. “A man doesn’t let another man pay his way. It is unnatural.” Now this wasn’t meant as a saying of “I am better than you”, but more as a motivation to do for myself and quit waiting for others to provide for me. Is this such a bad thing that our government needs to reverse it? I always took pride from the time I was able to make my own mark on the world. What a sense of self-achievement, not NEEDING someone else to pull my weight, as I was perfectly capable. Through the years of being employed I received the monetary rewards associated with employment and the self gratification that another man did not have to “pay my way.” How can any person live with themselves knowing that they are not putting forth the effort needed to take care of themselves? It is unnatural for someone to receive the fruits of another person’s work.

   I do not condone this behavior and refuse to teach my children that this is acceptable. I will carry on the sayings of my father and hope that I can lead my children by example. I cannot say that I have never needed the help of others, but I can say that I have tried my best to make this the “exception” rather than the “rule”. It saddens me to tell my son that the current administration is leading us in the wrong direction. I hope that this behavior of STEALING from another man’s work does not become “natural” as I fear this will surely be the undoing of our country as we know it. Where are the Thomas Jeffersons of our time? This country sure could use a leader with a backbone AND a moral compass.