Are we truly created equal???

[cobraboy]

We are "born" equal...until the doctor or midwife slaps the breath into us. Then we are no longer equal. Life becomes survival at that point.

Life is hard. Life is unfair. Life can be very cruel. It takes great strength and tenacity to just survive, not to mention rising above the circumstances of our genetic parentage.

Attempts to "level the playing field" actually does more harm to a society because it penalizes those with the potential to benefit society because of superior abilities, the Producers, more than it benefits those in society who live at the expense of their fellow man.

Put into perspective, I'm sure that Haitian fellow pounding the sidewalk feels his situation is better than what he may have been doing in Haiti.

It's funny. Alida's family has been hiring legal Haitian temporary laborers for their coffee finca. Personally, I wouldn't want to do the work under the conditions they do. But seems that the work is considered quite the fine job by their friends and family remaining in Haiti. So much so that three generations continue to work there every year.

 

[Rocky]

Ray's Philosofy

This doesn't answer the question, but it seems so appropriate to this thread.
It was early in the morning, chatting with my Bro in North Carolina a few years back.
I liked what he said so much, that I have kept it all these years.

I am always up early -- usually not later than 5 AM. And yes, technology is great. They can complain all they want about things not being as good as it once was -- that we are destroying everything from the environment to our moral / family values ---- but I am really happy that we are here when we are here and have what we have. We can enjoy almost anything we want -- when we want it -- from music to food to going on a vacation by leaving the cold and dreary and going to a warm beautiful beach and ocean just because we feel like it. The best wines, the best steak, the entertainment. And all the while there are the majority of people on earth now and before us that have to eat bugs, live in garbage, contract all sorts of horrible disease and die at 35 hungry & in pain. I think I like my deal a WHOLE lot more.
Thankful every minute of every day,

 

[ZEUS]

Question, Mr AZB, did you stopped and help this man. Did you offer him a ride in your a/c car? Did you asked him to join you for lunch at El Pez Dorado?

Just a question.

Zeus (venting steam)

 

[korejdk]

Chris, b4 U'll intervene, I refer no 4

1. There are no laws only provisional theories. 2. Every perception is the reflection of the observer. 3. Everything is meaningful; nothing is important. 4. Everyone is responsible for what is. 5. Whatever we resist will persist. 6. Everything is as it should be right here right now. 7. Every belief is true. 8. Every belief is false. 9. Every belief is true and false. 10. Every belief is neither true nor false

The above comes from Buddhabots.com

 

[korejdk]

I propose no 6 too

 

[Chris]

4. Everyone is responsible for what is.

We tried that one last time we got sued. It did not make a good defense

(Not really .. this is a joke to illustrate .. I really don't know what the DR1 does.)

6. Everything is as it should be right here right now.

Sure .. and the moderator should be right here right now as well. This is right and proper

 

[korejdk]

shame that we need artificial inteligence to teach us

 

[Chris]

OK .. beedie beedie beep ... this is your friendly AI ... back to the topic please.

 

[laurapasinifan]

Question, Mr AZB, did you stopped and help this man. Did you offer him a ride in your a/c car? Did you asked him to join you for lunch at El Pez Dorado?

Just a question.

Zeus (venting steam)

well he offered him something ...probably the only person that day to do so.

you cant derail the plight of every poor soul you see...ESPECIALLY in santiago.

A place i have seen more horrendous cripples on the street in 2 years than i saw my whole life before that.


along the lines of this thread but not totally folowing it...

I think about the use of huge amounts of man labor we see digging and cutting crops..and I wonder if it is really cheaper to have 10 men cut the grass along the side of the road for 5 miles each day than to give 2 of them weed wackers!
I mean they are bent over all day grabbing, cutting and moving on...if the town bought a tractor with a cutter they could cut all the roads in 1/500th the time it would seem. But by the time they get the stretch done by hand they have to come back and do it again!

bob

 

[Robert]

This thread is proof enough that we are not all created equal....

 

[A.Hidalgo]

As we go through this trip called life the more "stuff" we accumulate the more unequal we become...the less we have, kind of like regressing to childhood the more equal we become....and when we exit we definitely will be equal again.





just some ramblings with a bottle of Barcelo Dorado next to me.:cheeky:

 

[CyaBye3015]

This thread is proof enough that we are not all created equal....

Forgive me for digressing here but that statment made my day, I laughed so hard tears are running down my cheeks.

 

[laurapasinifan]

the OP wasnt even remotely quoting the US declaration of independance...he could care less about that document.

the declaration of independence has enough words that there is precious few sentences that can be made with out using phases from it!!!

so we in your words would be quoting the DOI in everything we write! ha ha ha ha.

sometimes over anal-ization goes way toooo far!!

bad bob

 

[miguel]

Otra vezzzz

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. :cheeky::cheeky:

 

[SantiagoDR]

so please explain to me, how are we all created equal? This man works the streets, hammers the concrete everyday to be able to just eat simple meal and then sleep on the floor in some shack while mosquitoes suck his blood dry. So how is he equal to some of us who complain about apagones, lost satellite signal on our directv system etc? maybe you should try explaining to him why he ended up on the road under the hot sun and we here in a/c?
I think he will laugh at your people's BS. of course the statement "we are all created equal" sounds very politically correct to you Dr1 folks who live the first world life. How much does it costs you to spit out these worthless words?
The truth is, we are not all created equal and for that reason alone some are doctors, lawyers work in comfortable environments and while others who are born poor, lack intelligence and understanding to be able to study in schools / universities and end up in a hole. Some people are simply born poor and never get the opportunity to be able to get ahead in life. So the question remains: are we all created equal? Please don't just spit out the same lame answer that has been programmed into your head from early school. Think before you answer the question.................

Why was that boy breaking his ass in hot sun while we comfortably make silly statements: all human beings are created equal?
AZB

It will always be that way AZB when people continue to look down on those that are less fortunate then themselves,

Some examples of which are the following AZB!

On the second thought, let the poor starve. I bet they would have a greater motivation to work harder the next year in order to avoid another lame christmas. Hahahaha. Me make joke.
AZB

I thought about helping some poor folks with some christmas presents and food. I mean I spend more money on a weekend in bars than it would cost me to help some poor family in some barrio. I was about to go food shopping for them but then a friend called me and invited me out with some other female friends of his. Guess what, the hell with the poor folks, I am going to spend this cash on booze and food and women. yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Life is good. Poverty sucks. Hahahaha
AZB

.... What about the dominican maids, why do you think they are paid so little? They are paid acccording to their level of understanding of their jobs. Have you noticed how stupid they are? they do everything wrong and you have to be there to corrrect them in every step of the way and yet they still manage to screw up. Now if you folks who live outside of this country, will not know what i am talking about here.
AZB

did you say women can join the club too? i am outta here. whats next? gay would be able to walk in as well?
No way.
I like an expat club where men could drink, eat BBQ talk philosphy and sleep during the afternoons. who wants to hear women talk about their equal rights and soap operas.
AZB

If women are created for the pleasure of men then why do men have to do anything to please them?
Do not fall in this trap of feminists to control men. Let the women stay in kitchen and raise kids, while proud men go out drinking, eating, resting and talking advance philosphy with other sage men.
AZB

I know, I know, I should learn to "READ BETWEEN THE LINES" of your statements.

But I'm just a dumb arse American ex-pat that doesn't speak good Spanish and is married to poor barrio trash, as SOME people refer to them.

Don ♥ SantiagoDR

Long live McDonald's Hamburgers

 

[AZB]

Ok, lets talk about USA where we do have decration if independense. If you rob 100 dollars from a gas station, you are given 10 yrs jail, now if you rob millions in a white collar crime, you get 5 yrs in country club type federal jail.
If you are OJ, you get off on technicality, if you look like arab but still a USA citizen and is suspected of any crime that remotely resembles and fits in with terrorist definition, then you are jailed and tortured in Guantanamo bay, cuba. Then if you are found non guilty, they still deport you out of the country without any explanation.
AZB

 

[Robert]

Ok, lets talk about USA where we do have decration...
AZB

No, lets not talk about the USA. Let's stay on topic.

 

[laurapasinifan]

the problem with staying on topic with AZBs post...is his comments blend his OPINION and views and observations and knowledge...and rolls them all into the word..FACT

when in fact they are anything BUT factual.. they are just HIS views.

it is a stimulating thread....because there are so many things that oxymoronic about how life goes on in the DR!

mr AZB is the prime example of a devils advocate...he argues against his own opinon many times..and leaves us scratching our heads??...thus the lack of hair for many of us. ha ha ha

I think it sucks when some people take a thread and run with it to grandstand their political view....

the OP used the word hatian..because in this case it might have been very obvious the man was hatian, and the country is close by and there are LOTS of hatians in the DR doing this kind of work. You would think we can describe a person and not have to deal with the last 200 years of said person countrys trials!!!

I would add that if my opinion of what a Hatian looks like is close to reality, and think i am seeing a lot of hatian looking men in the military!!

I went to a concert in Santiago last week and there were a few military fatigued uniformed men walking around.. they wer strongly hatian in appearance. same goes for seemingly higher officered men at road blocks and at the baseball games I have gone to.


is there something to that..if they really are oppressed in the DR....why would they have such an imfluence in officer ranks in the military?

could it be that military duty is generally a low quality job until you acheive some really elite status?

just a thought.

have fun folks

bob

 

[Berzin]

No, we are not created equal. No one ever is. We are all separated first and foremost by wealth, social class and skin color. Skills and abilities happen to be last on the list.

You get treated differently in life because of your skin color, height and if you can make someone money or not. And if you were born into a wealthy, politically influential family then your height, skin color and abilities do not matter. You will unfairly be treated better just as someone poor, black and out of luck will be treated worse just because of what he represents.

The bottom line here for the OP is race. That haitian is not happy to be pounding cement for 300 pesos a day as some posters would love to have us believe. But what choice does he have?

Someone would have to offer this guy a chance, an opportunity that would not ever present itself unless someone with the ability to help him came along and singled him out. Which will not happen, because those people reserve those life opportunities for their children and others of their own class.

 

[laurapasinifan]

you know berzin i dissagree some what...and I use and example of ife in NYC as an example.

poor inner city children..almost ALL minorities..and mostly black.

many have said that they cant make it and that those kids are treated unfairly and it is the system that holds them down....

but if we look at the 10 % that stayed in school and chose to take the hard road and graduate, and went onto to jobs and possibly college and careers that were successful........we have proven that it isnt the SYSTEM any more.

that it is the individual and the immediate family that had the most negative impact!

now if all the children failed miserably...then it might be the system

same goes for the hatians..... they are in the same boat as the super poor dominicans...

some squander theri lives away, some over achieve and get out!

if a few can do it.. more could if the applied the same work ethic and mentality

I hope no one tries to twist my comments racially...

it is a comparison

bob