Peppers and A Rant

This morning it was a flower, tonight it's a pepper!



*****

Every day I pass by a small apartment complex on my way to and from work. I checked them out when I was looking for a place two years ago. They were old and dark, small, no laundry, and hadn't been taken care of very well--typical of many affordable places to live in OKC, but they were okay. I think most of their residents were lower income people. The complex has been for sale for at least a year, the place was practically empty, and they weren't mowing the lawn. Someone must have bought them recently, because now there's a sign up advertising "luxury apartments with new management." Even if they're remodeled, there's no way they could ever be considered "luxury." But what will the new owners do do? They'll probably do some minimal remodeling, up the rent, and then there will be one less affordable place for working folks to live.

Why is it everything has to be "luxury" or "high-end" or "executive?" What happened to "average" or "simple?" Calling something "luxury" is just a way to get more money for something that probably isn't worth half of what you're being charged. It also protects the "haves" from the "have nots."

Everything being built in Bricktown, around Downtown, or anywhere in town for that matter is now called "luxury" or "executive." Basically what this means is that average folks can't afford it. There's lots of new housing being proposed for Downtown, but nothing will be available for under $150,000--and that's for an apartment. It's obvious that creating good, safe, affordable homes for lower class working folks isn't a big money maker. There's McMansions everywhere, and the only room at the inn these days is for professionals and rich folks--us worker bees will just have to be happy living in a slum somewhere.

Oh, and by the way, we're going to cut your public transit and your ability to file bankruptcy because you don't have any medical insurance from your two or three part-time minimum-wage jobs and you got too sick to go to work and you lost those jobs, but you have too many "assets" to qualify for food stamps or housing vouchers or any other kind of assistance. Oh, and let's factor in that you're single and don't have any dependents, so you have no chance of getting any kind of assistance, because it doesn't take that much money for one person to live on--surely you can find a job of some kind? And I'll bet there's some relative or friend that would let you sleep on their floor for a few months till you find three more minimum-wage jobs to replace the ones you lost.

There's not? Oh, well, here's a lovely cardboard box to live in. Have a nice day.

Sorry, but I needed to rant--I am so tired of people who sit around and whine because things just cost too much, yet they live in a $250,000 home, have a vacation home worth at least that much, drive a brand-new luxury car, and take vacations every other month.

Some people just need to clean off that looking glass and peer through it just a little more closely. One day they might just see themselves looking back.

I guess you can tell I don't plan on listening to *'s speech tonight.

(This probably makes no sense--sorry.)