Goose with Wake

Goose with Wake, originally uploaded by Lukasia.

I have had some time to think about who is to blame for the bridge falling here in Minneapolis. Some people want to point their fingers at the Republican Party; some at the Department of Transportation; some at the "Thing That We Dare Not Call A War In Iraq"; others have conspiracy theories that place the blame on somebody. Here is my simple take. We (the penny-pinching, NIMBY, I Hate Taxes (Unless They Benefit Me Somehow Americans) or the I Don't Mind Being Taxed If It Is an Expenditure I Endorse group. The collective we who have forgotten that the purpose of taxes is benefit for the COMMON good. Amazing now that the first of the lawsuits are beginning to surface. We hate TAXES but we love to sue when something goes wrong. What if we are all to blame? Does that mean that we ALL have a responsibility to see that nothing like this ever happens again? Does it mean that we all owe each other apologies for our short-sighted thinking? Does it mean that we should remember this tragedy when the politicians start proselytizing on the campaign trail?

Or will be lost in the next awful thing that happens? Do we really care enough about this loss of life that we are willing to forego immediate returns on our stocks? Does this mean that we could look at a fair assessment and payment of taxes? Does this mean that we collectively decide that money is never as valuable as safety? Will this bleed over into corporate practices? Will we start paying fare wages? Will we make sure that all have health insurance? Will we eliminate homelessness here in the US? We should, but I fear that we will not. In the wake of this tragedy will there be a lone strong voice that can change our ways? I hope so! Maybe it is you. Have you thought about this?