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How many of us thought, "They can't do that. What will people do?" when the government announced the end of the welfare system? I did, just as I thought the same thing when gasoline prices went up over $1.00 per gallon and the price of groceries doubled, then tripled, then doubled again. Yes, I am well into middle age, but that just serves in this case to give me no illusions about the fact that if the government wants to cancel subsidized housing that it can and will be done unless we who live in it get very strong very quickly! When thinking about how these changes had already happened before we even knew about them, you must understand that only one-third of the people who are eligible to vote do so, so the whole country is run by only one-third of those who could be doing it. That one-third does not include as a majority people who live in subsidized housing or are on welfare. There are many reasons used to explain this, but the fact remains that we have no voice in anything if we do not vote. The responsibility of voting carries with it the responsibility of being informed. Do you read a newspaper every day or a news magazine every week? You can go to the library and read free. How about the TV news, including the world news that is on for 1/2 hour afterwards? It helps to know what is happening BEFORE it has the chance to impact your life. The third responsibility involves organizing. Political parties and labor unions are examples of people organizing to safeguard their rights, but the Statewide Association of Tenants and its sister organizations around the country are the safeguards of residents of subsidized housing. They have lawyers and other professionals keeping a sharp eye on what Congress is planning for your home BEFORE it is a done deal. Chances are that if you are reading this article you are a member of SWAT or certainly someone who is interested in public housing as an issue. But we need to go door-to-door if necessary and explain to our neighbors that just as they didn't think they would go to the mailbox and find it empty, they could find themselves with no place to move themselves and their possessions before they even knew it was going to happen. If we could mobilize one-third of all residents of subsidized housing, we could have the same impact as the one-third of this country's eligible voters who run this entire nation. We can do it if we show ourselves strong in numbers and determination. Call 1-888-DEL-SWAT today and see how you can get involved. |