Libraries

The New York Times had an article today that once again left me such a sour mood, pretty much the rest of my day is pointless.

Cities are turning their libraries over to private corporations. One of the final bastions of free education in American society is being outsourced to men and women who have no qualms about firing unionized workers and hiring non-unionizers in their stead. Aside from the loss of benefits, pensions and the wage cut already low earning librarians will receive, the long term social effect is already palpable.

Do we really want big business censoring what we read? A library should be an oasis of knowledge where, no matter what your belief, you go to study. The United States is supposed to be one of the most modern and forward thinking countries on our planet. How sad is it that we value education and a strong, intelligent middle class so little.

We need to invest in our people. We need to make sure that our citizens are given opportunities for success. We need education to be in reach of not only the well off, but the poor. It's sick that we are so unwilling to give a hand to those in need. We are a selfish, greedy country. We look for short term fiscal returns, never the long term.

A part of me hopes that we will run America into the ground just so I can say I told you so. But unfortunately, the super rich will always survive to kick the impoverished. They've already begun by making education an exclusive club.