I am disenfranchised.

Yes i am completely disenfranchised and no im not posting a link to the word disenfranchised to you understand the context im using it in. If you cant figure it out then i dont give a #.

Im pissed off as an American. Im really pissed off.

I am not represented in the school system, the political spectrum, or in any of the popular mainstream religions. I am unaffiliated with a gang i mean political group.

There is no program out there for people like me. How can you people sit in your shells of reality believing all this crap that being fed through mainstream culture to you?

Whats wrong with you?

I dont know.

Im 28 and i dont have a future in america. ive been reaching out for help for the past few years and it isnt there. Something is wrong with our reality and we need to fix it because i know im not alone. There is a lot more people out there like me and its about #ing time we start looking for answers.

reply to post by onequestion


Nice rant.
Wait til you hit your mid life crisis.

I know exactly what you mean! I felt like that a few years ago; turns out it was a hormone imbalance.
I still don't have much hope for humanity, but I feel a lot better.

you should not be deligitimized (as the previous posters have done).

I was going to say, "preaching to the choir".... but considering the first replies, I will echo your statement: "Whats wrong with you?"

I honestly don't know how anyone can become enfranchised in the current system. there are no inroads anymore.

reply to post by onequestion


I'm Sorry, Here did this Help?

OH, You're only 28, SH*T, You're not a Grandma,,, Maybe some Midol will help
I usually just go fishing when the wife starts with that kind of talk
What, you a Game Widow:

Go Shoe Shopping, that'll wake'em up when he gets the credit card bill.
Are you afraid of things that go Bump in the night?

It'll be OK, just go shoe shopping, that cures everything she tells me.

reply to post by guohua


I tried deciphering your riddle. Then i realized it doesnt matter. I figure if you really had something to say or add youd say it directly.

tgidkp
you should not be deligitimized (as the previous posters have done).

I was going to say, "preaching to the choir".... but considering the first replies, I will echo your statement: "Whats wrong with you?"

I honestly don't know how anyone can become enfranchised in the current system. there are no inroads anymore.

I recently became enfranchised in the government health care system. Oh I didn't join but may have to pay a fine for not joining so I am still joined in that regard. Yea they made it legal to rob me and millions of others with a non-enfranchisement fee. SCROTUM said so. You know that organization known for its legendary protection of civil right?

reply to post by Logarock


I absolutely fail to see how snarky political baiting can have a positive impact on this thread.

you are banished to the 'political madness' forum.

reply to post by onequestion


Good rant, better questions, one. A bump at least for your thoughts, quite concise and deep beyond your years if I may add. Even though my mid lifer is long gone behind, a few items that could steer you clear of one if I'm lucky.

We have lost our way as a culture, and there's no way back alone. In my circumstances, neccessity finally took over.

Together we three roommates here at least averted homelessness, for the moment. Our combined triple pittances will amount to one carpeted telephone booth in the sticks away from my old place. I heard a long time ago that poverty isn't about money-- it's about hope. Maybe in a while I can know some independence from our individual strengths being used; instead of dependency through the state playing our weaknesses and keeping us isolated.

I hold out no hope for a conversion of that tumor in the Beltway (and almost everywhere else) to anything even decent, much less useful to the people. Its source is too powerful yet detached and hidden.

As we awaken so afterward is the full exposure. In the meantime our continuing to sustain our visible 'saviors' is self destructive and stupid. And those two maladies are a chore to get past, trust me I'm still there a lot.. you sound well above the noise on the ground though.

For now, thank you for constantly questioning this 'power' with us.

reply to post by onequestion


I will give you a serious answer -

I am 50 years old - my son is 30 years old.

My son works hard - he is currently working building houses - the first one there, framing the house - for $18.00 and hour. He has no health care, no retirement, no savings. He has a 10 year old daughter that he has child support taken out of his check ( and back pay child support) as he was unemployed in this "booming" economic revival, for a while, off and on.

I work as a registered nurse. I work for the state of wisconsin and have for 21 years - worked in wisconsin and iowa before this. I do have a retirement that I can only pray isn't deep-sixed in the looming financial meltdown.

Of course, my son and I have paid into social security since we started working as teenagers - like anybody with a bit of sense thinks this will be there to collect from after having paid a fortune into it by having payroll taxes taken out all these years.

I have a mortgage on a house which is relative on the market what it is worth - in a financial collapse - it will be worth nothing - but my mortgage will still be what I owe on it - not to mention property taxes......

There appears to be no future in america at present, except for having nothing of worth, so that you can imbibe on the "gov't welfare system" - or engage in illegal activities - such as getting paid in cash, without the horrendous, multitude of federal and state taxes that are deducted from the sum of "legal" work.

Food prices keep on increasing.... and how much radiation is in the "healthy" food one wants to buy?

I believe you are living in the northwest? And anyone with half a brain can see what's in the ocean, and floating over all of us in the sky, and coming down to rain on the land that the food is grown on.

Disenfranchised from the billionaire gov't idiots that keep making laws to apply to us and not to them.

We feel your pain, and hopelessness to actually be a good, intelligent, hard-working person - who wants just the basices and maybe a bit more, for their labors.

reply to post by Happy1

Thanks for being one of the five people left on ATS who will intelligently engage themselves in a thread. I appreciate your response.

reply to post by Happy1

Thanks for being one of the five people left on ATS who will intelligently engage themselves in a thread. I appreciate your response.

reply to post by onequestion


28 and not happy with your country and its excesses ? no help programs to suit?
Old enough to get a plane ticket and leave ,Ethiopia is nice this time of year and should give you some perspective and with many programs to help disenfranchised westerners and their miserable circumstances

Its over there to your right

reply to post by 12voltz


Our current US regime is doing everything in it's power to change our "excesses" into Ethiopia - she won't need a plane ticket soon to live in an impoverished third world country.

Where do you live?

Are you sucking off the gov't's largesse?

28 and not happy with your country and its excesses ? no help programs to suit?
Old enough to get a plane ticket and leave ,Ethiopia is nice this time of year and should give you some perspective and with many programs to help disenfranchised westerners and their miserable circumstances

Its over there to your right

I actually agree with this guy just not in the Snarky, passive aggressive way he means it.

America is imploding, have you ever thought, seriously thought, of packing up and moving?
Im an Aussie expat in SE Asia and I really cant see myself going back home.
Life here has everything you could possibly want from back home plus, its cheaper, friendlier, food tastes better and is healthier, compared to the states medical bills are nothing, I could go on but I think you get the picture

The above poster is a perfect example of why your country is in the state its in, so blinded by patriotism that anyone who has a bad word to say about the state of the good ol USA can just leave!!!!

Americans are OK, your basically like normal people (said tongue in cheek with a smile, dont jump down my throat) but America is screwed and getting worse if the Americans on this forum are to be believed. I dont think Ive ever heard an American on here say they are happy with the state of affairs there, but then again we probably dont have many millionaires on here.

If you ever consider a change of scenery out this way let me know and I can give you a few contacts that may be able to help out. That goes for anyone on ATS

reply to post by onequestion


28 is that age where you worry most about your career cause you know if you can get something in gear soon then your life may be like sitting at a bus stop for the rest of your life. Here is what you do, immigrate to Australia we have the best social security system in the world.

reply to post by Happy1


Its there in my profile under location
Not sure what you meant by largesse so i looked it up
'bestowing gifts' ok well no to that ,they have nothing i need that i cant get myself from trading services with real people .

reply to post by 12voltz


Cordillo Downs? Austrailia? UK? I could look it up, but it's getting late.

Tie this into the other Austrailia native - seriously have been thinking about re-locating from the US, like so many others -

It's quite difficult to immigrate to Austrailia, New Zealand, isn't it?

50 years old - am a registered nurse, significant other is a CDL/hazmat endorsed semi truck driver.......

What many people here are missing is the word "disenfranchised" is quite often used incorrectly. The OP is a convicted felon who has done their time, but as a result of the crime has also lost many rights as stated under law even after having served their time.

A stupid act made in youth can ruin a lifetime. It can hobble your chances at doing well for yourself & family.

Once your disenfranchised, almost everything is harder. Can't vote, can't own a weapon legally, employers may pass over your application, etc, etc.

But I don't see how the OP could be disenfranchised from religion. That one has me scratching my head. Religion is a personal belief/faith based system.

I'm surprised the self righteous haven't jumped on this thread in numbers telling you that you're the problem and you can go live somewhere else if you don't like it!!! This is Murica after all babah!!! Woooo!

I am an American, I served 8 years in the US Army. There has always been a strong military tradition in my family and it only seemed natural to want to enlist myself. I got to see first hand that I had been spoon fed a lie about protecting the country and so on. I got out, then saw firsthand that employers could care less if you are a combat veteran. I went around begging people for work until I finally landed a job as a cook at the local waffle house. I started having nightmares, mood swings, depression etc. Then I found out personally that the VA could give a damn if I was having service related PTSD/health problems. I finally landed a good job that I enjoyed and made a good living at. Then I get diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and even though I am surviving it, the chemo and radiation and cancer drugs have done such a number on my body that I know I will never go back to work again.

People say things all the time like, "Just stay positive." Or "Good things happen to you in the end." How are you supposed to do that when there is hardly anything to see going on that's positive? The world could care less how smart you are, or if you're a good person or not. All the world cares about is what they can get out of you. "How many hours can you work and for how little hours/money?" Maybe that's a cynical world view but that's been my experiences anyways.

I wish there was something I could do to help you out OP, I wish there was something I could offer you other than dimestore advice but any advice I can give would be cliched and unhelpful so I'll just say there are definately more of us out there who can relate to what you're saying.