Since Herman Cain has entered the slew of Republicans who hope to be their party’s candidate to oppose President Barack Obama, I have really tried to wrap my head around him and gain a better understanding of his way of thinking and everything he represents.
It hasn’t been easy.
One thing I realize is that Herman Cain is a very fortunate man. His parents had meager beginnings and achieved their American dream by being homeowners and sending both of their children to college. Cain himself has achieved a considerable amount of professional success during his time with Pillsbury, the National Restaurant Association, and most notably as the head of Godfather’s Pizza.
Because of his hard work and the various opportunities presented to him, Cain has also been able to become a very wealthy man.
Credit should always be given to those who deserve it and in regards to his professional acumen, Cain deserves the credit.
As I’ve tried to better understand Cain over the last couple of months, I also found myself wondering how such a successful man who previously had a fairly meager upbringing could be so oblivious to some of the plights of average Americans.
The name Herman Cain is now synonymous with what has become a highly controversial quote made by the political contender. In case you’ve forgotten the statement or have perhaps been residing under a rock lately, let me refresh your memory.
Cain said “If you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself.”
As much as I’ve tried to understand his way of thinking and even find a bit of truth in the aforementioned statement, my efforts resulted in futile justifications.
What I have come to realize is that Cain has lost touch with the realities of everyday Americans; the Americans who are not uber rich or influential.
To make such a crass statement is disrespectful to the millions of hard working Americans who go to work everyday at a job that doesn’t pay enough to cover their most basic needs. Cain’s statement disregards the once financially-comfortable person who lost their job because of the downturn in the economy. And his statement is a slap in the face to other people who like him are fortunate enough to be wealthy, but unlike him, are not so far removed from “everyday” people that they have become disconnected with the hardships millions of people face in this country.
Herman Cain needs a reality check- and fast!
Perhaps what frustrates me most about Cain and his off-the-cuff statement is that he doesn’t seem to understand that hard work does not necessarily bring about success and financial comfort. Not so long ago Cain’s ancestors worked feverishly in the blazing sun for hours and endured unspeakable treatment as slaves yet they weren’t rich. Was the lack of financial gain by slaves their fault?
Cain needs to understand that failure is not always explained or defined as a lack of effort. And just because someone is not rich does not mean that somehow they have failed in life.
As great as money is, there’s more to life than money and for some people, those things – like love, peace of mind, companionship, children, family – are what matter most.
Yes, money can make life simpler for some and certainly more comfortable, but I know plenty of people who are or were poor and they always say that at least they had love.
To say that if an individual does not have a job then it’s their fault is asinine – particularly in this economic climate. There are plenty of people in this world who are hard-working, yet have not been able to achieve their goals. Not necessarily because they are lazy or unmotivated, but sometimes it is because of barriers they encounter. Some of these barriers are a matter of prejudice based on race, religion, sex, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation … the list could go on and on.
Sometimes it may be hard for people to achieve their goals because they simply don’t have the necessary connections (i.e. know the right people) or there simply aren’t any available opportunities.
A wise man (shout out to John Hurst) once said, “Sometimes situations dictate the terms of your philosophy.”
As great as Cain’s situations or life path have been, it obviously impacts the way he thinks, thus giving him his own unique perspective. I certainly can’t knock him for feeling the way he does, but I’m sure glad I have the compassion and wherewithal to feel differently.
You can email comments to Shannon Williams at shannonw@indyrecorder.com.
