27 January 2011

Where are the US riots?

While the Arab world seems to finally be waking up, the people of the US are still fast asleep.

Inspired by the Tunisian revolution against its dictatorial president and government, protestors in Egypt, Yemen, Algeria, Jordan and Albania have taken to the streets, and up to 4 Moroccans have set themselves on fire. Reports are even coming in of an Egyptian stock market crash.

One just has to look at what the majority of people have been demonstrating against in these countries to wonder why these revolutions haven't yet hit the US: chronic unemployment and government corruption, something in abundance in the US.


I person in 7 - that's 15% of the population, or 45 million Americans - are poor according to Associated Press. There are well over 15 million officially unemployed. But the US considers the labour force the number of people employed plus the number unemployed but seeking work, while it considers the non-labour force tincludes those who are not looking for work, those who are institutionalised (eg prison) and those serving in the military. And its the shrinking numbers of the actual labour force that keeps the unemployment rate from going through the roof.

One must ask if they're brain dead too, as one wonders why they aren't all out in the streets...

No comments: