Ethical Work

I was raised in New England and one of the bedrock values was the importance of a work ethic.  Since returning I have noticed the very real erosion of that value amongst New Englanders.  It could be that this is because I now reside in that near communistic morass known as the People’s Republic of Massachusetts.  There seems to now be a culture of entitlement where healthy, capable people take advantage of a system set up to ensure the truly needy were taken care of.  I’ve been to a number of public hearings where people are allowed to speak to local government.  Almost invariably the most strident of these speakers proudly proclaim they are living on disability or welfare.   There is no shame and a very definite sense of = the rest of you owe me a living.  In most places in the US the hardest working people are the immigrants – struggling to make a life for their families in this truly best of all countries.  Here in Massachusetts, the generous welfare system has led to whole families coming here – not to work.   This is the danger of one party rule, such as we have here, where the genuinely good intent of these programs are abused.   I’m sure that more than a few of our “rock ribbed” forbearers are looking down and wondering what has become of us.