I need to listen

I need to shut up and listen.

I'm not rich, by any means: however, the average family income in the US is 68,700 dollars--and that's for all households, including those with children.

My wife and I have an income of well over $100,000 from Social Security, my amazing Church Pension Fund pension and the church work I do. Plus, we own our house in Cheshire's historic district outright.

Plus, we're both white. Bern for one generation on the Italian side and two generations on the Hungarian side and me for 6 generations on either side.

And there are people of color and white people as well who are locked in poverty.

Bern and I are both college graduates and I have three (count 'em) three post graduate degrees.

But many people in our country are under-educated and limited in what jobs they could do for a living wage even without the pandemic.

So, I need to shut up and listen to the voices of the poor, the people of color, the under-educated, the folks with disabilities--I need to know what they need and want and have to have.

And I have to vote for people who will give them what they need and do all I can to help them.

I am 'part of the problem' and need to be 'part of the solution'.

They need to speak and I need to listen.