Kudos to LA Times

Kudos to the LA Times for their work!

It's been well over a year that I have been reading the stories featured in the LA Times and while I have never blogged about it til now -- I've constantly been sending links via emails and texts to colleagues.

What the LA Times did is bring faces and stories to the "Great Recession" and simply put it out there for all to see. I find that overall we are walking around with blinders on, making it really easy to blame people for the situations they are in, easy to assume that no one is taking responsibility or accountability for the positions they are in -- when the reality is its a much larger issue that seems to be getting swept under the rug. I am unable to understand it, is the mentality, "if we do not talk about it it does NOT exist?" Or,  "if we do not talk about it, it will go away?" Or,  "if we do not talk about it, it is OK because it will work itself out?"

The LA Times asks its readers, "How has the recession affected you?, [and]  invites readers to share stories about how America’s economic downturn has changed their lives."

Finally, someone is listening. Someone is asking. Someone is putting a face to the problem. Because what I have seen around me is that for far too long employed people have been berating unemployed people: "stop playing the victim," "you are not trying hard enough to get a job," "you need to send out more resumes," "you made the decision to be unemployed"  (yes I actually heard that).

Maybe some how, some way, this will help towards finding solutions for employment. Maybe it will help towards removing the stigmas attached to being unemployed, or finally finally maybe teach those who have never experienced it to have some empathy.

Thank you LA Times!