THE OLIVER EFFECT
Recently a young man named Christopher Anthony Lunsford has rocked the world with a song he wrote and performed under the stage name of Oliver Anthony. Oliver Anthony was Christopher’s grandfather who was born and raised in Appalachia and survived the hard times of the Great Depression on dirt floors, with seven kids. Chris honors his grandfather and his struggles during the 1930’s, but also speaks to the problems facing our country today.
Christopher sings of what he knows personally. He dropped out of high school at 17, but later got his GED. After high school he worked at blue-collar jobs like industrial plants and paper mills that paid just above minimum wage but working conditions were brutal. He worked 3rd shift, 6 days a week until he had a bad fall and fractured his skull. It was about 6 months before he could work again.
He is presently living in rural Virginia which allows him to live off the grid. He wants to turn land that he purchased into a farm, but presently lives in a 27’ camper with a tarp on top. He was offered a $8 million record deal, but chose to self-release his song which soared to the top of the charts within two weeks. What is so special about his song?
Christopher sings of what he knows personally. He dropped out of high school at 17, but later got his GED. After high school he worked at blue-collar jobs like industrial plants and paper mills that paid just above minimum wage but working conditions were brutal. He worked 3rd shift, 6 days a week until he had a bad fall and fractured his skull. It was about 6 months before he could work again.
He is presently living in rural Virginia which allows him to live off the grid. He wants to turn land that he purchased into a farm, but presently lives in a 27’ camper with a tarp on top. He was offered a $8 million record deal, but chose to self-release his song which soared to the top of the charts within two weeks. What is so special about his song?
It seems that his soulful song has touched the hearts and minds of the working class in our country, but also working people around the world. Responses to his song “Rich men north of Richmond” come from many countries: England, Netherlands, Australia, Sweden, Ireland, Russia, Germany, Canada, Chile, Finland, Italy, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Mexico, Spain and South Africa. I’m sure there are others, but I didn’t have time to read all responses.
Comments also came from truckers, steel workers, automotive workers, welders, blue collar, boilermakers, coal miners, oil field workers, and blue-collar workers. Support for his song came from Mexican Americans, Native Americans and African Americans, from inner city to the country, and from active military and vets. All of them express their distrust and disgust with the ruling elite throughout the world and the desire for a change.
Comments also came from truckers, steel workers, automotive workers, welders, blue collar, boilermakers, coal miners, oil field workers, and blue-collar workers. Support for his song came from Mexican Americans, Native Americans and African Americans, from inner city to the country, and from active military and vets. All of them express their distrust and disgust with the ruling elite throughout the world and the desire for a change.
Maybe a tipping point is coming, but only if our voices are heard and the government is listening. We know that the middle class is shrinking and the number of poor and the number of rich are increasing. Democracies don’t work except in middle-class countries. For the first time since at least the 1960s, the majority of Americans were not in the middle class. In 2021, just 50% of American adults lived in middle-income households—down from 54% in 2001, 59% in 1981, and 61% in 1971.
The Democratic Party used to be the party of the people. Income inequality was a core Democratic concern. The focus on the working class has changed to protection of the affluent in Washington, New York and Silicon Valley. Democrats are not concern about the middle class but focused on identity politics, abstract environmental policies, abortion, and sex changes.
The Democratic Party is the party of the rich. Historically, most high paid executives voted Republican, but not anymore. Hillary outraised Trump 20-1 among people on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The WSJ reported that seven financial firms donated $47.6 million to Hillary and Trump received $19,000. George Soros, one of the biggest Democratic donors, made his money by intentionally trying to provoke currency crises in order to profit.
The Democratic Party used to be the party of the people. Income inequality was a core Democratic concern. The focus on the working class has changed to protection of the affluent in Washington, New York and Silicon Valley. Democrats are not concern about the middle class but focused on identity politics, abstract environmental policies, abortion, and sex changes.
The Democratic Party is the party of the rich. Historically, most high paid executives voted Republican, but not anymore. Hillary outraised Trump 20-1 among people on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The WSJ reported that seven financial firms donated $47.6 million to Hillary and Trump received $19,000. George Soros, one of the biggest Democratic donors, made his money by intentionally trying to provoke currency crises in order to profit.
The Republicans don’t really consider there is a gap. They often believe that the economy is just and that people earn what they get. They seem to overlook the economic difficulties and just respond, “Get a job!” “Even the poor have it good in the U.S.A.” But as you look at the
income inequality of the U.S. compared to other countries, our inequality compares more to Latin American countries than European.
I am certain the problems are the same throughout the world. The only hope is that we let our voice be heard. “We the people” will have to make a stand. This song, which has touched hearts around the world, needs to be combined with constant prayer. God promises, if we do our part, He will heal our land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
God let it be so!
KLN
income inequality of the U.S. compared to other countries, our inequality compares more to Latin American countries than European.
I am certain the problems are the same throughout the world. The only hope is that we let our voice be heard. “We the people” will have to make a stand. This song, which has touched hearts around the world, needs to be combined with constant prayer. God promises, if we do our part, He will heal our land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
God let it be so!
KLN
Rich Men North of Richmond
I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day Overtime hours for bullshit pay. So I can sit out here and waste my life away. Drag back home and drown my troubles away It’s a damn shame what the world’s gotten to For people like me and people like you. Wish I could just wake up and it not be true But it is, oh, it is Livin’ in the new world with an old soul These rich men north of Richmond, Lord knows. They all just wanna have total control Wanna know what you think, wanna know what you do And they don’t think you know, but I know that you do Cause your dollar ain’t shit and it’s taxed to no end Cause of rich men north of Richmond. I wish politicians would look out for miners and not just minors on an island somewhere. Lord, we got folks in the street, Ain’t got nothin’ to eat And the obese milkin’ welfare. Well, God if you’re 5-foot-3 and you’re 300 pounds Taxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge rounds. Young men are puttin’ themselves six feet in the ground Cause all this damn country does is keep on kickin’ them down. |
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