August 20, 2007
Unedited

"CCC"

I want to start a revolution!
Wars, race, weapons, drugs, communities infiltrated.
Smart, intelligent frustrated people needing a way to escape.

The enemy positioned
on college campuses,
at the bank,
at your favorite stores,
and lurking quietly in your mailboxes.
SWIPE.

criminal activity
if you "CCC" were in the form of a human being
you would have been tried and found guilty long, long ago
but you were given power and are integral to the destruction of the fabric of this land

before millions were forced to file for bankruptcy
before shame spread like a disease across the land
people charging purchasing bling, bling
at night in cold sweats knowing what they just charged
they can not afford

but running from their past
trying to keep up with the Joneses’
they just want it really, really, bad
trying to make up for their failed marriages
trying to make up for their failed careers
trying to make up for their failed dreams

you prey on their dissatisfaction in life
you pray that they will look the other way
it's in the fine print you say
you prey, adding to the further decay of this country

But you aren't the only one to blame
if you were human, "CCC" you would be in jail
therefore what was the arrangement made with the powers that be
how is it that you are able to get away with your outright lies,
seductions,
making promises you know aren't true?
oh-it's in the fine print is your excuse

preying on the miseducation of our land
preying on the young and innocent
preying on those that feel trapped and come to you for a fix
SWIPE.

You count on that.

it wouldn't be so bad except that you know
you know your target
you know and you prey, pray and count on them needing their fix

when someone calls you on it
someone sick of the shame
you make them dance through hoops
US: "I want to close my account, what address do I send my official letter to?"
THEM: “send it to this address”
I receive my next bill and check
Account has been closed, yes
but the interest rate, has risen again.
I call, I'm told my letter wasn't received
US: “That's funny-I have a copy of it right here
THEM: “Please hold”
“Well, what address did you send it to”
US “the address I was given by you....”
THEM “Please hold”
“Sorry m’am that address is incorrect. To reject your rising interest rate
you'll need to send another letter to this address.”
US “You have got to be kidding me.”
THEM “Please hold”
US “I sent you a letter to the address I was told. I want those charges off
immediately.”
Like a criminal you always change the rules.”
THEM “Yes m’am, now I see that your letter was sent but it was sent to the wrong
address, please send the letter again to the correct address.
Interesting.

"CCC" if you were in human form you would have been in jail long, long ago.

So close to ridding myself of one, suddenly out of the blue, the other two double their interest rates.
assuming I'm still living in shame
I'm told the reason is because they want me to pay down my debt-
the debt I've been paying down for over a year with no new charges
the debt I've always paid on time
That debt
I'm not afraid of you.

2 weeks later lurking in my mailbox
A plea from the one I closed, "reopen your account-we can offer you-gold, bling, miles, but, no sorry it would still have to be at the increased interest rate."
The other two cards inform me, as I near freedom from their chains, that I am now the lucky recipient of an already increased credit limit, of course this wasn't requested by me.
Lying, they exclaim "free of charge."
I refuse your SWIPE!

"CCC" if you were in human form you would have been locked up long, long, ago
like a criminal always changing the rules
your excuse always-it's in the fine print.


it's a conspiracy I think
am I crazy?
it must be a conspiracy

how is it "CCC" that you have risen to such power?
how is it that you are allowed to get away with this criminal activity?
contributing to the decay of our land
it’s in the fine print you say

if you were human you would have been locked away long, long, ago
under the jail, in fact,
But you don't act alone
what was the deal cut
the trade exchanging our land for your power, wealth and control.

do you know?
do you care?
you and the powers that be
are destroying the fabric of our land - the spirit of its people

The spread of shame
the spread of hidden truths
the spread of lies and being kept
like a hamster running in a cage

can lead no where...
to doom

The land-the spirit of the people
finances not taught in our schools
it's apart of the plan

soon,
now, as foreclosures and bankruptcies filed climb to an all time high,
middle class neighborhoods forced to succumb to the bills that they could never have paid, loans approved based on lies. Their shame and need, your greed;
as the gap between rich and poor grows wider and wider
and the middle class lose their battle to you
"CCC" will you show remorse, will you have any regrets?

as you watch the destruction of our land
the spirit of its people
shame etched in these unpaid loans and debts

"CCC" and the powers that be will you show remorse, will you have any regrets
or will you simply bask in your power and say
"it's listed in the fine print?"

__________________________________________________________
I implore you to stop using your credit cards as if they are free money.
THEY ARE NOT.
If you feel emotionally conflicted. If you're thinking about the short-term thrills of impressing your friends, or trying to fill an empty void in your life or if for many of you, you feel that you really don't have any money, consider this: What did generations do before the introduction of the credit card? Act as if it doesn’t exist and see what possibilities show up!

Please read:
On My Own Two Feet: a modern girl's guide to personal finance by
Manisha Thakor, MBA, CFA and Sharon Kedar, MBA, CFA
It is a straight forward no-nonsense book that provides all the basics of getting a handle on your finances. On pg. 14 there is a chart that shows if a person has $5,000.00 on their card in Year 1 and they pay their minimum due of $1,679. $827 will go to the credit card company in interest charges for the year and the remaining $852.00 will go towards reducing the debt. It will take 34 years to pay off the card! They market it has free, it feels free to swipe but the costs are HIGH, HIGH, HIGH!

To order this book for only $10.36 please go to their website at http://www.onmyowntwofeet.com/.

PLAN OF ACTION:
1) Cut up all except one of your credit cards! That one is only for dire
emergencies or when you are have a zero balance (not interest rate, BALANCE) and
are paying for only what you can purchase within 30 days!

2) Starting NOW, put at least an extra $50.00 towards your minimum payment on your
card with the lowest interest rate.

Please share your credit card stories! The good, the bad and the ugly!
We must share and educate ourselves and each other!
Email your questions and stories to samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.



"Emotional Money" Next Week: August 27th:
Interview: Natasha Yannacanedo-actress, director, writer,teaching artist, acting and
public speaking coach. Learn first hand from someone who turned her
financial life around without a fixed income!



If you have an upcoming event, seminar, performance, etc. please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com. It may be exactly what someone has been looking for.
____________________________________________________
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events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

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