A Free Man Among Slaves

In the United States of America lies a large industrial city, site of one of the largest slave-labor camps. Near this center are community settlements where slaves live!

Each morning the people move herd-style from these slave quarters into the industrial camp. Each one is at his or her station at 7:30 am. Here they report to their masters for the day’s duties, and here, at these stations, they remain chained until the time of servitude is over - usually at 5:00 pm.

They have no choice as how many hours they must labor. Sometimes they are required to work overtime until the master tells them they may leave. Each year they are told when to take vacations, for how long and when they must return. They have little choice s to how much money they can make, and they are allowed very little for lunch or coffee breaks during laboring hours.

They remain in their chains in great fear because the master can punish them with the lay-off whip. It is said that even some slaves who are good and faithful have felt this whip. Day by day, year by year, they toil - until the master decides it’s time for them to stop work. He then releases them to retirement camps where they are forced to sit idle and wait for death. It is well known that the old slaves who try to work are sometimes whipped with the ‘stop the pension’ whip!

I know these slaves exist for I am a Free Man who lives among them. I am in business for myself, I am truly free. I arise in the morning at the time called for by my schedule for the day. I decide my own hours. I can even cut my lawn during slave laboring hours. I can vacation where, when, and for however long I amay please. I am free to take my coffee break or lunch time at my own choosing, and of course I can decide my own paycheck. Because I am not a slave I can choose to work when and where I please and with whom I please. I am free to stay in the city as long as I please or I may leave and do business elsewhere.

I have seen slaves pack their belongings, forced to leave their city in search of a new master when their master decided to beat them down with the ‘LAY-OFF’ whip! Children sad of changing schools, wives reluctant to leave friends and relatives, but because they are slaves, they have to serve where their master will let them.

There is a ray of hope! Every slave is entitled to buy his or her freedom. The cost is not too high - yet, it seems high to those that never have the courage to pay the price -

ONE MUST BE WILLING TO BECOME HIS OWN MASTER !!!