Below, you will find the text of a reply I made to our
beloved President Barack Obama.
His campaign sent me a request for a ten dollar pledge, in exchange for his
deepest thanks, and the possibility (offered of course to all the other millions who will
reply with ten bucks) that he will invite me to dinner in the White House.
In the note, I asked him for a job, directly and without hesitation.
If anyone out there sees something in my letter which makes you think I might
be good for your organization, makes you laugh, or reminds you of someplace that might
be looking for a wild and mercurial mind to play with, send me an email, or forward this one please!
I'm sick of being unemployed and not a player in the big game.
Dear Mr. Obama,
I'd love to participate, but the fact is I've been unemployed since just before Mr. Obama was elected. At the moment I am overdrawn on my checking account, and literally have only fifty cents in my pocket. Jobs are scarce here in Sierra Vista, and I haven't the wherewithal to relocate.
I'm a fifty year old man, intelligent, talented, experienced as well as educated. I am and have always been an ambitious and a hard worker. Until I lost my job as a graphic designer for a local newspaper, I volunteered my time to the local Democratic headquarters, in addition to donating money to Barack's campaign and talking it up whenever I could. When I voted for Barack I felt for the first time in my voting life that I was voting for a good man, the right one for the job as opposed to the lesser of two evils.
And although I still respect Mr. Obama for his ideals, I'm finding that my reality while living under his presidency has not been easy.
In his speeches Barack always speaks to the plight of the unemployed - but so far I have seen no assistance in creating jobs or paying bills (my unemployment benefits ran out over a year ago. No help for 99'ers!) I go through the motions of looking for work. I've knocked a on a lot of doors, paid money I could I'll afford to headhunters, applied to be a chet, a floor washer, a salesman, a construction worker. I've held a few short term positions, some in my field some not.
Throughout I've also been taking classes, teaching myself new skills, working hard on personal projects which, at the moment are funded solely by the generosity of my family. I'm fifty years old, healthy, strong, smart, and after many years in the working world, have now moved back in with my family, and learned what it feels like to be an overgrown child.
Among the various denials I've been offered as reasons for not being hired : You are overqualified for this. You have to much training - we don't think you'd fit in. Are you still a democrat? We are only accepting applications right now, not actively hiring. We'll keep you on record. You say you are willing to work for the offered wage, but we know that you would ask for a raise. We are looking for someone younger.
The most recent thing I've been hearing is "We don't hire unemployed."
At present in the United States of America, where I have been a citizen since birth 54 years ago, there are no opportunities for me, save the ones I make for myself.
Here are the things I've done since becoming unemployed:
I have written two novels, which I intend to publish - someday.
I have written over 1000 poems. I've completed half of a large contemporary illuminated manuscript which I also intend to publish. I have become expert at using computers for nearly any task, from recording original songs and musical compositions, to making sophisticated paintings, drawings, graphic artwork, spreadsheets presentations and databases.
I have mastered several different styles of writing, have been writing product reviews online for Amazon, have also written in excess of 500 prose pages on topics ranging from science to politics, from religion to psychology. I've deepened my understanding of the world, learned a new appreciation for Medieval and Renaissance art, read a lot of history, studied political science. On my own, without the support of the state, or the remuneration of an employer, I have produced a significant body of work as an artist and writer, which I have not shown to anyone but my closest friends and relatives.
Despite this, I am unemployed. Or is it because of this I am unemployed?
Despite this, I am writing a letter to you sir, the President of the United States, a man I voted for and still admire, through the proxy of your campaign headquarters, in order to send my regrets that I cannot offer you ten dollars for his campaign. So consider this a letter from one beggar to another.
Mr. President, here is my begging proposal: bring me to the White House, or come visit me in Arizona. I'd be happy to talk to you on any topic - you'd find me knowledgeable, at least peripherally, about nearly any topic. You'd find I also have deep insights and perhaps unique understandings of many, many subjects. I'll show you some of my work and offer to work for you.
The only pay I would expect is a roof, food and the tools to do my work. In my capacity in your White House, I would function as a photographer, documenter, portraitist, itinerant musician and poet - in essence, I would be your Court Jester. If you recall your Shakespeare, the Jester was the one person in any kingdom who could be utterly truthful to the King. I'll be your Jaques.
Sound crazy? Of course it does, but desperate men come up with desperate ideas.
I'm full of ideas. Some of them are brilliant, and some of them are full of shit, but some of them in the profusion have value.
Mr. Obama, I was educated to be an ivory tower intellectual, in a world that no longer understands that it has a need for us.
I don't expect a reply to this email. Its rather silly really, since you live in a very different America than I do.
Although I can't offer you my monetary support, I can offer you my idealogical support. Your vision for this country is a good one. My hope is
that people in your America and people in my America can finally bridge the gap, bring it all together, and finally embody the ideal that our founding
fathers dreamed of all those years ago. The reality may be foundering, but the dream is still alive and well.
We are here. We are hopeful. We are waiting.
Prove us right.
Eric K. Talerico,
Musician, Artist, Philosopher, Jester, Heirophant, Busker, Beggar, Woolgatherer, Mountebank.
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