US Bank President Richard Davis to disillusioned business owners: “Get over it” By Gregory Pratt Tue., Nov. 1 2011 at 3:33 PM Comments (58)
In the report at the above link, “US Bank President Richard Davis addressed the 1% at a Minnesota Chamber of Commerce luncheon this afternoon while the 99% protested outside.
 |
| Chamber of Commerce guests gave Davis a warm welcome. |
They were there to discuss the chamber’s 2012 legislative priorities. What is interesting about this meeting, with the background of millions of people losing their jobs and homes being underwater and in foreclosure crisis, their priorities did not cover topics of housing, the foreclosure crisis, and banking issues were not included on the agenda. Why?
Is it that people attending the meeting were not aware of the problem people have with banks?
Well, since protesters were just outside the building and demanding banks stop “foreclosing on the American Dream”, it’s doubtful they were unaware of the anger. It is more likely that they had no concern about people’s situation.
I say this because, in a speech that lasted about thirty minutes, Davis did not once address the Occupy movement we see going on around the country. You would think that, if they really cared, they would have some type of discussion on this subject.
Instead of concern for the woes of the American People, Davis began his speech by introducing the Boy Scout motto, “Be Prepared,” and Minnesota’s state motto, “Get prepared.” These mottoes were said on numerous occasions throughout the speech. In addition, the motto to “Get prepared” was the key to making it through this recession. Davis said: “If it’s raining, get an umbrella.” Can you believe this statement?
And then, regarding the economic woes facing the nation right now, Davis adds: “fear,” “loss of faith,” and “uncertainty” were damaging American business. Davis called these feelings “really lame reasons to not get up in the morning.”
“‘Everybody’s breaking the rules, blah blah blah,’” Davis said at one point, admonishing the assembled business leaders to “get over it.”
Certainly, it’s clear in Davis’ statements that the prophecy of “hearts will grow cold” is apparent today. It appears to be just as apparent in the attitudes of our society in general. Everyone cares about themselves and what they need and want and have no mercy for those who suffer. True, we recognize that people suffer but we are callous in how we feel about it.
An example of being callous of those suffering is in Sharonna Orridge’s story. She is under water in her mortgage.
Sheronda Orridge, a St. Paul homeowner whose mortgage with Wells Fargo is currently underwater, also spoke out at the rally, demanding that the banks reconsider cases like hers.”They say I don’t have a hardship,” said Orridge, a single mother who claims to live paycheck to paycheck. ” I’m paying $137,000 on my mortgage. It’s now worth $85,000.”Orridge said she brings home $30,000 a year.”
We’re not whining,” Orridge added, speaking of herself and others in the same situation. “We are doing what we’re supposed to do, and the banks should do what they’re supposed to do.”
Sharonna Orridge’s mortgage is underwater.
A group of Minnesotans who demonstrated outside underscored the divide between the haves and have-nots. Local Rev. Grant Stevensen, who serves as the pastor of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, criticized the Chamber of Commerce for “lobbying for job-killing cuts to critical services while opposing paying their fair share” in an official statement issued by Minnesotans for a Fair Economy.
UPDATE: After this story was originally published, we got a call from Richard Davis’s press agent, who insisted the admonition to “get over it” was directed at business owners, not protesters. We changed the language around the quote as well as the headline to better reflect these stated intentions.
