I am sick and tired of reading story after story of how we are abused by student loan companies. We have a choice;
Stay on the internet and wallow in our shared despair, changing nothing.
Or
We fight back.
It won't be easy companies like Sallie Mae and American Education Service have millions of dollars and the governments ear. But they forget two important things.
1) Government should be of the people, by the people, and for the people. We are the people, this is our government, and we can demand change.
2) We have nothing to lose. What else can they take from us? More of our money? Our homes? Ruin or credit? Many of us have already had that happen. If we stand up and demand that justice be done then we can gain back our financial freedom. We have everything to gain.
In order to do this, we need to act in unison, and strongly. We make it so costly in the public eye to NOT forgive student debt, to not give us protection under consumer laws, to not reform student lending practices; they give in.
It won't be easy.
We have to expose them as the injust, oppressors that they are. We can fix the system and make it work for us.
If I may quote from the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government
Mr. Densmore (jman1969) once asked me (see forum "CALL FOR ACTION! STOP PAYING YOUR LOANS NOW!) "Gee - If I did this what would be the likely outcome for me and for everyone else? Just what are the risks exactly?"
Let's break down the cirumstances in which we pose this question for a moment:
1. people on this website are so desparate they are considering organizing mass suicides!
2. people on this website are so desparate they are considering renouncing the birht rights as American citizens!
Mr. Densmore: What should we not risk to put this idiotic system back in the hands of the people? If you ask me, this situation sounds strangley similiar to the one that caused the War of Independence. Only by ceasing all and any payments on any student loans will the US Goverment and the 'powers that be' (corporate banking America - the same ones who caused all the horrors of the last 2 years) listen.
Only by going to this extreme step (it is, I agree) will we be able to finally bring the issue to the national front line. We are simply not being heard - because we fail to follow through on the logical consequences of what is that we are saying/protesting for. I, for one, have started - the day after I submitted my forum commentary on "CALL FOR ACTION! STOP PAYING YOUR LOANS NOW!". I urge all my fellow American citizens to follow suit. May God protect and stand by us all, and take those who have already lost everthing in the name of this absurd sickness, into his sweat and forgiving arms. Let them come and take me to debitor's prison - I go freely into the dark night for what I stand and fall for!
Best regards,
Probabilities
Alot of information, as well as activist material, is on the Student Loan Justice site: http://www.studentloanjustice.org/ . Alan Collinge has ran a campaign for years to restore standard consumer protections (including bankruptcy without conditions) to student loans. Write now he suggests we build awareness and agitation by writing to journalists and getting them to publish articles about the dire conditions people are in and the overall injustice.
Excellent! Let's keep getting the word out, I also liked your earlier post about the Project on Student Debt.
I'll see if I can get into contact with them.
I also was wondering if we could set up a survey on student loan, instead of relying on government data or economic projections we could have hard facts.
Especially if we could have confidential input of monthly student loan payments. When we average that out, it gives us a better idea of what economic impact forgiveness of student loan debt (or some percentage) would be.
We would have the hard number of how much money would be in our pockets every month instead of a projected amount based on the average amount of student loan debt.
Let's see where this takes us
You're correct on the nightmare of creating our own survey. If the information does exist elsewhere lets use it!
I'll check the department of education and see if they have the data.
People shouldn't be afraid of their Governments
Governments should be afraid of their people.
This is perfect because they're about to conduct the 2010 Census, we'll have up to date statistics on all of this.
Also, I think we need to solidify what we want, and why we want it. What are the essentials that we couldn't compromise on, and what are the things we like, but could live without.
Furthermore, what do we want in place to prevent this from happening again to anyone?
And let's start coordinating real life events. Look at the success of the TEA Parties of late, We should be having town hall meetings, rallies, marches, information sessions on campuses, etc etc etc.
Thanks and I wish the best to you as well!
I have some news!
For starters
20/20 has a fairly scathing critique of the current myths surround college and the "$1,000,000" we earn with a degree. The biggest point to note is that even the College Board admits that number is wrong. Furthermore the statistical data might be skewed due to the outliers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V122ICNS8_0
It also suggests some unlooked for allies: Tech and vocational schools. They've been shafted by the same lies that have shafted us (get a Bachelors, go to a "good school" etc). Perhaps they would be sympathetic to our cause?
And the best is for last!
The National Association of Social Workers has organized a petition for debt relief!!!
http://www.naswoh.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=208
I've emailed them asking if this petition is particular to social workers and majors, or if it is more broad. I also asked them if they would consider helping to back a broader petition for all student loan debt.
If anyone belongs to any special groups or fellowships, start asking them to advocate student loan debt relief. Loan companies have lobbyists then by God, we'll get lobbyists!
We just might be able to win this!