Living simply is possible, ethical and rewarding

Editor,

I enjoy living simply and healthy on less than half the U.S. poverty level and less than half the federal income taxable level for me as a single person — to boycott the U.S. empire’s greed and wars. I lived well in 2012 on $4,641 for my total expenses — rent, food, etc.

I am glad I own no car, no refrigerator, no TV, no cooking stove, no gun, no washer/dryer, no computer, no big house, no cellphone, no air conditioner, no credit or debit cards, no charge account, no jet travel, no tattoos, no business suit … I am glad I consume no cigarettes, no booze, no junk food, no prescription drugs, no illegal drugs … freedom for me is not having and not wanting these things.

Sadly, most USA-ans are as addicted to buying crap we do not need as any heroin addict is to the needle. The spending addictions of most USA-ans keep Wall Street feasting on profits.

I buy nothing at Walmart, McDonald’s or large shopping malls. I shop at thrift stores, yard sales and the flea market. I write down every penny I spend every day and add it up.

I would trade place with no millionaire, no billionaire. I would be ashamed as hell to live like that. I have no right to more than I need while others in this world have less than they need.

I receive $406 per month in retirement Social Security. I have never received food stamps. I switched from a bank to a credit union 22 years ago. Credit unions are member-owned, exempt from paying federal tax, not for profit and not invested in Wall Street.

I have washed my clothes by hand since 1998 and I hang them up to dry. I enjoy having a food garden. My home is a sunny 9.5-by-12 rented room with six windows in the house of a friend.

The U.S. is less than 5 percent of the world’s people, but steals and hogs 25 percent of the world’s resources. I refuse to live that way.

As long as most USA-ans believe they deserve more than poor multitudes worldwide, and as long as most USA-ans crave and buy crap no one needs, the U.S. empire will rob, exploit, injure and murder millions.

Change as fast as you can as long as you can enjoy it and are quite sure you will stick with it for life. Regardless of what others do, the main person I am responsible for changing is myself. I pledge publicly to live simply, to own no car and to pay no federal income tax for war for the rest of my life.

Don Schrader
Daily Lobo reader