Okay – so you’re probably wondering what the heck a “571″ is – well at least I’m hoping you are. A 571 is something completely unfair that has happened to you and you need support from others to help right this wrong. You want people to be aware that something like this is happening out in our “free country,” and you feel justice must prevail.
Let me start by giving a little history on where this idea of a “571″came from. My business partner and I recently met with our bookkeeper to discuss taxes. She was sharing what we owe to the government and why we owe these taxes. We found out that my business partner owed $571 more than I did because her marriage is not recognized by the state of Oregon (she’s married to a woman). Even though Oregon recently passed a domestic partnership law, there are groups opposing it – and attempting to collect signatures to put the issue up for a vote on the January 2008 ballot.
I however, received more tax benefits because I am married to a person of the opposite sex – lucky me!
So this is where I came up with the idea of 571 – since this was the amount my business partner must pay for marrying a woman almost 13 years ago!
It got me thinking about all the other injustices happening everyday in this world – and I wanted to provided people with a place to vent them. And who knows – maybe others will read them, get equally pissed off, and decide to ORGANIZE and TAKE ACTION! Especially now – in the age of SOCIAL MEDIA and CROWDSOURCING - where people DO have the power to make their 571 ubiquitous!
So please share your 571 here – and let’s work together to right these wrongs!
istock photos
3 responses so far ↓
Jason // October 25, 2008 at 10:03 pm
As an Australian living in the US, I can’t vote.
Given the impact the US has on the world,
it’s reasonable that all 6 billion of us get to vote.
It’s particularly galling as only 50% of Americans
vote – hardly a robust democracy when only half
choose to participate.
Follow Australia where it is compulsory to vote.
Lo and behold politicians actually listen to 18
year olds as they will participate in the process
And we don’t spend a cent on “get out the vote”/ ” trick or vote” campaigns…
That’s my 571.
carolinedec717 // October 25, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Hi Jason – thanks for posting your 571. Did you know you could vote here?: http://www.iftheworldcouldvote.com
Interesting…
nurturegirl // October 27, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Ooooh, there are so many 571s to list. I will join you in the fairness around same sex marriage. Let’s add how much more men get paid per hour than women (and that we live in a culture where men know to ask for more than they are offered and women often don’t). Then there is the 571 opportunities lost by prejudices every minute. Then the gross disparity of quality caloric intake which is killing people on both ends of the spectrum…. And the 571 things I ended up doing to be complicit in hurting the environment this week because I still live inside consumer culture. And the $571 dollars a month my kids just lost from the future economy when they would be in college because we just shifted systems…. And the 571 breaths I am cutting short on my life by stressing about money. More?