Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said it eloquently and poignantly: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Life in the 21st century, for many, is extremely fragile, and in some instances a large number of families are getting crushed economically. These are the tortured souls. A hostile environment populated by tortured souls is dangerous to society.

Why are we in this vulnerable and precarious position today? Because our government no longer feels it is important to provide assistance to create jobs for those who have been unemployed for many months, if not years. And there is a constant battle and debate in Washington between the right and the moderates about whether to extend unemployment benefits that in some cases are sorely needed for some to put food on the table and survive. This schism is sad, frightening and frustrating.

Employers have been reneging on the social contract for decades; for example, demol