For years I’ve been talking about how our society has devolved into victimhood. Everyone seems to try to out-victim everyone else. The whining and self pity has hit an all-time high (really a new low) in our country as people look to blame everyone, but themselves. Whether it’s the victims of the opioid crisis trying to tear down the Pharmaceutical industry or it’s the call for slave reparations from ambitious, ego-driven, say anything to get votes, politicians like Cory Booker, everyone seems to want a piece of the victim pie.

As far as the sins of the past, the nation went through a bloody civil war to right the wrong of slavery. Raising taxes on working families to satisfy historical guilt is the wrong way to go. Bankrupting companies that supply critical drugs for people to get back from major surgeries and continue living full lives because it satisfies the blame game in the opioid crisis is dangerous and will only serve to spike up the price on legitimate patients.

Instead, we need to dig deep and help the next generation toughen up and deal with adversity without turning immediately to drugs. Let’s help empower a generation to cope with adversity and overcome obstacles. Let’s empower people to rise above their circumstances. Work harder, decide to be a champion instead of a victim.

Obviously it doesn’t apply in all cases. Some people need help and others will just be overwhelmed by life. But we can make progress in our society with a message of hope and strength.

One woman taking this message to heart is Allison James-Frison. She joined me on air to discuss the terrible circumstances she had to overcome. Death of her parents when she was young, death of her fiancé, poverty, homelessness, you name it and Allison had to overcome it.

She’s now turning her success into inspiration and support for other young women growing up in Newark. Her youth mentoring program, Girls: Live, Love, Laugh, Inc., focuses on empowering at-risk girls in Newark who are between the ages of 6-16.

You can help by visiting the website or joining the next walk on Sunday, September 15th in Newark. For more information, visit the program's website HERE.

Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015. Tweet him @NJ1015 or @BillSpadea. The opinions expressed here are solely those of Bill Spadea.

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