Renowned PBS host Rick Steves has become synonymous with a lot more than the travel guides that made him rich and famous: He’s been an advocate for marijuana legalization, for women’s rights, and for a whole litany of causes that most would consider liberal or progressive.
But there is no doubt that Steves is wealthy, and that makes conservatives scratch their heads at how a man worth around 10 million dollars could spend so much time and money on projects that have no financial return for him. You see, in the era of Trump — and in fact, going back to the onset of Reaganomics — the mantra of the Right has been to get as much as you can while you can get it, and then do your best to avoid paying taxes on it.
That is not the motto of our pal Rick.
In fact, America needs heroes like Rick Steves more than ever right now. With the Department of Education rolling back protections for students from predatory lending and Republicans doing everything they can to upend the Consumer Protection Bureau and strip away welfare and even food stamps from poor families, all while giving massive tax cuts to the richest people in the country, it’s absolutely necessary that we have public figures we can turn to for a picture of doing what’s right with your power and money.
The travel guru himself would shy away from praise, but a perfect example of how Trump and the GOP could take a lesson from Rick lies in a humble apartment complex in Lynnwood, Washington, a bustling suburb of Seattle. The $4 million complex is called Trinity Place, and Steves owned it as far back as 13 years ago. Now he’s donated it to the YWCA — a 163-year-old women’s charity that’s using it to house formerly homeless women who have been separated from their children.
Starting to notice what color capes the good guys and bad guys in this story wear?
As Trump and his cruel Attorney General work on ways to get back to the dirty work of throwing children in cages and separating families forever, Rick Steves is reuniting them.
Rick had always intended to leave Trinity Place to the YWCA in his last will and testament. But these women need help now, and now is when Rick is giving it to them. From his blog:
With the election of our president in 2016 and the rise of a new, greed-is-good ethic in our government, I want to be more constructive than just complaining about how our society is once again embracing “trickle-down” ethics, and our remarkable ability to ignore the need in our communities even as so much wealth is accumulated within the top one percent of our populace. I’m heartbroken at how good people, dedicating their lives to helping others (through social organizations and non-profits across our society), are bracing for a new forced austerity under our government of billionaires.
So, inspired by what’s happening in our government, and in an attempt to make a difference, I decided to take my personal affordable housing project one step further: I gave my 24-unit apartment complex to the YWCA. Now the YWCA can plan into the future knowing this facility is theirs. And I’ll forever enjoy knowing that, with this gift, I’m still helping them with their mission.”
We all need a break from the bad news right now, so watch Rick’s inspiring story here:
Featured image via screen capture
