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  • From: "Tracy J" <tracy9j AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Food Security
  • Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 09:21:46 -0600

I kind of flew off the handle last night, I guess. I've been on this list for a long time and have found that you guys are sure a caring, knowledgeable lot...But this thread has kind of surprised me...Where is the compassion? I do NOT believe that everyone who gets welfare, handouts, assistance, whatever we want to call it WANTS to live that way. Some might, but I bet if you actually sat down with these people you would find out that most of them just plain have no idea of how to start to get the hell up and out of their situation.

You should see what people have to do in St. Louis County (Duluth, MN and Iron Range) to get off assistance. A friend of mine worked for the county for 30 years. She had plenty of stories about deadbeats, but a hell of a lot more stories of how hard it was to get out of the system. Example: say you are a family of four. The state/county gives you Section 8 housing so you only pay 25% of your total income (Assistance and job combined). Then to feed your family they give you food stamps for 25% of your income minus the housing allotment. Then you get to pay for the rest of your family's life on what's left. IF you get a little raise at your minimum wage job, they take it ALL away so then you are really screwed. No more section 8 so there's $800 or more a month for housing if you can find it that cheap, and your $120 an month for groceries is gone. Geez, all that happened because of a 10 cent an hour raise. What the heck do you think they should do? Throw themselves out on the street or take the money and be fed. Granted, there are plenty of people that use the system, but I have seen an awful lot of people get off of welfare even though it would have been easier to stay on.

It goes back to the old story of teaching a man to fish instead of giving him a fish. Our programs are so narrow and bloated with uncompromising rules that its an all or nothing proposition for most people. If we could assist people individually with education and cash, it just might work. But we don't. Everyone gets the same amount regardless of need. Someone might ask for $50 to help with heating fuel but they'll get $200 because that's the slot they fall into and someone else who needs $150 gets nothing, because they made $10 too much last month. There is enough manpower in these government agencies (at least around here) to handle this kind of individual assistance, but then that wouldn't fit into the governments nice little forms.

If we could be allowed to assist and teach people as opposed to take care of people, that would make a difference. So far, no matter what is proposed or fought for, it just will not change. I don't know how to change it. I have voted, been on committees. etc for 30 plus years and I still can't find any answers. I wish I could.

So, when someone's house burns down or there is a food drive or some kid needs mittens, I donate what I can and wish all the people that really need it well.

Tracy Julian
in East North-Central Minnesota

P.S. I never noticed but they took the cent symbol off of the keyboard. When did that happen? Ahhh.. maybe I don't want to know. I'm aging too fast as it is.




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