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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Tracy J wrote:
> 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 think my current frustration with other things in my life was probably
reflected in some of my earlier posts on this subject, and perhaps I was
a little harsh, too.    I guess my irritation comes from seeing so many
people taking a free ride at the expense of others.
I was in the store the other day, and a black lady in front of me was
using food stamps. (this is NOT about race here-I just live in a state
where 1 of every 3 people is black, and this lady just happened to be)
 As I waited on the dumb blonde teenager to process the order(she
couldn't work without flirting with the bag boy), I started to look
around and take note of things.  The black lady in front of me had well
manicured nails, long and polished, as well as some really pretty
braids/extensions with beads.  She was wearing enough gold to blind Mr.
T and yet, she was buying her food with food stamps.  The
stupid teenagers were talking about pop artists and piddling around on
the clock, holding up the line.
Whatever happened to personal accountability and people making their own
life better instead of living off the dole or relying on entertainment
news to educate themselves?

 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.

I'm sure you are right, but how many of those people are willing to make
real sacrifices now for future gains later? You did by giving your kid
food while you went without, but I don't think most people these days
would-they'd be looking to scam their way out or look for someone to
take advantage of...Too many in this world think only about the
check...that's one reason many did not leave their homes in New Orleans
when they had a chance-they were waiting on those checks.  Even those
who have a bit of a yard don't bother to supplement their diet by
growing edibles.  Why plant a Bradford Pear when you could have a edible
pear?  How many single women use TP or rags instead of buying tampons or
pads when money is practically non-existent?  When I was a college
student, I rode my bike 9.5 miles to school every day for a year almost,
regardless of weather, both during the day and night, because I couldn't
afford gasoline or a MARTA card(I had an old junker).  For those who
know Atlanta, imagine riding from Peachtree Dekalb Airport to Emory and
back everyday.  It's a rather hilly 9.5 miles, too. I also worked full
time and went to school full time.  I paid my way with loans, a few
scholarships, and a helluva lot of 20 hour days, 3 of which was spent on
the bike.  The point is, you do what you have to do, pride be damned,
when you are in a financial bind.

> 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.

I left the above intact because I think it is worth a second read for
those who may have skimmed it the first time. ;)
I do have compassion.  I give to charities and help individuals,
sometimes face to face, and sometimes anonymously.  When I worked at the
Piggly Wiggly last year, I talked my store manager into selling me some
small, promotional AC's for $35 each.  Suffice it to say that Santa
brought a bit of the north pole to two AC-less elderly neighbors last
Christmas.  I help tutor any kid that shows an interest in learning,
free of charge.  One of my pupils, Amber, a dropout from a family of
dropouts, recently passed her GED and is now enrolled at a local
college.  I'm so proud of her.  I do help when I can because it makes me
feel good.  It's a selfish thing, but it feels good to help others and
it takes me out of my own shell.  If neighbor cared for neighbor, and
people put as much time into other people as they put into shopping for
clothes or cars or Playstation 3's, it'd be a better world.
People helped me when I was down and out, and now, I have to pay it
forward.  No one's exempt from this, because almost everyone has been
helped by someone else at least a few times in their lives.

Bev
--
BevanRon of EarthNSky Farm   NW Georgia USDA Zone 7
34.498N 85.076W    Bev is Earth, Ron is Sky