Homestead mailing list

["Marie McHarry" <mmcharry AT gmail.com>]

On 11/18/06, EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net> wrote:
> 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.

What we are seeing here is a breakdown of the system. In the grocery
store where I shop most of the time, the people with food stamps look
like people who need food stamps. It's not clear what the problem is
where Bev lives: food stamps dispensed profligately? Welfare queens
with sisters who do nails and hair? Large underground economy?

On the amount of welfare money that gets legitimately passed out, no
one is living high. OTOH, if you're dealing drugs, it's best to be on
welfare so the authorities don't pick up on the fact that you're
living on nothing. I lived next door to such an operation for a couple
of years.

> 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 dunno. I've neverr seen this around here. Perhaps we're just more
disciplined in Illinois <g,d,running real fast>.
>
<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.

There's an opening to make a change in society. Organize a little, do
a little teaching. Whenever I've done that sort of thing, people are
thirsty for the knowledge. Quit thinking of the welfare recipient as
the adversary, and start thinking of ways to help her out.
> I'm sure you are right, but how many of those people are willing to make
> real sacrifices now for future gains later?

Probably more than you expect if they see a way to do it.

Despair can stop people in their tracks. Surely, you all know that.
The only way to make the world we live in better is to help those
around us. A true gift is the thing that keeps on giving, which sounds
incredibly hokey, but it's true. If you don't believe that, keep
stashing cash in your 401K and hope that the currency system doesn't
collapse.

Marie