I have lived in some of the poorest sections of urban America. I have lived in slums with crackwhores, gangsters, pimps, and drug dealers. I have met many welfare recipients in my lifetime. I haven't "stepped over them", I have talked to them, shared a fifth with them, and yes, in my day, scored some weed with them.
So when I speak about the problems that need to be solved, I am not COMPLETELY without knowledge in this regard.
There's a general misconception that welfare recipients need programs to teach them how to cook, and other basic life skills. Nothing could be further from the truth. For the most part, these people have not because they do not WANT to change.
A couple of years ago, our downstairs neighbors were a family that asked us to assist with groceries. We did, from time to time and as expenses allowed, and when their children were home from school, we would encourage them to walk with us to the Salvation Army for lunch (we were scraping by at the time as well).
So, it was a rather interesting surprise to us when we saw a Rent-to-own business' van parked in front of their house. Intrigued, we watched as a big screen HDTV, a 500 watt surround sound system and a computer were unloaded and brought to their house (they would later boast of their payments of "ONLY $200 a month on all of this).
Long story short, they weren't in need. They simply knew that between us, the local food banks and churches, they could beg enough money for gas, rent and utilities, and that the money they were receiving for their son's disability, plus their own assistance checks, could be used for extravagances includijng cable tv and the occasional purchase of crack.
Many of America's poor are quite intelligent, contrary to popular opinion. They have used their street smarts to scam their basic needs. I believe that, if someone can figure out how to fence their food stamp money, they can sure as hell figure out how to cook a meatloaf.
Now, I grant you there are some truly needy individuals in this country. I have seen those as well. But most of those truly needy are only indigent for a season; their resourcefulness brings them around eventually and they are able to get back on their feet. They are hurt greatly, however, by the scammers, as bleeding hearts try to cater social programs to every one of the scammers at the expense of the legitimately needy.
I conveyed a story on another blog about getting a salmon at a food bank. I had to make a few calls to learn how to cook it, but as a respondent pointed out, I DID what I had to do; I acquired the knowledge. Many of us exist on an unlevel playing field; that much is true. But those who improvise and adapt to better themselves will ALWAYS manage to "make it", no matter what life throws at them.
The programs many are so quick to propose will not improve the standard of life in these communities; scammers will always be scammers (a hard learned lesson we learned from trying to help my mother out). And those who are determined to improve themselves will always manage to improve themselves. It's pretty simple, really.
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