what a joke and only can happen in this beloved country of ours...

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 8/17/2008 9:50:14 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 8/17/2008 7:51:40 PM
Author: WishfulThinking

Date: 8/17/2008 7:44:30 PM
Author: fieryred33143
So I suppose people on government assistance should be eating a piece of cardbord with a slab of 2 year old peanut butter then

And shame on that guy for asking a valid question of what his stamps cover versus what it doesn't. I mean what a horrible citizen asking questions!

Ditto this to infinity.

It's not like the government just hands out money to people left and right. The people who are on Welfare need it, and considering that Welfare policies in the US do almost nothing to support the people who need it, it's very ineffective at doing what it is supposed to do. The 'Welfare Queen' rhetoric is a myth and a lie. If people want to eat lobster, so be it. What's it to you?

let me tell you another story....

back in the late 60's our family would of qualify for government assistance w/o any problem,but we were too ashamed to go on welfare, so my older brother (19 yrs old) got a job working in a resturant for something like $170 a month to support us a family of four. i remember rent was $70 per month,so we had $100 left for everything else.

but nowadays.... these people that are on assistance feel like the government owe them the money.

this entire thread is annoying. Haven't you posted that you're supported by your wife???? Many times, I recall.

 

[Haven]

Date: 8/17/2008 9:24:35 PM
Author: miraclesrule
There will always be people who abuse something. But to lump any and all people into one category is naive and/or ignorant.

If there were such a thing as judgment day, wouldn''t it be a trip to find out that we were all going to be judged on how judgmental we were??

Ditto, Miracles. And I love that last line.

I''m sure I''m more sensitive to this type of gross generalization and stereotyping because I teach students who are on welfare and I see the negative effects of poverty on their lives every day, but seriously--have a little compassion.

And if you HAVE been there, and you still don''t have any compassion, then I suppose you and I are just cut from different cloth.

Poverty affects more than a person''s regular diet. If only that lobster dinner could act as a substitute for all of the opportunities that person''s children are missing out on in the rest of their lives, that would be a blessing.

I''m happy to contribute to public aid. I realize that all of the privileges I currently enjoy in my life are in direct proportion with the socioeconomic class to which I was born. If you think anyone can claw their way out of poverty with a little hard work and a lot of heart, think again. Do some people do it? Of course. But many more fail, and the things that hold them back go so far beyond educational opportunities and believing in yourself.

You are sitting behind a computer right now, hooked up to an Internet service. My guess is that you ate three meals today, or you at least had the opportunity to do so. The "entitled, welfare queen" rhetoric is so narrow-minded and holier-than-thou it makes me absolutely sick to read about it. If you want to see what it''s really like living in poverty, go work with the people who really get the biggest hit, the children. Teach in an impoverished school district. Get to know some kids. Listen to them talk about their dreams, and then watch them systematically become beaten down by a system in which all of the odds are against them. Work with them for an entire year, watch them change. Watch them go out into the real world and realize that all of the "dream big!" and "you can do it!" cheers the public school system has been feeding them are really meant for the middle class.

And then go back for a second year. And a third, etc. etc.

Then come back and talk about how entitled these abusers of welfare really are. Then tell me that poverty is really just a myth, that these are just people who are too lazy to work, or who LOVE the situation that they''re in. Please. I can''t wait to hear what you''ll have to say.

 

[blondebunny]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:13:48 PM
Author: MC

Date: 8/17/2008 9:50:14 PM

Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 8/17/2008 7:51:40 PM

Author: WishfulThinking

Date: 8/17/2008 7:44:30 PM

Author: fieryred33143

So I suppose people on government assistance should be eating a piece of cardbord with a slab of 2 year old peanut butter then

And shame on that guy for asking a valid question of what his stamps cover versus what it doesn''t. I mean what a horrible citizen asking questions!

Ditto this to infinity.


It''s not like the government just hands out money to people left and right. The people who are on Welfare need it, and considering that Welfare policies in the US do almost nothing to support the people who need it, it''s very ineffective at doing what it is supposed to do. The ''Welfare Queen'' rhetoric is a myth and a lie. If people want to eat lobster, so be it. What''s it to you?

let me tell you another story....


back in the late 60''s our family would of qualify for government assistance w/o any problem,but we were too ashamed to go on welfare, so my older brother (19 yrs old) got a job working in a resturant for something like $170 a month to support us a family of four. i remember rent was $70 per month,so we had $100 left for everything else.


but nowadays.... these people that are on assistance feel like the government owe them the money.

this entire thread is annoying. Haven''t you posted that you''re supported by your wife???? Many times, I recall.

not to be rude, but if your annoyed by it, then why do you keep posting in it? You could simply ignore it?? and I dont really see what the comment about how he''s supported by his wife has anything to do with the OP...

 

[Anna0499]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:19:20 PM
Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:13:48 PM
Author: MC
this entire thread is annoying. Haven't you posted that you're supported by your wife???? Many times, I recall.

not to be rude, but if your annoyed by it, then why do you keep posting in it? You could simply ignore it?? and I dont really see what the comment about how he's supported by his wife has anything to do with the OP...

I agree blondebunny! If you are annoyed by this "drama post," stop clicking on it & reading it! I like reading different viewpoints on the topic & posting my own. I guess it's okay to judge DF for his feelings.

Who cares if he is "supported by [his] wife"? I guess people who don't earn a paycheck can't comment on the state of welfare in the U.S.

ETA: I don't recall DF saying anything about "welfare queens"...I don't agree with everything he has posted, but instead of posting their own feelings on the subject I feel like some people are just focusing on attacking DF.

 

[miraclesrule]

(((((((((((((((((((((( Haven)))))))))))))))))))))))))))<--------------big cyber hug, because I

you!

 

[WishfulThinking]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:16:26 PM
Author: Haven

Date: 8/17/2008 9:24:35 PM

Author: miraclesrule

There will always be people who abuse something. But to lump any and all people into one category is naive and/or ignorant.


If there were such a thing as judgment day, wouldn''t it be a trip to find out that we were all going to be judged on how judgmental we were??

Ditto, Miracles. And I love that last line.


I''m sure I''m more sensitive to this type of gross generalization and stereotyping because I teach students who are on welfare and I see the negative effects of poverty on their lives every day, but seriously--have a little compassion.


And if you HAVE been there, and you still don''t have any compassion, then I suppose you and I are just cut from different cloth.


Poverty affects more than a person''s regular diet. If only that lobster dinner could act as a substitute for all of the opportunities that person''s children are missing out on in the rest of their lives, that would be a blessing.


I''m happy to contribute to public aid. I realize that all of the privileges I currently enjoy in my life are in direct proportion with the socioeconomic class to which I was born. If you think anyone can claw their way out of poverty with a little hard work and a lot of heart, think again. Do some people do it? Of course. But many more fail, and the things that hold them back go so far beyond educational opportunities and believing in yourself.


You are sitting behind a computer right now, hooked up to an Internet service. My guess is that you ate three meals today, or you at least had the opportunity to do so. The ''entitled, welfare queen'' rhetoric is so narrow-minded and holier-than-thou it makes me absolutely sick to read about it. If you want to see what it''s really like living in poverty, go work with the people who really get the biggest hit, the children. Teach in an impoverished school district. Get to know some kids. Listen to them talk about their dreams, and then watch them systematically become beaten down by a system in which all of the odds are against them. Work with them for an entire year, watch them change. Watch them go out into the real world and realize that all of the ''dream big!'' and ''you can do it!'' cheers the public school system has been feeding them are really meant for the middle class.


And then go back for a second year. And a third, etc. etc.


Then come back and talk about how entitled these abusers of welfare really are. Then tell me that poverty is really just a myth, that these are just people who are too lazy to work, or who LOVE the situation that they''re in. Please. I can''t wait to hear what you''ll have to say.

Haven, you are so much more eloquent and level-headed than I could ever be on this issue.

This was MY LIFE. I was one of those kids Haven described. I lived that life. My parents STILL live it. I managed against all of the odds to get a great education, and I am studying Welfare, and power structures, and the workings of our society trying to make sense of this reality.

If anyone actually thinks the things that have been posted here about abuses of "the system," that they happen in some sort of vacuum void of other circumstances or emotions, or that anecdotal stories are a substitute for actual knowledge, I can''t even begin to address that type of ignorance.


This post was made for attention. I''m going to disengage now because quite honestly, the level of ignorance is just too overwhelming to even begin to chip away at, and no one here is going to change because of something I''ve told them.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:19:20 PM
Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:13:48 PM
Author: MC

Date: 8/17/2008 9:50:14 PM

Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 8/17/2008 7:51:40 PM

Author: WishfulThinking

Date: 8/17/2008 7:44:30 PM

Author: fieryred33143

So I suppose people on government assistance should be eating a piece of cardbord with a slab of 2 year old peanut butter then

And shame on that guy for asking a valid question of what his stamps cover versus what it doesn't. I mean what a horrible citizen asking questions!

Ditto this to infinity.


It's not like the government just hands out money to people left and right. The people who are on Welfare need it, and considering that Welfare policies in the US do almost nothing to support the people who need it, it's very ineffective at doing what it is supposed to do. The 'Welfare Queen' rhetoric is a myth and a lie. If people want to eat lobster, so be it. What's it to you?

let me tell you another story....


back in the late 60's our family would of qualify for government assistance w/o any problem,but we were too ashamed to go on welfare, so my older brother (19 yrs old) got a job working in a resturant for something like $170 a month to support us a family of four. i remember rent was $70 per month,so we had $100 left for everything else.


but nowadays.... these people that are on assistance feel like the government owe them the money.

this entire thread is annoying. Haven't you posted that you're supported by your wife???? Many times, I recall.

not to be rude, but if your annoyed by it, then why do you keep posting in it? You could simply ignore it?? and I dont really see what the comment about how he's supported by his wife has anything to do with the OP...

Why can't I post since I don't agree with DF? Why can only those who DO agree post?

Seems others feel the same way as me. Didn't you read the first page of this thread?

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:25:42 PM
Author: miraclesrule
(((((((((((((((((((((( Haven)))))))))))))))))))))))))))<--------------big cyber hug, because I

you!

ME TOO!!!!!!! You are a great teacher and huge blessing!!!!

 

[blondebunny]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:24:40 PM
Author: IndyGirl22

Date: 8/17/2008 10:19:20 PM

Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:13:48 PM

Author: MC

this entire thread is annoying. Haven''t you posted that you''re supported by your wife???? Many times, I recall.

not to be rude, but if your annoyed by it, then why do you keep posting in it? You could simply ignore it?? and I dont really see what the comment about how he''s supported by his wife has anything to do with the OP...

I agree blondebunny! If you are annoyed by this ''drama post,'' stop clicking on it & reading it! I like reading different viewpoints on the topic & posting my own. I guess it''s okay to judge DF for his feelings.

Who cares if he is ''supported by [his] wife''? I guess people who won''t earn a paycheck can''t comment on the state of welfare in the U.S.

ditto, I like reading peoples different view points. When I read the OP I was stunned, thinking man, I make a decent living but cant really afford to buy lobster (id rather spend the money on more things). i was kinda mad, but then i thought, okay well maybe he wanted it for a celebration, maybe he got a good job and is getting off welfare so he wanted to celebrate with his last food stamps or one of his children or something got into college, who knows ya know, so then I was like okay I get it ya know, maybe couldnt afford to take out to a nice dinner to celebrate so just wanted a lobster too..

But I have met a lot of people who have physically told me they feel the government owes them stuff... I have also heard from friends who are school teachers that minorities feel they are owed scholarships because they are a minority..

I believe everyone deserves a fair chance at anything, but, im not gonna lie, it sucks sometimes when I look for scholarships and they are mostly for minorities....

 

[fieryred33143]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:16:26 PM
Author: Haven

Date: 8/17/2008 9:24:35 PM
Author: miraclesrule
There will always be people who abuse something. But to lump any and all people into one category is naive and/or ignorant.

If there were such a thing as judgment day, wouldn''t it be a trip to find out that we were all going to be judged on how judgmental we were??

Ditto, Miracles. And I love that last line.

I''m sure I''m more sensitive to this type of gross generalization and stereotyping because I teach students who are on welfare and I see the negative effects of poverty on their lives every day, but seriously--have a little compassion.

And if you HAVE been there, and you still don''t have any compassion, then I suppose you and I are just cut from different cloth.

Poverty affects more than a person''s regular diet. If only that lobster dinner could act as a substitute for all of the opportunities that person''s children are missing out on in the rest of their lives, that would be a blessing.

I''m happy to contribute to public aid. I realize that all of the privileges I currently enjoy in my life are in direct proportion with the socioeconomic class to which I was born. If you think anyone can claw their way out of poverty with a little hard work and a lot of heart, think again. Do some people do it? Of course. But many more fail, and the things that hold them back go so far beyond educational opportunities and believing in yourself.

You are sitting behind a computer right now, hooked up to an Internet service. My guess is that you ate three meals today, or you at least had the opportunity to do so. The ''entitled, welfare queen'' rhetoric is so narrow-minded and holier-than-thou it makes me absolutely sick to read about it. If you want to see what it''s really like living in poverty, go work with the people who really get the biggest hit, the children. Teach in an impoverished school district. Get to know some kids. Listen to them talk about their dreams, and then watch them systematically become beaten down by a system in which all of the odds are against them. Work with them for an entire year, watch them change. Watch them go out into the real world and realize that all of the ''dream big!'' and ''you can do it!'' cheers the public school system has been feeding them are really meant for the middle class.

And then go back for a second year. And a third, etc. etc.

Then come back and talk about how entitled these abusers of welfare really are. Then tell me that poverty is really just a myth, that these are just people who are too lazy to work, or who LOVE the situation that they''re in. Please. I can''t wait to hear what you''ll have to say.

Oh Haven you brought tears to my eyes.

You probably don''t even know how much teachers like you touch the lives of the students they teach and help them live above the statistic they are lumped into.

You are an awesome person indeed.

 

[littlelysser]

Haven - While the OP made me sad...your post was fantastic...

Thank you for saying it better than I could. I was too angered by this thread to post much at all.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 8/17/2008 8:00:39 PM
Author: HollyS

Date: 8/17/2008 7:44:30 PM
Author: fieryred33143
So I suppose people on government assistance should be eating a piece of cardbord with a slab of 2 year old peanut butter then

And shame on that guy for asking a valid question of what his stamps cover versus what it doesn''t. I mean what a horrible citizen asking questions!

You were joking, weren''t you? Seriously.

In case you weren''t, NO. NO, my money (as a taxpayer supplying the $$ for those on government assistance) should not go for ''luxury'' items of food, alcohol, soda pop, junk food, etc. I don''t buy lobster; why should someone else, on my dime? Assistance is provided so that no one has to go without nutritional food. Since 99.2% of welfare recipients aren''t living in Maine, then I would assume lobster is not a ''normally purchased'' food for most people. I''m not buying their beer, either. Not without a fight.

Holly

 

[princesss]

Haven, I really wish I could give all teachers a big

But since I can''t, I want you know that you should get one every day. Really and truly, the work you do is amazing.

Wishful, everything I read about you makes me certain that you would be a fascinating person to know IRL.

/end threadjack

 

[blondebunny]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:27:45 PM
Author: MC

Date: 8/17/2008 10:19:20 PM

Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:13:48 PM

Author: MC

Date: 8/17/2008 9:50:14 PM


Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 8/17/2008 7:51:40 PM


Author: WishfulThinking

Date: 8/17/2008 7:44:30 PM


Author: fieryred33143


So I suppose people on government assistance should be eating a piece of cardbord with a slab of 2 year old peanut butter then

And shame on that guy for asking a valid question of what his stamps cover versus what it doesn''t. I mean what a horrible citizen asking questions!

Ditto this to infinity.



It''s not like the government just hands out money to people left and right. The people who are on Welfare need it, and considering that Welfare policies in the US do almost nothing to support the people who need it, it''s very ineffective at doing what it is supposed to do. The ''Welfare Queen'' rhetoric is a myth and a lie. If people want to eat lobster, so be it. What''s it to you?

let me tell you another story....



back in the late 60''s our family would of qualify for government assistance w/o any problem,but we were too ashamed to go on welfare, so my older brother (19 yrs old) got a job working in a resturant for something like $170 a month to support us a family of four. i remember rent was $70 per month,so we had $100 left for everything else.



but nowadays.... these people that are on assistance feel like the government owe them the money.

this entire thread is annoying. Haven''t you posted that you''re supported by your wife???? Many times, I recall.

not to be rude, but if your annoyed by it, then why do you keep posting in it? You could simply ignore it?? and I dont really see what the comment about how he''s supported by his wife has anything to do with the OP...

Why can''t I post since I don''t agree with DF? Why can only those who DO agree post?


Seems others feel the same way as me. Didn''t you read the first page of this thread?

why are you being defensive??? All you posted was "drama post" and then the above comment that you were annoyed, so I simply stated that if you were annoyed you didnt have to view the post you could simply ignore it.

Not once did I say you couldnt not agree with the original post... and yes I did read the first page, and you never really stated "how you felt"

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:31:20 PM
Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:24:40 PM
Author: IndyGirl22

Date: 8/17/2008 10:19:20 PM

Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:13:48 PM

Author: MC

this entire thread is annoying. Haven't you posted that you're supported by your wife???? Many times, I recall.

not to be rude, but if your annoyed by it, then why do you keep posting in it? You could simply ignore it?? and I dont really see what the comment about how he's supported by his wife has anything to do with the OP...

I agree blondebunny! If you are annoyed by this 'drama post,' stop clicking on it & reading it! I like reading different viewpoints on the topic & posting my own. I guess it's okay to judge DF for his feelings.

Who cares if he is 'supported by [his] wife'? I guess people who won't earn a paycheck can't comment on the state of welfare in the U.S.

ditto, I like reading peoples different view points. When I read the OP I was stunned, thinking man, I make a decent living but cant really afford to buy lobster (id rather spend the money on more things). i was kinda mad, but then i thought, okay well maybe he wanted it for a celebration, maybe he got a good job and is getting off welfare so he wanted to celebrate with his last food stamps or one of his children or something got into college, who knows ya know, so then I was like okay I get it ya know, maybe couldnt afford to take out to a nice dinner to celebrate so just wanted a lobster too..

But I have met a lot of people who have physically told me they feel the government owes them stuff... I have also heard from friends who are school teachers that minorities feel they are owed scholarships because they are a minority..

I believe everyone deserves a fair chance at anything, but, im not gonna lie, it sucks sometimes when I look for scholarships and they are mostly for minorities....

eh, we don't even know more than one side of the story and we're all argueing over it. Who knows what the story is. Why would we all even begin to rip each other to schreads without having having more evidence than what one person on PS says he witnessed. Aren't we all smarter than this??? Um, NONE of us were even THERE when this happened, yet we're all jumping off the guns.

 

[fieryred33143]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:31:20 PM
Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:24:40 PM
Author: IndyGirl22

Date: 8/17/2008 10:19:20 PM

Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:13:48 PM

Author: MC

this entire thread is annoying. Haven''t you posted that you''re supported by your wife???? Many times, I recall.

not to be rude, but if your annoyed by it, then why do you keep posting in it? You could simply ignore it?? and I dont really see what the comment about how he''s supported by his wife has anything to do with the OP...

I agree blondebunny! If you are annoyed by this ''drama post,'' stop clicking on it & reading it! I like reading different viewpoints on the topic & posting my own. I guess it''s okay to judge DF for his feelings.

Who cares if he is ''supported by [his] wife''? I guess people who won''t earn a paycheck can''t comment on the state of welfare in the U.S.

ditto, I like reading peoples different view points. When I read the OP I was stunned, thinking man, I make a decent living but cant really afford to buy lobster (id rather spend the money on more things). i was kinda mad, but then i thought, okay well maybe he wanted it for a celebration, maybe he got a good job and is getting off welfare so he wanted to celebrate with his last food stamps or one of his children or something got into college, who knows ya know, so then I was like okay I get it ya know, maybe couldnt afford to take out to a nice dinner to celebrate so just wanted a lobster too..

But I have met a lot of people who have physically told me they feel the government owes them stuff... I have also heard from friends who are school teachers that minorities feel they are owed scholarships because they are a minority..

I believe everyone deserves a fair chance at anything, but, im not gonna lie, it sucks sometimes when I look for scholarships and they are mostly for minorities....

Florida Bright Futures awards 100% and isn''t just for minorities

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:26:01 PM
Author: WishfulThinking

Date: 8/17/2008 10:16:26 PM
Author: Haven

Date: 8/17/2008 9:24:35 PM

Author: miraclesrule

There will always be people who abuse something. But to lump any and all people into one category is naive and/or ignorant.


If there were such a thing as judgment day, wouldn''t it be a trip to find out that we were all going to be judged on how judgmental we were??

Ditto, Miracles. And I love that last line.


I''m sure I''m more sensitive to this type of gross generalization and stereotyping because I teach students who are on welfare and I see the negative effects of poverty on their lives every day, but seriously--have a little compassion.


And if you HAVE been there, and you still don''t have any compassion, then I suppose you and I are just cut from different cloth.


Poverty affects more than a person''s regular diet. If only that lobster dinner could act as a substitute for all of the opportunities that person''s children are missing out on in the rest of their lives, that would be a blessing.


I''m happy to contribute to public aid. I realize that all of the privileges I currently enjoy in my life are in direct proportion with the socioeconomic class to which I was born. If you think anyone can claw their way out of poverty with a little hard work and a lot of heart, think again. Do some people do it? Of course. But many more fail, and the things that hold them back go so far beyond educational opportunities and believing in yourself.


You are sitting behind a computer right now, hooked up to an Internet service. My guess is that you ate three meals today, or you at least had the opportunity to do so. The ''entitled, welfare queen'' rhetoric is so narrow-minded and holier-than-thou it makes me absolutely sick to read about it. If you want to see what it''s really like living in poverty, go work with the people who really get the biggest hit, the children. Teach in an impoverished school district. Get to know some kids. Listen to them talk about their dreams, and then watch them systematically become beaten down by a system in which all of the odds are against them. Work with them for an entire year, watch them change. Watch them go out into the real world and realize that all of the ''dream big!'' and ''you can do it!'' cheers the public school system has been feeding them are really meant for the middle class.


And then go back for a second year. And a third, etc. etc.


Then come back and talk about how entitled these abusers of welfare really are. Then tell me that poverty is really just a myth, that these are just people who are too lazy to work, or who LOVE the situation that they''re in. Please. I can''t wait to hear what you''ll have to say.

Haven, you are so much more eloquent and level-headed than I could ever be on this issue.

This was MY LIFE. I was one of those kids Haven described. I lived that life. My parents STILL live it. I managed against all of the odds to get a great education, and I am studying Welfare, and power structures, and the workings of our society trying to make sense of this reality.

If anyone actually thinks the things that have been posted here about abuses of ''the system,'' that they happen in some sort of vacuum void of other circumstances or emotions, or that anecdotal stories are a substitute for actual knowledge, I can''t even begin to address that type of ignorance.


This post was made for attention. I''m going to disengage now because quite honestly, the level of ignorance is just too overwhelming to even begin to chip away at, and no one here is going to change because of something I''ve told them.

Wishful,
I am hearing you. I think your post will help many!!

I could tell stories, all would echo what you just wrote. I''ll just say, this thread doesn''t seem to cover those that do their level best to get ahead. There are many stories that would bring you to your knees. I have witnessed them first hand.

The power of the human spirit is huge, and is something you can''t dismiss.

 

[blondebunny]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:40:31 PM
Author: fieryred33143

Date: 8/17/2008 10:31:20 PM

Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:24:40 PM

Author: IndyGirl22

Date: 8/17/2008 10:19:20 PM


Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:13:48 PM


Author: MC


this entire thread is annoying. Haven''t you posted that you''re supported by your wife???? Many times, I recall.

not to be rude, but if your annoyed by it, then why do you keep posting in it? You could simply ignore it?? and I dont really see what the comment about how he''s supported by his wife has anything to do with the OP...

I agree blondebunny! If you are annoyed by this ''drama post,'' stop clicking on it & reading it! I like reading different viewpoints on the topic & posting my own. I guess it''s okay to judge DF for his feelings.

Who cares if he is ''supported by [his] wife''? I guess people who won''t earn a paycheck can''t comment on the state of welfare in the U.S.

ditto, I like reading peoples different view points. When I read the OP I was stunned, thinking man, I make a decent living but cant really afford to buy lobster (id rather spend the money on more things). i was kinda mad, but then i thought, okay well maybe he wanted it for a celebration, maybe he got a good job and is getting off welfare so he wanted to celebrate with his last food stamps or one of his children or something got into college, who knows ya know, so then I was like okay I get it ya know, maybe couldnt afford to take out to a nice dinner to celebrate so just wanted a lobster too..


But I have met a lot of people who have physically told me they feel the government owes them stuff... I have also heard from friends who are school teachers that minorities feel they are owed scholarships because they are a minority..

I believe everyone deserves a fair chance at anything, but, im not gonna lie, it sucks sometimes when I look for scholarships and they are mostly for minorities....

Florida Bright Futures awards 100% and isn''t just for minorities

Ya I had that, but it woulda been nice for summer classes or books(its ridiculous how expensive they are!) or to help with living expenses

 

[phoenixgirl]

I get the joke. It reminds me of when I overheard a student talking about his teacher saying, "She''s a first year teacher. Ain''t no first year teacher going to tell me what to do. I''ve been here five years." Remember the movie Better Off Dead? The same joke was in that movie.

Certainly I don''t want to laugh at somebody on government assistance, or somebody having difficulty passing high school. But sometimes things are funny. Come on, lobster? I never order lobster! What if it was, do food stamps cover these diamonds? We''d laugh, right? Or would we debate whether we need diamonds or just want them?

I don''t think Dancing Fire was trying to make needy babies starve to death, or to be omniscient and pass judgment on everyone on earth. It''s one thing to say that government assistance should be regulated better or is abused by some, another to say that nobody should receive it, need or not, just let them eat cake or whatever.

 

[Haven]

eh, we don''t even know more than one side of the story and we''re all argueing over it. Who knows what the story is. Why would we all even begin to rip each other to schreads without having having more evidence than what one person on PS says he witnessed. Aren''t we all smarter than this??? Um, NONE of us were even THERE when this happened, yet we''re all jumping off the guns. - MC

I apologize if my post sounded like I was trying to rip someone to shreds. I actually think that the thread evolved into a discussion about the stereotypes and merits of public aid and the people who are supported by the system. As I read it, it has nothing to do with the specific story DF originally posted, and everything to do with our own perceptions of the system.

MC--I really do respect your opinion, and I''ve loved so many of your posts about family and the choices you''ve made in raising your own children. Please don''t misinterpret my impassioned post to be a personal attack.

I don''t normally state my own opinions so frankly on PS, but I was feeling a bit shaky and couldn''t stop my fingers from typing. It''s a lot harder to make generalizations about certain subgroups when you care deeply about several people who happen to fall in that category.

Thanks for the kind words, ladies. I wish I had enough time, heart, and money to save each kid that walks through my door. The awful truth is that I don''t. It''s a horrible, ugly truth. I feel guilty every day when I''m working with a few kids after school because I know there are hundreds of others who walked right out those front doors the moment the last bell rang.

 

[princesss]

Haven - please never feel bad that you can only help a few kids at a time. Please. You're helping more than many of us can or will in *our lifetime* and you do it *every year*. You are human (and a wonderful one) and, as a human, you're limited in what you can do. But please don't feel guilty that you can't do more when you're doing such wonderful things already.

 

[purrfectpear]

Personally I don''t care what they spend their food allotment on. If they splurge on lobster then they better be good at stretching it for the rest of the month

That said, there ARE still abuses of government support (unfortunately). My former SIL is a Los Angeles county social worker and she had some stories to tell that would amaze you. It''s not what they do with the support, it''s how they learn to work the system by having one child after another. I''m sure some people think "every child is a gift from God" but personally I would like to think that after the first 3 or 4 on welfare, the mommy would learn to use BC or something. Multiple pregancies can keep your welfare going for a good 20 years or so. I don''t think that the people who intentionally work the system represent more than 10% of the whole. I wouldn''t lump everyone in the same bag as a cheater.

 

[HollyS]

Date: 8/17/2008 10:35:53 PM
Author: MC

Date: 8/17/2008 10:31:20 PM
Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:24:40 PM
Author: IndyGirl22

Date: 8/17/2008 10:19:20 PM

Author: blondebunny

Date: 8/17/2008 10:13:48 PM

Author: MC

this entire thread is annoying. Haven''t you posted that you''re supported by your wife???? Many times, I recall.

not to be rude, but if your annoyed by it, then why do you keep posting in it? You could simply ignore it?? and I dont really see what the comment about how he''s supported by his wife has anything to do with the OP...

I agree blondebunny! If you are annoyed by this ''drama post,'' stop clicking on it & reading it! I like reading different viewpoints on the topic & posting my own. I guess it''s okay to judge DF for his feelings.

Who cares if he is ''supported by [his] wife''? I guess people who won''t earn a paycheck can''t comment on the state of welfare in the U.S.

ditto, I like reading peoples different view points. When I read the OP I was stunned, thinking man, I make a decent living but cant really afford to buy lobster (id rather spend the money on more things). i was kinda mad, but then i thought, okay well maybe he wanted it for a celebration, maybe he got a good job and is getting off welfare so he wanted to celebrate with his last food stamps or one of his children or something got into college, who knows ya know, so then I was like okay I get it ya know, maybe couldnt afford to take out to a nice dinner to celebrate so just wanted a lobster too..

But I have met a lot of people who have physically told me they feel the government owes them stuff... I have also heard from friends who are school teachers that minorities feel they are owed scholarships because they are a minority..

I believe everyone deserves a fair chance at anything, but, im not gonna lie, it sucks sometimes when I look for scholarships and they are mostly for minorities....

eh, we don''t even know more than one side of the story and we''re all argueing over it. Who knows what the story is. Why would we all even begin to rip each other to schreads without having having more evidence than what one person on PS says he witnessed. Aren''t we all smarter than this??? Um, NONE of us were even THERE when this happened, yet we''re all jumping off the guns.

You do make a valid point. We''re having philosophical arguments over something we cannot possibly ''know'' about -- whether some guy is truly hurting, or just abusing the system. Once again, we''re off on a tangent, accusing others of not caring.

 

[beebrisk]

Date: 8/17/2008 7:51:40 PM
Author: WishfulThinking

Date: 8/17/2008 7:44:30 PM

Author: fieryred33143

It''s not like the government just hands out money to people left and right. The people who are on Welfare need it, and considering that Welfare policies in the US do almost nothing to support the people who need it, it''s very ineffective at doing what it is supposed to do.


ETA: Technically, this is LESS likely to happen in the US than another country. Other ''developed'' countries have MUCH better Welfare/public assistance systems than ours, and they likely do more to support the people using their services... unlike ours.

Ummm, no. Not all the people who are on welfare need it. Welfare abuse is rampant and well-known.

I work in the South Bronx and I am in contact on a daily basis with people collecting welfare illegally and undeservedly.

As for other countries having "MUCH better welfare/public assistance systems than ours", it''s true. One problem though...those are Socialist countries.

So,if you feel it''s the government''s job to take care of everyone and decide what''s best for you, me and every free citizen of this country you can opt for a Socialist government, too! It''s easy. Simply vote for Obama in November and watch much more of your hard-earned cash go out the door because your government decides that someone else needs it/deserves it more than you or your kids.

 

[miraclesrule]

::::::::::::: biting my tongue :::::::::::::::::::::

 

[HollyS]

Date: 8/17/2008 11:53:55 PM
Author: beebrisk

Date: 8/17/2008 7:51:40 PM
Author: WishfulThinking

Date: 8/17/2008 7:44:30 PM

Author: fieryred33143

It''s not like the government just hands out money to people left and right. The people who are on Welfare need it, and considering that Welfare policies in the US do almost nothing to support the people who need it, it''s very ineffective at doing what it is supposed to do.


ETA: Technically, this is LESS likely to happen in the US than another country. Other ''developed'' countries have MUCH better Welfare/public assistance systems than ours, and they likely do more to support the people using their services... unlike ours.

Ummm, no. Not all the people who are on welfare need it. Welfare abuse is rampant and well-known.

I work in the South Bronx and I am in contact on a daily basis with people collecting welfare illegally and undeservedly.

As for other countries having ''MUCH better welfare/public assistance systems than ours'', it''s true. One problem though...those are Socialist countries.

So,if you feel it''s the government''s job to take care of everyone and decide what''s best for you, me and every free citizen of this country you can opt for a Socialist government, too! It''s easy. Simply vote for Obama in November and watch much more of your hard-earned cash go out the door because your government decides that someone else needs it/deserves it more than you or your kids.

Considering the volume of Obama backers here on PS, that was pretty brave. That oughta get things really cooking here.

 

[crown1]

for all those who are interested in helping kids who need food there is a great program being utilized in my area. volunteers are packing backpacks to be sent home with needy children on the weekends. there are many children dependent on school breakfast and lunch programs for meals. many of those children were not having much to eat over the weekend thus the program. peanut butter, crackers, breakfast bars and the like are being loaded into the packs for the children to have when they need.

there are many things we can do to be part of the solution. i hope all who spoke up for the needy get involved in some way.

 

[beebrisk]

Date: 8/18/2008 12:02:25 AM
Author: HollyS

Date: 8/17/2008 11:53:55 PM

Author: beebrisk

Date: 8/17/2008 7:51:40 PM

Author: WishfulThinking

Date: 8/17/2008 7:44:30 PM


Author: fieryred33143


It''s not like the government just hands out money to people left and right. The people who are on Welfare need it, and considering that Welfare policies in the US do almost nothing to support the people who need it, it''s very ineffective at doing what it is supposed to do.



ETA: Technically, this is LESS likely to happen in the US than another country. Other ''developed'' countries have MUCH better Welfare/public assistance systems than ours, and they likely do more to support the people using their services... unlike ours.

Ummm, no. Not all the people who are on welfare need it. Welfare abuse is rampant and well-known.


I work in the South Bronx and I am in contact on a daily basis with people collecting welfare illegally and undeservedly.


As for other countries having ''MUCH better welfare/public assistance systems than ours'', it''s true. One problem though...those are Socialist countries.


So,if you feel it''s the government''s job to take care of everyone and decide what''s best for you, me and every free citizen of this country you can opt for a Socialist government, too! It''s easy. Simply vote for Obama in November and watch much more of your hard-earned cash go out the door because your government decides that someone else needs it/deserves it more than you or your kids.

Considering the volume of Obama backers here on PS, that was pretty brave. That oughta get things really cooking here.

LOL Holly...

Indeed, I''ve never been one to hide behind my conservative views, even at the risk of being called ''judgmental, hateful, intolerant" and so on and so on....I''ve heard it all...I can take it !

As I mentioned earlier, I work in the South Bronx and see the abuses first hand. The sale of food stamps to purchase drugs, young woman who choose to get pregnant (over and over again) in order to collect a check from the government instead of working. It''s a reality and a fact of life and just another thing that that the liberal viewpoint glosses over with misplaced ''compassion''.

Welfare was meant to "assist", not to sustain for an infinite amount of time, generation after generation.

Thanks for the shout-out Holly. I guess I''m a born pot-stirer!

 

[risingsun]

Madam, I noticed you are using food stamps. As a taxpayer, I would like to inspect your basket and make sure it is politically correct. No chips, dips, lobsters, or soda. You don''t deserve them. You are a drain on society, don''t you know that?

Last time I checked, I wasn''t a member of the food police. People are on public assistance for many reasons. Any of us could have a turn of circumstances and need help. Should we be made to feel less than those in better situations. If I lose my compassion for people in need of assistance, then I need to take a good look at who I am. What is in someone else''s grocery cart is not my business. In fact there are a lot of things that are not my business. I hope I can reserve my concerns for things that truly do matter in my life.

 

[miraclesrule]

Yeah, if I had the choice to react with disdain OR offer to buy the person enough lobster to feed their family a lobster dinner,

I would choose the latter every time. If I ever become the former, I would rather not exist.

Of course, I would also strike up a conversation to learn their story.