DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE POOR: STILL ALIVE AND WELL
76Valerie Belew holds a Masters Degree in the Social Services Field, presently works five jobs, and lives below poverty level
POVERTY & CHRISTIANS
Pink wrote this song lyric about President George W. Bush; he is no longer president; yet the attitude of entitlement continues among the rich and powerful, while they often accuse those of us who are poor of having the attitude of entitlement. After a full year of living below poverty level while working as many hours as allowed by my employer at minimum wage earnings, the song expresses clearly my view of hard work, and those who understand its true meaning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q56pHCGrlc4&feature=related
Jesus specifically addressed abuse and discrimination against the poor, according to the writings of the New Testament, and while many do not believe the writings to be trustworthy, one certainly cannot argue with the fairness or anti-discriminatory nature of the approach represented there. If you choose to believe that Jesus was God incarnate, as many do, perhaps you also believe that as God, he could see into many aspects of life with insight many of us lack. I certainly want to believe that Jesus was God, because I like his basic attitude, although I have not found it demonstrated in the lives or politics of most so called Christians. I believe it was Mahatna Gandhi who is quoted as saying that the only problem with Christianity is Christians, and perhaps the major problem with all major religions, including Gandhi's own, Hinduism, is the people who practice them.
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF
Whether or not you accept Jesus as God, you cannot deny that the presence of scripture specifically addressing abuse and discrimination against the poor, verifies that the problem is as old as any other form of discrimination, and was around long before either the democratic or republican political party groups existed in the United States.
Most of the religious spokesmen today, prefer to quote the Apostle Paul, who was somewhat less empathetic towards poverty, being a blue blood of his own time, a Roman citizen who was also educated in the most respected of Jewish Schools (Ivy League, if you will), at the feet of Gamaliel. Paul was the son of a Pharisee, and became one himself. The Pharisees were a powerful religious order of high social class, in fact, one of the ones that was also responsible for putting Jesus to death, if scripture is accurate.
Jesus, on the other hand, was from humble beginnings, and probably experienced discrimination first hand. Scripture states that many in his own town questioned him as a prophet based on knowledge of his family background. Many today still question whether or not he was the son of God, or the illegitimate son of a poor woman, questions that were also asked in his own time, I suspect.
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE POOR TODAY
Discrimination for reason of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or religion are not openly accepted today by most people, at least publicly, though it certainly continues to exist behind closed doors, as our president addressed concerning the Reverend Wright controversy, during his recent election campaign.
Certain forms of discrimination still exist publicly towards specific groups, as most Christians or supporters of Hillary Clinton will agree, though such discrimination is usually thinly disguised as something other than what it is. Only the poor are openly discriminated against, shamed and ridiculed by both the right and left factions of our society, before nationwide audiences, and shamelessly by the press, both democrat and republican focused, without serious consequences to anyone doing so.
The N word is so unacceptable (as it should be), that I will not even write it in this article, and no news commentator in his right mind, would refer to a lesbian using the D word, or a gay male using the F word. I respect those public boundaries as being in our best interest as human beings, and do not object to them. Why then, do news broadcasters still refer to people as "Trailer Park Trash," or speak publicly of those who accept "hand outs?" Is it any different to make such assumptions of those who live in poor areas, or require public assistance in order to survive, than it is to make negative judgments of any other group? It appears to be okay to be whomever you happen to be these days, at least publicly, as long as you are not poor.
Unfortunately for me, at this time in history, I am not black, gay, a lesbian, or any other kind of minority, other than a poor person, or should I refer to myself as financially challenged. Poverty does not appear to be a protected class, or at least not publicly, as some other groups are. Many types of discrimination and unfair treatment exist for poor people, and they are simply taken for granted as being okay, and part of the general system.
THE POOR PAY MORE:
In utility and other bills
While we all know it costs more to buy on time, generally that is a choice we make. I wonder how often we think of the other financial consequences of poverty. Those who can not pay their bills on time, have late charges added to their debt, making their bills more difficult to pay. Credit card companies are especially notorious for this, but all businesses do it, as if people pay bills late because they choose to do so. This is especially punishing when the bills in question are basic utility bills for services necessary to live normally in our society. Electric bills, propane gas bills, and water bills all charge late fees when your payment does not arrive on time, and these are not services most of us feel we can live without.
In Legal Expense
If you are poor, you will pay more money out to the legal system than a wealthier person will be required to do, for the same crime committed, simply because you are not able to pay your fine on the day of court. Twice I have gone to court over seemingly non-criminal violations of the law, one that included running a stop sign while confused about the location of a substitute teaching work opportunity, and the other, an unexpected breaking of a dog leash on public property. Neither of these problems were premeditated, or the result of poor planning on my part; however, today's society has little tolerance for what would have once been considered an accident. It has even less tolerance for those of us who do not have the money to pay our fines on the day of court.
In both cases, I was placed on probation, basically for not having enough money to pay the fine on the day of court, and saddled with monthly payments that added up to five times, or more, the amount of the original fine. Those who could pay the original fine walked out with a fifth of the expense of those of us who did not have the means to do so, and it goes without saying, that even if I had been able to pay the original amount of either fine on the court date, it would not be relatively the same, or an equal amount of money for me, as it would have been for Paris Hilton, or Donald Trump. As in Jesus' day, the powerful make the laws, the poor accept the consequences of their social class.
SOME LEGAL REQUIREMENTS MAKE CRIMINALS OF THOSE WHO LACK THE FUNDS TO OBEY THEM
Auto Insurance is required in order to drive a car, an action that is necessary in order for most of us to work. You may drive the same old car for over ten years, as I have done, in order to avoid the cost of monthly car payments, but you cannot escape the legal requirement to pay at least the minimal amount of liability insurance necessary in order to protect others in case of an accident.
I have not been able to protect myself through health insurance for over five years (we'll discuss that next), yet I am forced to either protect others against a possible automobile accident that may never occur, or face criminal charges under the law. I am much more likely, given my present family history and driving record, to develop breast cancer than I am to injure anyone else in an automobile accident, since thus far, none of my minor traffic accidents have caused injuries to anyone. Please excuse my paranoid assertion, but I suspect those laws were put in place for the financial benefit of insurance companies, rather than to protect the public.
HEALTH INSURANCE
This is a hot issue, so I will only ask one question. Why am I required to pay school taxes to support the education of other people's kids, when I never had any kids? Certainly, I covered the cost of my own public education years ago, through payment of my own income tax.
In case you have not already figured out where I am going with this, why is it any different for the government to provide taxpaying citizens with health insurance, than it is to provide them with public education, police protection, military protection, or any other personal need? Why is it any more socialistic to provide taxpayers with health-care protection, than it is to provide them with any of the other needs listed above? Again, insurance companies have a lot of power, just as the pharisees did in the days of the New Testament, and those who have power tend to use it in order to keep it. If you can't help me stay alive through appropriate medical care, I should not have to use my tax money to educate your kids. Case closed.
ONE MORE MYTH DEBUNKED
It is a myth that poor people are those who are not willing to help themselves. I completed seven years of formal education, then three more years of supervised Internship towards my International Substance Abuse Certification through the IC&RC. While I have never been wealthy, it has not been because I am not well educated, or did not work. I have held many management and supervisory positions within the human services field, most paying below $35,000 annually, while requiring that I work 50 to 60 hour work weeks, just to get the work done.
Please do not tell me to accept a job outside of my field in order to work. I presently have five such jobs, all outside of my field. Together, they still do not make up for the loss of the income provided through my recent counseling business, a business that flourished, then recently failed, due to Governor Sonny Perdue's budget cuts to substance abuse services in the state of Georgia.
I am, in fact, producing a googlesense ad at present, one of my five sources of income, on a Sunday morning. If you are not working on Sundays, please do not tell me I am not working hard enough, or pass judgement on me for being poor. I work for one of my employers on every day of the week, and on most days I do more than one job. I am also awaiting my food stamp card, because the income of all of my jobs combined does not equal enough income to eat regularly, while paying my own utility bills. If I did not receive some support from my family, I would be homeless, or living here with no electricity, water, or food, and many do not receive such support.
MORE DEBUNKED GENERAL ASSUMPTIONS
All poor people are not black, and those who are black are often working full time, or like me, more than full time. Many food stamp "hand out" takers work at McDonald's or Burger King on a full time basis, or accept as many hours as they are allowed to do, for minimum wage, or little more. It is often difficult for the educated poor to find employment in such establishments, as was the case with me; however, I was able to find five low paying jobs that assist with my survival, while not covering all of my needs.
Next time you consider referring to someone who is financially challenged as "trailer park trash," "white trash," someone who takes "hand outs," or is probably a "black crack addicted mom who is drawing public assistance," please think twice. Whether or not you choose to believe it, it happens to the best of us, and it can happen to you.
RELATED SITES:
CLICK BELOW TO FIND OUT IF HARD WORK BRINGS WEALTH OR SUCCESS
http://hubpages.com/_2pvzhao591xs4/hub/HARD-WORK-WILL-IT-BRIING-WEALTH-OR-SUCCESS
HOW EASY IS IT TO OVERCOME POVERTY IN TODAY'S WORLD?
ARE FOOD STAMPS ONLY FOR THE LAZY OR THOSE WHO WON'T WORK?
http://hubpages.com/_2pvzhao591xs4/hub/FOOD-STAMP-BENEFITS-NOT-FOR-THE-LAZY-OR-FAINT-HEARTED
IS HEALTHCARE REFORM SOCIALISM?
http://hubpages.com/_2pvzhao591xs4/hub/IS-HEALTHCARE-REFORM-SOCIALISM
HOW TO KEEP YOUR DREAMS ALIVE WHEN FINANCES ARE KILLING YOU
http://hubpages.com/_2pvzhao591xs4/hub/HOW-TO-KEEP-YOUR-DREAMS-ALIVE-WHEN-FINANCES-ARE-KILLING-YOU
WHERE HOPE AND MOTIVATION MEET: LAZY OR LACKING HOPE:
http://hubpages.com/_2pvzhao591xs4/hub/WHERE-HOPE-AND-MOTIVATION-MEET-LAZY-OR-LACKING-HOPE
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Thank you. I needed some encouraging words. My food stamp article got blasted by someone today, who called me a "racist" (of all things), and "ignorant." I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I don't know where you stand, but I am probably one of the few white people in Georgia who voted for Barack Obama and is proud to say so publicly. I don't know what his race was, or what yours is, but I would appreciate it if you would read the article and tell me if it sounds racist to you. I certainly don't want to put anything out there that divides people, as there is enough of that, already. Thanks again for your comments. V
There are a lot of morons all the know is to scream racism.I wonder if there car wont start if they scream racism.When look in the mirror the probably scream racism.Why dont they scream racism at Jesse Jackson for the comments he made about the President and what he would like to do to him.There a lot scumbags that are always downing poor.A lot of so called church members do it to.The call the poor,church trash,church rats and etc.These self righteous people should be in poor people situation.The people that are well off if you complain about the poor,do some thing to help or keep your damn mouth shut.I`m trying to help the poor.
Thank you for commenting on my site. I do believe many objected to the Reverand Jackson's comments about our president, including his own son, and the Reverand did apologize for the comments. There are many church people who are very concerned about the poor, and many churches do active ministry. Many extreme political views come from people who profess to be Christians, but have not graced the doors of a church with their presence in years. Unfortunately, they give all members of the faith a bad name. I have a faith, but am not attending church at present, because I am not willing to hear right winged politics preached from the pulpit as if God is a member of the republican party. That said, the far left can be pretty annoying as well, with no more mercy. Compassion, not getting all fired up with our political agendas, is what is needed. I thank you for your support of the poor, and appreciate your input. (: V
Have you heard about a resource based economy?
Instead of using money in order to survive people use their skills to collectively support each other in whatever way they can through mutual creation of a true civilization.One based on available resources and skills.One person may be more skilled than another at a particular type of work,but the best skilled workers in any particular field of work deserve to get more than those less skilled doing the same type of work.
Those working in what might otherwise be considered less valuable because of the type of work done,nevertheless their skills are just as important as those jobs considered by some to be more worthy somehow.
I can remember as a student reading about parents getting together to provide all the necessary goods and services that were required to support a school teacher for teaching their children the basics of education such as reading writing and Arithmatic.This is an example of a resource based economy.Today this kind of bartering would be impossible as money would be required to pay taxes on this kind of barter.
If,everyone started practicing a resource based economy rather than a money based economy ,which by the way we don't have at the moment.What we have is not money,it's I.O.U's or trading debt,rather than exchanging constitutionally legal "money" such as Gold and silver which cannot be printed at will by the banking system ,thus making the whole of it worthless than it was before printing up more of it.You could say money is a resource ,but when you can simply print it up and others cannot you have an unfair advantage over those who have to borrow it and pay interest as well.
The earth's resources belong to everyone,not just a priviliged few who claim it all for themselves,unless we pay them for it.
If it weren't for the equity that money represented without losing it's value through manipulation over time by inflation or deflation.
Money has been the only resource that most people think we need.Yet,we can't eat,drink,wear,or live in a house built with just money.
Money doesn't work, people do! But we can't work without the resources necassary that we are all entitled to use equally.
Many reading this ,will think I'm a communist or socialist,as defined by those so-called belief systems which belie what they are supposed to be representivie of.The leaders in those governments are anything but communists or socialists,they are dictatorships that expect everone under their con-trol to live like slaves while they and their military live like kings.
In such countries there are rich and poor.You can guess the percentage that are rich as opposed to the percentage that are poor.
Interesting thoughts. I actually bartered a website for a years membership at Curves, and it worked well for both of us. Thanks for responding to my article. Please keep reading them. V
Jesus was poor. The bible teaches us we cannot serve both God and money. We live in a Nation where Money is God. You speak of age old religious discrimination - if you are poor, you are discriminated against because you are taken into account as one who serves a different God than the God of the land.
Eileen, you are so right. Not only power, but respect today is centered on prosperity. If someone is poor, it is assumed that they did something wrong. We no longer believe in "acts of God," or divine intervention; therefore, the ultimate "sin" is not to succeed at making money, since that is the ultimate moral and "respectable" goal.
It blows my mind how American Christians (and I am only going by the media, which is probably skewed...) seem obsessed with evolution versus creation debates. I am not a Christian technically, because I do not believe that the Resurrection actually took place, HOWEVER, one thing that stands out in abundance in the Gospels is Jesus being portrayed hanging out with the unwashed, the poor, the sick and the spurned.
Who cares whether the earth was created in 4004 BC (and secularists like evolutionist Richard Dawkins are just as as guilty of being obsessed with this debate, incidentally, in my book); if Jesus were alive today he would be doing what Mother Theresa did; he would NOT be engaging in debates about condoms, homosexuality, stem cells, etc., he would be in Africa, he would be tending to the people in the slums of Latin America.
THIS is the message of Christianity, in my book: not PERSONAL salvation, but SAVING REAL PEOPLE LIVING IN SQUALOR.
Sorry for the rant, but we Western, middle-class people are just so SPOILT, it riles me up :-)
It's a tough one to say!
I dont know how to justify intimidation and people earning more money slagging and trying to be centre of attention to the poorer?
I dont mind the richer but i don't know how to take the ignorance and dreams they have in the head. People that ignorant must have had it easy in the first place!
I need help. My husband had a shed
building business and a customer accused
him of breach of contract. What seems
to me what should have been a civil
matter, was turned into him being
arrested for a felony, with a bail of
20,000 dollars. Even the bondsman stated
that he never heard of such a thing, and
told us we should look further. They
incarcerated him for 2 days in the
schuyler county jail until we were able
to come up with the money for his bail
and to essentially save his life. My
husband had a heart attack 8 years ago
when he was 31. He is on 8 meds a day
to keep his heart pumping, including
nitroglycerin which he is supposed to
have on his person at all times. For
the 2 days in jail he did not get his
meds at all. He was having chest pain
and he was ignored. Since when do we
have a death sentence for a breach of
contract in this country. I have also
contacted the civil rights organization,
and I will not stop until I get some
answers. Please help. I do not believe
that our country smiles upon such
inhumane treatment of its citizens.
Thank you for any help you can provide.
Sharon Foster
Sharon, you probably need to call legal aide; you most likely need an attorney. (:v
Wow, Sharon. At the end of the day 99% of people only care about themselves and how much is in the bank. Most of us pretend that's not true, and the rest of us are scared to tell anyone that yes, they are inhumane and selfish. Could go to jail for slander or defamation of character. So we all just go on lying to the world while striving to keep up appearances and distance ourselves from a responsible position. The love of many has waxed cold!
Hello Mark, sadly you speak the truth. I hope Sharon will talk to somebody in legal aide, as they offer free legal advice. The more I learn about poverty, the more cruel and inhumane it feels. Thanks for honoring my site with your presence. (:v
Hi Valerie,
I enjoyed reading your hub, because I'm in a similar situation. I'm an educated person who is working minimum wage jobs to make ends meet & all the while, I'm being told even by relatives that I'm just being lazy. I've applied to over 300 jobs in the last few months, but it's been without any luck besides with two. I'm grateful for the two, but sometimes I resent the fact that people automatically assume because I work in the service industry that I lack education, manners, & deserve to be treated with no respect at all. But it's interesting to be called 'white trash' by people who couldn't point out Washington, D.C. on a map unless they've seen it on a poster at a Tea Party Convention.
Good input, Tracy. Minimum wage jobs require just as much work, maybe more at times, then professional jobs. I find it hard to understand why your family would call you "lazy," if you are accepting the only work you can get. My family knows I'm working, and for much less than I did in the past.
I am blessed to have the job I have, even though it does not pay very much. I am respected by our customers at Curves For Women, and have made some good friendships there. But I do know that many minimum wage jobs are not so pleasant. Thanks for responding to my site. (:v
Very good hub, the information was insiteful
Keep writing
Mark
Thank you, MSMonroe, appreciate your comments. (:v
I am so glad that I happened to come across this hub and come across you. Bravo!! Bravo!! Bravo!! x100! People like you remind me that I am not alone with how I feel, and I seem to need a reminder quite often in today's climate.
My city just imposed a $40.00 "door-hanger fee". Apparently, my city thinks that people need to be reminded that they are late paying their water bill(as if they choose to be late) and that a friendly door-hanger costs $40.00. What the???
Thanks, again, for your hub.
Just another way the rich and powerful milk those who aren't. Makes me furious, but can't let it ruin my day, since there are too many such affronts to even count. Sorry, it hppened to you. Maybe we should go into the business of making door hangers. $40 a hit wouldn't be bad. (:v
One of the best articles I have ever read. Thank you for posting this.
Thanks isadora, it was easy for me to write, because I am experiencing it first hand. (:v
I don't care too much for the po. They shouldn't breed. If one can't care for itself, what makes it think it could care for spawn? It can't. The rich and middle class must. And it is unfair. Now, I don't propose sterilizing or euthanizing the po, but it would be nice if they would show A LITTLE responsibility FOR ONCE and wait until they are stable before repoducing.
Hello Agnes, actually many of the poor don't reproduce. I never had children and used birth control to prevent it. Also, many who would have previously been classified as middle class, like me, are now poor and unemployed or underemployed. You certainly have a right to your opinion. Lets hope you don't lose your job and become one of us as is happening to many. In that case, you might find yourself suddenly caring a little more about the poor. (:v
Ahem. Well written, excellent points. Couldn't agree more. One tiny point: Those of us who live in "trailers" are no more "trashy" than the adulterous PhD I once knew who lived in one of the nicest homes in town....that hadn't been cleaned since the family moved in. I wish the phrase "Trailer Trash" would go the way of the N word, F word, D word, etc. I'm here because the dignity of owning my own "trailer" beats the indignity of being at the mercy of blood sucking landlords.
Light Ahead, I don't think the F word has gone anywhere, or maybe you're talking about the three letter F word, instead of the four letter one. LOL. I agree that the expression "trailer park trash" needs to be as unacceptable as the n word. People should not judge the quality of a person's character by the amount of money they have in the bank or the color of their skin. Thanks for sharing. (:v
We posted the article on The Christian Left on Facebook:
This was an exceptionally good article. Thank you so much for enlightening us who have never faced poverty. I'm a former Republican who changed parties 4 yrs. ago. I will be sharing this with my Republican friends who are still speaking to me.
Christian Left and Judy Mahan, I am so glad to discover you. I have written many many hubs in defense of the poor. The so called Christian right has almost made an atheist out of me. Please continue to visit my site as these hubs are only two of many. Please feel free to post my writing anywhere or request specific hubs. I am now working full time as a Substance Abuse Counselor at Oconee Center in Millidgeville, and have wanted to become very active in favor of the preseident and in defense of the poor. I'm not as poor as I was last year, but I have a long memory. Thanks again. (:v
Deep, thought-provoking, enlightening and insightful! Trusting that you're now working in your field with a decent salary. Thank you for sharing your personal story.
I was proud of our country for how far they've come when they elected Barack Obama, but now I'm not so sure. Some of the comments that are made about him are disgusting.
I feel the same way you do about the treatment of the poor and elderly right now. The Republicans have disgusted me with some of their ideas and talk about entitlements. I try to think about what we can do to help these people and all they can think about is what they can take away from them.
You also missed the other side of the equation Barbara when you talk about how far our country has come... Blacks overwhelmingly voted for Obama because he was part Black. That sounds pretty racist to me, but always missed by well meaning, but less knowledgeable Whites. Also conservatives donate over 3 times the amount of money to Charity than do liberals on average...another item missed. Conservatives can be Republicans, but many people also think that someone is playing up to the Republicans, when in reality, they are conservatives... meaning they are against homosexual activity such as marriage as the Bible states, not to mention abortion, because of their beliefs and standards. You also Barbara have missed the entire point that the country is BROKE. We can't keep paying for all of these entitlements, no matter how much we want to. It's a numbers game ma'am. And to sum things up, Whites have not cared about the race of a candidate for years and years.. but for Blacks.. it is always all about the race.
I hope the best for you Valerie, but you are mistaken when you say the Christian right has almost made you an atheist. That is up to you and solely up to you, but if you become an atheist, then you will have had a rough time here, but nothing compared to what you will experience in the next life. The left is overwhelmingly atheist with numerous spews of hatred and bigoted comments of many of their hate-filled websites. The Lord has provided for you so far and hopefully things will keep improving. Again the conservatives, who are mainly Christian give 10's of millions of dollars to the poor and charity annually. I agree with you that the liberal hate-filled anti-Christian media thinks nothing of using terms like white trash, etc, but that's because of your race. It is OK to attack European Americans whenever they feel like it with no repercussions. Just ask the Duke La Cross team as they experienced that form of racism first hand! The liberals love it when they see that they have won over another with their lies. If you for example had attended my church or any of thousands of others, you would have had so much personal assistance as they have done for me and we have done for others... you have no idea. But I'm hoping you will find out the truth.
im using this for my speech can i have the date to cite it
Hello, c-bless, Barbara Kay, and pepjrp, Thanks for visiting my site. I have actually been working full time for ten months now, so that is why I have not responded sooner to your comments. Barbara Kay, I was also impressed with our country's election of Obama, but it wasn't because he was half black. It was because I believed and still do believe in the things he stood for, meaning that I believe healthcare should be the same as the police force and the army, not based on your ability to pay. It is just another line of defense.
pepjrp, I'm not sure our spitiual beliefs are totally our choice. Many are based on what we see and experience from those who profess to believe in particular faiths. Jesus still has my vote above all other contenders for the God position, as his teachings still ring true, but sorry, I don't believe he is followed by most of what I see coming from the far right. It isn't only black people who have noticed that things keep getting harder and harder for the poor, and by poor I don't just mean those who are unemployed or on public assistance.
I work full time now. It was necessary for me to accept a position an hour and a half from home in order to work in my field at all, and earn even enough money to barely pay my bills. While I am barely doing that, gasoline prices continue to rise, and my pay probably will not increase any time soon, if at all. CEOs don't need to be earning 600 times what their staff earn, and insurance CEOs don't need to be getting rich through denying services to people who pay their premiums religiously. Why is it that a person can pay health insurance all their life and never use it, but if they lose their job their insurance stops immediately. Where did all the money they already paid go????? Insurance companies need to be regulated, and the republican party continues to use fear tactics on poor conservatives, many related to fears that black Americans will "take over." This causes poor white people to somehow believe they will somehow, someday benefit from the rich getting extreme tax breaks and being able to work those on the front lines for less than it takes to drive to work and back every day. These people will never benefit from the rich not having to pay equal taxes with the rest of us, but will end up working longer and longer hours, for less and less money just to line the pockets of the rich. Those of us who are college educated and have lower middle class incomes are having a tough time, but we are still doing better than many. The rich need to pay most of the taxes, not less than everyone else in proportion to what they earn. Sorry, if that offends. They have reaped the benefits of the free enterprise system and should pay more taxes than I do, not less. After they get through using all of their loopholes, they pay less in proportion to what they earn than anybody else, and that needs to stop. Regardless of what the far right and a few ignorant misled white people try to make it, this is not even a racial issue. Gasoline is costing us a bundle and we own very little of the sources of it. We need to find some other way to transport ourselves, as we are relying on people who hate our guts. Figure it out. People hate change and Obama stood for some changes we will either make now by choice, or later by necessity. he is unpopular because people don't want to be incomvenienced with the truth. I've worked in the past, and I'm working now, and I am here to tell you that workers are no longer respected due to the damage the far right and conservative movement has done. It isn't just about black people or brown people or the unemployed or people who are on public assistance. it is also about those of us of all colors who are working on jobs for less than we need to survive, and working longer hours than it is even physically or emotionally healthy to work so that the rich and those at the top can live in luxury at our expense. There is plenty of money to take care of everybody. The top 1% have it all, and they need to give it up. If they plan to continue living in luxury while everyone else suffers, we need to hit the streets and refuse to work until they live like the rest of us, paying taxes according to their incomes and only earning what they are worth. The problem with unregulated capitialism is that it ends up with a few very spoiled people and everyone else having nothing. We need to regulate it and tax the rich the same way we do everyone else.
zohaib, yes you can use this site in any way you choose. (:v
I'd like pepjrp to know that I am a Conservative Christian. Yes I am against abortion, but I can no longer as a Christian tolerate the attitudes of the Republicans. They'd let the poor of our country starve.
Welcome back, Barbara Kay, My sentiments exactly. Present Republicans and Tea Party advocates also care little for the work conditions of the middle class. I find it humorous that they behave as if Jesus was a Republican, yet his teachings are closer to those of the democrats. A family member asked me how I could "be a Christian and be a domocrat," to which I responded that I didn't see how you could "be a Christain and be a republican." LOL.
Wow, I'm a 14-year-old student who read this for research on my art project (street art). This really opened my mind and really changed my view on poverty, I always thought it was a problem so far away from us, like the people in Africa (no offence). This totally blew my mind, and for my art I will definitely try and raise awareness about this issue, how financially impaired people are so often discriminated. Thank you so much, and I really hope your life improves by the day, I'll pray for you and all the nice people like you tonight who deserve better.
Hello Barbara... if you are talking about Republican politicians, not caring much about the poor, then I would give you some validity, if you are referring to the average Republican voter, then you are way off base as again their charity donations way exceed the liberal side. And the work that Christian conservatives do for the poor worldwide is amazing. Also going back to your comment about the attacks on Obama have been disgusting, I agree, but he hasn't come close to the personal attacks that Bush had leveled at him 24X7. Did you defend him at all? If you think Democrat politicians care much either for the poor, keep thinking that. The poor to them are all about votes. Votes motivate both parties, nothing more.
And Valarie, I'm sure you understand that when someone asks you about being a Democrat and Christian, that is because generally as a rule, Atheism is embraced by a very large segment of that party. The Huffington Post or Moveon.org are overwhelmingly Dem voters and leave some of the most hate filled comments about Christians as do many liberal celebrities, Rosie O'Donell, Bill Maher, etc. Also the fact that Dems in general are for abortion, homosexual marriage, legalizing many hard drugs, removing all presence of Christianity from any public existence, etc. Those actions distances themselves from most Christians. And I am a conservative, not really either party because of the corruptness of both. I disagree with you for your reason why people are not happy with Obama, it only has to do with the fact that we are so much more in debt as a country from when he came into office and the economy is virtually no better. We have nothing to show for him being elected and my insurance premiums are now about 20% higher too. Also as far as paying taxes go, I see plenty of data that says just the opposite than what you say.. meaning the rich pay the bulk of taxes and the bottom 50% pay very little. I have gone through 3 layoffs since 2008 and the last 2 jobs were only contact positions, no benefits. I only make about $25,000 annually. I am single with no deductions and still only paid about $700.00 in fed taxes last year.
pepjrp, You certainly have a right to your opinion. That the rich should pay even more of the bulk of taxes than they are currently paying, is my opinion. The bottom 50% have little money, and benefit little from our free enterprise system. Those who live well owe a greater debt to society. Actually, the top 1%, does not pay the bulk of the taxes. You are obviously getting your information from Fox News, and are confused. In proportion to their income, they pay less taxes than you do. Bill Gates has reported that his secretary pays more taxes than he does, and I see no reason why he would lie about it. But go on working for $25,000 a year and defending the rich, if that makes you happy. I personally see the greed of the rich as more sinful than any of the behaviors you mentioned. At least I can choose not to be gay or have an abortion. I have no choice about sweating on a low paying job to line the pockets of the top 1%, and I have come to highly resent it. De-regulation has not worked for anybody except the top 1%. I support the 99% Occupy movement, and don't forget that Hitler claimed to be a Christian too, so I guess anyone can justify their behavior by using religious values. And, oh yes, I have defended George Bush. He was often blamed for things over which he had no control.
Valerie, how come you're below the povety level? :( If you have a masters shouldn't it be easy to get a good paying job? Just curious because I am also looking to get a masters in Social Services.
Amy, I have been employed for a year now; this is an old article. Still, whenever budget cuts are needed, social services are always some of the first things to be cut. I work now, and am no longer on poverty level; however, I had to accept work an hour and a half from home in order to work at all, and I earn less than I did ten years ago with the cost of living much higher. If you are looking for the opportunity to do good, it is a good field, if you are looking for money, look elsewhere.
I agree with you Valerie, that we shouldn't judge people until we have really walked a mile in their shoes. I am glad that you are doing better now, hope things continue to improve.
Valerie,
I don't look at it so much as rich vs poor as much as I do character and dishonesty, at all levels. I work in the health field and I see people on Gov. insurance daily who pay nothing but a $2 dollar copayment routinely abuse the system. Many have very expensive tattoos, jewelry, smoking habits, are obese and drive pretty nice cars. Conversley I see young people with insurance with chronic conditions who can't afford their medicine or meet their deductable, all the while someone who has never worked and has the free government insurance get the medicine for free. I've placed maternity spinals and epidurals in very young woman who will have family members comment about how they will get more government money now for this innocent life. I don't think all peopel who complain are bad people, I think they are frustrated and somewhat disincentiviced by working hard, paying more than their fare share in taxes with no break in their own school loans, mortgage, and then others who get everything for free, I actually fault our government for creating this learned helplessness and entitlement mentality; by picking winners and losers. Sure there needs to be safety nets, but perhaps better oversight too. Very few countries on this planet provide such a sagety net. My wife sends money to extended family in an other country or they would starve, so my threshold for what is poor in the USA and the rest of the planet is different.
MagicStarER 2 years ago
Amen, sister, Amen! Go read my own story and maybe you will find you are not alone!