Poverty???? An Eye-Opener

[Shooter45]

This is a good thread but it needs to stay that way.

[firebird]

Id quot circumiret, circumveniat.

[Shooter45]

That's the kind of answer I expected but I stand by what I wrote.

Play nice, last warning.

[firebird]

As do I.

[williamd]

Good exchange.

I submit that most poverty is very similar to laziness in many cases. Sorry if that offends anyone but when the local paper makes a cry because public pantries [feed troughs] are empty and picture fat slobs smiling over their hand outs ... well, I simply cannot develop any sympathy! I will give to or hire the guy on the street corner who is looking to earn a few bucks. Not the ones with the 'Homeless, need food and change!' signs. I have asked a few if they will come clear brush for me or dig out stumps. Without exception the answer was some excuse why they could not. Have you offered to take them to McDonald's for a meal? Most ask for the $$.

By the way, how many of these destitute folks do you see smoking?! How many have you seen in grocery lines trying to buy things with food stamps (like wine/beer) that are not permitted ... then claim stupidity? Well, I agree with the stupidity part.

[firebird]

Originally Posted by williamd

Good exchange.

I submit that most poverty is very similar to laziness in many cases. Sorry if that offends anyone but when the local paper makes a cry because public pantries [feed troughs] are empty and picture fat slobs smiling over their hand outs ... well, I simply cannot develop any sympathy! I will give to or hire the guy on the street corner who is looking to earn a few bucks. Not the ones with the 'Homeless, need food and change!' signs. I have asked a few if they will come clear brush for me or dig out stumps. Without exception the answer was some excuse why they could not. Have you offered to take them to McDonald's for a meal? Most ask for the $$.

By the way, how many of these destitute folks do you see smoking?! How many have you seen in grocery lines trying to buy things with food stamps (like wine/beer) that are not permitted ... then claim stupidity? Well, I agree with the stupidity part.

I completely agree with you. Further, I have the same frustrations. My point is (and has been) that not everybody is the same and not everything is as it seems.

[1000YardWadcutter]

WTF poverty is soooo limited. Let me tell you, you don't know poverty till, thru no fault of your own, you're in it!
Two tours in Nam, PhD, great job and it's lookin good. BOOM! You're injured for life, the other driver never waited for the cops. To make a long story short injuries so severe that over 12 years I lost my house, and every piece of property I owned. I get SS, but an ex-wife who has lifetime spousal support, takes over 1/2 of that per month. Go to court = lose, appeal = lose, state supreme court = lose. Now I find out I am dying at 60. Every f-ing month I have to chose between food and meds. As tyou know economics dictates everything. Am living in one of Phoenix's nastier areas.
Every month someone trys to rip off my SS. A 1911 kept that from happening; until it was stolen in a jumped from behind in my chair grab
I'm gonna live
for another couple of years, but I can't even protect my wife and I from home invaision, etc. The "hood" assumes that I must have some good dope, so I've got victim written on my head. I have so much pain 24/7 that the meds are the only thing that keep me going.
Thought of sellin my meds so I could buy a .45ACP or a44 spec revolver, but
can't get by without the meds. **** without my meds, I couldn't aim much less shoot anyone. Damn with my meds I can still do 8 head shots at 20
yards.

Paid my dues, don't want to hear that poverty is a necessary evil in our society. The VA SUXthose MFers

Forgive me guys, but thanks for lettin me blow off steam.

alec

[Mark]

You know guy's, I can see different sides pretty clearly.

My dad died a couple years ago, leaving my mom with the house. My mom gets about $600 per month social security. She has cable, and a color TV. She has a phone, not a cell phone. My mom is very wealthy when you consider the house, but she is living from hand to mouth. Yes, my wife and I help her.
She has a three bedroom house all to herself to rattle around in. (I'll bet that screws up the averages, huh?)
My mom worked hard all her life, now she's in her 70's.

Well, what say you to all this? Is this poverty?

If my wife and I didn't help, she certainly would have to give up the home she's lived in since the late 50's. Is this fair? She's certainly paid her dues.

Well what do you think?

IMO, things just grew up around my mom. When you quit working, it seems there's a time warp or something. You just get swallowed up.
Mark

[millwright]

Interestng spat !!!

FWIW, when the "Great Society Food Stamp Pogrom" was being debated it was proposed that supplemental help be confined to staples ala flour, sugar, rice, the cheaper cuts of meats, fresh vegetables and dairy, etc. These would be 'paid for' with the then new 'credit card' that would restrict purchases to permissible items. The liberati shot it down as being 'degrading', as I recall.......And "food stamps" soon became the currency of the drug trade.......

Firebird, just because some are on board don't assume they're not part of the 'working poor', either.......In at least one state I can name, exceeding its 'poverty level' would require working at least 80 hrs/wk at the state minimum wage.........TBT, the "poor" in the U.S. fare far better than much of the middle class of other nations, let alone their poor. Hell, one can live far better out of a grocery dumpster than most of the world's population. >MW