Turning on the poor.
“I am sorry that I lived long enough to see the Middle Class I helped create turn on the poor.”
–Tip O’Neill
In our conversations about the current economic crisis, I hear so many people blame the poor for their poverty. They should have ‘known better’ or should be ‘more responsible’.
Poverty is not a choice.
It’s an endless corridor with lots of doors.? Every door is marked ‘OPPORTUNITY’. Every door is a dead end.
I was on my own when I was seventeen years old.? When I ran out of food, I didn’t eat.? When I ran out of money, I slept on people’s floors.? No gas money? I walked.? I worked forty or fifty hours a week and went to college.? Most of my money went to staying on inch in front of the next bill.
Speaking from personal experience, poverty is the single hardest thing to overcome. Period.
Today is Blog Action day for Poverty.
For today and every day, I ask that you hold empoverished people in your heart, mind and prayers.
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while i’m absolutely one for securing our country, knowing our own nation’s poverty problems in light of the money being spent on the War in Iraq… yeah
At some point, we have to learn to focus on what is at home before we can continue to help those outside our home. It is a lesson I am learning (with difficulty) on a more personal level … but one that we as a whole should learn together, as well.
Done.
No matter how wealthy we become, we have not accomplished much if we do not share it with less fortunate others.
Being able to work hard for our money is a blessing, an extremely lucky card to have drawn, which should be remembered whenever we are tempted to blame the poor for their poverty.
Very nice post, and you are so right. Poverty is generally not a choice. That mind set prevents so many acts of random kindness, so I’m glad you have called attention to it.
Am I slightly stressed out that I didn’t know about Blog Action Day for Poverty until the day after…?
I have very strong feelings about poverty, and come to these from several directions, including personal experience as you have had. I’m so glad to know about this event and will keep it in my calendar for next year. Very moving photograph.
This has kept me running more than anything since I saw someone in poverty when I was 16, and I became terrified of becoming homeless and impoverished.