I had to go and find out more about Lloyd Marcus after hearing him sing at the DC tea party (previous post). I love his story! I too am convinced that giving people things is not the answer. Why do I say this? From personal experience. I have worked in shelters, with those on welfare and in childcare. His observations are so true! As hard as I tried with the best of intentions, I could make little impact on these folks and neither could others also working with these folks. In fact I watched the paid staff become like the clients in order to protect their government funded jobs! We are perpetuating welfare for generations. It is imperative that folks get out and work to earn what they have.
I remember training childcare staff in a center at a shelter. It was outfitted with equipment that was more beautiful than most of the other privately run centers in the county. It had been donated by a local retailer who was committed to better the shelter and community(and get a tax write off). Within months I watched the facility fall apart and look a mess. The idea of cleaning up after oneself and caring for equipment was foreign to this group- former shelter residents now in subsidized housing. They knew that someone else would give them more stuff when this got bad. I don't know about you but I am tired of throwing my money at people who choose not to work and perpetuating this attitude from one generation to the next.
I encourage you to listen to this man's story.
4 comments:
I feel the same way, I have watched as the rich parents in my kids schools give their kids cars, vacations, fancy cell phone and pay their way with everything! Meanwhile I have made mine work for their insurance, phones and cars, the other kids crash their cars, lose their cell phones and get drunk and high on the paid vacations! Mine take care of their things because they know how hard it is to replace them...I too am SICK AND TIRED of paying for these losers!
Thanks for the thought provoking post, proud of you for standing up in a world gone wrong!
XO Dee
It is common a human trait to not take care of something that you did not earn. The welfare state has an entitlement mentality. They don't appreciate the value of money because they don't have to go work for it. I heard a statistic the other day that 30% of all births now in the US are to single mothers. The povery cycle is just going to get bigger and bigger. It will get to the point that a small percentage will be supporting the majority.
I could write a novel on the time my then 17 year old son and I were homeless. We appreciated very much having a roof over our heads, two meals a day and hot showers. We were in what was considered by the other homeless to be one of the better shelters.
We did our chores, did as we were told, and tried to get out asap. Sadly too many knew how to work the system. Soooo many things were there for the taking. Free backpacks for the students, free clothes...most brand new, free health care, free glasses etc. etc. But not for my son and I. Why? Neither one of us was, nor had ever been: a drug user, alcoholic, abused, disabled or a vet. One very well meaning counslor tried to get me to remember anything, even 20 years ago that they could use to help me. I was raised not to lie. Even though I knew it would make things easier for my son and I.
The saddess part was far too many just went from shelter to shelter, getting more freebies. I felt the churches that donated so much where the ones being taken advantaged of the most.
We got out doing it the old-fashioned way. Lots of pounding the pavement, getting a part-time job, finding a room to rent, then a full-time job that enabled me to rent a nice apartment. Four years later both my son and I are far better off, he is in college (paid by himself and Mom) and I have remarried.
Many homeless are on the street because they want to be. Far to many rules in to many shelters these days. Far too many know how to work the system and I believe teach their kids. I have known of three generations living in one house, all receiving welfare and free Christmas gifts.
We middle class have to get good and fed up, or we will keep losing more and more. Especially if the current adminstration has it's way.
Jillybee,
I tried to contact you directly to thank you for commenting but could not- hope you read this. I commend you for working hard and creating a better life for you and your son. I have always tried my best to help others and appreciate the blessings I have received but became discouraged and a bit jaded after what I witnessed first hand. It seems those who want a better life and who are willing to work toward it are fewer and further between. I will continue to give to programs that reach out to help those who are willing to take that help and run with it and work to create a better life. I do not want the government taking it in form of taxes. The work I see being done in our church far exceeds any I saw done via welfare. Bravo to you and your son!!!
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