[Dialogue] Fw: Re: Fwd: Written By A 21 Year Old Girl!! Go Girl!!

[R Williams]

Colleagues,
 
I am forwarding this because I think there's going to be a lot more of this kind of thing going around as the U.S. election season continues to heat up.  I believe we cannot just let these kinds of things slide by.  I live in an area where many believe everyone thinks exactly as they do, and silence is too often construed as agreement.  I think it is possible to respond in a civil, non-partisan way that can perhaps be heard.  I hope that is what I have done here.
 
You'll need to read from the bottom up.
 
Randy

"Listen to what is emerging from yourself to the course of being in the world; not to be supported by it, but to bring it to reality as it desires."
-Martin Buber (adapted)

--- On Wed, 1/25/12, R Williams <rcwmbw at yahoo.com> wrote:


From: R Williams <rcwmbw at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Fwd: Written By A 21 Year Old Girl!! Go Girl!!
To: BIPBRAD at aol.com
Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 7:55 AM







Dear Elliott,
 
This little story is indicative of some very old but still prevalent stereotypes of people who  live in poverty.  Here are some facts about the more than 46 million Americans who currently live below the federal poverty guidelines.  You can look up the exact statistics if you care to, but here's the gist.  Nearly 50% of those currently living in poverty go to work everyday at full-time, albeit minimum wage, jobs and many of those have more than one job.  Because of the time spent at work in order to keep food on the family table they have no time to pursue the further training and education that would allow them to move up.
 
By far the majority of those living in poverty who are not employed are the very old, the very young and the chronically ill. This leaves almost no one who fits the old, time-worn stereotype of welfare queens, skid row bums, people gaming the system, etc.
 
Now I'll get a little preachy.  (It's in my blood, you know.)  In the New Testament the hero was frequently asked questions like, "Who is my neighbor?" and "Am I my brother's (and sister's) keeper?"  He answered by saying something like, "I was hungry and you gave me food, thirsty and you gave me drink, naked and you clothed me..."  When asked when did they do that for him he said, "If you did it to the least of these you did it to me."
 
The way we in our nation fulfill this responsibility to the "least of these," our brothers, sisters and neighbors, is through our government "of, by and for the people."  That's the  only way we can marshall the resources; the religious and private charitable establishments don't, and never will, have the money.  We constantly walk a tight rope to assure that we don't cross the line from safety nets to making people more dependent.  But we also have to watch that we don't throw the baby out with the bath.  Growing numbers living in poverty and the growing chasm between the few who have much and the many who have little will eventually erode the fabric of our whole culture and civilization.  At the end of the day, we're all in this together.
 
Just wanted to give you my take on this because I admire you as a good man and a good friend, and to let you know that everyone in East Texas/Collin County doesn't think the same way, and that's a good thing.
 
Take care,
Randy
 
PS  By the way, there are a lot of people in this nation "taking other people's money for doing absolutely nothing."  It's called capital gains.  (Written by a 73-year old man--me).

"Listen to what is emerging from yourself to the course of being in the world; not to be supported by it, but to bring it to reality as it desires."
-Martin Buber (adapted)

--- On Tue, 1/24/12, BIPBRAD at aol.com <BIPBRAD at aol.com> wrote:


From: BIPBRAD at aol.com <BIPBRAD at aol.com>
Subject: Fwd: Written By A 21 Year Old Girl!! Go Girl!!
To: Saljobrad at aol.com, abdodson at sbcglobal.net, claybradley at gmail.com, chadleybradley at gmail.com, chas.bradley1 at gmail.com, dblum at publicrealtycapital.com, Rambridge at aol.com, JOudt at aol.com, Jebraz42 at aol.com, tdavis at crescent-fund.com, frank.cannon at cannonfinancialgroup.com, tbrumett at sharingtheheart.org, cwilson at cambridgecos.com, sm at m-tlaw.com, denniso at dallas-law.com, jgay at ntexas-attorneys.com, tloving22 at yahoo.com, kraynolds at harbornet.com, kyle at lang-partners.com, rcwmbw at yahoo.com, budn at earthlink.net, tgraves at mcvean.com, steve.b.smith at jpmorgan.com, stephenwingert at sbcglobal.net, sparlingphoto at gmail.com, bwalner at tx.rr.com, jfhasler05 at msn.com, bob at parliamentgroup.com
Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 4:19 PM




 




 
This young lady should be an advisor to whomever the Republican's nominate. She would not offend anyone except those who are already members of Obama's "Camp Handout". EB
 









 




















> Written By A 21 Year Old Girl (obviously one who works!)
>
>  
> Obviously  this girl has a job and realizes how the government is using her hard-earned  money.
>  
> Wow, this girl has a great plan!   The last thing she suggested may be the best!
>  
> This was written by a 21  yr old female who gets it.  It's her future
> she's worried about and  this is how she feels about the social welfare big
> government state that  she's being forced to live in!  These solutions are
> just common sense in  her opinion.
>  
> This was in the Waco Tribune Herald, Waco, TX, Nov 18,  2011
>  
> PUT ME IN CHARGE . . .
>  
> Put me in charge of food  stamps. I'd get rid of Lone Star cards; no cash
> for Ding Dongs or Ho Ho's,  just money for 50-pound bags of rice and beans,
> blocks of cheese and all the  powdered milk you can haul away. If you want
> steak and frozen pizza, then get  a job.
>  
> Put me in charge of Medicaid. The first thing I'd do is to get  women
> Norplant birth control implants or tubal legations. Then, we'll  test
> recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine. If you want to reproduce or  use
> drugs, alcohol, or smoke, then get a job.
>  
> Put me in charge of  government housing.  Ever live in a military barracks?
> You will maintain  our property in a clean and good state of repair.
> Your "home" will be  subject to inspections anytime and possessions will be
> inventoried.  If  you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360, then get a job and your
> own  place.
>  
> In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job each  week
> or you will report to a "government" job.  It may be cleaning the  roadways
> of trash, painting and repairing public housing, whatever we find  for you.  We
> will sell your 22 inch rims and low profile tires and your  blasting stereo
> and speakers and put that money toward the "common  good.."
>  
> Before you write that I've violated someone's rights, realize  that all  of
> the above is voluntary.  If you want our money, accept  our rules.  Before you
> say that this would be "demeaning" and ruin their  "self esteem," consider
> that it wasn't that long ago that taking someone  else's money for doing
> absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self  esteem.
>  
> If we are expected to pay for other people's mistakes we should  at
> least attempt to make them learn from their bad choices.  The  current system
> rewards them for continuing to make bad choices.
>  
> AND  While you are on Gov't subsistence, you no longer can VOTE!  Yes,
> that  is correct.  For you to vote would be a conflict of interest.  You  will
> voluntarily remove yourself from voting while you are receiving a  Gov't
> welfare check.  If you want to vote, then get a job.
>  
> Now,  if you have the guts - PASS IT ON...
> I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET THIS BACK, IF  EVERYONE SENDS IT,
> I WILL GET SOME OF THESE BACK!!!  I WOULD KNOW YOU SENT IT  ON!!!
>  

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