Fire Imus?

[Für Elise]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

If you had bothered to ask me instead of attacking me, I would have told you this is how I know what I have seen:

I tutored minority (all black) children from the projects after school. Their parent or grand parent (none I tutored had a father that lived with them and many did not know who the father was) would thank me, cook for me, and do all these things out of gratitude for someone who took the time and effort to help them. These were people who were maids in the morning and worked in fast food rest. and the like until about 6:00 p.m. They could not afford day care and the state one was a war zone. So, this group formed many years ago to help them out and educate their kids, a deal lacking in the public school system. When they would bring me a home made pie or fried chicken I would cry because I knew they had taken $10.00 out of their day’s wages (about three hours worth to be exact) to honor the advantage I was giving their children to get out the projects. I wanted to refuse such gifts, but to do so would have offended them to no end. My volunteer work included being in the projects, which were essentially a war zone in New Orleans. I think that because of the good work my group was doing, we were left alone. Believe me when I tell you, I saw things that no human should ever see. I also saw these other adults doing nothing to get out of the welfare cycle they were on and doing nothing to get their kids into our program, which was easy to enter – all they had to do was sign up. Some of that resistance was because we were white – how pathetic is that? Further, the parents who participated in our program had nothing but contempt for the people who did nothing to ensure their children got the hell out of there. I will never forget one grandmother slapping her grandson across the face in front of me and telling him that unless he listened to me, he would wind up in jail just like his father and his grandfather (her husband) and her. When you see that, you are humbled to say the least. There are countless other experiences I could relate - but I think these suffice so you get my drift. I realize my experience was a small example, but my group was national and every other group had similar experiences. So, I think my rationale is supported by my experience, which again is that many people are trying to get off the public tit, but many are content to stay there. A review of my comments above in this thread and other threads will reveal I spoke poorly only of the latter and lauded the former - indeed I suggested the former be used as role models to fix the system that I think most everyone agrees is not working.

I also have worked in soup kitchens to feed the poor and infirm. This included preparing/packaging several hundred meals a day. I did it on Sat. and Sun. mornings (essentially my only down time) with a group of volunteers. I also spent time with these people when I delivered food to them. Almost all were on govt. aid of some sort and they told me their stories of how to fool the system. To be fair, many of these people had terminal illnesses.

Finally, I have donated, time, food, money, and clothing to charities to the point where I have won awards for organizing fund raisers and charity drives. Many of the people helping me in these were the poor people we were trying to raise money for. They were all good, honest, creative people who were openly working hard to change the stereotype of the multi-generational welfare moms that they knew were out there. They had nothing but bad things to say about these welfare multi-generational families. I think it is safe to say I have directly helped raise with various groups well over $500,000 for the poor and/or infirm.

So those examples (I have done way more) essentially are how I formed my opinions.

So, while you obviously picture me with venom and contempt enough to call me an “ignorant fool” and want to punch me - I thought you might like to know how I got my perspective.

What have you personally done for the poor to get your perspective?

On another note, the American Civil Rights movement was formed to right the wrongs of the past. That is why I and Tower said that. A brief google search will confirm what I say.

la la la. so you've seen things. so have many of us. that doesn't mean that you arent still ignorant about how the cycle causes the minorities to be in this position. what you have seen has nothing to do with any of this you still are acting as though they get themselves into this situation.

you want to talk about the poor? i've spent holidaying time in india and spent a lot of time with untouchables in bangalore not cause i went to be a humanitarian just cause i was there and found myself spending time there. and i know what its like when they give you a some piece of string made to look like a necklace to say thankyou cause its the only thing they can offer but they still do. i lived in belfast in the late 90s so you want to tell me about a warzone! and i briefly lived in kenya and just cause your the white rich ones doesn't mean you don't see everything. and i recently helped at an aboriginal medical center in the northern territory and if youve been there you'd know how those people are erased from the cencus they just don't exist for the australian government. theres lots of stuff I could talk about and say thats how i get my perspective but it doesn't matter if your talking about poor minorities not wanting to get themselves out of there situation and acting as though they put themselves there. you could have been brought up on the streets but if you said those same things youd still be ignorant about the situation