5.30.2007

A Word About Poverty Pimps

Hey Poverty Pimps: the people you're supposed to be helping don't like you. That's because most of you--- you don't help them. You help yourselves.

You, poverty pimps, are people who live off jobs paid for with government grants and taxes and you work in any one of thousands of organizations that are supposed to use the government's dough (that's The People's money--OK?) to lift people out of poverty, move them into "housing," and cure them of drug addiction--what are you doing? What the #%!! are you doing?!!

Since when is a furnished room with a shared bathroom and shared cooking facilities (maybe) a home?

People want to make their own homes, decorate them, plant roots in a neighborhood or community, invite their family and friends over, cook a meal for them. People want some control over their lives, some creative outlet. Warehousing poor people in uniform rooms isn't housing them--it's controlling them. Where do poverty pimps live?

I've lived/talked/walked with homeless folk for awhile, and I learned some things. Homeless and formerly homeless people ONLY: jump in and tell me if I'm wrong, or if you disagree...

With all the money at the disposal of the poverty pimps, The People continue to sleep in subway trains, parks, abandoned buildings--because they can't afford rent. They need better paying jobs or rent subsidies. Take the tax breaks and subsidies away from poverty pimps and GIVE 'EM DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE! Here's a news flash: Most poor people want to work, even those with shaky health. They want good jobs with paychecks they can live on and support a family on. They want to start and run small businesses, and a lot of them have damn good ideas.

Here's another myth buster: Most former welfare recipients who've moved into jobs, either voluntarily or not, are proud of their jobs, proud that they're working, and they don't want to return to welfare, even though they could use a pay raise.

Most poor people don't want freebies. They want opportunities to make it on their own. Real opportunities-- not locked doors, walls, obstacle courses, and bureaucratic mazes. They want respect, and to live with dignity. They don't need your pity--or want it. They don't see themselves as victims and they don't want to wear your victim label. They want real tools they can use in the real world to really better their lives and themselves.

These are my impressions, arrived at from watching, listening and talking with real people. Am I wrong?

Word out.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You are NOT wrong. As a formerly and probably future homeless person, I have been run through the ringer of the poverty pimps too many times!

My blog is mostly about the republicrat/dempublican elected dogs that waste our money on such things as the poverty pimps. You can read it at:

http://clapso.wordpress.com

I've added your blog to my blog roll oh unknown one!

The scientifically impossible I do right away
The spiritually miraculous takes a bit longer