Please, go to the ghetto

pensacola_niceman · 04-17-2008, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pleasanthillskaren

and why do you think this is? is this the fault of others or is the fault within themselves?

It ain't my fault. If I really had to find a single point of blame, I'd say the genius that came up with the concept of welfare in the first place.

fxashun · 04-17-2008, 10:31 AM

Welfare is great in concept, but in application, it's kinda gone wrong. Help in a crisis has changed to lifetime support.

pensacola_niceman · 04-17-2008, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fxashun

Welfare is great in concept, but in application, it's kinda gone wrong. Help in a crisis has changed to lifetime support.

Naaaaaah, it sucks in concept too.

waitingtables · 04-17-2008, 12:38 PM

There are so many factors involved in whether one is successful or not. Many are abused, or have no other family that can help them when they have drug addicted parents. Education is the single most important factor that should be stressed to all kids, especially the ones living in the lowest economic situations. When there isn't anyone who cares about you, it's hard to find a way to care about yourself enough to get out of the projects. And no, there isn't equality of opportunity.

Catus Felidae · 04-17-2008, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fxashun

Do you want to live next to someone who just moved out of the projects on a voucher? My mother's house is in a neighborhood where the houses are being bought up and put up for rent. And many of the people are coming from the projects on vouchers. The result, two murders, police sirens all the time, kids up and down the streets yelling at all times of the day and night, and VERY unkempt yards. It's scary the change that is coming over the place.

We had the same problem a few years ago with a house close to me. The owner decided to rent it through HUD. The family that moved in was paying 50 dollars a month and HUD was paying 550.

The next thing we knew, there was garbage all over the yard, their children had not been taught respect for the property of others, the parents seemed to like having fights outside, complete with language that would make a sailor blush, and they liked to display their collection of broken appliances and car parts in the yard!

Several of us got together to speak to the owner. He was of the opinion that if this family was shown the 'better things in life', they would aspire to change their lives and earn the 'better things in life'. They didn't. When they moved out, he had to redo most of the walls in the house, replace the carpet and pad, and have the place tented and sprayed for roaches. I stuck my head inside before that happened and it was like something out of the X-files. They were only there a year. He no longer rents through HUD.

fxashun · 04-18-2008, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waitingtables

There are so many factors involved in whether one is successful or not. Many are abused, or have no other family that can help them when they have drug addicted parents. Education is the single most important factor that should be stressed to all kids, especially the ones living in the lowest economic situations. When there isn't anyone who cares about you, it's hard to find a way to care about yourself enough to get out of the projects. And no, there isn't equality of opportunity.

Why isn't there equality of opportunity to at least not live in poverty? You don't have to go to Yale to become the manager of Mcdonalds and at least be minimally successful. Everyone can't be a Donald Trump, but we all can at least be the guy wearing the dress shirt and the gold name tag at Arby's.
We're just talking "getting out of the ghetto", not "how to buy a house in Bel Air".

fxashun · 04-18-2008, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catus Felidae

We had the same problem a few years ago with a house close to me. The owner decided to rent it through HUD. The family that moved in was paying 50 dollars a month and HUD was paying 550.

The next thing we knew, there was garbage all over the yard, their children had not been taught respect for the property of others, the parents seemed to like having fights outside, complete with language that would make a sailor blush, and they liked to display their collection of broken appliances and car parts in the yard!

Several of us got together to speak to the owner. He was of the opinion that if this family was shown the 'better things in life', they would aspire to change their lives and earn the 'better things in life'. They didn't. When they moved out, he had to redo most of the walls in the house, replace the carpet and pad, and have the place tented and sprayed for roaches. I stuck my head inside before that happened and it was like something out of the X-files. They were only there a year. He no longer rents through HUD.

Yup, that sounds like the same people.

waitingtables · 04-18-2008, 08:37 AM

If it were that easy, fx, why doesn't everyone manage to get out? My way of getting out really didn't have much to do with me. My mother overdosed and died and I had to move in with my grandparents, who didn't live in the ghetto, though they were definitely on the lower end of the economic scale. I moved from Virginia to New Jersey. I just managed to stay out of the projects by working hard and understanding that I would rather be free and not involved in the system. I didn't enjoy being on welfare and living in the projects. I didn't enjoy feeling like I was less of a person because of where and who I came from. You also have to remember that when children are neglected and hungry, they aren't able to develop cognitively in the same manner as children who are well fed and cared for. Not everyone grows up with great role models, or adequate nourishment, or any kind of actual adult support and attention, except possibly some very negative experiences by the ones supposedly caring for them. Nothing is cut and dry, and poverty would not exist if it were so easy to overcome it.

fxashun · 04-18-2008, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waitingtables

If it were that easy, fx, why doesn't everyone manage to get out? My way of getting out really didn't have much to do with me. My mother overdosed and died and I had to move in with my grandparents, who didn't live in the ghetto, though they were definitely on the lower end of the economic scale. I moved from Virginia to New Jersey. I just managed to stay out of the projects by working hard and understanding that I would rather be free and not involved in the system. I didn't enjoy being on welfare and living in the projects. I didn't enjoy feeling like I was less of a person because of where and who I came from. You also have to remember that when children are neglected and hungry, they aren't able to develop cognitively in the same manner as children who are well fed and cared for. Not everyone grows up with great role models, or adequate nourishment, or any kind of actual adult support and attention, except possibly some very negative experiences by the ones supposedly caring for them. Nothing is cut and dry, and poverty would not exist if it were so easy to overcome it.

That wasn't what I was trying to say. It's not easy to get out. But if you cut yourself off at the wrists, it's immensely easy to stay in. You can't climb out of a hole with no hands.

I have a healthy pension due to my service in the military. I could easily screw any benefit by having multiple kids or committing a felony. Then I'd be screwed. Even though there is a program in place to take care of me. I just have to follow the rules.

waitingtables · 04-18-2008, 09:01 AM

I would assume then that someone taught you the rules when you were young. Some people are taught rules, but they aren't the right ones. Uneducated parents, and especially criminal or drug addicted parents are not making sure that their kids are taking the opportunities that are out there, and are teaching their kids to do what in fact leads to their being incarcerated or unemployed.