Usually the word poverty refers to an individuals lack of money or material possessions. However, in my opinion, a hybrid form of poverty worse than being hungry or homeless is gripping America. It is a poverty of hope, spirit, and initiative.
When impoverished Americans from our inner cities, rural communities, or Appalachia are depicted in the media or by our government I see few skinny people. I see well fed people with cell phones, cars, televisions, shelters, and adequate clothing.
People in real poverty from third world countries are the shoeless, gaunt, cardboard hut living, food scrap eating, and raggedy clothed poor souls who genuinely lack money or material necessities.
As the US government spends more and more in social welfare schemes, private charities raise millions more in donations, and churches increase their help to our poor, the only thing that happens in America is the number of people claiming poverty INCREASES. By world standards, Americans claiming to be impoverished are blessed with things and social services far in excess of the truly poor people in other parts of the world.
Let me be clear that it would be wrong and unfair to broad brush all Americans on relief as opportunists gaming the government and other charities for free goodies. There are people who genuinely need and deserve help. However, far too many people observe the ease of a government dole or lining up for giveaways and the number of cheaters steadily increases year after year.
Because it has become so easy to be lazy and live a decent life at others expense, many people have traded their hope, and work ethic for bags of free food, rent subsidies, and all the other things offered gratis by government and charities.
I believe the greatest poverty in America is the loss of pride and initiative among a growing segment of the population who have the minds and bodies to do better than live on handouts. Unfortunately, The government will continue to buy easy votes with their charity, and private charities will always do the good works their belief systems direct.
Ultimately, the children and young adults of family groups living unfairly off the benevolence of others must break the cycle that is slowly eroding the treasure of our nation and hopes for our healthy economic future.
When impoverished Americans from our inner cities, rural communities, or Appalachia are depicted in the media or by our government I see few skinny people. I see well fed people with cell phones, cars, televisions, shelters, and adequate clothing.
People in real poverty from third world countries are the shoeless, gaunt, cardboard hut living, food scrap eating, and raggedy clothed poor souls who genuinely lack money or material necessities.
As the US government spends more and more in social welfare schemes, private charities raise millions more in donations, and churches increase their help to our poor, the only thing that happens in America is the number of people claiming poverty INCREASES. By world standards, Americans claiming to be impoverished are blessed with things and social services far in excess of the truly poor people in other parts of the world.
Let me be clear that it would be wrong and unfair to broad brush all Americans on relief as opportunists gaming the government and other charities for free goodies. There are people who genuinely need and deserve help. However, far too many people observe the ease of a government dole or lining up for giveaways and the number of cheaters steadily increases year after year.
Because it has become so easy to be lazy and live a decent life at others expense, many people have traded their hope, and work ethic for bags of free food, rent subsidies, and all the other things offered gratis by government and charities.
I believe the greatest poverty in America is the loss of pride and initiative among a growing segment of the population who have the minds and bodies to do better than live on handouts. Unfortunately, The government will continue to buy easy votes with their charity, and private charities will always do the good works their belief systems direct.
Ultimately, the children and young adults of family groups living unfairly off the benevolence of others must break the cycle that is slowly eroding the treasure of our nation and hopes for our healthy economic future.
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