Charity, Government Responsibility, and Modern Society
This post is partly for me to breakdown my own views and partly to process through the onslaught of responses I've seen to the welfare system in the United States. For starters, though I want to share a bit about myself. I grew up in a middle-income blue-collar family with a profoundly deaf brother and a dear friend's sister was mentally retarded. Self-reliance was always stressed, but the less fortunate--for whatever reason poverty or disability--were always treated with respect. Religion was central although dad was agnostic most of my life and politics was not discussed until I reached adulthood when I found out my family is as split politically as it is religiously--my mother's family is strongly Democratic and dad's family staunchly Republican. To this day I manage to tick off the left and the right--gotta love it. Additionally, as an adult, I've worked extensively with low-income families on a professional level and in a volunteer capacity.
Although self-reliance was always stressed by my dad it was also stressed that we need to care for the poor and those with disabilities. I remember us paying different men to cut the grass or feeding them a meal. Their drug/alcohol use or disabilities were not criticized but appropriate aid was given to them. Everyone was respected as a person in need. Knowing this I must say I am completely appalled by the level of venom directed at the poor among us and the self-centered greed that accompanies it. It disgusts me so deeply that I refuse to engage these people. So, at this point, the question is how do we care for the poor among us.
I deeply believe in charity and that caring for the poor primarily belongs to the local communities; however, when communities cannot or refuse to care for the poor then we do have to look to the federal level to help them. Non-judgmental care that also offers training, support, mentors, and financial aid is most needed. After seeing the level of venom directed at the poor and the view that they are "thieves" among other terms, I wonder what our next step should be. Financially we could do more for the poor among us on a religious organizations/charities, municipal/city, state and/or federal level (as a last resort) if we truly reassessed our spending. We need to remove ourselves from unjust wars and focus on our own problems. Cutting food stamps and reduced/free lunch programs should not be considered. Ever. Food should never be used as a political tool. Ever. The children are the ones who are hurt the most in this and every time it backfires. The poor could be helped significantly by improvements to the availability of mental health services and the revamping of our criminal justice system.
Christians, or Christians of a certain ilk, are starting a warcry to limit financial benefits for children born out of wedlock as if somehow the government is going to force people into a desired morality and living situation. Encouraging marriage as it is extremely beneficial to children as proven by multiple studies is critical to the future and for decreasing poverty, but this is not how we should go about it. This is where mentoring relationships, training, and other programs can be used. One thing often forgotten is that physical abuse among other issues also run rampant in these situations so we're dealing with more than just immorality or someone refusing to marry.
The religious desire not to condone immoral behavior is a valid point, but it cannot be done to the detriment of the least vulnerable among us. Our best way to encourage responsibility and morality is through example and ensuring that our financial aid programs include mentorships and proper mental healthcare not through the legislature.
The detriment our criminal justice system causes to society and families is beyond words. There is no reason why the United States prison population should dwarf the rest of civilized society and our sentences for similar crimes are typically much longer. Heck, even uncivilized societies have a much lower prison population than we do. (This should make one truly stop and think about the damage this does.)
Although self-reliance was always stressed by my dad it was also stressed that we need to care for the poor and those with disabilities. I remember us paying different men to cut the grass or feeding them a meal. Their drug/alcohol use or disabilities were not criticized but appropriate aid was given to them. Everyone was respected as a person in need. Knowing this I must say I am completely appalled by the level of venom directed at the poor among us and the self-centered greed that accompanies it. It disgusts me so deeply that I refuse to engage these people. So, at this point, the question is how do we care for the poor among us.
I deeply believe in charity and that caring for the poor primarily belongs to the local communities; however, when communities cannot or refuse to care for the poor then we do have to look to the federal level to help them. Non-judgmental care that also offers training, support, mentors, and financial aid is most needed. After seeing the level of venom directed at the poor and the view that they are "thieves" among other terms, I wonder what our next step should be. Financially we could do more for the poor among us on a religious organizations/charities, municipal/city, state and/or federal level (as a last resort) if we truly reassessed our spending. We need to remove ourselves from unjust wars and focus on our own problems. Cutting food stamps and reduced/free lunch programs should not be considered. Ever. Food should never be used as a political tool. Ever. The children are the ones who are hurt the most in this and every time it backfires. The poor could be helped significantly by improvements to the availability of mental health services and the revamping of our criminal justice system.
Christians, or Christians of a certain ilk, are starting a warcry to limit financial benefits for children born out of wedlock as if somehow the government is going to force people into a desired morality and living situation. Encouraging marriage as it is extremely beneficial to children as proven by multiple studies is critical to the future and for decreasing poverty, but this is not how we should go about it. This is where mentoring relationships, training, and other programs can be used. One thing often forgotten is that physical abuse among other issues also run rampant in these situations so we're dealing with more than just immorality or someone refusing to marry.
The religious desire not to condone immoral behavior is a valid point, but it cannot be done to the detriment of the least vulnerable among us. Our best way to encourage responsibility and morality is through example and ensuring that our financial aid programs include mentorships and proper mental healthcare not through the legislature.
The detriment our criminal justice system causes to society and families is beyond words. There is no reason why the United States prison population should dwarf the rest of civilized society and our sentences for similar crimes are typically much longer. Heck, even uncivilized societies have a much lower prison population than we do. (This should make one truly stop and think about the damage this does.)
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