Poverty has been an issue for many years but in 2010 poverty rates hit highest level since 1993. This article "US Poverty Numbers Hit Record High" Almost 46 million people are living below American poverty line. A government report released on Tuesday said the poverty rate rose for a third consecutive year to hit 15.1 % in 2010. I am a TA for Ms. Carmen's EXP class for freshman and the class got into a discussion about money issues and a student said "Blame the president!" Honestly you can't blame just one person for all this. Poverty is the way it is because of many reasons. In this picture there is a man in a food bank getting the little bit of food they provide because he has no money. There is poverty everywhere you go. I mean kids these days INCLUDING ME take what they have for granite.
There are families in Alameda who barely get by. Those people you see on the side of the road holding signs may scare you but they are humans too just in a different situation. In Mr. Sutherland's class 6th period a group came in and talked about this club called BuildOn.
I am not posotive if I can join because of other commitments but they have the right thought. BuidOn is about community service reaching out to help people who need help. Have you ever wondered why some people don't ask for help? Sometimes I do. Maybe they want to be able to do everything they can before they ask for help. Poverty is an issue that is NOT going to go away as easy as that. It is a never-ending issue. Although you may not be "poor" doesn't mean you can't help those who are.
I don't think poverty is eternal! We live in a society where poverty is a part of life, it is one of the effect of our capitalist society, where the rich benefit from the volume of the poor.
ReplyDeleteIt is not the only way to live, or the only way to govern a prosperous country.
But maybe we need to redefine "prosperity." For example, each person in North America on average requires 5 Earths. That means that if everyone on the planet lived like they did, we would need 5 earths' worth of resources to sustain our lifestyles.
There are ways to be happy and prosperous without our traditional definitions of wealth: lots of stuff, property, etc.
Wealth should probably be being able to work a job that you're passionate about, and everyone on earth having enough food and clean water to thrive.
I'm happy you're considering the less fortunate among us :) It's always good to help others!
I'm glad Irene got here first to drop a comment, but I also want to back her (and you) up. Poverty LOOKS eternal because it's been around for a long time in many forms. But that doesn't mean it's ALWAYS been around, or that it always needs to be. I think poverty comes from a basic kind of human consciousness that says, "I need more, and more is always better." That idea is deeply-engrained in our heads and hearts, it would seem...but what if we could let go of that kind of thinking and redefine what "wealth" is in the first place?
ReplyDeleteCome talk to me about buildOn...even if you can't make it to all the meetings, there is still room for anyone who wants to participate at whatever level they're comfortable with. And you've got the heart for it!