Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Just A Thought December 18, 2008

“Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it.”


I had an interesting discussion with a good friend of mine about welfare. He didn't understand how someone who has benefited from social programs can be so adamantly opposed to expanding them. (You know the rule about not commenting on that of which I do not know........:-) I began to explain that the problem is not with having social programs in place, but with the TYPE of social programs being expanded. The idea of welfare was initially to give people a "hand up." But years of low expectations have turned it into a "hand out." Welfare ought to aid people in becoming self sufficient, not enable them to live like everyone else without doing any of the labor. Think about it people, this is why we oppose socialism! I work in the social service industry and I see first hand how people learn to "work" the system. Who can blame them? Why get up and go to work when there are people who will pay your rent and all of your utilities without requiring you to do anything more than provide your personal information and sign on the line? I understand that life sometimes deals us a losing hand, but even then we have an opportunity to turn it around. I have a dear friend that survived Hurricane Katrina. He lost his father during that ordeal and his family was torn apart. However, 3 years later he and his wife are living in Texas raising two beautiful and healthy children. By all accounts they have succeeded in triumphing over tragedy. THAT my friends is what welfare ought to do..................assist people in stepping up to the level they've worked so hard to reach.

“I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.”



(This thought in no way implies that my friend is or ever was a welfare recipient. )LOL

No comments:

Post a Comment