I have recently been seeing and hearing many comments about a subject that bothers me. Comments like "you are on cash assistance and drive an Escalade?" or "Look at her, she is paying for groceries with food stamps and has a Coach purse." The latest thing I saw was posted on facebook. It went something like this. "You are on foodstamps and can afford an iphone, sounds legit." I have a serious problem with this. First of all, I would like to say that yes, I am aware that there are plenty of people that take advantage of the system. But can we please remember why that system was put into place? It was to help people feed and provide for their family in a timly fashon when thier financial situation took a turn for the worse. Again, I am aware that there are loop holes that people may find to get more than they are supposed to. Or simply decide to live off of the government. But can I just say, what if you are judging some of them when you dont know the whole story? What if you are just assuming that they are getting help from the government and using it poorly?
Lets take a look at what could actually be happening. The woman with the Coach purse that is checking out at Meijer with food stamps, did you ever think that maybe that purse was a gift?
Or the family loading into the Escalade that uses cash assistance to pay their bills, may have lost their great paying job and are responsible for making the payment on their car loan?
Or how about the woman using foodstamps while she talks on her iphone? Perhaps her husband died and she is trying to take care of her 4 kids.
And might I point out the crazy amount of money it costs to cancel that iphone contract...how in the world, if she can't afford groceries, could she pay that $300 cancelation fee?
I am not ignorant to the folks out there that live off of our tax money, I get it. But don't be so quick to judge. Why not consider that most people are good willed people. Consider what could be happening in their lives and be glad for them that there is something set in place to help them in this difficult time.
With the ever-rising unemployment rate, it amazes me that there are so many people out there judging others for not being able to find a job. Lets become aware of what is going on around us and be a little more sympathetic. Stop assuming, you KNOW where that goes!
I know that I liked a photo like that on facebook and I'm not ashamed. I am glad there is government assistance for those who use it properly and when they actually need it but I know far too many people that abuse the system. For example, a girl I know who gets every kind of assistance there is but takes vacations all the time (including a recent trip to disneyland with her husband and kids). Or another girl I know who claims she can't buy groceries but purchased a new ipad recently.
ReplyDeleteI realize not everyone takes advantage of the system but the sad reality is a lot of people do.