Susu's Hubby (thank God he's not mine...I'd have to club him over the head with a brick),

    I don't think what you are seeing here is Peace and his minions...I think what you ARE seeing here are people who have either been poor, are poor, or work with the poor....in other words, people with experience. Why is it that you think everyone who receives one form of welfare or another is lazy and has NO desire to better themselves or their lives? Do you think there is one human being on this planet that doesn't want something better for themselves at every level along the way?

I guess since you have clearly stated that you have no compassion for those who live in poverty that there isn't much that anyone can say to you...it seems your mind is made up. I would like to ask you though, how do you think the folks who live in rural America can get to the library to read those books? Some places are lucky enough to have small libraries in the post offices and there are even some bookmobiles around here that folks can access. Libraries are great, if not the best resource around for educating oneself...but a body has to be able to get to the library. Our local town library doesn't have computers so there goes your theory about getting on the internet. The next town over...about 30 miles away does have a library with, I think, 6 computers. So...what your post says to me is that you live in an urban area where there is easy access to everything.

And programs? Yeah...let's pretend the transportation is not an issue...now how about availability on the program's part? Is there ample room in each class? Are the classes during the day? Remember, these people have children...so if they are evening programs, you better have some form of child care....heck, you'd need it either way as not all children are of school age.

And I don't know about your neck of the woods, but jobs here are hard to come by as they are in most rural communities. Sure, there are minimum wage jobs that require little to no training but what is the incentive of taking that kind of job when you will lose so many benefits including medical coverage for your child? Now I know there are back to work programs and other types of programs that are designed to help people get back on their feet without losing all the benefits...but if it were to REALLY be a workable kind of program, it should cover much more, giving more incentives for people to go to work.

I think you live in a world that has NO idea what poverty really is and that you also have very little understanding of basic human instinct. Get a grip, look around...do those folks living on the street look happy to you? How about their kids? Do the ones who live in cars look healthy? Would you hire someone who came into your place of business for an interview if they reeked of kerosene? If they weren't exactly presentable? What if they had no experience?

Some folks can only afford to heat one room of their home with kerosene....the smell follows you everywhere. Brand new spanking clean interview clothes are hard to come buy (even thrift shop clothes are hard to come by in many places) and haircuts cost money you know....and because programs are either packed to capacity or non-existant, many folks aren't going to have the training.

These folks are still looking for work...trying to do something for themselves and their families....but you will most likely turn them away and then you and people like you, have no compassion for people who desparately NEED help.

Get a clue, join the real world for just 5 minutes and I think you'll clearly see where the rest of us are coming from.

Michelle