When people talk about poverty, what do you think about? I think most people have visions of the TV ads they have seen about the poverty in Haiti, or other far away places. I have been to Haiti and seen the poverty there and it is rampant and pervasive. But, I don't think many people think about poverty in America when they talk about poverty.
Why is it that poverty in America isn't the first thing to come to mind? Psychologically, the further away from ourselves we can mentally push it the more comfortable we are about not dealing with it. So, if we see it in Africa or Darfur or Haiti we can complain about 'their' government not doing anything and 'their' mistakes with regard to race, color, or whatever it is that we believe the cause of their ignoring the problem and then go back to 'business as usual' because our conscience has been soothed and it 'really isn't our problem'. We 'have enough problems of our own' (as if we were going to solve any of them).
Basically, many of the 'problem solvers' of our generation have never known hunger themselves or even known poverty themselves. While that is a good thing, it also places them at a disadvantage in that they would rather talk about it than 'do something' about it. Also, many of them were never intended to be problem solvers to begin with. So, poverty doesn't have the urgency that it has if you have been poor and understand the situation. I believe that is exactly why so many in our country are hungry. The majority of politicians in this country have never been poor, have never been hungry, have never known the shackles of poverty and would rather talk than listen. After all most politicians 'volunteer themselves' rather than wait for the American people to volunteer them.
A few months ago I was at a meeting where John Edwards spoke with some very impressive environmentalists in South Carolina's Low Country. During that meeting one small exchange stuck with me so strongly that I'm sure it will be there the rest of my life. The discussion was regarding the pollution in the streams and the fish there. One environmentalist said 'The streams are so polluted that people can no longer eat fish from them. So they don't go fishing there anymore.' Then, in a very low key manner, the second person responded 'Well, the poor people still do.' and with that the first one answered 'Yes, they do, but most people don't.' That thought stuck in my mind and will always be there because, people are what they eat and they eat what they have available to them. This also causes more sickness in the poor.
Those who are in the throws of poverty know this all too well. What you eat is directly in response to economics and what you have to eat. I grew up in a small community near where John Edwards grew up and in a similar time frame. I also spent some time on a mill village and while that wasn't the lowest level of poverty, it wasn't luxury either. That was after we moved from the lowest level which occurred after my parents divorce. I like John am not ashamed of the fact that I lived in poverty at one time in my life. Like John it built character in me and was able to pull myself out. And, like John, I stand up for what I believe in regardless of who tries to twist my arm or force their own ideas on me. Although I don't recommend poverty, like nothing else in the world, it builds true character in some kids. Poverty is a strong motivator for some kids. Unfortunately, it doesn't have that effect on all kids and/or they just can't find the right door.
Whether you like John Edwards or not (and I do) you have to admit that he took the benefit of that character building experience and made it into something worthwhile. As many people like to say, He took 'lemons and made lemonade'. That he did and he did it well.
Now back to poverty.
What are the family characteristics of low-income children?
Parents’ Employment
56% of children in low-income families—16.0 million—have at least one parent who works full-time, year-round.
25% of children in low-income families—7.0 million—have at least one parent who works part-time or full-time, part-year.
19% of children in low-income families—5.5 million—do not have an employed parent.
Parents’ Education
25% of children in low-income families—7.2 million—live with parents who have less than a high school education.
36% of children in low-income families—10.3 million—live with parents who have only a high school diploma.
39% of children in low-income families—11.0 million—live with parents who have some college or more.
Family Structure
52% of children in low-income families—15.0 million—live with a single parent.
48% of children in low-income families—13.6 million—live with married parents.
http://nccp.org/...
It's not just children that we need to be concerned with either, it's humanity! We need to be concerned with the elderly, and anyone not getting needed medical attention, and people who work but don't earn enough to keep a house and warm/cool it and buy the right foods to eat ( not gourmet foods, but nutritious food). Humanity is the thing that is important.
The key to alleviating poverty in the next generation is to get education, real education, available and required of everyone. People have a right to education and they have an obligation to take it. Education is the answer for relieving taxpayers of the burdens on the tax roles if you want to look at it that way. But, first we must bite the bullet for a generation or two and see that the quality education is there and that some measure is taken to a make sure that the option of ignorance isn't available. Parents don't have the right to let their kids grow up ignorant if the opportunity is available to them IMO. So, we all have obligations there. And, while I don't think teachers can do as they please in the classroom, I don't think the 'no child left behind or any similar programs' are the answer either.
Now, we need to go back and think about whether the people in our country have food and that it is safe food. They may have to choose the food they can afford, but it must be so they can afford safe food.
With all of this, I don't know the answers. I am good at knowing the problem, but the answers are huge! They will take a lot of work from all of us. It will clearly take someone with no similarity to George Bush to lead us. I firmly believe that John Edwards is the best person in this country today to lead us in the next administration. I know he is a man of honor and integrity as are the other candidates running, but I believe he is the best choice. I have seen him in action and I know the level of commitment he possesses. God bless America and God bless John and Elizabeth Edwards.