December 25, 2002
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Holiday Greetings to all!
I caught some news on CNN today (Christmas Eve Day) while enjoying a mushroom & Swiss burger at a Pahoa restaurant called Black Rock Cafe. I don’t watch them since their blatent misrepresentation of the behaviors of other countries upon hearing about the WTC incident (actually, they showed a 5-year-old clip & said that it was CURRENT news!). I had no choice, other than to just ignore the TV because the restaurant proprietor either has the satellite receiver set to CNN or ESPN channels. He, as a mini-dish dealer, needs to put in a second receiver, since not all of his customers as sports-enthusiasts.
But to the reason for this blog… One of the news stories they were highlighting was about the serious shortages in the National Food Banks. It seems that the normal American generosity of this season with charities is a bit lacking. Also, the year-long problems in so many areas of the Continental US in food production has created an even greater shortage.
In a time when there are SO MANY people out of work, due to business cut-backs & bankruptcy filings (JC Penney’s & K-Mart are the latest in this problem), this is very unfortunate! What makes it even worse is that there are so many more FAMILIES left out in the cold due to Clinton’s Welfare-Reduction Act. Do you realize that thousands of families were dropped from ANY cash public assistance December 2001, only 2 months after the horrible disaster in NYC? Each month, hundreds, if not thousands, more are dropped from this help. Tell me something… How are these people supposed to pay for toilet paper, much less their utilities (& rent)? I started to mention that some may be stuck on waiting lists for public housing, so cannot pay rent with no income. Guess what else? Without any cash income, they CANNOT qualify for public housing!
When I was still living in Texas, I know for a fact that there were hundreds of homeless families in that state (early 90s). I’m talking about young couples, with children under 10-years-old! I learned that many were living under highway overpasses right in the state capital of Austin.
Yeah, I hear you… Everyone’s answer… Let them GET A JOB! Guess what? There AREN’T enough jobs for all of these families to work to earn enough money to disqualify for WELFARE! They also may not qualify for the jobs that ARE available (or don’t fit the interviewer’s profile of the next employee, due to age, ethnicity, gender, disability, etc… to hell with the EEOC & the ADA!).
How many of you work 2-3 jobs, just to live a lavish lifestyle? Do you realize that by doing that, you have taken away jobs that these unfortunate people could have to help provide shelter for their families? Forget them buying ‘luxury’ items. If they can buy a new toothbrush for each of their family members each year, along with toothpaste, they feel blessed. Most of the time, they cannot pay their electric, heating, water &/or garbage bills & do NOT have a phone (that’s a luxury item to them… they hope they can leave a friend’s phone number as a point of contact on their job applications).
Back to the issue of the Food Bank… The USDA usually provides a fair amount of the stock on their shelves. It seems that each year since I volunteered with an agency that distributed this stuff, the volume of USDA contributions have steadily dwindled. They stopped giving out cheese the year I volunteered. The news article showed images of shelves in some of the warehouses, barren of commodities for the needy. That’s so sad!
I know how poor the pickings have been this past year, having gone a few months myself. Here in Hawaii, we have the added burden caused by the California Longshoremen’s strike. Even though it is over, the shipments bound for the Islands are STILL backed up! For example, I recieved my November issues of Popular Photography (a free subscription I fell into when I first came on the Internet) & Guideposts (an annual gift from my mom’s sister) magazines about a week into December. Just a few days ago, I received the December Popular Photography (still no sign of my December Guideposts!). You on the Mainland enjoy your magazines as much as 2 weeks BEFORE the issue month! So, anything that comes to Hawaii by ship (USPS 4th-Class, Parcel Post & Bulk) may still be sitting on the LA docks. And we can’t blame the United States Postal Service for this problem… it’s all greed by workers who aren’t satisfied with $35(+)/hour, when so many workers barely get minimum wage!
I had previously blogged about the dockworkers’ strike effects for Thanksgiving. I mentioned that the Food Bank turkeys bound for Hawaii were not going to make it in time for Thanksgiving, but that they were promised to be here by TODAY. I haven’t heard that they came in. I haven’t even heard of usual holiday dinners for the homeless in this area. Perhaps the turkeys never got loaded onto the ships? I know some Christmas trees got here, but they came from the Northwest (most look like shit fresh out of the container… I watched them unload at Wal-Mart).
Yeah, I’m very ‘Bah, humbug!’ about the holidays. I just know that there are thousands of families & individuals who will be like me, their hearts breaking, knowing that so many in this country will ‘shine-on’ about the poor. So consider your neighbor. He/she/they may be hiding the fact that they’re scratching to put together a meal for Christmas Day! For those who do help as they can, & not just during the holidays… GOD BLESS!!
‘There, but for the grace of God, go I.’
Comments (6)
Merry Christmas Myrene! Thank you for the beautiful greeting.
BTW, did you know that Xanga’s own Middleageguy has a stroy being published in Guideposts this spring.
Mele Kalikimaka to you, too.
Yes, Liz_A, I read his blog about it & even commented on it. I think it is wonderful that he is! I tried once, but did not get accepted (too long, I presume). One day, I may try again.
In my past job as office manager for my subdivision, I recognized a name in a then current Guideposts issue. The writer lived in Alaska & had a snowmobile accident where he ended up stuck in a crevass. The man is a property owner here in my subdivision. I emailed him to verify who he is & wish him & his family well.
I understand what you are saying. Here in CA its divided among the groups of the needy. Skid row is a magnet for them because it has the highest concentration of homeless services. THey have so many now they cant help them all and are trying to stop the flow coming in by passing new laws. The are grouped into the have nots..can nots and will nots..the will nots are the ones that get under my skin and i know many..ones that could easily get a job but refuse to “settle” for a job they consider beneath them..or refuse to settle for housing available to them because it isnt good enough so instead they remain in shelters taking up space untill they find something they deem appropriate…it goes on and on..the ones i feel for here are those who truely try but still cant make it..thats one of the reasons we are leaving ca..tired of trying to make it and never having enough to make it one step from being out of a place to live….
the boxes for the food banks and toy drives here in ca were full over and over..people just kept giving which was good..the numbers of those needing went up though..and what really irks me is those i see who get assistance..have a housefull of people living with them who contribute yet they get more…they cheat it drives me bonkers to know they are cheating those really in need..anyway..good points..you made
merry christmas
Belinda
Some of those concidered won’t are emotionally ill. They don’t work out well in the general workplace. As for those who won’t take a job because it is beneath them, it is more a matter of companies refusing to hire them, because they are over-qualified. THAT one, I know first hand, because I couldnt even get an interview with McDonald’s (among a horde of other employers!). I am a college graduate. After so many let-downs, a person finally gives up, because of the emotional damage of continually being refused a job, believing oneself to be unfit. Every needy person has their own story. It is unfair to judge them based upon generalities & lump them into the category of worthless, as so often happens.
Also, the shelters are often horrible places to stay. They live on cots, open to every other person staying there, with no place to secure their belongings, what little they may have. They are also open to assault & scrutiny from other temporary residents. I hardly think they choose to stay there, versus taking a place of their own. Many more of them refuse the shelters, to stay in alleys, woods or what-have-you, primarily because of distrust of others.