The Welfare State

It's all around me. I grew up with it, lived in it, worked in it, and now work with it -- well sort of. Social services and the Welfare State. I'm a psychotherapist, no longer a social worker.



Everybody struggles at some point. Poverty is real, and exists not only in foreign lands, but in the U.S. as well. Pure, hardcore poverty. Its causes are very pervasive and complicated. Solutions are even more extremely difficult and complicated. But I see it everyday.



They're called 'underserved', unfortunate, poor, economically disadvantaged, disadvantaged, etc. They're no lazier than the average upper middle class person, or no more dangerous than the Columbine killers. An Outsider may feel nervous in such neighborhoods, and so might others who live there. No one should have to live in such places, and experience such economic injustices, especially children. No one. But after a while, you start to think. You start to ask questions. I've been 'thinking' and asking questions for years. But it also gets to a point.



Have many of the poor been oppressed and discriminated against? Absolutely. Are there many services that they are not able to take advantage of because of their economic and environmental situations? Absolutely ... well....



Maybe it's because I've worked in social services, but there seems to be many resources available to the 'underserved.' You just have to do a lot of homework, and a lot of problem solving to identify resources. But yep, it seems that there is a resource for well, just about anything. Ok, so I'm exaggerating, but well.... maybe not so much. And that's a huge challenge. Many of the poor may not know how to access such resources, or feel comfortable enough with advocating for themselves, for whatever reasons. Very understandable. But here are some main points.



Much of the struggling middle class don't qualify for scholarships, grants, financial assistance of any kind (i.e. bills, fuel, summer camps/recreational programs, higher ed., etc.). Even good State health care is available to the poor (i.e. minors, WIC and welfare reciprients), but not middle class children, for example. Sure, much of the poor don't qualify for loans (i.e. auto, home, etc.) with good and competitive rates, but someone from the middle class with many bills and obligations might not either.

And politicians, social workers and the like wonder why so many become angry and seemingly hostile to the poor. They wonder why many are frustrated with 15 and 16 year olds having babies, and then collecting government assistance for thier bad decisions. They wonder why many complain about high taxes, especially payroll taxes that come out of their pay checks. They wonder why many in the middle class are angry, synical, and tired of being disenfranchised.

The poor and the middle class don't need another politician, or another I Have A Dream speech, or another Obama. The middle class and poor don't need another government program either. You want to help the poor? Help them to help themselves. The 'rich' needs help too.

Shabazz Wilson