So the subject of welfare is a very touchy and controversial one particularly because everyone has an opinion on the usefulness of governmental aid. There are some people who are fortunate enough to earn a living which has put them in a position where they have not had the need for governmental aid. But there’s a large percentage of folks that have found themselves in the unfortunate position where they were forced to go visit social services and apply for aid to keep their families fed and off the streets. Isn’t this in fact what our gov’t has a responsibility to do? Assist citizens in their time of need?
Now I’m not going to waste my time trying to defend the merits of welfare because I am fully aware that there are folks who are against it for a variety of reasons. Some I agree with, some I don’t. But I am a person who believes that my gov’t has a duty to care for its citizens–within reason of course– and within the boundaries of the law. With that said, I also believe people have the responsibility to do everything within their power to better their personal situation and should not allow themselves to become solely dependent and reliant on the aid they receive from the gov’t.
What I have found interesting is the fact that certain Missouri lawmakers have proposed a new law that they deem is all in the efforts to keep food stamp recipients from buying foods with little to no nutritional value. That in and of itself is no problem right. So what is the problem? The new law would prohibit the purchase of seafood and steak.
Hmm. So, let me get this right. If you get food stamps, you don’t to eat seafood and steak because…? Well, according to Missouri Rep, Rick Brattin (R), who is sponsoring the bill, he explains the reasoning behind this: “The intention of the bill is to get the food stamp program back to its original intent, which is nutrition assistance,”.
I see. So now our gov’t is concerned about nutritional assistance. Hmm. Because what it sounds like to me is that this is the government’s way of controlling low-income families. If nutrition was truly a concern then why can you use your EBT card at certain fast food restaurants? Smh. Let’s be real. We know what this is about. It’s about control and “punishing” folks for having the audacity to be in a situation where they need assistance. Because that’s the bottom line. Too many people who earn a nice living and have never had to struggle and live paycheck to paycheck tend to sit back and judge folks who have been on welfare.
They allow the media and their own biases and prejudices to put a picture of a black or brown woman with several kids in their mind. They believe that these people are lazy and don’t want to work and just want to sit back, make more babies and collect a welfare check year after year. And this is exactly what makes it easier to frown on social services and the entire welfare system. The reality is the majority of people receiving welfare in this country are not in fact black or brown, but white…
Should the gov’t be allowed to regulate what food you can buy if you receive food stamps? I don’t think they should be. And as far as the govt being concerned with the nutritional value in the food bought with food stamps, um hello, what about the rest of us? You’re not concerned with the nutritional value of the food I buy with the money that I earn from my jobs?? Do I have to be on welfare for the gov’t to care? Something is wrong with this picture. Just sayin…
Dawn M. Edwards 