As I See It

Poverty has been a political issue since, well, probably since the human race expanded beyond just huts and caves into centralized communities sharing some common territory and common enemies that had to be protected and maintained for the benefit of all. There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that the poor will always be among us. But why? Why should there be a group of people that are scrambling around for food for the family. That is one of the most talked about characteristics of poor, right? Even in good ole wealthy prosperous educated America, the poor are said to be starving.

Yea, right!

In some areas of Africa, that may be true. In some other areas of the world, that may be true. But not here. Not in America.

Our government defines what qualifies a person within these states to be classified as falling into the poverty level, but, are there large quantities of people in America who continually have to search the dumpsters for food? No, not in America. The food lines of the 20’s are just a picture from the past. The only food lines you’ll see now are at the charities like the Salvation Army. And food lines at all-you-can-eat buffets. There is no excuse for being hungry in America. We’ve got volunteers serving ‘meals on wheels’ to bring food to those who cannot get out, and you’ll always find some who miss a meal here and there and cry out “I’m hungry” like a four year old who missed his mid-morning cookies and milk But chronic hunger in America? Those who are suffering from chronic hunger in America have locked themselves up and do not want help, as all it takes is a phone call.

I need more convincing that hunger is a big problem in the US of A, and that convincing argument and facts to support it are not anywhere to be found. Stories like the one chronicled by nola.com are considered by our politicians as proof of the plight of the poor in America. But this is not hunger by any means. She’s not poor by any means. She’s not poverty stricken by world standards. She’s not experiencing hunger. Not with a huge TV like that in her public provided housing unit that, by the way, our government pays for all of the bills. Poor? I don’t think so.

Sharon Jasper sits in the living room of her voucher-backed private residence. “I might be poor but I don’t like to live poor. I thank God for a place to live but it’s pitiful what people give you.”

But the TV is not HD!!! Michelle Malkin has all the links to more about the plight of poor pitiful Sharon Jasper.

Africa is a different story.

A new organization is growing that promotes the desire to end poverty forever, to make poverty history. Not only poverty, but also hunger, disease and AIDS world wide. A worthy cause for sure, but how? Read this column by Walter Williams: Worst plan for Africa: Foreign aid.

I thought the UN had tackled this problem and was dedicated to eliminating it all, and as huge as the UN has become, and as much as the US and other western nations have given to the UN, you would think that by now that great progress was being made and the end was in sight.

But that’s not the case, is it?

So now on the scene comes a new organization calling for more and more aid to eliminate poverty in Africa, a new one called: “ONE”, a creation that got started out of DATA (Debt AIDS Trade Africa) in 2004 by Bono, the rock star.

ONE is Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life - united as ONE - to help make poverty history. We are a campaign of over 2.4 million people and growing from all 50 states and over 100 of America’s most well-known and respected non-profit, advocacy and humanitarian organizations. As ONE, we are raising public awareness about the issues of global poverty, hunger, disease and efforts to fight such problems in the world’s poorest countries. As ONE, we are asking our leaders to do more to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE believes that allocating more of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world’s poorest countries.

There it is folks, another part of the socialist agenda of people with right motives with wrong solutions. Their solution is that of the redistribution of wealth, the confiscation of peoples property from the haves to the have nots, from the better off Americans to the poor around the world, to those suffering from AIDS and other deadly diseases. More of our taxes going to fight poverty world wide. Forced redistribution. By the mighty powerful arm of Washington. The Global Poverty Act of 2007 is designed “to further the United States foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day.” It would commit the feds to applying 0.7% of GNP each year on foreign aid (approximately 845 billion over 13 years, over and above what we are already spending) It would be a global tax on us, subservient to the dictates of the United Nations.

Rick Warren is throwing his support to the ONE campaign, as have many of the elite wealthy entertainers holding concerts to raise awareness of the plight of the poor and those with AIDS and other diseases. It works to raise our awareness, but it does very little, if anything to help the chronic poor, relieving their condition now and into the future. Instead of insisting that we all sacrifice, these ‘haves,” could work with charities and do so much more by giving of their own resources rather than spending so much time trying to raise our awareness.

“He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; For he giveth of his bread to the poor.” Notice that word “giveth” is a voluntary act, and not as this group and politicians desire, which is nothing but robin hood tactics.

The Bible tells us “the poor will be with you always.” It also says: “He becometh poor that worketh with a slack hand; But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” and: “Rob not the poor , because he is poor ; Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate.” and “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.” and on and on it goes, verse after verse about the poor with more that 5000 references about the poor and needy. In the old testament, the Jews were told to let the land lay idle in the seventh year for the poor to gather to meet their needs, and after that the animals would have the left overs.

Solutions to poverty come in many stripes, as do the causes. But, to think it can be eliminated forever and ever everywhere in the world is foolish, idealistic thinking.

However, it’s still the duty of the churched to come to the aid of the poor, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and heal the sick, first in their own neighborhood, and when that is accomplished. then moving on to the next circle and expanding outwards until the world is reached. But the neighborhood comes first. Our charities have handled the American problem, so now it’s time to expand the vision and help the world, which our charities have already been working on for decades (in spite of government regulations and the dangers involved), and are doing more to help the plight of the poor worldwide than any, and I mean any, including the UN, or any other, and all other governmental organization could ever accomplish by government to government aid.

The best thing the government could do would be to remove restrictions and take a hands off approach to charities and let those charities and the voluntary donations from the most giving people of the world handle the problem. If those African nations who want our charity, who need our charity, would guarantee the safety of all of our charities and their workers, provide them with a free-hand in reaching the poverty stricken within their own borders, then the work would progress and their own people would benefit greatly, their own economies would benefit beyond their imagination. Our charities wish to not only take care of immediate needs, but also to teach the people to fish and to tend to their own crops and to open markets and businesses. But restrictions and hindrances by governments get in their way.

Americans voluntarily give like no other country on this earth, but we don’t like to give to blood suckers, to those who abuse our good will, such as the corrupted UN and our own politicians who use the plight of the poor as “feel good” vote pandering.

If you believe our government has the duty to aid the poor the world over, then find that in the constitution for me.

If you accept that the government must help the poor, then you must also accept that the government can take what is needed from you in whatever quantities they want to meet those needs.

You will then become a slave.

As I see It.

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