|
|
MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
I went to the food pantry today and noticed an increase in the number of people there and a shocking increase in the elderly and children. I realize most of you are employed and figure that the ones not working are lazy and or brought it on themselves. The people in line are construction workers or folks that packed boxes or ran their own companies that died on the vine with the economy. These people are not at fault anymore that someone walking along a sidewalk and a car swerving up and hitting them....they are victims of circumstance. The problem is, in this area, many of them are never going to recover because of either a lack of education or have just been broken. I found out a former coworker of mine couldn't pay rent after an increase and will, in order to get enough money for a new apartment (he was evicted) have to live for five weeks with his sister in a homeless shelter in Reno until he can afford a down payment (yes, he has a union job, so much for unions). So we have working people being treated and paid, because companies can get away with it, so that they are homeless and those with children needing foodstamps....and those are the workers! The ones not working are sliding into the pit and too many don't care. Just remember....you too could be there. I never thought I would.
If you can please do support your local programs for the hungry and homeless. Even if you are a godless heathen, or what I call 'my people', if a church is helping then don't let your anti church feelings keep you from helping out... When it gets colder and darker earlier gas prices for heat will shoot up, because they can, and those on the edge will be pushed over it. Perhaps some day, and I hope not, you'll need others to be there to support these organizations. The surplus population needs you. |
landmark Inner circle within a triangle 5194 Posts |
Thanks for the reminder. There are many church and shelter programs that can use volunteers.
Click here to get Gerald Deutsch's Perverse Magic: The First Sixteen Years
All proceeds to Open Heart Magic charity. |
Dr. Van Van Mojo Special user 570 Posts |
Thanks for bringing this up, hopefully people will take note and do what they can.
I'm one of 'your people' but I do what little I can to help out, whether there is a church involved or not. One of my sisters was homeless for a short period many years ago which made me realize even more so that it can happen to anyone. There is a guy at work (I'll call him "Dick" to protect his identity as well as describe him) who refuses to do anything to help the homeless. He claims there is no way he would ever become homeless and people in that situation are there of their own fault. I've tried illustrating to him that it can happen to anyone but he remains stubborn and arrogant on the subject. I guess the only thing that will change his view is if it happens to him. I hope there aren't many people out there like him, he's the only one I've met. Here's something available to anyone that needs a little help with groceries. https://www.angelfoodministries.com/ |
stoneunhinged Inner circle 3067 Posts |
I want to say something, because Santa hit a nerve. Since moving to Germany, I've made my money teaching English. Other than a few adjunct courses at the local university, most of the time was just freelance. I took what I could get.
Mostly what I got were extended education courses for unemployed people. I taught at least a dozen courses of this kind. Four months long, nothing but English. Hard stuff. Now, I could tell you about two or three people who had some problems which prevented regular employment. But all the rest were just people who had taken a shot by the economy. At least one of the guys I taught was in his late fifties and had put in nearly forty years at a car dealer than went bankrupt. He knew, and I knew, that he was unlikely to ever work again. Not that I'm one who goes around hanging on to stereotypes, but my work over the years with the unemployed opened my eyes, nonetheless. Forget all assumptions about laziness or drug and alcohol abuse and lower class values. Such people exist, I suppose, but they weren't the people I met. No, I met secretaries and bookkeepers and office managers with good work records--ten, fifteen, twenty years of solid service--who found themselves unemployed because of bankruptcy. And they came to class everyday, and tried to make the most out of the fact that getting some certificate saying they had successfully completed an English course was hardly going to generate dozens of new job offers. They did the work--we all did--because that's what we were there for. Sometimes I get really fired up by the old "most unemployed people are people who don't really want to work" BS. Not in my experience. |
HerbLarry Special user Poof! 731 Posts |
Unemployment can be self induced but my experience is that a man/woman wants to fill the day being productive in some manner.
In addition the "jobs Americans won't do" list is being overtaken by the "jobs Americans aren't being hired for" list. The estimated number these days is around 20 million. Food for thought. Oh, help out whenever and wherever you can. The "it could be you" chance is increasing every day. Oh, and if you can entertain remember that busking is the job you get to hire yourself for and it's mostly unsupervised.
You know why don't act naive.
|
Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
Santa
A lot of important people in this country think that the unemployed are just a bunch of lazy free loaders. Of course all of those important people are employed.
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Not very magical, still... » » A reminder to help your community....colder days ahead (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |