I have recently been chatting online with a very inspiring woman who wrote to me the following sentences in her second post – “We’ve got to bring love & joy to this life, and pass it on to others! All we can do is encourage others with positive ness – we ARE Survivors, and now we need to be there for the others that are in our OLD torn up shoes.” Little did I know that these words were being shared from a mother of two who has multiple sclerosis who spends her days (including weekends) doing surveys in order to make extra money for her family. Her messages are always filled with upbeat words of gratitude for her life and what she has and a willingness to help others.
This reminded me of a recent post that I saw from a woman who was arguing that we should be giving money and benefits to those who are here illegally and never worked a single day in their lives in this country. She feels that not to do so is being racists and imperialistic. She believes that everyone is entitled to these things even if they are able-bodied because this is the United States. I did respond to her and would like to share that post with you now.
For as long as I can remember, I have had to work for everything that I have. When I was young, I got shipped off to my aunt and uncle’s place for the summer. They had an orchard and I was the one who had to pick the strawberries and raspberries, etc. because the migrant workers wouldn’t do it. They only wanted to pick the fruit off of the trees. They were provided with housing, food and wages. I had a bedroom in which to stay but after I got done picking berries in the morning that went to the market to be sold, I had to do all of the ‘backbreaking” housework, too. I received no money and if I were fortunate, my aunt would make me some popcorn as a treat in the evening.
From the time I was 12, I worked for a neighbor doing bookkeeping until I was 16 and started working every day after school, Monday and Friday nights, Saturdays and full-time in the summer in order to make money to go to college. I did this throughout my college years as well and the summer after I graduated from college, before I started teaching in the fall, I worked in a book factory with no air conditioning in 100 degree weather and often times at 100% humidity gluing covers on to books that would be shipped to schools and libraries. Believe me, the smell of that glue was nauseating.
I have worked every year of my life to this day and have been paying into the Social Security system for all of that time and I know that there is a really good chance that there won’t be enough money to collect from those contributions when I get to retirement age. Therefore, I am not really enthusiastic about money being paid out to those who have never contributed a single dime. I have had to pay for my own health insurance or go without it when I couldn’t afford it, as has been the case on several occasions. I worked for a company that had a government contract and the government did not pay the wages to which I was entitled. That was for 8 months until they bankrupted the company for which I was working. Therefore, I am not really very excited with the government handing out money to those who haven’t earned it.
I have never owned a home because I did not want to make a commitment to an obligation that I might not be able to meet. I have never owned a new car or fancy clothes or purchased a bunch of “things”.
Maybe you can get the picture that my unwillingness to share my hard earned money with those who are here illegally has nothing to do with being “racists” or “imperialistic” but it does come down to taking personal responsibility for myself as does my husband who also works for what we have. I was taught to work for what I wanted/needed and to help others who did the same thing who may have fallen on hard times. That is a set of values that mean everything to me and I am so glad that I was taught that we are not entitled to the fruits of the labors of other people.
I totally disagree,, “Great Powers,” has a lovely Victorian ring to it, suggesting imperialist glories. Making a connection between an iceberg and a group of citizens requires a leap past logic into irrational fear. Countries with starving people, will stagger under our feet. The personification of a country uses money to convey a sense of intolerable burden. The day that I’m no longer able to share my wealth with the starving, because it’s my entitlement, then show me no pity.
The statue of liberty was built on the understanding of immigrants, denying immigrants a chance in leaving unjust, oppressive, discriminatory, inequitable, and harsh countries for a better life. It seems that women are never heard or have the right to participate in decision making and is ignored during negotiation, but this is one lady that needs to be heard, because of what she stands for. Lady of liberty held her arms open and received all nations, regardless of gender, race, color or religion, and disseminated them from one end of the US continent to the other, which is one of the strongest characteristics of the American people. The US needs to rethink their immigration policy, and shine a light on people, help those still languishing without hope, and give them a chance to be heard, and a safe place to call home in raising their family.
Thank you so much for your comments but I think that you totally misunderstood what I wrote. This country is a democracy not an imperialistic society – at least not at the moment. But more importantly, I am not opposed to helping people. However, I am for helping people who are in this country LEGALLY. As you are probably aware, there are many people who are struggling greatly in this country who have lost their jobs or are unable to work and need assistance. I am the first who is willing to help. With the economy as it is, we have many jobless and homeless and starving CITIZENS in this country and those are the people to whom the government should be providing assistance. I know exactly what my ancestors had to do to come to this country and become citizens and I believe that the same rules should apply to anyone else who wishes to live here also. Then we might have a nation who is grateful for the opportunities that are provided here when and if they have to work for those opportunities like all the rest of us.
Hmm… This is one of those things that gets my blood boiling. I agree with you 110%.
I also find it hard to swallow when we pay for our own people who have not worked a day in their lives. I just want to scream!
I agree with you a hundred percent….I love the last line. To bad more people don’t feel this way it just sums it up.
I’m with you, on this matter, Barbara.
And, on a seperate matter, I am furious over all these bailouts that Obabma has gotten us into. All that money could have been much better spent to help all of “we the people”, not just bad businessmen, and the companies they have run into the ground.
The greedy businessmen are all in the pockets of our Congressmen and they will continue to support each other to the detriment of all of us.
I just want 2 say Thank You to Barbara for her wonderful post…I too, do NOT agree with the foreigners coming to our country, and taking all of our benefits! But yet, if we were to go to their country – we’d be abused, or killed!
Why is it that us Natural Born Citzens of the USofA can’t get ALL of our benefits? Or in some cases, NO benefits at all!
Stupid Government!!! Sorry, I don’t want 2 say too bad of a word about that…The Gov. would be knocking on my door –
with helecopters hovering over the house! Spys!!!
C’mon, lets go send the shuttle up 2 the moon, and waste more trillions – rather than find some cures that people are waiting for. and the heck with the homeless too….
How sick they are!
P.s. can’t u tell I am quite sickened by the Gov.’s idiotic wasting sprees…C’mon Obama – I believe you can change all of this mess completely around!
Thank you so much for sharing your comments. If it were only a matter of President Obama, it might be a different story but we all need to take a serious look at Congress. They are the ones who have ultimately created this mess and continue to grow it.