For those of you...

**AmyBoz** · 03-20-2006, 04:32 PM

...who wanted Oprah to do a show on people who were really struggling...I believe today was your day!

Such sad stories!

**homesteadmamma** · 03-20-2006, 06:09 PM

Amy this is the second time I've seen the show and both times I come away wondering how it could happen in a country as rich as America. I'm not picking on the States because the same thing is happening in our country with our First Nations people. The reserve I send my quilts to are in the exact same boat as are most of our First Nations (aboriginal) peoples.

It boggles the mind that we live in such rich countries and yet there are so many people who live in poverty (37,000,000 in the States). In Canada (5.5 million - 1995) making it 1 in 5 live below the poverty level.

It's something I'll never understand.

guest7 · 03-20-2006, 06:42 PM

I did not see Oprah today.
IMHO
Poverty is a state of mind.
Some people just can't get the gumption up to better themselves. I am speaking from experience. After my divorce, I was a single young mother (24) with 3 small children (4,4,2)- and one angry ex who thought if I got child support or if he took the kids for visitation, that would mean I had more freedom. And lordy, lordy- you wouldn't want that! So, the children got nothing.
But hey! I'm better than that. I jumped through hoops to get into and through 4 years of college. I begged, borrowed and st.... no I didn't steal! I stuck it out. It was the most difficult time of my life. Thank God for Moms! When I was 28- I was independently supporting my 3 children. Nothing fancy, but I bought the food, clothes and rent. I went from income of $624 month (1993), of which $125 week went to rent, to $3200. and has only grown exponentially since then. Enough about me.
I really feel that there is opportunity out there- for everyone. But the person has to want it. I am living proof. I came from poverty- but I had a brain and the drive to get out. The USA and all its benefits helped. So, let's not knock the government for the people's shortcomings. And trust me- I'm not all lovey dovey with with government.

**McD** · 03-20-2006, 07:13 PM

To be honest, I feel horribly for those people. But Oprah really ticked me off.

She stood one there and told one lady, "Oh well good luck" in regards to finding a job when this lady didn't even have running water.

However, Oprah gave brand new cars to her studio audience. Mind you her audience is all well off enough to be taking a day off work and sit in her audience, but let's give them all new cars, and just tell the lady who has no running water, well good luck.

It irks me.

**homesteadmamma** · 03-20-2006, 07:59 PM

Originally posted by frugalfanny
I did not see Oprah today.
IMHO
Poverty is a state of mind.
Some people just can't get the gumption up to better themselves. I am speaking from experience. After my divorce, I was a single young mother (24) with 3 small children (4,4,2)- and one angry ex who thought if I got child support or if he took the kids for visitation, that would mean I had more freedom. And lordy, lordy- you wouldn't want that! So, the children got nothing.
But hey! I'm better than that. I jumped through hoops to get into and through 4 years of college. I begged, borrowed and st.... no I didn't steal! I stuck it out. It was the most difficult time of my life. Thank God for Moms! When I was 28- I was independently supporting my 3 children. Nothing fancy, but I bought the food, clothes and rent. I went from income of $624 month (1993), of which $125 week went to rent, to $3200. and has only grown exponentially since then. Enough about me.
I really feel that there is opportunity out there- for everyone. But the person has to want it. I am living proof. I came from poverty- but I had a brain and the drive to get out. The USA and all its benefits helped. So, let's not knock the government for the people's shortcomings. And trust me- I'm not all lovey dovey with with government.

Well...... First off I don't see anyone knocking your government.

Second, many of these families have just gone through the most horrible year of their lives - and that was Katrina. One single mom had lost her home to a fire and wasn't able to afford insurance so was basically homeless. Another single mom openly admitted she had made bad choices. One couple had both worked all their lives, only to have the husband get cancer. He could no longer work. Does that make these people bad - I don't think so. For some, they were the "working poor". Not everyone is able to work at jobs that pay the type of wages you are speaking of.

Oprah did say that most of her money went to helping those who needed it to get a better education and that is a GOOD THING. For many of the "working poor" (and many of those on the show were), they cannot afford higher education.

One thing Oprah did say was this wasn't the time to be judgemental. It was a time for a country to come together and work at making this better. I totally agree.

guest7 · 03-20-2006, 08:15 PM

Okay- I know this is going to sound really mean... IMO; the people I see on the web site- that Oprah and crew are interviewing- seem.. well.... larger than me...

Uhhmmm remember I told you I had to live off $624 a month? (a couple posts back) well... I went from 160 pounds to 105 pounds because I didn't have enough to eat after I fed the children. I was emanciated.

I remember a front page news article with 3 family members sitting in chairs with sad, sad (large & chubby) faces

. The article was about how they were being cut from the welfare system and they were no longer eligible for food stamps. There was an outcry from the people from both sides- all were writing and calling in (I admit I thought about it- but I wasn't one who wrote or called) The anti-welfare went to town about how obviously morbidly obese the family was and were eating quite well- at the taxpayer's expense. The pro-welfare said that the family used did not evoke pity and they should have used a more appropriate family. It was a fiasco!

My point is this. There are poor families who can't afford food for themselves. I was one of them. The government takes care that all citizens are provided with a stipend to purchase food to sustain. In my case, I made sure the children were taken care of. Somewhere, these people are getting money to buy extra calories- hense they wouldn't be carrying the spare calories on them. It's checks and balance and no one can deny it.

Another point; When I was in total poverty- I didn't have a car- like I see the people on Oprah's web site have. I had to borrow, walk or take public transportation. There were priorities; food, clothing and a roof over our heads. A car was last on the list.

Finally; Maybe we can save the children there. My heart pours out for the innocent ones.

guest7 · 03-20-2006, 08:22 PM

Originally posted by homesteadmamma
Amy this is the second time I've seen the show and both times I come away wondering how it could happen in a country as rich as America.

nuff said

**SHOPGIRL** · 03-20-2006, 09:17 PM

Yup, I'm with the majority here. A brand new car wouldn't have helped these people. I saw the last half hour of the show today. It seemed like the common thread was that these people didn't have an education. We have a multitude of social programs available to people in the U.S. I don't understand why those people aren't seeking assistance. I know there are training programs for people too.

I've worked 3 jobs at a time to make money. I'm 36 and I'm still paying off my education.

It makes absolutely no sense why there should be any poverty here in the U.S

**McD** · 03-20-2006, 09:44 PM

I didn't mean that a brand new car would have helped those people. I meant that rather than Oprah donate brand new cars to all of her audience, maybe she could actually try and help better these people's quality of life. The cost of one of the cars she donated would have fixed the hole in the roof of the house that was covered with a tarp.

guest7 · 03-20-2006, 09:59 PM

MrsMDowell... I didn't see the show... only read online. Are you saying that Oprah gave a brand new car to each member in the audience... today? after hearing about all the poverty?

**McD** · 03-20-2006, 10:06 PM

Oh no, no! That was something she had done in the past---was give every member of her audience a brand new car. But, to me it makes no sense. She give people who most likely are not in as bad of need brand new cars but she went to poverty stricken areas and did nothing to help (that I saw, I didn't watch it all). It makes no sense to me. I mean, these people were probably told, hey Oprah wants to interview you, and they were probably ecstatic thinking she would help them with something, and it didn't appear that she did anything, ya know?

**Dixie** · 03-20-2006, 10:10 PM

I've seen lots of the working poor in my area with gumption, some of them working 2 and 3 jobs and they're still poor. It must be incredibly frustrating and depressing.

**Jellybeanz** · 03-20-2006, 10:38 PM

I am all for pulling one's self up by the bootstraps but I think sometimes it isn't so black and white.. For instance, in the area I live in ( very rural) the nearest community college is over an hour away. So is any University.

So that is the first hurdle to be overcome if someone in that desperate a situation needed to further their education so they could pull themselves out of poverty. And you really can't say "well find someone else to ride with". That may or may not be feasible.

But lets just say a person had transportation. What if they had no one to babysit? What if they had health issues. What if their children or spouse had health issues ? What if they had to work two or three jobs just to keep a roof over their heads? Each situation is different and so can't always be compared to another persons experience.

I think that it's admirable when someone pulls themselves up by their own bootstraps and sacrifices in order to obtain an education, but I think it's presumptious to assume that what worked for them could work for anyone.

I do believe a strong will and desire to succeed can bring things that seem impossible within reach.. and there's no reason not to be proud of that. Just throwing in a little something else to think about here.....