Poverty Rant

This is so true. I am part time and am guaranteed only 16 hours per week per my union contract based on my classification. Luckily I have been gifted more hours because of a change in ownership and a rise in sales at my particular store. However, even if I was at my old class, I would still only be guaranteed 24 hours. My wages then would be $10.05, which took me over five years to earn as opposed to $8.30, which I topped out at almost right away. Yeah, I chose to step down for my own reasons, but still. I started my job when I was just out of high school. I kept it through college until now, three years after I graduated with my second degree, making it total of nine-plus years.

My point is, when I started, my job was primarily held by high school and college students. Now, my position and other low-wage, entry level jobs are held by folks who used to have a good career. Now they are left with nothing else but a min wage position (or two or three) because they will do what ever they can to support themselves and their families.

So to sit there and think that all people who are forced to live in poverty somehow asked for it and deserve it is just damn ignorant. I am well-educated with an AA and BS but still keep my barely-above min wage job plus all of my experience in it because I have no other real options (at least none that guarantee a weekly paycheck, which I need to pay the credit bills I racked up supporting me, my mom, and brother while we had only my measly income). This is my first week of vacation since 2011, only because I have a tax return coming and can spend part of it on things that are not bills or food.

I am lucky. I have other family to help with some bills, and I am pursuing my teaching credential to teach life science/biology while I maintain my union yet min wage job. I have an out, which I am working towards. But just because I have hopes and dreams and hopefully reachable goals about my future, I am a minority. And that does not mean anyone else deserves to live in poverty and be shamed for asking for the help that we as a responsible society used to provide no strings attached.

A minimum wage job at full time in this state and this country means the earner is in poverty. Anything less and they are screwed. Most of these people work hard and only want to take care of themselves and their families. They don't want to have to need anyone or thing else. But they do. And there is nothing wrong with that or with wanting to change it so no one has to feel that away.

But tell that to all of us "takers" and moan when we try to make the "makers" abide by the tax code and pay what they owe. When Google pays their income taxes...nevermind. Nothing I or my friends and family can do will ever amount to the fraud they get away with and are often rewarded for. So I guess this is just disjointed and angry and irritated that all most folks want is fairness but are painted as lazy and stupid.

As another image said, even if everyone went to college and earned a degree, someone would still need to make our pizzas, drive our taxis, etc. Stop looking down on them like they deserve to be poor. Because no human being who works or wants to work should, even if they cannot for disability reasons, be made to feel that way ever.

We need to care for each other. I'm an atheist, but didn't Christ basically teach that same ideal?