My first job out of college was to work at a social and alcohol rehab facility in Washington D.C. while my wife student-taught at a local school.

First however, I must take exception with the notion that "As much as racism created and sustains this situation" and that people are "defeated by America's cutthroat capitalism". Ask any Vietnamese person living in Anacostia (a run-down section of D.C.) if they are despised and discriminated against by the local blacks, and they will generally answer "yes". Then ask them if they have been "defeated by America's cutthroat capitalism", and they will generally answer with an emphatic "no". As a matter of fact, from what I could see (I spent considerable time in Anacostia - it was where several of the rehab's thrift stores were) it was the fact that the Vietnamese were so good at using capitalism to their gain, that they were so despised by the local blacks. First, they (being quite poor) would open a walk-up restaurant in some run-down store front. The whole family participated. The next thing you know, they had a clothing boutique (serving the tastes of the locals). The next thing you know, they own the whole block, and the locals are paying them rent. Does discrimination and capitalism hold down the poor Vietnamese? It did not appear to when I was in DC. Is the author suggesting that blacks can't compete, and can't deal with the same discrimination that other groups routinely deal with?

Now, on to our experiences with poor people. As a part of our community outreach, the social organization we worked for would give away Christmas baskets of food to people referred to us by Social Services. Not only were the vast majority of them rude and impatient, but they drove to this event in cars which were for the most part, nicer than the one that my wife and I drove at that time. It turns out we were "poorer" than they were! For those who could not get to our location, we would deliver the food. On most occasions, all we got was a hand stuck out the front door, and a grunt as the food was hoisted inside.

I am not impressed by poor people. They are not generally real nice people that just got a "bad break". They are poor because of their character, what they act like, who they bow to, and because they make exceptionally stupid choices. When Timmy hits Mary, and Mom punishes him, he says "she made me do it", and she says "guess again", no one can make you do anything. If it was an unacceptable excuse then, why is it acceptable when some poor person looks around at a truckload of illegitimate children, squalor, and waste and says "ainmyfawt" society "made me do it"? I guess one reason is that people like Debra Dickerson validate and enable them, all while actually despising them. Her own words incriminate her: "My heart breaks for them" "but I'm glad the Smiths are gone." No they are not gone. Ms. Dickerson, et al have simply enabled them to do their evil to someone somewhere else.

No human has ever been made a better human by being made dependent on yet another human. Give a man a fish, and you will feed him for a day. Require him to learn to fish, and you will feed him for the rest of his life.

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." - Paul of Tarsus

Poco

politicians, corporate greed, whales, whales that nuke humans, humans that nuke whales, bluegrass, rock n roll, and carnivores. You can have sex with guys, girls, horses, kids, and inanimate objects. You can be totally amoral, immoral, or wiccan. It's all good. Yer jess doin yer thang. 'Spressin yo sef. I'm ok, you're ok. Wait, did she say she was exercising self control?? You evil, sick b***h!! Don't you diss my hedonism!

Poco

people actually care about this?

that when Edwards spouts his "take from the rich, give to the poor" schtick, that to him, most of you are rich. Shouldn't helping our fellow man be voluntary (many conservatives think so, as they out give liberals by far - See "Who Really Cares" by Arthur C. Brooks) or should money be extracted from those that have it at the point of a gun?

Edwards represents people that suggest we do as they say, not as they do.

An interesting side note: Religious people give more money to secular causes than non-religious people do.

Poco

P.S. I am not a republican.