Shakera Dunn
There are millions of Americans living in poverty and struggling to provide for their familes. Some people might define poverty as being extremely poor, but according to webster dictionary poverty is defined as "the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions". Poverty is mostly seen in urban communities where parents with scarce resources are striving to provide for their children. According to Alfred Lubrano in "A Portrait of Hunger" Philadelphia is one of the poorest of the ten largest cities in the United States. In the video of above UPenn students and Philadelphia residents talks about how poverty is an epicdemic in our communities and in our lives.
The federal goverment assist families who are living in absolute poverty.Their income is lower then 20,444 a year, but what about the families that makes a little more than than 20,444 a years are they not living in poverty? The standards for low income families who are above the poverty line is unrealistic The women in Alfred Lubrano article talks about the stuggles they have feeding their children daily with no assistance from the federal government.How is it possible that these families does not qualify for federal assistance?
Everyone has their own definition of poverty, but when a mothers and fathers are working to support their families with limited resources how can the government deny them assistances? Absolute poverty is everywhere in Philadelphia and it cannot be ignored, it affects everyone. The video below is of Philadelphians defining poverty from their perspective.
Christina Mallory
ReplyDeleteThe definition of poverty is so strong and if I was to think outside of the box, I would question what type of materials and how much money would be socially accepted within our society. America is very much a materialistic world. When is enough materials and money ever enough in our society. Just as the mailman in the video stated, some people do not identify themselves as being poor or living on poverty. If an individual grew up in that type of living situation and so did his or her family, that is all they know and come to endure. I found it interesting that so many people in the video had their own definition of poor and poverty, and some think it comes with an identity. I agree with what you said about families recieving assistance if they make lower than 20,444 a year and if one makes a little bit more they cannot recieve assistance; poverty is poverty. I still do not understand the concept that mothers have a hard time feeding their children but do not recieve assistance. But this is something that will never change in our world. It has been like this for years. But because the poverty level is so high in Philadelphia, what shape would the economy and governemnt be if every one begun to recieve assistance? I think it is important to consider that factor when talking about federal government assistance.
What we think and know about poverty is all wrong until you actually experience what millions of Americans go through everyday feeling hungry, scared, and homeless. The numbers of Americans that fall below the poverty line is going to keep on increasing. The government do recognize families that make lower than 20,444 but I feel as though they can help people rise above the poverty line. In my opinion Why not hunt them down and assist them as if they are wanted for a crime or something close to that. It should be a crime that society watch people fall into poverty. The video shows abandon house and what I think the government can do is fix them up and place families in there and send packet dry food to them. And just have tax right offs for bills. And I know that there would be a funding issue but what could be done is people could volunteer and help. The government is run by people and not robots! Out of millions of Americans that fall in category of being in poverty someone is related to someone in the government. The government is very aware of poverty the system is broken and they worry about funding the military, prison, and other things that are important to them. But if they actually see and experience being in poverty it would change there minds.To me I think the government can fix poverty. But when no one knows!!!
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