I’m going to ask you to work a little bit today. Normally, I blend links into my column so you can just click if you want more information, but the links are not obtrusive, Today, I’d like you to take a few minutes and click these links. Try to keep an open mind. Try not to let what you already think influence you.
These thoughts, ideas, stories and images are shaping my opinions:
Homelessness in America:
news.msn.com/us/court-overturns-los-angeles-ban-on-living-in-cars
treehugger.com/tiny-houses/latest-tiny-houses-live-billboard.html
fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless/homelessness-in-our-community.htm
nbcwashington.com/news/local/Dale-City-Homeless-Camp-Cleared-Out-119031379.html
The number of homeless New Yorkers has risen by 75 percent since 2002 and in recent years has reached the highest levels since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Around 60,000 homeless men, women and children bed down in New York’s shelters and thousands more sleep rough on the streets or elsewhere.
Unemployment:
news.msn.com/us/detroit-violating-human-rights-by-closing-water-taps-un
time.com/3001280/microsoft-to-cut-18000-jobs/
www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf
www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/08/1312594/-Labor-Secretary-wants-to-punch-politicians-can-you-blame-him?detail=facebook#
Unemployment in America appears to be declining, but there are a lot of factors to consider in those reports, such as many people have simply ceased to seek employment. That’s not because they have found a job-they have simply given up hope of finding one. There are at least 9.5 million people who do not have a job, and after 17 months, I can tell you my husband is one of them.
Immigration:
https://www.pewhispanic.org/2013/01/29/a-nation-of-immigrants/
https://news.msn.com/us/up-to-dollar1000-a-day-to-care-for-child-migrants-1
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/honduran-child-migrants-leave-home-because-of-poverty-and-fear/2014/07/15/9f073040-a56d-488c-9473-1265d1a8c2aa_story.html
Crime:
crimeinamerica.net/crime-rates-united-states/
newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2014/07/bill-de-blasio-violent-crime-challenges.html
sentencingproject.org/template/page.cfm?id=107
Images:
andrewlmoore.com/photography/detroit/park-ave-detroit/
businessinsider.com/american-slums-2011-4?op=1
sultanknish.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-chicagoization-of-america.html
Thought Provoking:
america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/7/9/goverment-improperpayments100billion.html
www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats-108014.html#.U7hhk7HI2MZ
washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/07/08/this-is-what-happened-when-i-drove-my-mercedes-to-pick-up-food-stamps/
So, here’s my takeaway for this week. I am willing to help. I just need to know where the money is coming from to do so. I surely don’t have any money to donate to support homelessness or immigrants.
In fact, my husband and I are beginning to consider we may have to sell our home to keep from accessing the funds from our retirement that we did not intend to touch for another five years. If we use that retirement money now, will we run out before we die? Will we become the very people we have spent our entire lives trying to help?
I do want to make this statement: Don’t call me a racist or a bigot because I am concerned about the immigration issue. It has nothing to do with Hispanic people (or Asian or Chinese or anyone else.) It has everything to do with all our lives in America. I want to know how we can continue to increase social and welfare programs to care for those in need. I want to know how we will provide jobs for those who need them.
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