An update

Well I checked the email today and the person who said the terrible remarks about those on welfare changed his mind (if you can call it that), he apologized and said he didn't mean all are lazy but that a lot can work but just chose not to. Said maybe 50% were legitimate, and well the rest of us could either work part time ( I suppose that would be those who are disabled. Or don't wish to or who are dead beat dads trying to avoid paying support. He did confirm for me though, that there are legitimate people who he is not bashing.

It's too bad that this person DID in fact state that a certain lady running for mayor would mean " more people on social assistance, more low cost housing for lazy people and a whole lot of free handouts". I think I missed the part where he said that it was only those "not so legitimate" people he was talking about.

I've said this before and I guess I can't say it enough...I don't think anyone is truly lazy. IF and I say IF there are people who are lazy it is likely 1/50 people who are like that. There are so many various reasons why people are unable or unwilling to find work that it would take more than one blog to discuss them all. Perhaps I can restate a partial list....

mental illness (also a great reason why someone "might" be a drug/alcohol user)
physical illness (most of the time caused by lack of good diet)
loss of self-esteem after having been let go due to downsizing etc
lack of opportunities available in your field of expertise
turnaround due to holidays in retail stores
too many temporary jobs as opposed to what used to exist (the full time job)
lack of transportation to/from work, employers desire for employee to have a license or car, or simply doesn't want you to rely on a form of transportation that could potentially go on strike and leave you with scrambling to find a way to get out to the middle of nowhere (which is usually where the jobs end up)
child care and lack thereof
lack of energy thanks to our wonderful "not enough money for food diet" and /or "nothing that could truly classify as being really good for you diet"
the "jumping through hoops" that workers sometimes make you do in order to qualify for said benefits (things like repeating a visit to a doctor once per year for an update of medical condition papers to qualify for special diet which nets you maybe another 30 bucks on the ole check, and my personal favorite (doctor does a permanent sign out of your ability to work and they still need you to confirm that every couple years)
going through special job development programs that are supposed to help you find and keep that job
wandering from place to place putting in your resumes, etc
the blues from not being able to find work as quickly as you would have liked to, or only being able to secure temporary jobs which leave you feeling like a schmuck when their time is up (which sometimes you just don't know in advance)
age (too old too young take your pick you are always TOO something)
too fat, not pretty enough, a transgender in either direction who is in transition, someone without nice enough clothes for an interview, someone with a disability
stress from worrying about food for the family, clothing, whether or not you soon won't be able to afford your home
and last but certainly not least in love...TOO MUCH COMPETITION for one job

So apparently there are so very many reasons why we are stuck in this trap we call welfare. It doesn't feel like this money contributes much to the "well fare" of my family but it is what it is.

I just wish that more people could truly SEE what it means to be on this system. What it means to be under constant stress. What it means to think about how comfortable your life used to be BEFORE you ended up in this leaky boat with broken oars. I wish they could feel how it feels to be insulted, shamed, ridiculed and have awful, despicable and cruel, hateful things said about you constantly just because things are not going as you would have hoped.

I would NEVER wish this type of life on anyone (well okay maybe just on the politicians who set these policies) but not anyone else. It makes me angry to think that a politician pretends to care about you while he looks you in the face and then does other things as soon as the cameras are all gone. It makes me angry to think my fellow HUMAN beings seem to think it is okay to make such terrible comments. It is truly a sad thing to see and I can only hope that people can and will change. Until then...I guess I'll just keep writing about my life and my family's life on a system that doesn't seem to care, led by politicians who don't care and backed by taxpayers who believe everything they are told by these politicians instead of getting to know us.