Food Stamp Recipients Wish Critics Would Spend Some Time In Their Shoes

[mfcorey1]

snip

Linda Miles is grateful to have food stamps, although she's not happy about why she needs them. An Army veteran with a master's degree, Miles, who is black, was laid off as a substitute teacher in Philadelphia amid deep budget cuts. After facing an empty refrigerator for too long, she recently started receiving $200 per month in food aid.

"Food stamps are essential, especially with the economy in the shape it's in," she said. "I pay taxes. I don't steal anything from the government. I paid my dues to society; I'm a veteran. You took something from me by taking away my job. I wouldn't need food stamps if you hadn't taken my job."

Miles started an unpaid internship this week, and also was certified to work in early childhood care while she looks for a permanent job.

"I'm not one of these people who sit on their butt and just collect a check," Miles said. "I've got a resume three pages long."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/food-stamps_n_1218248.html

[rfranklin]

1. Republicans today would watch "Harvest of Shame" and say it's because they're lazy...

It opened and closed with lines that were typical Murrow. The opening was voiced over footage of migrant workers, including a number of African-Americans, being recruited:


This scene is not taking place in the Congo. It has nothing to do with Johannesburg or Cape Town. It is not Nyasaland or Nigeria. This is Florida. These are citizens of the United States, 1960. This is a shape-up for migrant workers. The hawkers are chanting the going piece rate at the various fields. This is the way the humans who harvest the food for the best-fed people in the world get hired. One farmer looked at this and said, "We used to own our slaves; now we just rent them."

Murrow's closing words:


The migrants have no lobby. Only an enlightened, aroused and perhaps angered public opinion can do anything about the migrants. The people you have seen have the strength to harvest your fruit and vegetables. They do not have the strength to influence legislation. Maybe we do. Good night, and good luck."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_of_Shame

Of course, they were probably saying it then.

[FSogol]

2. K&R. n/t

[Mnemosyne]

3. My daughter, with two kids, is also doing an unpaid internship and has fs. Slave labor, imho. n/t