So my neighbor - the one who loves George W. and doesn't wear deoderant (oddly I think this just means that she can not tell when something stinks) went on a little bit of a tyrade today about Social Security and Welfare benefits.

She thinks that wellfare participants are all

1. women
2. lazy
3. slutty
4. out to rip off and live off the system

being the prudant type I did not tell her

1. Dial, Secret,  anything by Mennan, please!
2. I was a Welfare mom
3. there are men on Welfare
4. It is not a life long system, there is now  5 year eligibility period
5. Medical and welfare are paid back rom child support collections that women are mandated to let the county collect when they apply for aide unless  it would be a danger to her or the child.

I do take issue with people immigrating to the states and then filing for Social Secuity when they have never dropped a dime into the system and I would like to see a seperate fund established for the disabled - and would like to see the disabled forced to work - - losing a leg is not a reason to not work, being mentally  retarded is. Being Blind- not a good enough reason: computers have speech progrtams and I know some wealthy successful blind men. Because S.S. was not designed to support anyone but workers,, it hould be returned to it's origional framework.

okay - this is why I also have a Myspace page - Hey MSN!!! CAN you hear me?!?! There is an embedded slideshow that you are blocking here!

Today was a Cirlcle of Life moment . . in my head I could even hear the theme from The Lion King.

I started as a GSW - Gain Service Worker today. (never fear, I will have a homeless caseload) I dropped out of college when I had Jax. I worked minimum wage jobs ( I wil NEVER shop at Mervyn's again!) and went on Welfare. As a single mother I was stressed out and trying to make ends meet with a $400.00 Welfare check and $200.00 in foodstamps and an apartment with rent of $800.00. My hometown does not acknoledge that poor people exist and thus no services are in place for them. 

After 2 years of working at part time and full time jobs and still being too poor to sleep well, I went back to school.I decided to start all over from scratch. I went to Citrus College and made use of the BOGG and worked on campus ahile doing other part time work. In my last year at Cirtus I was attending the University of La Verne part time as well and working 2 jobs, and still recieving Welfare. At this point TANF became GAIN and I had to go.

I was horribly insulted. I was told that finding a job would build my self esteeme and I could be a better parent and set a decent example for my child - as if I was not already! I was forced to sit through Motivational seminars and told I needed to find work and go to school and ease the burden i was placiong on society by getting off welfare. In otherwords Being on Welfare is a sin and I should redeeme my soul and do something with my life.

Pardon me, I was doing everything I could think of - working 2 jobs ad attending 2 schools.!

I remember getting into a verbal confrontation with this speaker who was beating down the crowd and telling him to stop addressing me as if I had failed. He siad - Honey, this is America and if you are poor, then you HAVE failed!

I got there early today and sat in chairs downstairs - waiting for somone to call my name and take me up to the office. Soon I will be the speaker addressing the poor. You can bet my message will be different!

I have had a wonderful time volunteering for the past couple of months and looking for new places to work and give back as much as possible. I start something new in a Gain office Wednesday - cross your fingers.


Until then, I have been watching my friends make changes in their lives also - ever the photographer, this is last night's housewarming.

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