Your Poor, Huddled Masses

With all the recent talk about job loss, recession and blaming poor people for the state of the world, my husband and I have come to realize that people are either two things lately...big dicks or just plain stupid. How can the public believe that helping poor people is a bad thing? A million "welfare-queens" could not equal the amount of one fat-cat's bonus. A child born to an immigrant family on our precious blood-soaked soil will not make the earth stop spinning or cause you to lose your job, home or precious lifestyle. The poor can have no real effect on the lives of the wealthy. We don't vote in numbers. We can't afford to back candidates that care about our communities. We pay our taxes via our consumerism, which is but a muddied mirror of your own. We keep the knuckle-draggers employed: police officers, parole officers, correction officers. Without the cases trumped up against our ilk, what would your idiot cousin do to support his illegitimate children?

We are poor, slightly educated and very pissed off. You lost your job...we never had one. You're broke ...there hasn't been a time when we weren't. You're scared about the future while we've been living day to day. Now, you discovered just how condescending the welfare office is. Now you know how it feels when you are told you're useless. Now the fear grips you as you think about the bills and how you have no resources to cover it. Panic set in a long time ago; now you're desperate.

Welcome! We have been here a long time and have navigated these treacherous waters many moons before you. We had promise, but disappointment and ugliness has kept us from success. Our own hand played a part, though you were not there to stay it. We made our choices without your direction or care. We gave up and stood by the side of a road, though our talent could have taken us anywhere.

We are poor, but now, so are you.