Kick the Crutch Out

Several years ago I was listening to a radio telethon that was raising money for food banks and the sort in New York. I was intrigued mostly by a guest who ran an organization that not only provided food for those who were in need, but also gave out advice on how to better make ends meet, and offered assistance in reaching these goals. It stuck with me because it makes so much sense, yet is so infrequently the way that help is given out these days. And it goes back to the way I was raised, and to the mentality that generations past had, which was to be self-sufficient and have self pride. These are things that for some reason have been lost in the last few decades in this country, becoming more of nostalgia and less a way of life. Now we are a society of beggars and people who feel things are owed to us, whether or not we have earned them, and it is a mentality that is making us weak.

There is no doubt that many people in this country have tried to do things on their own, but for one reason or the other they can't make ends meet. It is for these people that there are government programs to help assist, whether it be welfare or food stamps or other similar programs. There are also countless privately funded programs such as food banks, homeless shelters, clothing donations, etc. But for many, the reliance on this assistance becomes a crutch, and pretty much a way of life. Along those lines, and in a much larger scale, the United States government has taken what was 6 months of unemployment benefits (which could be extended to 12 months if proper effort to find a job landed none) and prolonged it to 2 years. And now they have approved lengthening those benefits even more because there are so many people out of work. Now as much as I understand the economy is bad and there is less of an abundance of jobs to be found, it is hard to believe that almost 3 million people in this country can not find a suitable job for over 2 years. What it is an example of is the longer you do something for someone, the more they rely on you.

In order to get people to be productive and independent, we need to kick the crutch out from underneath them. If you have a broken leg and need to use crutches to walk, that is understandable. But eventually, your bone heals. The only way to get the strength back in the leg is to start using it, little by little, until eventually you are back on your own, and you don't need the crutches anymore. But if you just continue to use the crutches and refuse to put your foot down and begin the process of healing, you will rely on those crutches forever. It is no different with government or charitable programs. These were designed to help get people back on their feet and get back to being productive citizens, but instead, by design in a lot of ways, have become that wicked crutch that does not go away. People all over the country rely on welfare checks and food stamps as a way of life, instead of a means to get their life back on track. The fault is two fold...on one hand it is human nature to allow yourself to be helped, and in many ways there is an attitude of entitlement forming in the country that "it isn't my fault, and someone needs to take care of me". But the main fault is the fact that as well-intended as most of these programs are, they are merely band aids, with no real forward thinking or plan for the future of those who use them. This has been something I have thought for years needs to be addressed.

It goes to what that food pantry I spoke of had in mind. Sure you want to feed the person who is hungry and can not eat properly, that is very admirable. But why don't we find out why it is that they are hungry to begin with? Are they sick? Did they lose their job? Do they have a disability? What about their family? The idea should not just be to take care of people now and today, but to help them going forward. Instead of a food bank that just feeds homeless people once a day or once a week, how about an organization that gets to the reason they can't eat on their own and try to give them the tools so that one day they can? If we could band together several programs, and also have local businesses tied in, a network of resources could be created that would not only help people in the present, but it would give them the tools they need to guide themselves down a new path. A network of motels or landlords that would rent out a place to live at a reduced cost so long as you are working. Places of business that would give jobs to those in the program. Local colleges and vocational schools that would give free or affordable classes to those who enlisted in the network. Surely this is something that could happen.

The same thing applies to welfare and unemployment benefits. It used to be in order to continue getting an unemployment check you would need to apply for a certain amount of jobs each week and show proof that you were not accepted. But now it is at a point where you can just check in online and still get your check. With welfare, we have created a way of life, a system where people live off of their welfare check and food stamps and do not go out and finds a primary income on their own. Is this all people? Not at all...but it is a good enough amount to where it is draining our resources. But again, these are people that could very well be productive members of their communities, if only they were forced to be. Laziness is something that will take hold if the opportunity is presented. If you do not allow people to use charity and government assistance as a way of life, but instead make it something that is to be earned, then you would see a lot of people turning their lives around and who knows what they could become.

If companies, charities, and government agencies would all work together to guide those who need help so that they can become self-sufficient citizens, we would all be better for it. Too many times we see those less fortunate as "bums" and "homeless" and figure their books have been written. Most feel that they do not want any more out of life. I have a hard time believing that. I truly believe that if given the resources and guidance many people could get their lives back on track, and be a benefit to the community. All it takes is to kick the crutch out and make them get their strength back...