Ellington

"There's a war going on outside no man is safe from." —Prodigy of Mobb Deep

No truer words have been uttered as it relates to this country. There is indeed a war going on right under our noses, and it will at some point land on all our doorsteps. It's not a battle being waged on a battlefield but one that will challenge our psyches and our hearts, especially during this holiday season.
It's class warfare.

A lot of Americans are out of touch from those who have been unfortunate. Who truly knows the plight of the poor among us who lack the things that you or I may take for granted?

Sure, a lot of us are charitable during the year, particularly in November and December. But do we really know what it's like to be poor? Do we really understand and empathize with what impoverished families have to go through every day?

It almost seems as if to some politicians want poor people to be poor. Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired, like the "Occupy" protestors? Protest and watch as you're labeled "lazy," "shiftless" or "slacker." Inferences that homeless people like being homeless or that those who live in poverty are "comfortable" with their situation are sad.

Those sentiments begin to pick up steam the closer we get to election time.

Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich even went so far to say that poor people have no work ethic, and that poor kids don't know how to make money unless it's illegal. The fact that he wasn't soundly booed is amazing. It means that a contingent of voters agree with him. And thus, the war is on.

All of us have not been blessed with the same level of success. Period. We all don't possess the same talents or the same opportunities. Period. And although our country allows anyone to achieve, the fact is that some of us don't have the same options. Some kids, some families go to bed hungry many nights in Jackson. Families live in squalor, with no heat in the winter and no air in the summer. In Jackson, some families have few clothes. Many in those households who want to work can't find it. Many Jacksonians are one paycheck away from being out on the street.

The need is real in our city.

This holiday season, I implore you: Please don't listen to those who would have you believe that poor people are just "not applying themselves." Let's ensure that the places that serve the less fortunate are able to do so. Donate some toys this Christmas. Give some warm clothes to a homeless shelter. Collect food for the pantries around town. If you don't wish to go the conventional route, find a family in need and assist them personally.

The best way to show you're thankful for what you have is to give to those who have little. If you'd like to "adopt" a family, contact me through my Facebook page (facebook.com/bradkamikazefranklin).

If you'd like to help us refill the pantries at Stewpot and the Salvation Army, please join us Dec. 18 at Dreamz Jxn at 6 p.m. for our annual Artists' Canned Food Drive. We will be collecting canned goods and other perishable items.

If you have a charitable event that you want blasted, follow me on Twitter @kamikaze601.

Ending hunger, poverty and homelessness in our city starts with us—black, white, rich, middle class, Republican, Democrat. When the least among us do better, we all do better. Goodwill should be the monarch of this house. Practice it. I think you'll like it.

And that's the truth ... sho-nuff.

Previous Comments

ID

165570

Comment

Well said however I won't be donating to the Salvation Army I feel like their recent PR campaign for how they were changing their application standards for holiday help plays into the thinking that your writing about. Their view was that too many families were receiving help for multiple years and instead of finding out what families might really need for this not to keep happening or asking why they just made a blanket assumption that they all need job and life skills classes. I will say this I am poor I work full time I would qualify for their help and no I didn't ask for it because I don't believe Christmas gifts are the end all be all of life for my kids they will have enough this season. I would've found it insulting to be told I need these classes by people who know nothing about my family other than my income. I like the idea behind it (helping people do better) but the execution needs work. As always I am in full support of Stewpot! I love them !

Author

multiculturegirl

Date

2011-12-09T12:14:28-06:00

ID

165571

Comment

Well said however I won't be donating to the Salvation Army I feel like their recent PR campaign for how they were changing their application standards for holiday help plays into the thinking that your writing about. I don't know MC - some people do take advantage of situations when they don't need and I think the Salvation Army was trying to safeguard against that. I understand your perspective but I understand their reasonings behind making the changes. I believe in any charity that about helping. Because I'm a FIRM BELIEVER IN THESE TWO THINGS? 1. We are ALL one paycheck away from being homeless and hungry. 2. You never know who you'll be asking for a drink of water. Hey 'kaze - good article, I'll make sure we drop some items off that day.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2011-12-09T12:50:12-06:00

ID

165572

Comment

As my friends and I who do work/have worked in non profit human services said I don't have a problem with their intent. I have a problem with their delivery and that they basically took the time to call people who need their services multiple times "charity abusers". Stating that some people abuse the system is a given that doesn't mean you build a system that will change nothing around that. Tell me how a job skills class is going to help someone coming to you for help who is in college with a good GPA working full time people think those people are rare but they're not. My friend works at a homeless shelter/soup kitchen (not here) she sees everything from high school dropouts to parents and families where at least one parent has a college degree. If they had said they were going to do something like what Good Samaritan does which is interview families and see where they could help do referrals that would make sense but to make people go to classes they may or may not need to make your donors feel better is garbage. The bottom line is the woman in the story I saw was on disability they can send her to all the budgeting classes in the world its not going to give her more money. Its built on a false premise that all the poor have to do to stop being poor is not be irresponsible when its not that simple. It is a combination of factors personal responsibility being only one piece, not saying its not a worthy piece, but job skills in a state with no jobs equals what? I choose not to support an organization willing to exploit stereotypes about the population it is suppose to help in order to boost donations because that was the clear intent in the PR push. I am not saying they don't do good work but so do other organizations and they don't throw their clients under the bus to do it.

Author

multiculturegirl

Date

2011-12-09T13:17:01-06:00

ID

165575

Comment

Three times I have eaten food provided by the Salvation Army and the Red Cross - after the Easter Flood of '79, Hurricane Andrew and then Katrina. I will always dump a few dollars their way...

Author

Rico

Date

2011-12-09T14:23:30-06:00

ID

165576

Comment

@ MC - so riddle me this, if you go to your pastor for financial assistance and he or she says, well before I give this to you, I want a run down of what your bills are and how you are budgeting your money. Are they trying to help you solve your problem or are they trying to be critical of the decisions you made in your past? Here is my thinking? If I ask for help and whoever I ask for help from, questions why I need the help, how can I question the people I'm seeking the help from if they question my intent? There's that old addage, beggars can't be choosy? Now I know TONS of people from Masons, to greeks and even my own family members, such as my wife and mother - who will take advantage of situations when it presents itself and that bothers me. God love'em - but you really want to save it for those who really do need it. Like the year the fella was giving away turkeys on Gallatin Street one year. My wife knew damn well we didn't need one, but just because someone was giving them away for free, she went and got one! Now we are not rich by a long shot, however, we both work and we were both able to buy a turkey for thanksgiving so there was no need to get one of those turkeys. But to say you won't donate to the Salvation Army because they are guilty of bad PR, relegates you to their level then and the whole objective is to help people. But its your hard earned money and its your god given right to do what you please with it.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2011-12-09T14:46:02-06:00

ID

165581

Comment

Whatever anyone does, just give somewhere and to somebody. We are drowning out here (charities in general). There is an increase in demand every year for the past three years and a decrease in the amount of giving and the amount of state dollars that we are given. So, please give what you can give to your church, your local shelter, your local kitchen...WHOMEVER you like to give your money. But this year and next year do not need to be the years of "oh, someone else will handle that". From all the outlooks we are given from sort of "inside" the situation, its still looking bad for next year as well.

Author

Lori G

Date

2011-12-12T11:14:18-06:00

ID

165585

Comment

I get sick of hearing about "charity" during November and December months. I am the first one to say do what you can when you can. But it really trips me out that all these "saving grace" minded folk come to the forefront when they want to bring attention to this organization or that one. Where are you ALL YEAR LONG!???? Poor people are not just poor during Christmas. AND, all poor people are not homeless or jobless. The fact that it seems like the people who need the tax write offs only surface when it "looks good" is a simple statement to the fact that in this country there are more selfish people than self-less ones. There are people who don't even show up in the studies and surveys that these charities claim to be helping. They stop at the doorstep of the friend of a friend who can't buy Christmas gifts. Charity can't be seasonal or else it should be called something else....gimme a minute, I'll come up with a better name for it. Having said all that, I do agree with Lori G....give what you can....just don't wait for the holiday season to do so. That turkey will be gone in a day, then they're hungry again.

Author

Queen601

Date

2011-12-13T13:53:30-06:00