Peeve Deluxe

"The 19th Century belief that unemployment was a matter of individual bad luck or bad character was deeply ingrained in Wisconsin and American culture, and the realization that in fact it was an unavoidable feature of the modern industrial economy came only slowly."
- from a plaque in Milwaukee's Wisconsin Workers Memorial Park

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A few months ago I received what has been a popular forward suggesting all welfare recipients should have to pass a urine test to collect their checks.

Most of the time, when I get stuff like this, rather than engage the ignorant, I let it go. Besides, more often than not this kind of shit comes to me from a relative, so I really see no reason to hurt people’s feelings, and start a … thing.

But when I got it, having lived in NY for 20 years, having known homeless folks, having actually BEEN homeless, if even for less than a month, having known people with drug, alcohol, and mental issues… and I AM A LIBERAL DEMOCRAT… I couldn’t help myself and had to respond.

I was relatively kind, suggesting that while it might seem like a good idea it was a far more complex sociological issue and it was a bad idea, and maybe, possibly, perhaps, not so charitable to send it around to everyone this person knew.

Then a couple days ago I got it from an old high school chum, who has managed to live much of his adult life in the south. Now keep in mind, of the relatives that send me this kind of crap, one lives down south, and allowing for the malleable personalities involved as well as the general human ability to adapt to a fault, I sort of understand. The other family source also talks with something of a southern drawl, but lives in northern Ohio and just… well… I can’t say anything nice in this respect, so I’ll stop there.

But my pal came through the 60s and 70s with me and knows better, and catching me on the same day we contributed to Obama’s campaign, I lost it and wrote the following:

I received this from my ******* a few months ago and felt compelled to respond then, as I do now. First, people with serious drinking and drug problems also need shelter, also need to eat. Most of the people affected by this live in a country where opportunity is NOT as apparent and available as everyone wants to preach it is. Either the actual physical facilities and systems are not there and available, or more likely you're dealing with a culture that straps people in for a ride along a three block radius of nothing, and the drugs and drinking are it.

If you think that just by threatening to take away their welfare checks, they'll stop drinking and/or doping, clean up, and fly right, you're the most naive gal at the dance. It also has you looking at these people as infants... and even infants don’t readily respond to this kind of tactic. I lived in NY for 20 years, and in my last couple became friendly with a husband and wife who were panhandlers, living under the FDR overpass a couple blocks away. White, from Jersey, with a kid. Partiers and blue collar folks. He had suffered a back injury, got hooked on Percodans while he couldn't work and over it was. The point though, is that these were people, who could have conversations, who could acknowledge what had happened, who had to struggle mightily to get out of it. Others aren't so lucky, but they are people, with stories and histories and feelings. Some are good folks, some are scum, but most are there based on circumstance. These aren't cartoon characters. These are people, for God's sake, and if you look around closely enough you might be forced to utter "There but for the grace of God walk I."

You implement this kind of thing and other than spending millions upon millions for urine tests, money that could be earmarked for schools, neighborhood programs, things that might help some on a grassroots level... people will die, including children.

I know, seemed kind of clever on the surface, but, and I'm sorry to go on a rant here ******, I love ya and know you care about folks... it's creepy and stupid and really pisses me off.

Xoxoxo

To his credit, he responded:

I totally respect your perspective on this. I really didn't mean to cause you to expound yourself and your thoughts! (which I admire!).
peace,

*******
xoxo

OK, so I only wrote this blog because I found myself fed up with people doing this perverted skin head Will Rogers thing, half the time crediting this Nazi Bullshit to Poor George Carlin and thinking because most of the time a flag is draped over it, it’s OK to invade MY GODDAMNED HOUSE WHERE MY COMPUTER SITS with this racist, mean spirited, ignorant shit!!!!

Well I don’t care for that, if they can invade my space and insult my sensibilities, well I guess I can respond… and my tap got opened.