We have been told that our problems stem from our poor, our marginalized. The huddled masses our nation has asked for are the subjects of ridicule. Being on welfare has now been associated with being lazy and greedy instead of struggling in this economy we are all apart of. Without ever attempting to feel any empathy, we look at the few who abuse the system and title them the poster children of the poor, never knowing anything of what it is like to be in any of their shoes. To give you all a little bit of information, here are some facts that will make anyone think twice about those in these situations.
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1. How much does an average person actually pay for food stamps?
We all say that the people on some sort of welfare drain our weekly paychecks, but I was never given an exact number: $36 a year. Ten-cents a day are taken from our paychecks to give to those who are on food stamps. But that is not just for one person on food stamps: that 10-cents you pay a day is for every single person in this country who is on food stamps. You see, the math adds up because one person does not pay for everyone on food stamps. You are not even paying for one whole person who is on food stamps. Everyone in the country pays 10-cents per day, so I ask you if the poor drain you of money so much, what can you possibly do with 10-cents a day?
2. Undocumented immigrants come and live off us.
Another stereotype that can come from not actually doing research into undocumented immigrants. It has been hypothesized and proven that our economy is boosted from undocumented workers due to their payment into government programs such as Social Security without ever being able to collect the money. Undocumented immigrants are not able to collect welfare because there needs to be a proof of citizenship. Now before you hardcore anti-immigration people jump at me, I am aware that children of undocumented immigrants who are born here do qualify for some sort of welfare, but I have yet to hear any facts about how many undocumented immigrants do this. I do know that undocumented immigrants are around 37-percent less likely to sign up for some sort of welfare compared to native citizens.
3. The infamous "Welfare Queen."
The woman with 80 Social Securities, three identities, on 50 different forms of welfare and one huge political lie that became fused in the brains of citizens to bring fear and hate towards people who collect welfare. Remember when Donald Trump called Mexicans rapists and criminals? Well, he took a page from the book of the great Ronald Reagan. Reagan brought up this woman years ago on the campaign trail to rile up voters, but the problem is that she doesn't exist. She was a ploy that brought racial tension and class division in our country, all for Reagan to give voters the idea that someone like that was out there. It may have not been the woman from Chicago he spoke about, but he could guarantee someone like that was out there. But the problem with doing that is citizens only thought of the Welfare Queen when welfare was brought up. The dangerous generalization brought upon the hate towards anyone who was on welfare, and the anger stemmed from any person on welfare being the welfare queen. And when there is ever someone who commits welfare fraud similar to what Reagan spoke about, Reagan is praised for being right, when in fact any generalization could be true; you just have to leave out a name and exaggerate the details.
We live in a country where it is almost considered a crime to be poor. We demonize, stigmatize, and discriminate those who need help because they were dealt cards that were not as favorable as some of ours. A majority of these people have done nothing wrong: they work, buy the essentials, and take care of their families because many welfare programs make it impossible to not work and collect welfare. The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act has abled people on welfare to ween themselves off it once they are able to get back to working. Demonizing collectors of welfare will continue the path put forth that will eventually divide our country by socioeconomic statuses.
