August 25, 2000    
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What is a society's responsibility to "the poor"?

Perhaps in a perfect world, offer one free meal per day...offer counciling free of charge in the vein of emotional support (limited time only) and I think the biggest assist might be to offer some funding for a higher education hand in hand with career counciling. Other than that...I  think folks should take just a tad bit more responsibility for their own well-being. Having food in one's stomach, emotional support, and an opportunity to improve your social status by education, I think, could lots of folks around in a hurry.

Fisch, 45
Preston
, CT

I think about how lucky I am and what is it in my background that has meant that I have been able to succeed. Support from friends and family (emotional and in a few rough spots financial). Solid opportunities to pursue education at every level and always support from teachers and professors in these pursuits and the financial resources to do it. A strong set of beliefs that include working hard, self-reliance and confidence in myself. If these things could be transferred to those in our society who are struggling, I think we would all be better off.

Soceity shouldn't treat those with more obstacles to success as something less than human or as a whole class of schemers and con-artists. I don't see where this does any good other than to undercut people even more.

Felicia, 34
Somerville
, MA

SOCIETY SHOULD BE WILLING TO HELP THE POOR, TO EDUCATE THEM SO THAT THEY CAN GET JOBS TO FEED AND TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. I AM DISGUSTED TO SEE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS GOING TO OTHER COUNTRIES TO FEED THE POOR OR SEND MONEY TO HELP OTHER COUNTRIES FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES. I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN FIRST. WE HAVE FAILED TO HELP THE POR IN THE USA. LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS WE HAVE. AND LOOK AT THE PEOPLE DYING BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO HEALTH INSURANCE AND CAN'T AFFORD DR'S BILLS.

Marci, 55
Diamond
, OH

The poor class needs to be abolished, Surplus, foreign aid, & Highway tolls, should go entirely to aid our poor! Society must resolve homelessness, hunger, and lack of health care, and provide a free college so citizens can permanently get out of that class. -

Jami, 27
Lowell
, MA

There is no right answer to this question and I can't really think of a good answer. In short, it depends on what individual or group in 'society' and what individual or group in 'the poor'...and it's still too complicated to answer concretely.

Firelady, 22
Dallas
, TX

To avoid creating them. Every DARE commercial and every political limo ride is a tax dollar that could have been put towards a grocery bill.

Alias Irrelevante

"If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him how to fish you feed him for a lifetime." Society needs to assure survival, but then to provide those capable of it with the tools to survive for themselves.

Jane, 60
West Linn
, OR

I think it would be to treat them equal to the middle-class and rich when it comes to rights and freedoms.

Jesse, 24
Bowie
, MD

They are the receptacles for our misery. We, tenuous middle class citizens, are able to maintain our smiles andd SUVs due to the "poor"s willingness to absorb our misery. Thank you, poor!

Anthony, 25
Baton Rouge
, LA

Those who have more than enough have a responsibility to share with those who don't.

Laura, 35
Lowell
, MA

it's not about society's responsibility. it's about individual treatment of others regardless of status. (or maybe i misunderstood the question).

Angela, 16
Aiken
, SC

I think a society should provide shelters, soup kitchens, and plenty of job opportunities for the poor.

Jeremy, 13
Highlands Ranch
, CO

If it's this United States "society" we're talking about, I tend not to think we owe "the poor" terribly much "responsibility." In this country, at least, I think most people are quite capable of supporting themselves adequately, with food and shelter and the most basic of necessities, be it through a government program or whatever. . . I should know, it's basically what I've been struggling through most of my adult life. . .

mothmc, 35
Los Angeles
, LA

Nothing...they need to get off their lazy butts and get a job...over 50% of the poor population of the US is \"unemployed\" AND ignorant (not educated)

Melodi, 19
Hlliard
, OH

"If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him how to fish you feed him for a lifetime." Society needs to assure survival, but then to provide those capable of it with the tools to survive for themselves.

Michele, 23
Greensboro
, NC

If we are compassionate, concerned, privileged individuals, we cannot deny that we are obliged to help those who cannot, not WILL NOT, help themselves.

Amy, 23
New Orleans
, LA

Unfortunately, the poor will always be with us--and in at least two varieties: the Deserving Poor who because of physical or mental limitations can never be self supporting (and the people who need help to become self supporting) and the Shiftless Poor who suffer from allergies to work and thrift and social independence. Children, including those offspring of the Shiftless Poor, are all Deserving.

The Deserving Poor deserve safe and decent living conditions;  adequate health care imaginative education and tactful good advice. The Shiftless Poor should be prevented from preying on the helpless.

Jill, 59
Saylorsburg
, PA

I think that perhaps I will come off sounding cruel, but here I go : I think that if someone can legitimately NOT work for some handicap of one kind or another, then we should help them. Those who are fully capable of work should not rely on anyone but themselves, yes this is a harsh view, I know that lots of very hard working people find themselves out of work or bankrupt, but it should be their extended families responsibility to help them out. We of course can give them food and occasional shelter, but as for a weekly check or anything, no way. But there are so many other factors that go into this subject (standard of living vs. minimum wage, family values, etc) that would take me forever to talk about so this is what I have to say for now.

Kate, 19
Bellingham
, WA

It is the duty of the fortunate to help those in worse circumstances. At the *least*, I think that everyone in this country should have access to adequate health care and a decent education. It is unfair that so many people equate poor with lazy or unmotivated. 99% of the poor would much prefer to have their heads above water. Services such as career counseling/vocational training and state sponsored daycare would help the poor enormously.

Maggie, 20
Sandwich
, IL

Most societies today are hopelessly negilgent. Before we worry about the human population, we ought to be assuring that there is a future for that population by taking care of our planet. Or we could just live in a situation like the one in _Wump_World_ by Bill Peet and keep moving to new planets. I'm sure many people would approve of that scenario.As for the poor: people end up being responsible forthemselves, in the long run. The nice thing to do is give people opportunities to change if they want to, but not nearly enough people are willing to do that. How many Microsoft executives do you see on the New York streets offering the people living on those streets an opportunity to learn about computers so that they have a better chance of qualifying for a job? I didn't see any when I was in New York, but maybe I just wasn't looking for them.

Karen, 20
Marshelltown/Ames
, IA

I think society has a responsibility to the poor. The Bible clearly illustrates this point in the Book of Matthew:

Matthew 25:35 ³For I was hungry and you gave me something to  eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and  you invited me in.²

Matthew 25:40 The King replied,²I tell you the truth whatever you did for one of the least of these brother of mine, you did for me.

Janet, 42
E. Brunswick
, NJ

It the responsibility of super-wealthy corporations to start paying low-wage workers a living wage (a wage that can support food, clothing, housing, and a family). Executives are paid exorbitantly and workers often don't have enough to feed their families. Is that fair? The truth is that paying a living wage to workers wouldn't fiscally harm the wealth of corporations that much, yet greed still dictates that they pay their workers poverty wages. Corporations: You have the power to end poverty and remain wealthy, why do you choose greed instead?

I also think it is the responsibility of the government to start spending more money on homeless people. Throughout the country, money is often spent in the wrong places. Let's start spending on the people who don't have the means to take care of themselves. Let's start helping make our world a better place.

Eric, 18
Beverly Hills
, CA  USA

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