Have you heard the story lately, you know, “I’m in the store
behind a guy wearing $200 Air Jordan shoes, Under Armor shirt with gold and
diamond bling hanging around his neck, his hat on sideways and a $500 Apple Iphone
in his hand and he pays for his food with food stamps! Then he goes out and get
in a Cadillac SUV!” I think we have all heard the story a hundred or maybe a thousand
times. It’s my conservative friend’s favorite story. I guess it helps feed the
misconception that taxpayers are footing the bill for a bunch of lazy guys who refuse to work. The truth is there may well be some folks who are
abusing the system, in fact; there may be a lot of them, but you can’t believe
or buy into the idea that all of the folks on welfare or some other form of
public assistance are deadbeats? The overwhelming majority of people on food stamps
have jobs, and work forty hours a week and because of low wages still fall
below the poverty level. And just for the record the majority of folks on
welfare are not minorities but white. Here is the most recent breakdown: White 38.8%, Black 37.2%, Hispanic 17.8%, Asian
2.8%, Other 3.4 (U.S. Census Department). When I look at someone using food
stamps I think of the children who will eat today because of those food stamps,
the child who through no fault of their own was brought into this world and
deserves a good meal. There are restrictions on what can be purchased with food
stamps, you can’t buy alcohol or tobacco and there is no guarantee that the
food purchased will go toward feeding a hungry child, but I would rather four
deadbeats defraud the government than one child go to bed hungry. Go volunteer
at your local food bank or soup kitchen and see how many folks are wearing Air Jordan,
or driving Cadillac SUV’s, I have, I know better, I sleep well knowing that my
tax dollars are feeding the hungry and a few deadbeats.
Another Stereotype that bothers
me is that all older white guys with gray hair are Tea Party Conservatives. Not
true, and I wish those who have hatred to spew about our President wouldn’t be
so ready to say so in my presence because I then have to correct them which
often makes them look bad. I hate to have my patriotism questioned because I
proudly supported President Obama’s election. I served our country for 21 years
in the military across two wars and proudly fly my American Flag outside my
house every day. I don’t question the patriotism of those who support an
opposing view, I know they love their country, so what gives them the right to
question mine. I don’t much care for those who look at me and assumes
I voted for a white guy – I don’t vote based upon color but based upon who I
think would best lead this great country of ours. Stereotypes are hard to
overcome.
How about this for a
stereotype, “You were in the military how could you support Obama?” The truth
is that the military supported President Obama over Mitt Romney nearly 2:1.
President Obama collected more donations from the military than Mitt Romney.
While the leaders of the military try to stay well away from politics, as they
should, it is clear that the rank and file military family supports the
President. Of course there are some military folks who opposed President Obama’s
reelection and that’s their right as long as they follow his lawful orders,
they are patriots and deserve respect.
Here is one more that chaps my
behind. 47% of Americans draw some sort of entitlement from the government.
Well, that I guess includes my military pension and health care. Let me be
clear, folks who give more than 20 years in the military aren’t entitled to
anything, they have earned every penny. I gave more of me to this country than
I am willing to tell people, and some have given even more. The American people
hired me as part of the all volunteer force. Their sons and daughters didn’t
have to serve because I did. My family sacrificed because of my service, the
$22,000 a year I receive in military retirement is a small price to pay for
your freedom. The same is true for those who receive VA benefits and disabilities
from military service. Mitt Romney has five sons none of whom have served how dare
he include me in his 47% remark. Stereotypes, you see, can be hurtful as well
There are so many stereotypes that
people like to apply I find it better to judge a person buy what they do rather
than what they look like or where they work.
