Tuesday Links

Umm… FSRQ…. Some of us have. I’ve lived in and made use of the housing, public transportation, public pools, culture, entertainment, libraries, schools in MANY cities around this country (large and medium). Most of the time on a very limited budget — either mine or my parents’. Was I dirt poor? No. Do I have to be the subject of a country song before anything I say is valid?

Am I a minority? No. Sorry, couldn’t tick that box off.

YES. It is inertia. It’s not being lazy or retarded. (I don’t think anyone said that, EXCEPT you.) Leaving the place you are ‘comfortable’ with is scary…. and the fact that life could be MUCH better on a JCPenny / Applebees salary elsewhere is very abstract.

And, yes, I think there’s other thing that keep people in NYC other than inertia. But that’s because they haven’t thought it through. It’s one thing to stay here for yourself…. but as soon as you have children… bringing your child up in poverty in NYC has got to be one of the worst things to do to your kids. Borderline abuse if you ask me. Terrible living conditions and a horrible education. And if your mother (and father) are working 19 hrs a day to make ends meet… I have a feeling they’re not going to have to opportunity to fill in the gaps where the schools failed.

It’s about opportunity and at least TRYING to give your children a new opportunity. Not living the life you’ve become accustomed to… you know the “welfare cycle” — well, it’s the same for the working poor too! Turning their wheels, going nowhere fast.

There are a million places in this country where being poor would be better than being poor in NYC.

1.Could people be more patronizing?
Yes

Do you think most/all poorer people are retarded?
No

Dont you think there is more to staying in NYC (while not being rich) than simply laziness or inertia?
Yes

Have any of you geniuses ever tried to live in ‘the rest of the country’ on a JC Penny salary?
Yes – cost of living is lower – and it’s easier, hence the discussion

Do you ACTUALLY know what your housing would be like?
Yes, you get a lot more in other cities for cheaper. NYC cost of living is high.

The education?, the transportation, the public parks, beaches, pools, libraries?
NYC public schools suck – moot point. Transport – car. parks – who cares pools – who cares libraries – who cares

Who said anything about minorities? We’re talking about working poor.

Chill out dude.

I always love how people can sit back and tell other people, whom they know nothing about, what they should do with their lives. Pete and Maly are right. It may suck to be here, but picking up and moving to a strange place when you have no money, no job, no support system, no family and friends, is not easy. Most people with means don’t want to do it. Add to that no real marketable skills, no transportation, and little ability to do a lot of research beforehand, and no savings, most people would be scared spitless to up and move. Better the devil you know.

The rest of the country is in worse shape than NYC. Upstate has been in a depression for generations. They don’t want to see you darkening their door with your imported problems and need for services either. Options are not as easy as “ALL you have to do is…….” Sorry, tybur, we often agree, but not on this one.

I remember thinking about the plight of the homeless many years ago especially after seeing how widespread the street people were in San Francisco.

I determined that if I were homeless, I’d “take the summer off” and start walking across the country until I found someplace I liked.