The States of Poverty

Poverty is a state of mind as well as a state of being. While some politicians proclaim that the poor have chosen their path by not taking advantage of education and training, they refuse to consider that for some, these opportunities have been elusive and even non-existent. Yes, some kids refuse to go to school, to learn, and to prosper from the knowledge opportunities made available, but others are born into an atmosphere of hunger, hate, and waste with no guidance and direction to find a better life. Some strong individuals do accomplish this on their own - true miracles of resilience in a quagmire of disaster and misfortune - and are to be applauded, others simply cannot find their way out of poverty and misfortune. Poverty on the streets is sometimes manifested by those who do not want a full-time job and who prefer a few dollars - or a few hundred dollars - begged into a cup. For others drugs and mental illness prevent an escape from concrete and asphalt to a warm shelter and nutritious food and success beyond. Where do they turn? Where is the help? How does someone of minimal intellect and a profundity of mental anguish learn a trade and build life equity when no family or friend is there to offer support? When love is found in the arms of another who is in equally distraught straits, how can we hope for or even imagine a happy ending? Training and education can transform a life by retraining that state of mind and transforming it into positive outlook and optimistic future vision. Clean clothes, good food, love and kind words have marvelous transformative powers. All of these can change a course in life and reverse past negativity. There are many barriers to break but it is possible with perseverance and determination. It is not possible, however, when educational opportunities are cut, food stamps are eliminated, or rent stabilization is non-existent. We can talk all we want about "missed opportunity" but these cannot be "missed" if their existence is sketchy at the outset. Who knows, without love and support, where might my steps have led me in life? Education, of course, is a key step in advancing quality of life. This includes educating parents as well as children. If you know no better, can I expect you to know any better? If one is raised in squalor and drowning in hopelessness, how can they know that a better life for them truly exists? Pre-natal counseling can start the positive avalanche as can follow-up and training after birth and through the early years. Over-crowded and over-taxed teachers are not the answers to poverty. By putting the most highly qualified educators in low ratio classrooms the aforementioned avalanche can pick up size and speed. With the best teachers in high poverty area classrooms, students can thrive. When they know that higher education opportunities and technical training really are available and affordable the avalanche can stampede into success for all and a better world will result. Poverty is a state of mind as well as a state of being. By erasing and then eradicating hopelessness and replacing it with possibility we can all benefit. You may think that I need to remove my rose-colored glasses of a dreamlike perception of the world, but I can't and I won't until either I am totally defeated in my positive outlook or the attitude of those who believe that poverty is self-inflicted changes from ignorance and blind-eyed to acceptance to determination to help others help themselves.