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| Have You Ever Gone Hungry?; Local News Sparks Thoughts | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 14 2011, 05:09 AM (712 Views) | |
| Kassandra | Sep 15 2011, 12:20 PM Post #16 |
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Is the meadow on fire?
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First, it's really not just the "fringes", there are millions in the US that live in poverty, and we also have the largest prison population in the world. There ARE people living in this country in 3rd world conditions. My point was that one does not need to go to a third world country, or very far at all, to see severe poverty and gain some perspective on how lucky they are. And lots of Americans do travel, see extreme poverty, and still don't get it. Millions actually. People see what they want to see, and don't see what they don't want to see, whether it is down the street or on the other side of the world. |
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| LostFarmer | Sep 15 2011, 01:16 PM Post #17 |
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Magical Leopluridon
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The most impoverished of Americans would be rich living in the same manner in many countries. We consider it poor if you only have 3 pair of shoes other places shoes of any kind are for the rich. We are considered poor if we only have one car per family. Other places a car is for the filthy rich. We only have local stations and are poor where having a radio would make is rich. We eat some form or meat or protein with every meal. Other places anything filling is a meal. I have a neighbor who cries poverty. Always broke they look at us as rich. One day she asked why we milked a cow, had chickens, and raised pigs. My comment was the animals provide for us. She asked if she could have some broiler chickens. I called her the week before we butchered them and she said, "I want them cleaned like you get from the store." She didn't get any chickens. I was trying to give her a hand up and she wanted a hand out. My kids have never wanted for much. They complained one day that we didn't have a WII or an X-Box. That each one didn't have a cell phone. The ATV's are for farm use and 15 years old. I listened to the complaints and wondered where have I gone wrong. My son complained that he only had 3 pair of jeans for school. I told him that one on his body and one in the wash was all he needed. My daughter wants the jeans that are $50 a pair and we are unreasonable when we say that is over spending. I remember as a kid about 10 that my shoes blew out the side and I showed mom. She cried and said we will have to wait until we sell calves in 3 weeks. I wore a pair of my moms shoes to school for those 3 weeks. As I look back on it, Mom was crying because she felt bad about not being able to provide one of the essentials for me. I think that maybe we all could use a little smack of humility. So any suggestions on how to teach these lessons to our kids? I have taken them with me to volunteer at the food bank. I have taken them with me when we give boxes of meat away. But I don't think the message is soaking in very deep. Help? |
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| Neighland | Sep 15 2011, 01:44 PM Post #18 |
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Off visiting Candy Cave, be right back.
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Where is the like button when you need it LF!! Very well said!
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| Fish Cheeks | Sep 15 2011, 01:47 PM Post #19 |
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You're BANNED!
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Really? What about the homeless person who has nothing but the clothes on his or her back, shoes taped together, no money, no place to sleep, not even a warm coat or blanket, sleeping under a bridge? Or families who live in dilapidated lean-tos in the back country, with no running water or plumbing, unreliable transportation (a car can't really be a luxury if it can't reliably get you to and fro, can it?) and no heat to keep themselves warm? I think there is plenty of suffering in the US that people turn a blind eye to - and it isn't the "my family only has one car" type of "poverty." Not everyone gets to eat some meat or protein for every meal and they are lucky if they even get a meal at all (or if they don't have to dig through other peoples' garbage for scraps). I have been fortunate in my life and have never been hungry. There have been aspects of my life where I've "wanted," but food or material goods are not things I've missed out on. Mr. Fishy grew up poor, being hungry, not having enough clothes, being the kid in school who was always dirty and got picked on. I suppose that is why he is so resourceful and not wasteful. He will eat anything and had to learn to fend for himself (and prepare meals for him and his brothers) at an early age. He will wear his clothes until they have holes in them and I put them to rest. LF, don't be so sure your kids aren't getting the message. They are still kids and still face peer pressure and wanting things that other kids have. I think it is human nature to want more than what you've got, regardless of what you've already got. I think you are doing a wonderful job with your kids and I'd love to have grown up the way your kids are. They will look back on the life lessons you and Mrs. LF are teaching them and they will be grateful for such a solid foundation. |
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| Kassandra | Sep 15 2011, 02:05 PM Post #20 |
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Is the meadow on fire?
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I hate to sound like an old fuddy duddy, but I do not envy kids of today AT ALL. The constant barrage of marketing towards them, the 24/7 addiction to the computer/smartphone screen. Growing up I had books and magazines about the world (loved the encyclopedia) and horses. Every once in a while I could watch what I wanted on TV, if the adults in the house allowed it. I went out and played and played and played. I grew up "poor" but didn't even realize it except for the fact that I could not have a pony. I see many of even the best raised kids suffering from feeling less than even though they have so much. I remember the impact a single commercial had on me when I was young at Christmas time one year (the Barbie Dream House!). I cannot imagine being told everything you need to own to "have meaning" 24 hours a day... |
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Very well said!

7:47 AM Jul 11