For the first time in her life, she saw families standing in line with

[no_hypocrisy]

Food Stamps.

Someone I know was in Atlantic City and went to a grocery store. At the check-out, she saw all the other customers were "poor" people, mostly women, standing in line with their children, paying with Food Stamps. And she started to cry at this revelation.

I'm of two minds about this. First, it's always better to see reality as it exists.

However, this is a 50+ year old woman, who has never had to worry about financial security. Never had to worry about finding the money for food, rent, medical expenses. And this is the FIRST (?!) time she's seen (REAL) "poor" people after all this time? How did she think they survive? And about the tears, why? Pity? Condescension? Fear that poverty is a communicable disease and SHE can catch it? I mean, now that she's seen it, it made her cry, then what's she going to do about it?

[SheilaT]

1. Too many middle class people

-- and by middle class I mean anyone who's never had to worry about financial security -- too many of them simply have no idea. They completely believe that poor people are poor because they just won't work hard. They don't understand that jobs at the bottom are precarious, that minimum wage is nowhere near close to a living wage. That illness and the attendant cost of such can wipe out an ordinary family.

I can only hope that your friend spends time really thinking about what she saw, and that it changes her entire attitude towards the poor and what we should do for them.

[supernova]

2. Better late that never, I suppose

She could have stood in line and responded with the usual disdain. But she responded appropriately this timm.

This time, she saw real people.

You're right. Too many people who have always had financial security take it for granted.

I hope she makes the most of this new-found knowledge.

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. At least she cried.

Her age is worrying, but at 50+, it's not too late. As St. Augustine reminds us, a sinner, if thrown from his horse, can still repent, yea, even between the saddle and the ground.