for those who haven't noticed "the working poor' group got created

[w0nderer]

please note this is a group and as such working poor are protected
posts against them are not tolerated

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1284

i'm just glad the group got made and that so many of you supported it, thanks
w0nderer

[DFW]

1. Who would ever post against the working poor?

Serious question. I was recently introduced to the concept of the "protected group" (didn't know there was such a thing), but who could possibly have anything AGAINST the working poor? If we really have people THAT heartless on here, it'll be depressing to find out.

[Kaleva]

2. The DU 1%er protected group often attacked them.

j/k!

[DFW]

3. oops---just saw your j/k

With all the craziness on DU these days, I swallowed it!!

[w0nderer]

4. actually it wasn't uncommon for people to blame working poor for being working poor

or come with ideas from a 'i've never had to do it but it sounds cool'

in some instances a 'helpful suggestion' from someone outside of the position isn't helpful

just eat 'rice and beans' is a nice idea and i'll even accept it sometimes...until it's from someone who eats rice and beans once a month at pollo tropical or some mexican restaurant and otherwise dines out a lot (ie..don't talk the talk if they don't walk the walk)


a lot of middle and upper class people actually came with all kinds of ideas that were insulting as if working poor were too stupid to figure out that 'better food is better for us' or 'cooking from scratch saves money' <<--working 2 jobs and 65+ hours a week?


'just buy better quality clothes' <--higher initial cost..when one lives paycheck to paycheck saving may not be an issue


and so on

thus i asked for a protected group for the working poor, judging by response (38 subscriptions and 200+posts in 48 hours) and how people seem to like it...it seems it was past due

so if they were heartless, arrogant or just ignorant doesn't matter, a protected group for discussion away from 'clueless yet possibly well meaning people' was the solution

/end rant
sorry

[DFW]

6. I'm not arguing with any of that

My question was more specific to here. We've all heard the unofficial Republican mantra: "If you're rich, you deserve it, if you're poor you deserve it." I just didn't see anyone with that attitude on DU. While I don't even bother joining a discussion with with people with the Republican attitude, I just didn't see any of it here. Granted, I don't look for it, either.

Your comment about people who dine out a lot struck a chord. Because of my work, often my only meal of the day is a dürüm from a Turkish or Afghan place for €3.75 on the road somewhere (I WISH I could reduce to 65 hours a week), and even then I have to watch what they put in it. Most restaurants used a lot of butter when they make their stuff, and I would have been dead five years ago if I ate that food on a regular basis (serious cholesterol/heart issues).

Anyway, thanks for the explanation. I don't "qualify," but I appreciate getting it straight and without rancor from one who does. I wish you all the best (no apology necessary--I get the anger from enough people, you left it out, which is appreciated).

[w0nderer]

7. :-) i didn't see a need for anger

If you meant 'specific to here' as DU

I've actually seen quite a few 'talk that talk, never walked the walk' people posting in response to working poor or even homeless people here. (sad as it is)


People that dine out: notice that the "problem i have with them" was based on if you told someone to eat something everyday (and didn't do it yourself)

I do hope that you get to relax and recouperate, sounds like you could use it and we all deserve that.

and "Qualify", if you want into the group and won't be judgemental..just join


have a great one

[DFW]

10. I try never to judge

I get judged enough as it is. Some idiot called me a "limousine liberal" just the other day. It's almost impossible to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. I have friends who are multimillionaires and relatives who just lost their jobs. Seen it all, if not personally experienced it all. Even back home in Texas, about the only way to survive on $7 an hour is if you live in a tent out in the desert and catch lizards for dinner every night, so no one has to paint me that picture. The only "advice" I have for my relatives who are struggling is "let me know if you need help."

I get to relax once every 11 months. This was my last free weekend in the month of October. In July, I leave the rat race here in Europe, leave the James Bond schedule behind, and go cold turkey for a few weeks just south of Provincetown, Massachusetts. Only 9 months to go! My only consolation is that if cancer and cholesterol don't get me, at least I probably won't die of boredom.

Except for Americans Abroad, I don't hang in the specific groups--not on purpose anyway. Lack of time, basically. Thanks for the invite, though! Maybe I'll pop in if there's a thread I think I can contribute to.

[CBGLuthier]

5. well, there is a small contingent of "bad personal choice" gurus

Like yesterday when one was wailing about people should not take out student loans if they are not going to be able to find jobs. I am sure someone like that would find lots to condemn about the working poor.

[w0nderer]

8. I'm sure they might

condemnation is easy
not judging and being accepting is a lot harder

and yes, "small but loud" but that's their choice, perhaps it fills a hole in their insides to do so
doesn't make it easier to be on the receiving end of it though

[F4lconF16]

9. Attacks are not necessarily what the group is preventing against.

It's the "well if you just did this you'd be fine" group that's the issue. People (many times middle class people) often don't empathize well, and tend to put blame on the people who can least afford to hear it. It's a place where we know we won't have to deal with that kind of comment. Because it really does affect your mental state when you're already as stressed as poverty makes you.

There are the few on here who think $7 an hour is good enough, too. Annoyingly enough. It's the type of people that say things like "well we can't raise the minimum wage to a livable point because there will always be poor people no matter how high it goes". And yes, those people are around here.

It's also (as I found out) an amazing place for us to support each other and find resources while surviving day to day. There's been a huge response already. I think it was a good idea.

[w0nderer]

11. awesome response k&r n/t