A Gaping Hole In the Safety Net
A New York Times article about how our safety net often leaves out those that are most in need of it. Kurt Vonnegut always used to use the line from A Streetcar Named Desire, “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” I would personally like to change it slightly to, “I have always depended on the kindness of others.” I know that there are times when I would not have made it if not for the kindness of my family and friends. The only difference between myself and those I see on street corners sometimes, is that I had people that cared about me, that were in a position to help me when times got tough, and those poor souls didn’t. I believe most people, if they looked at their lives realistically, would say the same thing. If it wasn’t for their parents, their friends, a teacher that took an interest in them, whatever, who knows where they might be. Part of the reason to have a safety net is to extend a helping hand to those that don’t have anyone to fall back on. Whenever I see an article like this in a nation of such wealth, I find myself disgusted. We can do better.
