In the biblical times, After traipsing over a continent, 40 years or so; 12 tribes of Israel located what was to be their Homeland. According to legend it was a land flowing with milk and honey. It was a land of plenty. Their first task was to divide this bounty, not by 12 but by 11. Does this tell you what is the common thread of personal lack, among cultures of comparative wealth? Could it be a “fear” there are not enough resources to go around? Could that Fear that “Greed” that “lack of knowledge” and “trust”, cause some of the 11 tribes to take more land than they actually required?

Whether cave person, or in the middle ages, one aspect of poverty is wanting more than necessary. Its also Not allowing the snubbed tribe or parties, to tell society firsthand what the nightmare and oppression of poverty feels like.

It does not take an colossal leap of imagination, to envision a cave mother telling her saber toothed skin clad child to stay away from the weasel dressed children. Because the tiger skins dressed mountain tribe, was better the weasel skinned tribe. The fact the weasel dressed of the next valley had few tigers was seldom considered. The tiger skins figured the valley people has the same resources as they and Misused them.

Out of fear, of the unknown, I can certain hear a cave person go “ugh doolla baca,” which would have translated to “They are lazy” or “They wasted all the furs of their saber tooth tigers.” The better off, and the poor were also hunting the saber tooth tigers or other species, to near extinction.

Translated to 21 century lingo, that means “they are not self-sufficient .” and “They made “WRONG CHOICES”.” “They used up all their tigers.” From perhaps the 1840’s to the 1950’s, into the first part of the 1980’s, becoming “self sufficient” was phrased as “Pulling your self up by your boot straps.” Physically try to pull yourself up by your own boot straps. Most cowboy boots have boot straps, as do some snow boots. Its near impossible to pull yourself up by bootstraps-try it. See how funny you look.

Today, as in cave person times, the well off also do not mix with, the underpaid crowd. And the greater the income the greater the fear the un-poor, will become unclean, by associating with the K mart or second hand clothes groups. ‘Second hand clothes’. Wal-mart labels are just another name for the lowly weasel lion cloth gangs of 40,000 years age. And human society has progressed How?

In a less subjective manor, in the Middle ages, we had peasants who worked the land for the lords. They were required to give, say the first hundred bushels of crops to the lord. This heavy toll was in exchange of the pleasure they enjoyed for working themselves to death, from dawn to dusk on the lords scrape of land. Of course the lords share came first. So in good years the underpaid could hardly afford a loaf of bread.

Not only was the land bad for growing, but according to Discovery kids books, in the Ice age, the climate and growing conditions also got worst as in the 1500’s to 1800’s the earth went through a cool down.

Now simple logic tells us in the cool down the peasants, not only couldn’t produce say the 100 bushels of food, but had no food left for he and his family unless he skimmed some off the top.

In unity with scholars finding, around 1525 in Lloyds France, the first national welfare can along. After the Bread Riots, where merchants joined the laborers, in revolt it was determined that 10% -15% of all in the land could not afford to eat properly. Gee wasn’t this the approximately a similar percentage of Israelites that was left Landless, in the biblical days?

After the medieval survey - the government, proclaimed part of the populace would be subsidized. Only they would not be subsidized the amount they needed for a full belly. They would be given only enough bread, to quell the RIOTS, and make them more productive workers for the profit of the Lords. Rarely if ever, has welfare been given in an amount to allow the neediest to thrive. Bare survival has been the measure of assistance.

Let it be known, I am not recommending riots in the street as a cure to poverty, of today’s under paid. I am recommending us of poverty, or the formerly poor, and the lower middle classes allies, who are little better off then the poor, to SAY NO. Say No more under fed, No more Homelessness, nor no more of our loved ones dying too early. Because although we work as hard as our bodies will let us, they can not afford proper medication.

Also say,” NO I will not be Silent while the majority comfortably rest upon the invalid upper middle class myths.”

As thinking the poor, misspent their saber tooth tiger skins, or wasted lands they never had. Help places like Hospitality House Inc. PO Box 62 Hinckley ME. 04944 Speak out with the poor, and formerly poor. Tell them about advertising opportunities. Send donations. Help them get media coverage of the untold truth.

As even If it makes to many “uncomfortable” I will Tell you today, every opportunity I get, that - “The System IS Broken”. I will attempt to inform many in such a manner you and other caring persons will hear, and acknowledge that the safety net we assume is there for all in need, is in fact a reality for merely 1/4 of all those who qualifies.

Imagine the lack of compassion, and wisdom when 3/4 of those who indeed are eligible for aid - are wrongfully, illegally denied. Imagine the taxpayers long term extra COST’S in overcoming preventable bouts of homelessness.

NOTHING NEW

The minimum wage theory, was not born in the 1900’s- but in the 1600’s, in England. People produced better when the had some food in their bellies. Yet if they had full tummies it was Feared they might start “Producing for Themselves.” This means they would stop being underpaid employees. Thriving workers could too easily move into a competitor slot.

In the 1500’s in Europe, laws were enacted that farmers were given at least 2-4 pennies a week; enough for a half full belly. This was the first “Minimum Wage Law”. Those who produced required food, for all others to survive upon; Were paid the least! While lawyers who produced nothing were given 30 pennies a week.

This was true in the medieval and biblical days. No person was paid according to how much it cost to live. But according to the value of the job. While the exact number may be slightly off, the proportions are correct.

Just as it matters little if in 1955 the minimum wage in the USA was 75 Cents an hour, then raised to $5.25 or so, around the year 2000. This is not the basic cost of living, its the bare minimum needed to survive, and be about to pay everything owed

One still can purchase only 1/2 to 2/3 of what is the minimum people can live upon. Perhaps because employers are afraid if Adequate Livable wages, we paid; their employees would become their competition. Keep them hungry but full enough to produce for the employer is the unwritten gentleman code.

Medieval Attitudes

First the population believed that the poor, and insane were missionary of god. Thinking the wealthier, would be blessed they gave alms (Money) to beggar's. The wealthier gave the poor, less than required to live upon.

Then the merchants counted the many beggars and the insane; The population rethought their attitude, all of those people, could not all be Gods Messengers. In the days of the Knights, the average person returned to assuming it was the fault of the poor, that poverty abounded and grew. Instead of being a emissary of god, the poor was Lazy. This is akin to saying in 1992, 22 million people on welfare, are too many poor. These people are refusing to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps.” There are too many of the poor. The poor, can no longer be a messenger of god. Remember, this was said in the days of the Knights. Nothing new.

This attitude lead to the passage and implementation, of TANF, (Temporary aid to needy families), around 1994. Where Federal Government subsidized the worst of the worst of income-less families, for five years rather than any time required in their life times. The rate of mothers and children welfare went down for six years. But the rate of Homelessness increased. According to USDA in 2002 there are 567,000 kids who go hunger today on a regular basis.

Another reason for the person in the 1500’s and 2000’s to have arrived at this conclusion, is this assumption made the multitude feel safe. This attitude, makes the 70 % of them who think thought themselves as middle class feel “Safe” from becoming so underpaid themselves, could also become poor. Then they and their family could become hungry and homeless.

By blaming the lowest of incomes for their inadequate income, those slightly above the scantily paid, rested on the belief that - poverty would not happen to them. Why would they not be inflicted with Human Lack? Because they themselves were “not” lazy.

This attitude is no different than in the Elizabethan time, or in the 1500’s, laws were passed that the “undeserving Poor”, those who capable of working, and not; be punished. In the cave man time, it would have been to punish those who misspent their tiger tooth skins. Now the lack - is in the form of currency.

Back in the 1500 century it was thought the “undeserving poor” those who would not pull themselves up by their boot straps, or ion the 1990’s and 2000 lingo, who refuge to become self-sufficient, should go to Work houses, or jail. This would teach them a lesson.

In 2003 we in the minds of the populace we still have the deserving and undeserving poor. We think not that 65% of all poor in America are the “Working Poor”. They toil as hard as they can, for wages less than necessary to pay the rent on a place fit for human habitation.

In Colonial times, in the USA, Welfare consisted of both in- house, and out house aid. One went to work houses. While the males who were the deserving poor, were aided in their own homes. Single women who fell upon hard times, were sent to live with a family. She would live there, until she got upon her feet financially. She was treated either as a slave or a part of the family. This depended upon the luck of the draw.

While work houses has been outlawed the undeserving poor are just illegally and immorally denied assistance. This includes the emotional disabled, who are less able to effectively stand up for themselves. This saves money in the short run, but is one of the situations which applies to the Ben Franklin’s saying, “A penny wise and a dollar foolish.”

The government spends more taxpayers funds by acting with less than the compassion the middle-class bias assumes our government will act with. All one needs is one out of ten illegally, turned away, to fall victim to sickness, or injury and Hospitalization costs 40 times the amounts of what It would have taken to assist One person, or family.

HOMELESS YOUTHS

I have heard people in the 1970’s and 1980’s assume Homeless is “NEW”. That is not the case. In the 1890’s children were homeless, kids also worked from dawn to dusk to keep the families housed.

Riis printed a book which explained how children of the poor, lost their childhood. To augment income, buttons were assembled by the mother and all children of 2 and over, at home. After reading the book which broke the middle-class myth, of that time, the ensuing public outrage caused the passage of anti-child labors laws. In 2000’s American companies make a larger profit, by sending work to countries with NO Child Labor Laws.

As late as 1963, if a Maine family asked for, and was lucky enough to receive aid through General Assistance; they got, food, lodging, heat in exchange of their voting rights. Conn. and other states also exchanged Voting Rights for aid. It was thought if the person was stupid enough to hit a hard time and need financial help, they were also too stupid to vote.

Lesbian Welfare Mother

THE POOR, ARE As SMART As THE NON-POOR.

Until the 1970's those with inadequate income were thought to be incapable of learning. WRONG!!

In the early 1970's a few welfare mothers enrolled in college. Among them was the mother of two, who wanted to set a good example for her boys. She happened to be a "lesbian welfare mother," named Connie.

The state of Maine threatened to remove her and the other four mothers, who were also college students, from the rolls of AFDC (Aid to Dependent Children). The mothers had realized the only way to get a good paying job, was by higher education.

Connie fought the state bigwigs administratively and won. The upon graduations of all mothers, showed the state the financially poor are educatable.

This is the UNTOLD part, of how states Discovered the poor were smart. The poor fought for the right of education, the State claimed this idea came from the wise state.

Attitude, is the Cause of Poverty. The Real reason of poverty, in a land of plenty, is not lack of resources, but a lack of love! It is ignorance, or middleclass bias. Fear of becoming poor. And poverty, Homelessness, Hunger is caused by greed and human insecurity. Placing profit before the well being of humans, is greed. As well as stupidity, Stupidity is acting as if the cost of insuring fairness, and reaching for human potential, is to change attitude from those skins makes you are unworthy to play with, to we know there is enough, we will act as if there is enough and we will Share better.

In the 15th Century English law said their were two kinds of Poor. The Deserving and the undeserving. Those whom were lazy or thieves belonged in Jail. In colonial times there were also thought to be two kinds of poor. Those who hit hard times through no fault of their own, They deserved Aid in their homes. And Those whom also were just too criminal or lazy, they went into Out House Aid, as Work houses, or shelter.

In 2004, There are homeless shelters. They are No longer called work houses, but it serves the same function as in 1890’s or in the 1400’s. They house Men and undeserving women.

END POVERTY

All it will take to make poverty a nightmare of the past Is LOVE.

The world has, enough resources to feed and house every person upon earth. This is the first Attitude society must change. After everyone is fed and has a bed, then there can be millionaires. Its the old adage, in must religions as “Do not harm others in ways you would not like to harmed.” “Do onto others as you would like done to you.”

Would you LIKE to work as hard as you can, and never be quite able to paid the bills of existing? Not many would.

Would you the absence of a forum from which to tell those who degrade you, You did not misspent your income. Minimum wage or a couple dollars above it, does not pay the rent, buy clothes, medical, food, and electricity or heat.

WAYS TO END POVERTY.

Its by facing the truth. As our social service System Fails to help many in need. By governments own figures rent subsidies fail to serve1/4 of those who qualify for housing. Commercials on TV, tells us many and some folks estimate its up to 85% of those who apply and are eligible are DENIED Social Security Income or Disability the first time. And the Homeless Crisis Hotline, operated by hospitality House Inc. in Maine has a calculated approximation of 3/4 of those in need are denied General Assistance which would have prevented the Dangers of homelessness.

1) The Financially poor ourselves most speak out, and be heard. The mainstream Media Must carry our stories, and suggestions UNFILTERED by the bias’s of the middleclass.

2) A Livable wage, and modest profits are needed.

3) As a Society we must honor not the lust for money, but the value of each human. This must be done not just on holy days, but 24/7/365.

Business must not be thought of as being separate from compassion. Human worth, must treasured above marketplace value.

4) We must look for “human radiance” even in the worst of human.

When we do all these things thousands of years of repression, and oppression will end. Poverty, Homelessness, Hunger and violence will end.

5) End All WRONGFUL Governmental denial of aid.

6) Examine all “Myths” about the poor, and replace with reality. As its inadequate income, being sick and not able to work, and having no funds in the bank, or spending all of it which causes Hunger, Homelessness, violence and the death of Hope.

7) Try something Never attempted in History.  (As idea's to best Assist all those in human need, 100% of the need.)

8) Remember we were placed upon this earth, for a greater reason than to eat and overuse this worlds resources.