--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "feste37" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I did define it. You must have missed the post, since you didn't > respond to it. I don't know offhand what the number of the post was > and don't have time to go to it now.
Here 'tis: If your point is that poverty in America is very different from poverty in, say, Bangladesh, of course that is true. It's obvious. Poverty is a relative concept. if you don't have the things that the majority of people in your society have, and therefore cannot participate fully in that society, you are poor. That's an approximation of a standard definition, I think, if I remember my social science classes from about 15 million years ago. You ask about deprivations. Lack of health insurance, for one, which means that people see doctors less often than they should do and need to do, and so lack preventive care. Inability to pay for needed medications is another deprivation. Choosing between food and medication is another. I'm sure there are many more. It's called "going without," and the poor quietly learn to do this, but that doesn't mean they are not poor. > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "shempmcgurk" <shempmcgurk@> > wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "feste37" <feste37@> wrote: > > > > > > I knew it would get around to this pretty quickly: the poor spend > > their money > > > on booze and cigarettes and on other stuff that they "shouldn't" > > buy. They > > > should really be more responsible, just like we are (who do not > > have to put up > > > with their privations). And as for the 1,000 dentists within a 50- > > mile radius who > > > would be happy to treat the "deserving" poor for free -- that's a > > good one! > > > Where on earth do you live, Shemp? Is this another Texan fantasy? > > And who > > > decides who is "deserving"? Do YOU have to prove you > > are "deserving" when > > > you get health care? Do YOU have to prove you don't smoke or > > drink? > > > > > > > > > > Tell you what, feste37, you answer my questions about the definition > > of poverty and then I'll get around to answering YOUR question. > > > > And I'm not trying to just play and game of tit-for-tat with you; > > the definition of poverty really is at the heart of this debate. > > > > I have no idea what you mean by "poverty" whereas you know what I > > mean (because I've given you my definition). > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "shempmcgurk" <shempmcgurk@> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "feste37" <feste37@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Complacent advice given by those who have much to those who > > have > > > > little, > > > > > I'd say. I don't buy this romanticized "poor but happy" stuff. > > > > What's to be happy > > > > > about when your teeth are rotting and you can't afford to go > > to > > > > the dentist? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Show me a person who can't afford to go to the dentist and I'll > > show > > > > you a person who is spending his money on beer, cigarettes or > > some > > > > other such thing that should NOT be a priority for consumption > > in > > > > his or her life. > > > > > > > > And after you weed out the 99 of 100 "poor" people that the > > above > > > > description applies to and you find the actual 1 of 100 that > > cannot > > > > genuinely afford the dentist, I would suggest to you that there > > are > > > > 1,000 dentists within a 50-mile radius of that person who will > > be > > > > more than happy to do pro bono work for that deserving person if > > > > they truly need it (and that's assuming there isn't a social > > program > > > > by the government that will pay for it). > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <vajranatha@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Feb 11, 2006, at 10:47 AM, authfriend wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > A minister of my acquaintance says there are two ways > > > > > > > to be wealthy: One is to have a lot of money, the other > > > > > > > is to have few needs. > > > > > > > > > > > > Yep, "live simply". > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/UlWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
