poor me poor you | Imamother

greenfire

Fri, May 23 2014, 7:37 am

do you really think poor people should go around having less value because they are poor ...

does a poor person not need a sheitel/shoes/dress to look presentable ?

does a poor person not need a shabbos suit/hat/lulav ?

does a poor person not need toilet paper/tampons/shampoo ?

does a poor person not have the right to like home cooked food of their own so they should take whatever garbage you shell out at them - even the stuff you almost threw out before pesach ?

does a poor person have to feel like less of a human because you look down on them ?

next time I'm at walmart should I be looking over my shoulders before I splurge on that toilet paper ... should I be careful when buying heinz ketchup ... just wondering where the line is drawn ...

mummiedearest

Fri, May 23 2014, 8:13 am

no, greenie. I don't think anyone feels that way. I think people think that one should live within their means, if their means allows them to cover all necessary expenses. no one would begrudge anyone necessities, especially toilet paper. and no one would begrudge anyone financial help if it's truly needed. people who take issue with the tuition breaks take issue with getting one while affording obvious large luxuries.

I, for one, believe everyone should be entitled to a weekly bar of shmerling chocolate.

I think we all have to make responsible decisions for ourselves. sometimes that responsibility includes swiss chocolate.

Barbara

Fri, May 23 2014, 8:20 am

greenfire wrote:

do you really think poor people should go around having less value because they are poor ...

Of course.

greenfire wrote:

does a poor person not need a sheitel/shoes/dress to look presentable ?

A person who is poor, or struggling, should never be entirely "presentable." Even if she purchased a brand new Shuly, cash, just weeks before the proverbial fecal matter hit the fan, it should always be a bit mussed and dirty, to let people know that she is aware of her new status. Ditto clothing. I know people who find designer clothes for pennies at thrift shops, but only the wealthy should wear them. The poor should dress to reflect their station -- ill fitting and stained clothes are preferable. And if you could cut the side out of a pair of cheap shoes for a bunion, that would be really great.

greenfire wrote:

does a poor person not need a shabbos suit/hat/lulav ?

See above.

greenfire wrote:

does a poor person not need toilet paper/tampons/shampoo ?

So long as you limit yourself to the cheapest possible stuff, and only use a couple of squares of TP at a time, I'll give you that. Except tampons. Can't you just rip up rags? I mean, really. Don't you understand our need to degrade you?

greenfire wrote:

]does a poor person not have the right to like home cooked food of their own so they should take whatever garbage you shell out at them - even the stuff you almost threw out before pesach ?

Look, we're agreeing that you're entitled to at least one meal a day. Now you want it to taste good? Sheesh.

greenfire wrote:

does a poor person have to feel like less of a human because you look down on them ?

Why, yes. Yes she does. Glad you understand now.

greenfire wrote:

next time I'm at walmart should I be looking over my shoulders before I splurge on that toilet paper ... should I be careful when buying heinz ketchup ... just wondering where the line is drawn ...

You see, this is why us rich folk can't deal with you so-called poor people. All you do is waste money. First of all, while you're at Walmart, use the bathroom! Then you won't need so much toilet paper. Next, don't you know that most people -- by that I mean most rich people -- throw away tons of ketchup packets. If you'd just bother to dumpster dive, you wouldn't need to spent $3 on ketchup. All you people want is handouts, when everything you really need is just a trash receptacle away.

Okay, now, let's be real. I don't know anyone who really feels that way.

The problem is the definition of what really is necessary. If everyone deserves decent clothing that makes them look good, does that mean that it has to be a Michael Kors dress from Nordstrom? Can't someone also look good in things from the sale rack at Kohls? Yadda, yadda, yadda.

amother

Fri, May 23 2014, 8:28 am

greenfire. I personally give my maaser money to people I know personally. I see them on a regular basis so I see their splurges. I still give them EVEN though they have cleaning help, even though one went on vacation, I see them eating ice cream etc.... why? because their human beings who also sometimes need a vacation is for mental health, who cleaning help is important to them because they work or because they have a lot of clothing, each one is different ( by the way I don't have cleaning help currently, ok so what...) it's not flying to the carribean etc... I don't expect people who are going to through hard times to dress their kids in rags etc but I would be annoyed if they buy 200 dollar skirts for their kids etc......I don't expect them not to have a car or to drive a car that looks like it's about to fall apart, I would be annoyed if they buy a brand new lexus etc.... I expect them to have some seichal, that's all. So to answer your question- enjoy your toilet paper, enjoy you heinz ketchup etc. etc. don't worry greenfire!