You make a lot of good points and I feel more sadness for them now than my initial response. I would venture that most of us here dont think they are evidence that welfare programs need to be cut. I think this is just a tabloid story written for sensationalism. I wonder how such information became public in the first place. "welfare family asks for more money" seems like it would be private information. There may be an agenda behind such stories but I think they can be useful as conversation starters.
My anger is directed at these specific people not welfare recipients in general. Maybe others feel differently. I do not think this family is typical of people that need disability benefits, unemployment etc. They do, however, effect the public opinion of other people that need to use the safety net that you describe.
Most people on welfare have had to swallow their pride to accept the limited benefits that they can get. The story presented is one sided so maybe this couple is not as ungrateful as they seem but based on some of the stories people have shared here I just find it hard to accept them asking for more after a eleven years of help. I can see your point about them losing self respect or feeling defeated. Im sure if the world tells you that you are a lazy jerk enough you may start to believe it. If I had a story like this written about me I would use it as motivation to show the world that I was not lazy. I dont think they need to take a grueling job just to stay off welfare but there are plenty of jobs that they can do.
I have seen many people heartbreakingly hang their heads in shame as they paid for their groceries with food stamps. My heart always goes out to them as I feel like they sought out public assistance as a last resort. If it were not for stories like this, maybe others would not have to hang their heads thinking that everyone was judging them to be lazy and ungrateful.
As for their weight I dont care. Hell, gain as much weight as you like it's your body. I wouldnt want anyone telling me what to eat or how to live but if I choose to eat excessively Im going to do it on my own dollar.
Sheesh Im a long-winded airbag :/ I like chatting with the Neatorama crowd though :)
On a lighter note this reminded me of The Simpsons episode where Homer choose to eat himself into disability so that he could get paid to work from home.
At least one of the daughters is learning a trade and the other is looking for a job. Maybe they'll find success but the parents probably wont be looking for work anytime soon.
I dont think people are angry about their weight as much as their lack of work ethic or seemingly ungrateful attitudes.
Dont they have any pride? Im sure most of us have grown up with our parents and grandparents going to work, every day, no matter what. My father tore his acl and hated that his company was giving him workmans comp and refused to take money that he did not earn.
After reading the article I realized that they have more health problems than just their weight but I know people with every condition mentioned that hold down steady jobs without any issues.
I still maintain that, after a decade, they should have been able to find work that accommodates them. I guess if youre lazy and can just live off your neighbours there isnt any motivation to find work.
WTF?! Get telemarketing jobs. Off the top of my head that is a field that always seems to be hiring that does not require a lot of physical exertion or training.
I'll acknowledge that there may be a genetic component to obesity but is there also a lazy ingrate gene?
Eleven years is more than enough time to find a field to work in that fits their physical capabilities.
When I was a kid the baby sitter called poison control because her kid ate some poisonous mushrooms from the back yard. She, and poison control did not believe that the rest of us, about six kids, had not eaten any so they made us all take epikak. Had I not been vomiting, I would have found the sight of a yard full of kids doing the same hilarious.
Patient: Is that common?
Doctor: Well, it's not unusual.
*rimshot*
there's a longer setup but I figured Id spare you
You make a lot of good points and I feel more sadness for them now than my initial response. I would venture that most of us here dont think they are evidence that welfare programs need to be cut. I think this is just a tabloid story written for sensationalism. I wonder how such information became public in the first place. "welfare family asks for more money" seems like it would be private information. There may be an agenda behind such stories but I think they can be useful as conversation starters.
My anger is directed at these specific people not welfare recipients in general. Maybe others feel differently. I do not think this family is typical of people that need disability benefits, unemployment etc. They do, however, effect the public opinion of other people that need to use the safety net that you describe.
Most people on welfare have had to swallow their pride to accept the limited benefits that they can get. The story presented is one sided so maybe this couple is not as ungrateful as they seem but based on some of the stories people have shared here I just find it hard to accept them asking for more after a eleven years of help. I can see your point about them losing self respect or feeling defeated. Im sure if the world tells you that you are a lazy jerk enough you may start to believe it. If I had a story like this written about me I would use it as motivation to show the world that I was not lazy. I dont think they need to take a grueling job just to stay off welfare but there are plenty of jobs that they can do.
I have seen many people heartbreakingly hang their heads in shame as they paid for their groceries with food stamps. My heart always goes out to them as I feel like they sought out public assistance as a last resort. If it were not for stories like this, maybe others would not have to hang their heads thinking that everyone was judging them to be lazy and ungrateful.
As for their weight I dont care. Hell, gain as much weight as you like it's your body. I wouldnt want anyone telling me what to eat or how to live but if I choose to eat excessively Im going to do it on my own dollar.
Sheesh Im a long-winded airbag :/ I like chatting with the Neatorama crowd though :)
On a lighter note this reminded me of The Simpsons episode where Homer choose to eat himself into disability so that he could get paid to work from home.
I dont think people are angry about their weight as much as their lack of work ethic or seemingly ungrateful attitudes.
Dont they have any pride? Im sure most of us have grown up with our parents and grandparents going to work, every day, no matter what. My father tore his acl and hated that his company was giving him workmans comp and refused to take money that he did not earn.
After reading the article I realized that they have more health problems than just their weight but I know people with every condition mentioned that hold down steady jobs without any issues.
I still maintain that, after a decade, they should have been able to find work that accommodates them. I guess if youre lazy and can just live off your neighbours there isnt any motivation to find work.
I'll acknowledge that there may be a genetic component to obesity but is there also a lazy ingrate gene?
Eleven years is more than enough time to find a field to work in that fits their physical capabilities.
Hopefully he wasnt exposed to cosmic rays or we may be seeing him again
When I was a kid the baby sitter called poison control because her kid ate some poisonous mushrooms from the back yard. She, and poison control did not believe that the rest of us, about six kids, had not eaten any so they made us all take epikak. Had I not been vomiting, I would have found the sight of a yard full of kids doing the same hilarious.