Ch 3

Ch 3 discusses very important topics about how one is stigmatized by their surrounding people. What I mean by that is people that are on welfare are constantly hearing negative comments about them. Dawn states that she hears these comments all the time but people really do not know what it is like to be on it. She also says if she was not on it, her kids would not eat. I have many pros and cons about welfare and unfortunately I still am more towards the con side. I just feel that many people I know are working the system and if I know many people doing that then how many more people are working it as well. Some people do not have the resources to make them better as a person and succeed but some people have more and more kids so that the government will give them more money so they do not have to work. And it seems to me that the stereotypes fit the picture alot of the time. As I stated in my last chapter reflection, I know someone real close to me that is on welfare and does not need to be. She is a smart person and has made bad decisions before and you would think she would learn from her mistakes the first time, but she did not. Now she has a second child with a deadbeat father and cannot work because she has to watch her child.
Reading about racism and welfare in this chapter should make me want to change my mind about the system but what is described in here is what I believe. It just so happens that it is stereotypical but with the people I know. I have one friend that is white that is on the system and the rest are not. It says in the book that many whites feel the reverse discrimination and that minorities reap employment and social welfare benefits. I do believe that with our history from the slaves movement, African Americans do get more because they have a past of not getting any. So the government wants to make sure they favor them more but I think in the end it hurts them and keeps them at a comfortable stage. Why should a 21 year old that has two kids get welfare and food stamps when I work my but off to get the things I want when they can be doing the same? I think this system is jacked up because all my taxes go to them while they keep popping out kids. I'm not talking about one race I'm talking in general anyone that decides to have a kid before they can financially do it. I think that welfare does not teach you a lesson instead it promotes people to get knocked up and not to worry if the father does not be in the child's life because there is the government to help. Personally, I am enraged at this matter and really after all the classes I have taken, it has made no difference in my decisions that I have encountered. Some people do not have good resources to do good or be good and I feel for those people but personally with experiences in my life with the people I know, they clearly do not need to be on it. They have grown up with great resources and know the right decisions to make.

Going into the context where stigma and discrimination occurs, Saccome states that stereotypes believe that many women on welfare should be monitored to prevent irresponsible behavior, like shopping for steak and shrimp. Many people on welfare should be embarrassed because they have given up a lot of their privacy and their choices as Saccomes states. I am really bias and I guess it has to do with the people I know that are on the system. Thats really all I can say. When there are not just one but a few doing the same thing, its hard to not follow the stereotypes. I think Saccome wants us to have a better understanding on racism and discrimination by telling us the facts, real stories and the stereotypes. Unfortunately it will take more than what I have read and learned from her to really make me change my mind.