I have been angry at the Left/Democrats lately. You might have noticed it in my posts. It was actually Lindy’s “time to Speak Out” post that got me saying, yes it is time to speak out.

The lefts attacks on the president calling him an uncaring racist make me angry, but that is not what I am mad about.

The left’s starting untrue rumors and flat out lies about the President, like him playing golf while New Orleans suffers make me angry but that is not what I am mad about.

My two local Methodist Churches took in, between them about 800 to 900 Katrina evacuees. We now have about 300-400, having found homes for about half. Not only have I given stuff to these people too help them out, I’ve been trying to give them moral support.

The other night I was up there talking with this lady. She didn’t know what do. She didn’t know how to take care of herself. I told her things like “We are here to help you, and we will, but you are in charge of your life. You need to figure out what you are going to do.” We struggled with that, because she really does not know how to take care of herself. She lacks the drive, ambition, initiative…whatever you want to call it.

She is not alone. There are others at our shelter like her. And there are many other sitting in the Astrodome and other shelters who are just like her. And this is what I am mad at the left about. I know you mean well, left, by trying to help these people- and I don’t have a problem helping those who live in poverty, I am doing it right now. But just giving them the bare essentials to survive is not helping them.

Many of these people I have been helping are 2nd and 3rd generation welfare recipients. They have been taken care of their whole lives. They don’t know how to take care of themselves, and that is just sad and wrong.

The ones I am encountering seem to be minority women. Most have children and no husband. Make of that what you will, but that seems to be the norm with this group out of Louisiana.

I have seen this before. There are people I have grown up with that were given everything by their well-off parents. When they got out on their own, they had no idea of how to take care of themselves. Now, many of these people I know are nearing forty, are single and are still wandering around from job to job not knowing what to do with their life.

The lesson is, if you don’t teach a person how to take care of themselves, they won’t. But what separate my friends from these poor women is that my friends had their education and parents to fall back on. Most of them have also learned the hard way on how to take care of themselves because their parents stopped taking care of them, and no one else would.

So here I am tying to give this lady encouragement to take charge of her life, and she doesn’t know how, and I am finding myself mad at the liberal welfare system. I know it was meant to help these people, but it is not. They do not know how to take care of themselves.

Last night, President Bush told America he wants to give these poor people the opportunity to build their own businesses and such. He addressed the poverty problem in the Deep South and wants to do something about it. I applaud him for this, but I won’t be easy if a large chunk of these poor lack the knowledge to take care of themselves.
So how do you teach someone to be self reliance? Usually you learn it from your parents when they make you start earning your own keep. Many learn it when they get cut off from their parents and have to fend for themselves.

But we can’t just not help these people and let them starve to death. And some are not capable of providing for themselves. I do think most of them are capable of taking care of themselves, but they don’t know how. For those who are capable, we need to teach them while we are giving them their welfare check.

I think that in order to get welfare, you should be required to do something for it (if you are able to). Just the act of doing something teaches them they must earn their keep. It should also give them some self respect. Most of all, we need to educate them. If anyone has a better plan, please throw it on the table.

This is the challenge that faces America. President Bush wants to get these people on their own two feet. It won’t be easy. We need to stop giving those who are able to work free money. Yes, lets keep helping them, but lets make them earn it somehow. It will show them they can be successful and earn it. This will teach them self respect and give them confidence. We need to make their kids stay in school and get a good education. We need to break the welfare chain.

I am an optimist. I don’t believe that God causes bad things to happen, but rather he helps us get through bad things.

I think the tragedy of Katrina has brought this poverty problem to the national spotlight all the way up to the President, and that is a good thing.

And my apologies to my Liberal friends. I know you mean well. Let’s work on this together.