Ben Carson is right. Sort of.

[madamesilverspurs]

Ben Carson says that “poverty is a state of mind.” That’s true, but not in the way he meant it. It isn’t poverty’s victims who hold that perspective. Rather, poverty is a state of mind in those who have the power to create it. Poverty is a distinctly human circumstance; among millions of species, humans are the sole practitioners of the deliberate art of depriving their fellows.

On a planet where there is more than sufficiency in terms of food, millions go hungry because others find profit more desirable than compassion. In a nation where unoccupied homes outnumber those living on the street, the homeless are accused of choosing to freeze on the sidewalk. In a society where medicine and healing arts are increasingly effective, people suffer and die because that is deemed the more fiscally responsible avenue.

Poverty kills. And there is no deadlier strain of it than that which decides that human beings are of less value than the contents of a wallet. That particular poverty requires an emptiness of soul and spirit. It is, indeed, a state of mind that manifests in what it does TO others. To put it simply, need and greed may coexist; but only one has the power to create the other.

Think about that, Dr. Carson. Please.



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[neeksgeek]

1. Wealth is a mindset, too.

Often it takes the shape of, "I was able to succeed, therefore anybody who didn't just didn't work hard enough/is lazy." But this is a fallacy.

[Doreen]

3. On another sit I used to talk on this guy accused me of being lazy because I did not

try hard enough. I told him I had learning and physical disabilities and he told me "so what" because he has them also. I then asked if he had support from family who could afford to help him and he refused to answer. His disabilities also were not as bad as mine.

[Doreen]

2. That kind of makes me think of restaurants who have perfectly good food

left over but they have to throw it away at the end of the day and are not allowed to give it to the homeless or hungry. Why do you think there are homeless and hungry that hang around the back of restaurants around closing time. I have seen this and I live in small town. As far as those who make money it is better to throw the food away than give it to the hungry. Other than the health regulations I do not understand particularly when the food is still good and safe.

[msongs]

4. because no good deed goes unpunished. ungrateful recipients of this "free food" might just

sue the provider for trumped up reasons. so for liability it is better to destroy the food.

[ck4829]

5. Money *is* a social construct

The only power being poor has, that being wealthy has, that billions of dollars has is all agreed to by us... of course, if we start doing things to define these things ourselves without the wealthy, the right wing will do a lot more than just cry about class warfare, but it will be worth it.