Every year I ask my students to write an essay about the ONE thing they want for Christmas.

[iemitsu]

39. I feel the same about right wing attitudes toward the poor

(actually its not just right wingers, many Americans show disdain for the poor). I suppose, for some, rejecting and belittling the poor is a defense mechanism, allowing them to ignore a problem they feel powerless to change and for others, blaming the poor for their own poverty provides justification for them to keep more than they can use. Who knows? But its a creepy attitude.

My mother-in-law, who is not an evil person but who has had to be frugal to survive, is in the habit of saying, about those with cardboard signs (identifying their needs), that they beg for money all day then walk a block to where their Mercedes-Benz is parked and drive it to a beautiful home in a nice neighborhood. She is absolutely convinced of the accuracy and believability of this story and is sure that it applies to most of the needy she sees on the streets.
If you can imagine her spitting this condemning accusation (when she sees someone down on their luck), in a heavy Japanese accent, perhaps you can also imagine my reaction to her attitude. At first I made a point of giving a few dollars, to those in need, when we were out shopping or when she was in the car with me.
It really drove her crazy, no she really thought I was crazy, but she stopped saying nasty things about the poor around me.
When I am around republicans or others with anti-charity attitudes, I am compelled to be openly generous toward those in need.
They need the model.

I am not usually an advocate of showy or grandiose gestures and I recognize that something is lost when charity is motivated by a desire to "teach the avaricious a lesson", but I will admit to a certain satisfaction associated with the act. I try to counter this wicked aspect of myself by quietly donating time and resources to community groups, which provide for those in need, and to individuals who need some help.

Giving to someone in need is its own reward. I suspect that those, who don't believe we should help the poor, have never tried it.