I was listening to a friend’s diatribe the other day on how she could not get her child into a local Head Start. She called the regional office and was finally told “you and your husband work and make money so you do not qualify for Head start!” Not the right thing to say – She opened up both barrels and said “so you are going to discriminate against us because we work? because we do not choose to lie around do drugs, drink, and live on welfare like the trash in this town?” “We work, we pay taxes, we pay for you to have a job and you are going to deny my child her education?” ” You are going to leave my child behind because I am not some trash that is lazy and want better things for my child?” After a week of deliberation, Head Start allowed my friends child into class! Now this is an Indian woman who advocated for her child and ya gotta love her logic!
Now y’all know how I believe that some deserve food-stamps and others are just leeches on the system. So many times we are caught up in the stereotype of Indians are all on welfare. I was really pleased last week to see on Facebook one of my former students (Indian) just trash talking food-stamps and praising the elimination of food-stamps! It got better – all her “Indian” friends went on to bash people that did not deserve food-stamps! How they had coach purses, nice SUV’s and bought the best food or sold their food-stamps for .50 cents on the dollar. I was so pleased to see this group of educated hard working Indian women advocating for strict control of food-stamps!
I too have concerns and see food stamp abuse daily! I see friends that sell their food-stamps for .20 cents on the dollar. I hope that those that abuse food-stamps don’t ruin it for children that actually have a need. Yes, I think we need to revamp our system! I also believe that we will always have those that truly need!
(Disclaimer: This story is about two Navajo ladies and in no way is about the Egocentric)
Old Iron Adventure 