Humilitating the Poor for Amusement. Wonder how you would like to be taking advantage of

Three middle class young men see a Homeless man and offer him $200 to eat mud; Two inner city Drug Dealers offer a young mother $300 bucks to lick a trash dumpster.  Three women trick an uneducated person into cleaning their house by having them sign a contract that they know she doesn't understand. The woman ends up thinking she is going to be paid just to find out that she has signed a contract to work for free or two dollars a day. Yes the third one is not legal in the United States but some people are not aware that this is illegal. They may keep her working there for months or even years for no money. She may also be physically abused by her employer because she was convinced that is legal. 

This happens to a lot of people in the hood or poor people in general thanks to poverty and lack of Education this is a reality for a lot of people and because humans today lack a sense of compassion for their fellow human beings. They either want to laugh at some poor homeless man by paying him to humiliate himself for their enjoyment. The drug dealers should know better because they have experienced poverty but in their case selling drugs have robbed their humanity from them so they no longer have compassion.  Still others want free maid and child care service and have figured out a way to get this without being caught. Find a woman who either can not read or can not comprehend what she is reading and convince her that you will pay her well for her service and then refuse to pay her. They may convince her that because she signed a contract she now must work for her. They may use her fear of the Police by convincing her they will call them on her if she does not work for them.

Most poor people have been so deeply humiliated or mistreated by people for so long that they are not humiliated easily which would explain both the Homeless man and the woman paid to lick the trash dumpster.  They have been humiliated for free so much that now someone is giving them money they need to pay a bill or buy some food to do humiliate themselves.  Yes they are not happy to do the humiliating act but for them they are more worried about the bill they need to pay or they have some other financial difficulty that needs taken care of.  Men who love to be humiliated also pay the women to humiliate them.  This actually tends to be easier for the women because after all they are not being degraded they are the ones doing the degrading.

We as a Society are losing our compassion and respect for our fellow human beings. Life is precious and all people should be treated with the same respect that we want to be treated.  Unfortunately, we have lost that compassion.  Now we want what we want and after all the Poor are there for us to mistreat and abuse.  Just a reminder Jesus started life poor and homeless. 

A year ago today I became Homeless. How the experience showed me how caring people are.

Last year on December 1, 2016, my daughter, granddaughter became homeless. We were in an unsafe environment and were moved to a hotel by Children and Youth and Families into a hotel. It was a difficult time and I didn't know how I was going to get back and forth to work. My co worker and Supervisor brought me back and forth to the job.

My daughter found out she was pregnant with her second baby while we were living in the hotel. She really rarely got out.

We found a house but couldn't move in until January 1st. We stayed at the hotel for three weeks but were told we needed to find another place to stay with six hours notice. We spent the next ten days staying with my daughter.

My mother always told me that when you are down people will show you rather they are friends or aquaintences. I found this to be true. My church family helped me a lot and so did my friends on facebook. Three of my coworkers, including my Supervisor and a former Co-worker. My family of course was there for me or some were.

People helped me with Christmas presents or giving me much needed rides. My church family made sure I had a refrigerator and even took me to Goodwill to purchase used furniture.

I'm in a safe place now and looking forward to my first Christmas in this home. I'm in a much better place than I was in before.

When you have a choice that needs to be made?

I am partially employed because I am disabled and in the appeals process for Social Security Disability.  I can only earn a little bit of money.  I work causal for the same job I worked at when my disease progressed to what it is today. I work on an as needed basis and although my job is pretty regular I often times lose money because I'm sick and must call off.  When that happens I must often choose between rent and gas.  I will always choose gas because I need electricity and water and when it is warmer the gas is only heating up the water.  I didn't owe that much and I could get help from Charity.  Well Charity is dependent on donations and because donations are down that means I did not receive help.  I then contacted my gas company and had them fax the medical form that would help keep my gas on.  She did fill it out but it was to late because they shut off my gas. 

The horrible thing about waiting for Disability is they deny everyone unless you have heart problems or are on Oxygen.  I was first turned down in 2010 when it was discovered that I had Sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease that caused me to have Splenic Cancer.  I lost my spleen on September 24, 2010. That is how they diagnosed my condition. They denied me and I appealed.  I lost my case and I went back to work.  I was fine for a few years although I still suffered from nausea and pain.  I was OK and was able to hold down a job for three years.

On March 7,2015 I passed out at work and my co worker had to call an ambulance.  It was then that I found out I had something wrong with my heart, and kidneys.  They also discovered that my immune system was failing.  I spent months going from specialist to specialist. I had to many people on my immune system with my kids and grandchildren, 7 Co Workers, and 8 Consumers in small homes. I lived with my children and grandchildren in a small house and I worked in a house with 7 Co Workers and 8 Consumers in tight quarters.  I put in my 2 weeks notice on 7/10/15 and my last day was July 24, 2015.  I never wanted to quit but I felt I had no choice.

I was given Unemployment but when that ran out I had no income.  My best friend helped me make ends meet and paid all but my rent. I did not have an income from Feb15 until June when I got a check for $60.  I have been working every sense when I could but still became homeless.  I have spoken out about that before.


Now I have a decent place to live but when I get sick and miss work I am forced to make a decision no one would ever want to make. I had to chose between gas or rent.  Now I am waiting on the Gas Company to work with me because it is cold in the house.  My Social worker and Nurse was there the day the gas got cut off and they called CYF who because the house had one space heater in my granddaughter's room that they found the conditions to be safe.  I have figured out to make heat until CRISIS opens up on November 1, 2017 and working with the gas company to get it on faster than that.  I am not able to work full time as I can barely walk now and have Congestive Heart Failure along with Liver Disease.


Social Security is something you pay into every pay day and for them to make you go through hoops trying to get something you paid into makes me sick.  My hearing is on November 21, 2017 in Pittsburgh PA and I pray it comes through for me because I do not know what I will do.

The Day all the Social Workers Came

Today was a busy morning. I knew my Social worker and my nurse was coming. My daughter starts straightening up the Living room I asked her who was coming. She told me her social worker was coming. I laughed and said "mine too" we both started laughing.

Last year, when I was facing homelessness and was hospitalized the second time in two weeks I told my nurse what was going on and she called the hospital social worker. She came to see me and I told her what was going on. She got back to me and told me my medical insurance company had a combination of medical and social workers that would be able to help me.
I was assigned a nurse named Tina and a social worker named Jerry. I was in a hotel when I met them for the first time in my house. Children and Youth Services removed us to the hotel we just came to get some things and spend the day. We put in applications for places and went to church that evening.
Over the next several months they helped me with medical appointments and with furnishing my home. I also have a nurse that helps me figure out my health problem which is Sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease. They have been a real blessing.

My daughter has an infant who is Seven weeks old. She has been enrolled in The Healthy Start Program, a program that tries to prevent infant mortality. They are the ones who helped my daughter decide to breast feed. They checked my granddaughter and she's right on time developmently speaking.

I don't always need them but I'm glad I have them.

Facing Homelessness and a high priced political event in one crazy mixed up week

Gisele Fetterman and I 

A common statement in the hood is "It bes like dat in the hood sometimes." A face book memory yesterday because I posted it a year ago yesterday. The status said Only I have one day of facing homelessness and attending a fancy Political Function in the same week.  Yet that is what happened. On September 15, 2016 I was facing homelessness due to problems with a slum lord. On September 19th I was invited to a political event at the Fetterman loft for Josh Shaprio, a candidate for PA Attorney General. Despite what was going on in my own life I wanted to hear what he was going to do for my people.

Candidate Josh Shapiro

I had never been to any political function before and I was nervous possible but I left work and headed home to change. I had no water then so needed to wash up from a jug and heat from the microwave. I got dressed and walked down the street to the next block to the loft.

I was full of self doubt after all I was just a girl from the hood not some rich or middle class woman from the Burbs.

They served Prime Rib I remember thinking that rich people didn't salt their food. It was very nice though and I got to ask the candidate where he stood on the high murder rate in the inner cities. I respected that he didn't lie to me.

Josh Shapiro and Fetterman

I officially became homeless on December 1, 2016.

Research into Poverty and Eliminating Poverty

A big topic of the last campaign was elimating income inequality ( a feel good term replacing Poverty). You cannot get rid of poverty its not going anywhere. Not one Country on Earth has gotten rid of poverty no matter how hard they try. Its not gonna happen because life isn't fair some people have money and some people don't. Poor people are not sad people with hard lives. We are not pitiful creatures who must be saved. We do not want the Government to take care of us, we want jobs to take care of ourselves.

I am researching Poverty and the effects of poverty. Most of what I found were incomplete because it followed children. The adults weren't separated in groups such as Urban Poor or Rural Poor. How does the Red Neck and the Hood Rat differ? They don't follow the children tested to see if most kids who lived in poverty got out and what percentage stayed.

The study I read talk about lower cognitive skills and education. The rates of Learning Disabilities were increased in children born into poverty. Yet they couldn't tell you why. To bad none of them thought to ask the parents of the children if they knew why.  Poverty a produces Food Emergencies and when you are hungry you can't learn. Yes the kids have free lunch and for the children in grades K through 8 have breakfast and they help but the children know they may not have dinner unless their parents could get to a food bank or help from other poor people. Poor children worry about financial problems of the household because besides hunger utilities are often off. The electricity being off means they must get dressed in the dark. The water being off means they must get water (mainly older kids) they must carry heavy jugs from their friends or family until the bills can be paid and services restored. Having Gas off in the winter means they are cold even with electric heat its cold. Stressed children have difficulty learning.

The problem no one wants to talk about is the public schools that serve poor kids.  Some teachers hate poor children they may be dirty, hungry, and they never have school supplies. The teacher may wish she had students who didn't have so many problems. Maybe they don't want to waste their times on "dumb" children. Most teachers are frustrated because they know the parents can't afford things like pencils and the School Board will not purchase pencils. This leaves the teacher themselves to purchase teachers and papers. This is beginning to change and both Churches and Non Profits are having book bag give aways. Its a wonderful thing for children and their parents. Children are embarrassed when they don't have money.

The requirement of Uniforms is another problem because of the expense. Uniforms should never be required at any public school because parents can't afford them. Schools that require them have truency problems. This ends up with the parents ending up in jail. The kids miss because the one uniform ends up dirty. Kids skip because no one wants to be laughed at.

When you have issues like this your study on cognitive abilities make sense. Its the Poverty issues stupid to quote Bill Clinton.

Those that think churches should lose tax exemption should try living in the hood

I have heard a lot of people who want the church to lose their tax exempt status.  These folks never lived in the Hood, nor had to ever depend on Charity.  The majority of help in the ghettos come from the Salvation Army and St. Vincent's De Paul.  Both are Religious institutions.

Small churches, like City Reach, have outreaches with the poor.  They reach out to Convicted Felons,  people who are addicted to drugs, people trying to leave the Street gangs.  They do so out of love for their fellow human beings.

Last year when I went through issues with my health and losing my home the church women helped me from Pastor Melissa and Miss Jeanne who helped me clean my house to Miss Pam who took me to purchase my furniture at Goodwill. This is only some of the help I received.

Food Banks, clothing drives, Soup kitchens, and toy drives are mostly done by Christian churches.

There are no Grocery stores in my neighborhood.  We have a butcher shop that sells food that is not edible. We do not have a bank either.  The Farmers market comes on Saturday but a lot of people have to work.

Ask a former addict trying to stay clean off of Crack or heroin that feel so unlovable what Real Christian love is? Ask someone who left the gang but continue to live the Thug lifestyle, to hear positive things about you.  Instead of hearing negative things as they tell you about the Lord they serve.

City Reach Braddock offers a Friday meal with their service. A lot of Homeless people eat there.

So my question to people who do not want the Church to be tax exempt what are you doing for the poor.  The United Way doesn't help the poor the Salvation Army does.

Homeless for Christmas

Homeless family 

Last year I had an issue when my Landlord, if you can call him that, tried to illegally evict me. 

I fell behind in my rent due to no income for two months. I could have gotten help with the rent but he wanted me out. He, however, did not choose to take me to the magistrate and legally evict me. He had my water shut off and the meter removed and then called the Health Department on me. 

That did not work but I still did not get an eviction notice. I was looking but was unable to find a place I could afford and one big enough for my daughter, granddaughter, and myself. 

We did get our day in court and worked through the Court System. Yet he still never enforced the eviction. In the end of October the Landlord called Child Protective Services on my daughter. After investigating they found that he was a slum lord and he is now in the legal system for endangering the welfare of a child. 

They also told us to pack what we could take and told us that we were going to a hotel. On December 1, 2016 we moved into a motel on Route 30 in North Versailles. We were now officially homeless. 

It was not easy. My co-worker and supervisor made sure I got to work. There were buses but only in the morning and evening on weekdays. I work the weekend and evenings. 

Although we had a place to stay that was warm with running water, we were stuck there because we do not have a car. We were supposed to get rides but they were unreliable.

We looked at a place in North Braddock on Bell Avenue. It is a nice three-bedroom duplex that I can afford. We told the Landlady we were interested and made arrangements to sign the lease two days before Christmas. Two days before the lease was going to be signed, CYF (our Child Protective Agency) told us they would not be paying for the hotel anymore. They informed me the night before that I had to be out. 

I didn't know what to do or where to go. I called my daughter and she said we could stay with her. I also got assistance from my church and my boss. We moved in with my daughter for about 9 days. We moved into our place on New Years Day. We lost everything and had no furniture. However, my Pastor found a Refrigerator for me. We had that and the Air Mattresses my friend Carol gave us. I got my furniture from my sister in Christ we went to the Goodwill in Monroeville and got two chairs,  and a couch for $10 a peice. I also got a lot of donations and from the Free Store in Braddock. 

I was very stressed out during the entire year and this was no different when I was homeless.  How was I going to get back and forth to work? How were we going to look for a place to live? What about my property? 

I also discovered my daughter was pregnant with her second child which added more stress to both of us. 

After I was informed that CYF were no longer going to pay for my hotel I broke down at the church and couldn't think.  My boss literally had to think for me.  She had me call my daughter who told me again that I could stay with her. 

Pretending to be Poor Doesn't Make It Real

My friend and teacher posted this article on facebook about the middle class and wealthy people dumpster diving and copying working class bars must to make sure of us. You can read this article
https://theestablishment.co/the-troubling-trendiness-of-poverty-appropriation-4d3681406320

I was stunned and decided to see if this was real were people in other classes were actually Dumpster Diving for food. I found this to be true. I'm not quite sure why people who have never been hungry wants to play pretend but your being offensive as hell. YES you're being offensive. You're making fun of people who are hungry, really hungry, not rich and middle class people engaging in role play.

Apparently this has been going on since 2011. I don't see them in Da Hood so at least they are not eating the food that some hungry and homeless person.
http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-a-guide-to-the-middle-class-dumpsterusiness Insider magazine wrote this article
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I was homeless during the month of December and I've been hungry several times in my life and it's not pretty it's certainly not a game.

There is a store called The Free Store in Braddock open to anyone. My friend Gisele Fetterman runs it. Anyone who needs or wants something can go there. Sometimes the Free Store receives donations from different Clothing stores or other Corporations.

I'm just gonna keep it real readers, these Corporations are not donating to the middle and Upper Class they are donating to the POOR and pushing poor people out of the way to STEAL from the poor when you are driving an SUV is immoral and greedy. If you want to be poor quit your jobs and give away all your possessions, I promise you this is not something you would ever want to repeat.