Amen Carrie. Your message should be repeated in every school in America. Our public schools are an abomination and have hurt generations of poor Americans (especially those of color). It is especially infuriating to hear a rich white progressive oppose charter schools and voucher systems while their children attend excellent and SAFE public schools or private schools that help ensure that those children will continue to benefit from the privilege they love to lament.
I agree with a lot of what you wrote here, but I do have one concern. Throughout your piece, you alluded to the notion that people would be far better off in general if they were married. Not only for the economic and stability benefits, but also for the obvious boon this would be for children.
My question is, would it not be more economically prudent to simply make sure that birth control (in various forms) was much cheaper and more widely accessible (as well as adoption), as opposed to simply saying people need to be married so that they don't have one-parent kids?
Sex should not be something that is only viable if you are married and make enough money to support kids...that's not how it's supposed to work. Not only do we Not personally need to have kids in order to contribute to the tribal/farm workload anymore, but there's 8 billion of us on this planet now. If anything there's too many of us...but that's probably a different argument.
I mean, it's one thing to say someone who is poor and barely getting by should not have kids...most can probably agree with that. But it's quite another to say that because of that, everyone who wants to raise kids should be married. Anyone who has enough time and money to devote to raising kids can and should do so if they want.
Yes! Stories of poor and downtrodden females in particular being resilient and achieving are what make our nation great. Good for you!! My children like to point out that statistically I should be drug addled and impoverished. But ours are the stories that disprove the culture of victimization
It is interesting how both the right and the left agree that Blacks and Latinos both are failing. Where there differ is who is responsible. One blames Blacks and Latinos and the other blames Whites.
Good points generally, but you glossed over the issue of how welfare policies created a culture of dependency that lead to criminal problems, etc. Black people would have been better off without welfare that incentivized single parenting, but there could be welfare programs that are done much better which would be a huge improvement on no welfare at all. This could use more investigation. Would be a shame to generalize too broadly and give people the idea that any welfare will create these problems. How could it be done better? Try comparing with Scandinavian countries.
I’ve read much of the source material and your article does a wonderful job distilling all that information into cogent, understandable points - thank you! I agree wholeheartedly.
Carrie, some great insights and perspective here. If we all cared more about finding out what will actually help people, and less about avoiding offense through what might be considered blaming-the-victim, the most unfortunate in our society would live better and happier lives. Strengthening marriages and families is no doubt a foundational building block for that. Also, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints myself, I’m sorry you had to wade through so much hardship resulting from misunderstandings (or perhaps intentional distortions) of that faith. God bless.
Amen Carrie. Your message should be repeated in every school in America. Our public schools are an abomination and have hurt generations of poor Americans (especially those of color). It is especially infuriating to hear a rich white progressive oppose charter schools and voucher systems while their children attend excellent and SAFE public schools or private schools that help ensure that those children will continue to benefit from the privilege they love to lament.
You took the words directly out of my mouth and mind (where they are jumbled and illegible) and wrote them into existence. Great article!
This article illustrates how a determined person can triumph and succeed in life despite many adversities in their life.
I agree with a lot of what you wrote here, but I do have one concern. Throughout your piece, you alluded to the notion that people would be far better off in general if they were married. Not only for the economic and stability benefits, but also for the obvious boon this would be for children.
My question is, would it not be more economically prudent to simply make sure that birth control (in various forms) was much cheaper and more widely accessible (as well as adoption), as opposed to simply saying people need to be married so that they don't have one-parent kids?
Sex should not be something that is only viable if you are married and make enough money to support kids...that's not how it's supposed to work. Not only do we Not personally need to have kids in order to contribute to the tribal/farm workload anymore, but there's 8 billion of us on this planet now. If anything there's too many of us...but that's probably a different argument.
I mean, it's one thing to say someone who is poor and barely getting by should not have kids...most can probably agree with that. But it's quite another to say that because of that, everyone who wants to raise kids should be married. Anyone who has enough time and money to devote to raising kids can and should do so if they want.
Very good analysis. I found this article very interesting.
Tremendous article! Well written and articulated! Thank you Carrie!
Yes! Stories of poor and downtrodden females in particular being resilient and achieving are what make our nation great. Good for you!! My children like to point out that statistically I should be drug addled and impoverished. But ours are the stories that disprove the culture of victimization
It is interesting how both the right and the left agree that Blacks and Latinos both are failing. Where there differ is who is responsible. One blames Blacks and Latinos and the other blames Whites.
Great article, I admire you and thank you.
Good points generally, but you glossed over the issue of how welfare policies created a culture of dependency that lead to criminal problems, etc. Black people would have been better off without welfare that incentivized single parenting, but there could be welfare programs that are done much better which would be a huge improvement on no welfare at all. This could use more investigation. Would be a shame to generalize too broadly and give people the idea that any welfare will create these problems. How could it be done better? Try comparing with Scandinavian countries.
I’ve read much of the source material and your article does a wonderful job distilling all that information into cogent, understandable points - thank you! I agree wholeheartedly.
Excellent piece. Well done.
Wonderful article.
What an astonishing and inspiring piece! Thanks so very much for this.
Carrie, some great insights and perspective here. If we all cared more about finding out what will actually help people, and less about avoiding offense through what might be considered blaming-the-victim, the most unfortunate in our society would live better and happier lives. Strengthening marriages and families is no doubt a foundational building block for that. Also, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints myself, I’m sorry you had to wade through so much hardship resulting from misunderstandings (or perhaps intentional distortions) of that faith. God bless.
Systemic disfunction! I've been searching for a label. Thanks, Carrie.