If so many are “left behind”, then how do you have “a strong economy”?
8
What a great mom.
7
I will never forget the year I shopped at Woolworth's to get my kids xmas presents. I only had $75 and my shopping had to include the food I was buying for our dinner. I can still see myself standing in the store, looking at the toys, adding up every single penny I would be spending. My boys know nothing about this. I have always been too ashamed to tell them what things were like for me. Every year I have donated to a charity or bought groceries for a neighbor. This year, for the first time in many years, I do not have anything extra. A car repair and a screw up at Social Security have me playing catch up. I know I'll get through this and I could always ask my sons to help me. But stuff happens and yes, Anyone can be one paycheck away from disaster. I cannot imagine what it is like for the poor today. Thanks for your story Charles and Happy Holidays to everyone.
25
And a pox on billionaires who have not yet spent a dime on providing housing for the homeless...........
13
Our addiction to free-trade and helping illegal immigrants harms millions of poor working-class families throughout the US.
These are the people that are derided by the readers of the NYTs. They are called deplorables. They are called racists for wanting their children to have a good education. They are called bigots for opposing open borders.
They are the people that Mr. Blow says he is 'done with.'
2
Great column! The unemployment numbers, stock market numbers and GDP numbers really mean nothing. Millions are suffering in this country and around the world. Tip your waiters well, give to the poor when you can and be kind to everyone that crosses your path.
10
Thank you for the reminder. For many, Christmas arrives in a cold, bleak month. The sight of people celebrating and buying gifts can make it worse for those who have little. Every religion urges us to share what we have. If you don't have extra money, there is the gift of time. If you spend some hours with a person who lives alone or has no family, it costs you nothing, but it will make their Christmas better.
5
Good article, Charles. One thing, it would be nice to have a list of ways in which we can give to defray some of the costs of this situation. I warn that we should be careful where we donate. I worked for several years as a CASA, and saw where all the toys donated went once in the system. Basically, the mom would sell the toys for money for drugs. The child would have seen the toy for about 15 minutes. So think twice before you give to toys for tots; often it is drugs for mom.
1
Indeed, the poor, not being of value as donors, for politicians hoping to perpetuate themselves in power, become invisible, hence, non-existent for all intent and purpose. And not only on Christmas. Inequality in action, right?
4
Will the poor be with us always? We just don't seem to be able to solve that basic, persistent problem.
We make inroads on it, but never eliminate it, even after a War on Poverty, which some say made it worse; but I don't think so, according to articles that I've read.
Individuals cannot solve this curse, though; only a government can. If it can win world wars, go to the moon, and spend $700 billion/annually on defense, surely it can feed hungry kids. No?
We just aren't motivated enough. Most of us give some; and our representatives can't win re-election if they spend more money on health, education, and welfare, which, yes, will require more taxes. And that's a suicidal approach for public officials: We had a huge political movement -- Taxed Enough Already -- who raison d'etre was cutting government and taxes. That spirit lives on in the Freedom Caucus.
Money is strongly associated with survival, so we are very reluctant to give beyond a certain percentage. I'm worried, too. So fear, greed, and meanness and a lack of love, generosity, and confidence maintains the poverty status quo; removing those traits is beyond our ken. Thus, I've answered my own question.
3
Thank you for this reminder.
I don't see how anyone can forget poor people when they are literally camped in tents on sidewalks all over our cities and towns.
I also don't see how an economy that allows this can be considered "robust." Hasn't made a difference in my life. And all I see are more homeless people.
America should be ashamed of the way it is not spending its money.
4
I read Charles Blow's column immediately after I finished reading Sarah Posner's opinion piece on the evangelical lionization of Donald Trump. It made me reflect on the fact that, while Jesus did not not talk about abortion or condemn gay people, He had a great deal to say about the poor. Indeed, perhaps the two portions of the Gospels where Jesus spoke most directly about God's final judgment (see Matthew 25:31-46 and Luke 16:19-31) pertain to our treatment of the poor and the dispossessed. I believe that this is something for all of us to consider this Christmas season, especially those of us who call ourselves Christians.
10
I give a lot of money year around to help people. I like to help children by donating time and money.
I wish you would have said what would have been them most meaningful to you and how to find families like the one you grew up in. It's not so easy if you aren't churchy.
I'd love to be able to make a difference for a family like yours was.
Happy Holidays, Mr. Blow.
3
I donated money to four animal organizations -- a wolf conservation center, a pig preserve, a farm sanctuary and an animal shelter (dogs and kitties). I usually do not read the op-eds but I read yours which I really enjoyed since it was not about Trump or racism. Your mother was an incredible woman! I am not human-centered and prefer to donate to animals.
2
The pets of the poor could really use help. Many animal hospitals have funds that you can donate to, in order to provide care for the animals of people who have fallen on hard times. I work at a hospital that has such a fund and it brings much joy to those who would otherwise not be able to treat their animal companion.
3
@Carol My wife and I own a small veterinary clinic in a rural community that has a wide span of wealth and poverty. As someone that grew up from modest beginnings I am very aware of the plight of poverty. Getting involved in the veterinary world I soon got to see another horrible consequence of being poor - the sadness of not being able to take care of ones beloved pet. We do what we can and it is SO rewarding. Thank-you for your comment and financial assistance in this area!! I try to do as much as I can giving to humans, too, as they are the stewards of these helpless creatures that so many of us love so much!!
5
WHAT 'STRONG ECONOMY' ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? As far as I can tell, there isn't one. The so-called strong economy is a myth perpetuated by upwardly affluent people as a way to delude all the middle and lower income people, for whom prosperity has yet to arrive.
11
Yeah, I don’t see any real change happening.
1
Once a month, I travel with a little gaggle of old---like me---Lutheran friends to a little gaggle of small, poor communities deep in the woods along the southern part of South Carolina's I-95 corridor. It is better known as "The Corridor of Shame."
We take a truckload of all that we have been able to collect the previous month from whoever---individuals, businesses, whoever---has been willing to give whatever they could give.
Their gratitude for our small offerings shames me every time I go---that they should be so grateful for what I take for granted every day of my life.
All this to say this: I come from long-time farming families on both sides of my family and I hurt for the rural residents/farmers of the Midwest who feel "left behind." But, once a month, I spend a day with people who don't feel "left behind" because they've never known what it was like to be remembered or thought of in the first place.
The politicians will soon make their quadrennial descent into my home state. They'll be followed by reporters/journalists interviewing people in the diners and on the streets of major cities and small towns.
But let me tell you where none of them will go.
13
Pete Buttigieg also pointed out how many women, particularly women of color, end up taking care of multiple generations of family members like your mother did. It is a cycle of never ending poverty that is caused by the lack of inherited wealth and does not allow for the creation of wealth for the next generation. Only the most exceptional ever escape this cycle.
Thank you Mr Blow for sharing your story and the memories of your amazing mom. And yes this is the time of year to remember those not as fortunate and to set our goals for the next year, things like doing something to break the chain of poverty.
13
Thank you Charles Blow for sharing the story of your life. I was not as poor as you, but as the daughter of a white working class family that had its struggles, I could sense what joy your grandmother brought you. The point hit home here. I was bawling by the time I got halfway through. Thank you again.
6
A welcome reminder.
2
So good to read, Charles, and with the support of your strong family network things worked out. Your mother and other strong women and men make all the difference in all families. I just read the story of the homeless in LA and the man featured had a strong mother, but it was not enough. Now he's in better shape, but lacked something essential that you got. With the immense wealth in this country, the homeless are such a stain and curse on those who do nothing. The money is there: the passion is not.
3
For the last three years I have made gifts to the poor all over the world in the names of my children and spouse. This year I gave a goat and two chicks to a family in Africa, support to sexually abused children, and winter clothing to children in the U. S. A. This was through World Vision. Heifer International also provides such gifts. Traditionally these organizations have given to third world countries, so I was surprised to see gifts for the U. S. As Mr. Blow points out, many U. S . children (and adults) live in third world conditions.
I want my children and grandchildren know that we have so much that sharing with those who are less fortunate both an obligation and a duty.
1
Opinion leaders like you have vilianized Christian charity groups such as the Salvation Army because of an unrelated stance they took on a central tenet of Christianity. The ultimate victory was when the Chick-a-filet owners Cathay stopped contributing to the Salvation Army so that he could get more restaurants built in airports.
Here in Chicago there are no longer any bell ringers for the SA. There are just stands set up (without a pot) asking people to go to a website and donate. I doubt many are nowadays.
When you say "help the poor" you really mean "help the poor, as I define them, exactly as I specify or else..."
This is why so many charities are now focused outside of the US (Gates Foundation, even the Clinton Foundation). US poverty is still pretty enviable from a global perspective (heat, TV, phones, food are all routine for the American poor, not so much globally).
I will continue to donate to the Catholic Church and pay exactly the taxes that I owe, but I won't follow charity advice from the likes of you since you are willing to use my support as ammunition against me in future culture wars.
1
No, not really. My downstairs neighbor spent the whole winter a few years ago heating her apartment with a space heater because the gas was off. Not the only one I’ve known to have that problem either. The food banks also have plenty of business. The people living in tents on sidewalks certainly don’t have TV’s. As for a phone, try getting a job nowadays without one.
1
Well put and thank you -- great column Mr. Blow.
1
Poverty is rampage in this country and there is no social network system to catch people. Their is cruelty and bigotry that the GOP actively engage in.
The streets, of LA, the streets of DC, the streets of NYC. We are all one step from being homeless. We are all living on borrowed time. Mayor Pete wants to be with the rich and the poor are just a talking point. Most of us are exhausted just trying to keep our heads above water. No medical care, dementia,cancer in our families everywhere we look society is broken.
Everyone is religious and no one is religious, try to work with organizations that are suppose to help the poor and you are working alone. These religious organizations ars schooled in looking down at the poor and preaching. they don't even know Jesus.
Let each one of us work hard to eliminate poverty and to ensure everyone has a good life. We can do it, we cant look away like the GOP does.
We are all Gods children.
.
2
Merry Christmas Charles. Thanks for your insight and spreading the word to help others.
1
Charles M. Blow shared this family's Christmas Story and his mother's fortitude, always. Thank you Mr. Blow. You brought this reader close and caring. Yes, let's always remember the poor and all of the people, always.
2
Charles' mom, like many parents who manage to take care of families with little means, is heroic.
3
As a retired social worker, I say we need to remember the poor every day, though it is nice to remember them on holidays. As a single mother, I struggled too. Fortunately, one of those times, I worked at a company that made toy trucks and that's what my boys got that year, all little trucks.
But the poor need to eat and wear clothes and heat homes every day, not just Christmas. Most people who are poor, just like Mr. Blow's family, work hard to provide for their families as best they can. In many ways, the working poor are worse off than those on welfare, because they have little if any safety net.
So, please, remember the poor on holidays, but also every other day of the year, when children are hungry and parents are struggling.
5
Not just at Christmas but at all times of the year it is important to remember those in need and to remember all those friends and family members who regularly (on a monthly basis) contribute to the survival of less well off family members. If you are lucky enough to be financially solid yourself provide a social safety net for your family, even if you believe politically that it should be provided by our society as a whole. And don't make this dependent on getting your money back--those who live on social security alone, have no pensions, and can't work even if they want to will never repay you, but that isn't the point. We are often sure that our success is all our own doing and other people's failure is all their own fault.
2
What makes me sad about this article is how much you stress your family's hard work, as if to say "we were the deserving poor." There are plenty of people who struggle and don't make it, for reasons bigger than they can cope with. Everyone, for whatever reason, should be remembered at Christmas and for the entire year round.
3
Merry Christmas Charles! I don't often agree with you but I do today. We should always remember the poor and when we are enjoying the fruits of the season, we should acknowledge our good fortune and give thanks for that.
The poor are the best mirror for us. When we look at those less fortunate, we should remember that we could easily be in that position and it is not someone's fault to be less fortunate. I always try to remember that and I always make a point to give of myself and my wealth to help those who need it.
Thanks for this story, it was a good one.
2
Thank you for this piece which, as everything you write, is so deeply anchored in every day lives and destinies of people that so often get forgotten in the Wall Street reorts and political jargon. Your own remarkable career and the story of your mother brings a spotlight on those powerfull and remarkable women who on their own and against all odds manage to put their kids on a path to a much brighter furture than their own. My mother was one of them.
The question that needs to be answered, however, is how is it possible that there are "38.1 million people living in poverty, including 11.9 million kids under the age of 18" - in the richest and most powerfull country in the world. The same can be asked of homeless and people beyond powerty line in many rich western countries of the EU. This certainly needs to be addressed by politicians in their debates. Or do we pretend that the problem does not exist?
2
Thank you so much, Charles Blow, for letting us know about your family and your early years. Your mother sounds like an incredible woman. And thank you for reminding us about all of the families who struggle and deserve our gifts during the holidays. Many years ago I decided to stop giving Christmas presents to my family members: everyone had enough, more than enough. It literally sickened me to witness the gluttony of the season. Around that time I read Peter Singer's "The Life You Can Save." Ever since, I've been enjoying monthly donations to organizations serving people in poverty close to home and far away. I feel lucky to have extra to give. And fulfilled to give where it matters. Thanks again for a wonderful essay. Your columns are the main reason I maintain my subscription to the NYT.
2
This IS NOT a strong economy.
Unless you're a stockholder or CEO.
Everyone else can go fish.
7
The most remarkable item in this column is that Blow actually admitted we have a "strong economy". Must be Christmas.
1
We've got to talk about poverty, but we've got to talk about the poor with respect. Most of them are more or less like Mr. Blow's mother, and not deadbeats, but people who work hard, when they can find work, and who struggle anyway. Thank you for this column, Mr. Blow.
9
President Trump did not invent poverty. Can Mr. Blow or anyone else name a president since LBJ who has made a dime's worth of headway against poverty?
1
@Francis
You are correct. Since LBJ the Democratic party has chosen a series of "moderate" candidates (Bill Clinton's approach to social welfare would be better described as conservative). The GOP makes its distain for the poor constantly clear. Perhaps we will, for the first time since LBJ, have the chance to elect a candidate willing to tackle the grotesque economic disparities in this country.
Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren could give us that chance. An exciting prospect in these dark times
6
@Truthtalk
Bill Clinton's welfare-to-work was the start of dismantling help for the poor. Time to elect a real Democrat.
4
tell trump, pence, and the "christian" right. the rest of us know and try to do what we can.
2
Touching. However, remember the importance of a stable marriage, not marrying alcoholics, and not having more children than you can support.
@J.Jones
I'm really touched by your empathy.
Because everyone knows in advance whether their spouse will become an alcoholic, don't they?
And of course the current administration actively supports birth control, don't they?
6
Tell me where I can find this great husband, please. It isn’t like I haven’t been looking for 30 years.
This is Charles Blow remembering himself and his youth for you this Christmas. In January it'll be back to the usual virtue signaling: uncharitable hatred toward Trump.
1
Finally, a Blow article that doesn’t trash Trump or whites. Mr. Blow rose above his circumstances because of his strong working mother and his own determination and drive.
1
To the upscale, charity is a ticket to heaven. And the road is paved with appreciative smiles of the poor.
The upscale fail to observe. The poor are not whom they used to be. Their anger merges with their needs. Their voices were once shaped by non-violent protest. But much time has passed without enough progress. And there is anger which can't be bought off by handouts. The gifts of the upscale are often accepted with resentment. The upscale will have to do more or be targeted.
"Things Done Changed" -- The Notorious B.I.G.
(Described by the NYT as a masterful raconteur with a forceful flow, who chronicled neighborhood street life, from corner drug deals to fractured family negotiations.)
Opening your wallet is no longer enough.
I recently wrote for a local publication an article about those who will have a not-so-merry-Christmas. After its publication, and to my chagrin, I realized I had left out of my article a large population whose Christmas will be significantly less than cheery: the homeless! It seems Mr Blow shares my oversight.
3
A lovely and compassionate column here, Charles, thank you. I believe Jesus's main message also was to love the poor. Merry Christmas, Chanukah & Kwanzaa!
1
I loved this particular Christmas Story that Blow tells. The affection that is more of a rich gift than any present in a family.
We should never forget the poor on any day. Especially when we hear the Nativity fable of a baby born to two loving parents who could find no shelter than a manger. I have felt poor. And there were times when money was not there. But I have always had shelter. Sadly, Jesus himself was quoted as saying:"The poor are always with us."
3
Who said that if we didn't have the poor, we would have to invent them? The government says I am poor, very poor. I suppose I am. I don't have the money to get one of my TVs fixed, or to buy an automatic bread baking machine that I want, or to get my Stickley sofa recovered, or to buy custom=made draperies that will fit my windows, or to buy a Victorian lampshade that I want, or to buy all the books I want, etc. The point is that most of the poor in America live extremely well, compared to most of the world.
Then what are all those people living in tents on the sidewalk doing there? Are they just camping for fun?
1
Perhaps we should remember the teachings of Jesus during Christmas as well. There is no red verses blue in the bible.
1
The other good news of the season is that President Trump’s policies have ensured that there are fewer poor people in America for us to remember. Please don’t forget that the next time you are about to have an uncharitable thought about him.
7
@ehillesum I truly don't understand. Because his policies keep them in pens at the border? Where are you getting your data - from Trump? Unemployment numbers, if they look somewhat promising, don't mean anything when the available jobs are minimum wage, or temporary. A 'good economy' means this: the stock market is up, so people who had money to invest are happy. The poor are getting poorer.
112
@ehillesum
I''ve no doubt that those who are still poor, if you can imagine such a situation and condition, will want to rejoice with you and thank Trump not only at the holiday season but all year round.
10
@ehillesum I make a practice of praying that President Trump will somehow be able to wake up to the dire poverty in our country and will lead out country away from the bitterness he expresses everyday. By praying I avoid uncharitable thoughts. But I always remember the poor both here in other parts of the world. I would like to be a country that reaches out to those on the border who are suffering; To children who come to school hungry and tired; To our homeless; To our forgotten elderly...
15
Thank you, Mr. Blow.
5
It's "at Christmas", not "on Christmas"
1
@PeterH : Says who?
2
@PeterH
And somehow, I just don't care.
2
@PeterH
Is it 'at July 4th' or 'on July 4th' ?
I beg to differ.
4
Thank you, Mr. Blow
2
Yet you grew up to be smug, condescending, and intolerant man. There is nothing unique about your past circumstances.
1
What an uncharitable interpretation of Charles Blow and his words, Daphne.
Good luck in your future.
8
@Daphne
Thank you Daphne, for your accurate assessment of this self-centered, holier-than-thou man who has written column after column about his childhood poverty and family discord, always managing to imply that he is just too good to be true to have managed to escape, and apparently thinking that he is the only person ever to have worked hard enough to escape childhood poverty and tumult.
1
@Socrates
I'll make no excuses. I do not buy what Charles Blow is selling. Today, or any day. He exemplifies all that he so regulatory and zealously condemns.
It's a strong economy only for the 1%, everyone else be damned. Every time Trump trumpets the "great economy he made" the mainstream media needs to refute his lies with the reality that wall street does not represent main street. Hopefully, Trump's base will eventually understand that their vote for Trump is a vote against their progress.
6
Over 568,000 people are homeless this holiday season, 2 in 4 senior citizens can't afford their medicines, many do not have life saving health care and yet companies continue to boost the economy without raising wages for employees to a living wage.
So many are left behind in this economy that is only strong for some. Great reminder by Mr. Blow and thanks for all the great opinions in 2019!
11
Perhaps our Fake President’s personal charitable foundation will generously “remember the poor” during this year’s Christmas season, Charles. Oops! Forgot that it has already been sanctioned and forced to disband by the State of New York due to its flagrant pattern of fraud, self-dealing, and corruption. “Charity”, apparently, is for suckers. Wouldn’t you love to see what his income tax returns reveal, or don’t?
3
Thank you for reminding us of reality in America. May you and yours have a merry Christmas.
2
Being poor is hard work.
Being hungry is the worst.
5
Thank you Mr. Blow for rising above the partisan pablum and serving us a heeping bowl of dinner table reality. Happy Christmas and a better New Year!
1
Here are all 50 states (and Wash. DC) ranked by their poverty rates.
See if you can detect a political pattern.
Rank --- State --- Poverty Rate %
1 Mississippi 21% (most poverty stricken)
2 New Mexico 20
3 Louisiana 19
4 Kentucky 18
5 Arkansas 18
6 Alabama 18
7 West Virginia 17
8 Arizona 17
9 District of Columbia 17
10 Georgia 16
11 Tennessee 16
12 South Carolina 16
13 Oklahoma 16
14 North Carolina 16
15 Texas 16
16 Michigan 15
17 Florida 15
18 California 15
19 New York 15
20 Oregon 15
21 Ohio 15
22 Idaho 14
23 Missouri 14
24 Indiana 14
25 Nevada 14
26 Montana 14
27 South Dakota 13
28 Illinois 13
29 Rhode Island 13
30 Pennsylvania 13
31 Maine 13
32 Kansas 12
33 Wisconsin 12
34 Washington 12
35 Delaware 12
36 Nebraska 12
37 Iowa 12
38 Colorado 11
39 Vermont 11
40 Wyoming 11
41 Utah 11
42 Virginia 11
43 Massachusetts 11
44 North Dakota 11
45 New Jersey 10
46 Minnesota 10
47 Hawaii 10
48 Alaska 10
49 Connecticut 10
50 Maryland 9
51 New Hampshire 8 % (least poverty stricken)
If you want to help the poor, the sick and the unlucky in America, one of the kindest things you can do is to vote Democratic.
One of the cruelest things you can do is to vote Republican.
Wake up, America.
America doesn't have to be a cruel Christian hoax of vulture capitalism and serial misanthropy.
28
Remember the poor in the least developed countries as well. They need your help even more than the poor in the US. 700 million people in the world still live in extreme poverty, most of them in sub-sahara Africa.
2
This is what Christianity should be about, not whether or not Mary was a virgin.
8
Thank you, Mr. Blow. Merry Christmas. You are a good man.
3
Disagree with Charles Blow most of the time. But this is quite a story.
Thank you for sharing, Mr Blow. The simple act of giving to someone in need enriches both the giftee and giver.
3
Yes, be compassionate for one day of the year and that will settle your conscience so you think you're a lovely person, then you won't have to worry about underpaying them or using them for slave labour for the rest of the year. And that goes for all the poor churches as well that rely on charity to pay all their administrators wages. Religion is a business.
1
Thinking or taking care of the poor at Christmas is the biggest hypocrisy of Christianity.
You are a shining example of how a, “rising tide lifts all boats.”
You were not poor, sorry. You had a house that was owned by your grandparents and likely your mother got to live there FOR FREE -- no rent! -- and she had a steady job all that time, and no layoffs or long periods of unemployment.
That you think "poverty is having to stretch groceries until payday" is bizarre. That's actually THE NORM, even for middle class families!
Middle class people are the ones who have to budget, clip coupons, deny themselves treats and eating out and vacations -- adults who "make do" so their kids can have new shoes and coats in the winter.
MOST people have stories similar to yours. MOST PEOPLE are not rich, Charles.
1
@SLH
God bless you!
1
God bless you.
1
Consider donating to The NYT Neediest Cases Fund.
Call 800-381-0075 to donate by credit card or mail check to
The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund, 620 Eighth Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, New York. 10018.
I have been donating to this Fund for years, in honor of my father Victor Richter, a newspaper distributor (Richter News Company) on Long Island who distributed the NYT for over 60 years.
The Fund is a wonderful charity and a heart warming way to help the needy citizens of New York.
3
Happy holidays Charles.
1
PURE LOVE. Thank you Mr. Blow.
1
AMEN!
1
A family like this would receive 2k per month if Andrew Yang’s proposed Universal Basic Income/Freedom Dividend were in place (1k for the mom and 1k for the uncle). Even if you don’t need it, imagine how many lives it would improve. . . and ultimately that helps you too - less poverty means less crime, fewer tent cities etc.
2
I can relate. Remembering the poor is the most valuable attribute in a time when we celebrate billionaires by lining their pockets online and in the malls. While billionaires are celebrating their Christmas influx of capitali, at the same time causing homelessness in the name of profit over people the reason for celebrating is unjustified.
1
I give every year to various food and living shelters for the poor in and around my area. Simply put...I don’t need everything I’ve been blessed with.
God bless the memory of your wonderful loved-ones Mr. Blow and to you and yours now...a very Merry Christmas. You’re important not only to them but, to a great many readers you touch deeply year round.
4
Something we can agree on. Merry Christmas.
1
"Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity, it is an act of justice." Nelson Mandela
3
Remember too that our national budget could help our poor or ill citizens. Even though I give constantly, I cannot solve the problems that I see. D.C has many homeless people living on the street. Perhaps if we had a vote, we could help awake concern for them. Across the Nation, families cannot pay for their children’s school lunches and many small groups help pay this debt. How many kids go hungry? How is this possible. Thank you for this column.
1
Charles, thanks for the column, but remember this: a shameless opportunist like Mayor flipflop isn't going to deliver the poor from poverty, and he isn't certainly delivering African Americans from poverty. Don't take my word for it, take his constituents word for it.
1
Thank you, Charles Blow. You have honored your wonderful mother in this piece and inspired the rest of us.
3
Charles, what a gift you have. Your ability to write is second to none. Reading this piece has doubled my respect for you. Your heart is in the right place. May God continue to bless you.
1
Thank you Charles, for reminding us to add people who are poor and struggling to our Christmas list. May I suggest that given the suffering our current government has inflicted on refugees and migrants, that the UN Refugee Agency is an ideal place to shop for last minute gifts?
https://give.unrefugees.org/191101wint_winter_c_4760/?SF_onetime=7011K000001iPkeQAE&SF_monthly=7011K000001iPkdQAE&utm_campaign=US_EN_UNHCR_CoreBrand_Core&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI59TisM_K5gIVFtRkCh0_LQneEAAYAiAAEgJa6_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
I got panhandled twice yesterday on my way out of the theatre. One man’s cardboard sign said “Why lie? I need a drink.” I gave both times.
Those men have already forgotten me. I pray not to forget them.
Jeff
1
Thanks for continually shining your light with compassion,
Mr. Blow.
Happy Holidays to all.
1
You should "remember" the poor every day....
I don't care if a person is lazy, lacks character, is a liar, cheater, homeless, or a convicted criminal.
I don't even care if they're on death row.
NO ONE in this country should have to go hungry. Period.
Our government can afford to expand the value on the cards needy people use to buy food, and liquor, drugs and non-essentials cannot be bought with them.
Shame on all politicians who vote against expanding food assistance.
Its inhuman!!
10
I have been reading your columns from the beginning of Trump's ascendency onto the world political stage. I have so much respect for you and can always tell it's a Charles M. Blow commentary just by the title, some extra element in the precision of the words.
I wish I had grown up in your family so tied together by such strong values and deep love.
What poverty does is strangle to potential of people to come to the fruition of themselves. That you had such a mother to fight for your way forward is deeply moving and all of what you share and who are as a person is what needs to be emulated. The passionate anger contained in your analyses combined with your acute insight is to me majestic.
There is a prevailing ethos of contempt for the poor.I n particular towards non whites. 'Losers'
who drain the pockets of the 'Winners'.
I tried to reply to the horrific comment from ' Reverend' someone, who suggested abortion is a viable method of reducing or eliminating fatherless families in order that 'we' do not have to pay for them. It has not been posted yet.
And yes, I am always thinking, 'the middle class'? There are people lying on the streets, people eating dog food to survive.
In your name I dedicate myself to standing with your words and, finding more meaningful and genuinely productive ways to fight against racism, poverty and to bring myself closer to your standards of intelligence and meaningful work.
Merry Christmas to you and our loved ones, dear and mighty man.
2
Thank you, Charles Blow, for your memories and your timely reminder. Now I won't put off my contribution to The Neediest Cases Fund.
Handouts only to the most needy. Otherwise, help others to help themselves. There's always something I could use help with, especially writing better comments. $$$ for anyone on Medicaid who can help me explain why Medicaid ain't great shakes.
A lovely, warm column. Thank you, Mr. Blow.
"Who has mercy on the poor, lends to the Lord; and He will repay him"
Feeding America is an excellent charity that supports food banks throughout the country.
Beautiful piece. My husband grew up rural poor. Christmas gifts came from a local church. One year he got a banged up, used bike, but he was grateful for it. We have a moral obligation to help the poor. Thank you Charles for the reminder. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
When we say "remember the poor", what exactly do we mean? Do we mean sit and think about them, feel bad for them, wish them better times ahead? Do we mean go to wherever the poor are located and give them something that makes them less poor? Or can we just mail it to them? And if so, where exactly is that place? Is there a particular address to put on the package or letter? And do we remember them just the one day, or the few days before and after Christmas, or every day? It seems like one, or a few days wouldn't be enough, especially if we then forgot them afterward. And every day? Who can realistically do that, just remembering the poor every day, day after day...
I'm being facetious, of course. My grandparents were poor, Italian immigrants in the early 1900's, too many children and mouths to feed, even if you accounted for the ones who died. Too little money. Too much discrimination. So I remember the poor because they were my family for a long time.
What will change this country is not remembering the poor, but changing an attitude that says services for the less fortunate must be measured by the efficiency of outcomes, rather than the depth of generosity and sharing. When I remember the poor, my family, that's what I remember. That they gave and shared with anyone who needed it, not just those who qualified.
1
"It can be tempting in a strong economy like this one with such a low unemployment rate to overlook the poor."
I was surprised that Mr. Blow wrote the above sentence. The unemployment rate is not a true reflection of the economy. As far as a "strong economy" goes, it's strongest for those at the top as it has been for decades.
4
Thank you for telling your family’s story and for your reminder about the poor who struggle daily just to get by. I might add that donations to local food pantries and soup kitchens are always welcome. Donations to the food pantry that my husband runs go directly to the poor and homeless in our community, for example.
4
I disagree that the economy is strong. To me, that's right wing propaganda. They want people to believe the economy is strong, but how strong is it when many new jobs are Uber type jobs that don't pay a living wage and have no benefits. How strong an economy is it when people can't afford housing or health care? Wages are flat, costs are skyrocketing and the tax cut giveaway to the 1% was not re-invested in the economy. This economy is an oligarchy of the 1%.
I think Republicans are funding on the employment numbers. The head of the Dept of Labor is a right wing hack so there is every reason to think this would be politically motivated. I think if Republicans think they can brainwash enough people to think the economy is good, they will blame themselves for being poor rather then putting the blame where it should be, on the Republican party
8
The inescapable quandary of capitalist societies in general and the American variety in particular, is that in order to flourish it needs selfishness as an essential ingredient to propel itself forward. The rewards for innovation and success are immense, but too many people then lose sight of their connection to the wider society that nurtured and produced them.
Others have pointed out the disconnect that occurs with most people, when great wealth is accrued. America's great success and production of huge wealth for a very few is only possible because we love a winner so much that we willingly allow huge disparities to exist. Other countries have great success too, but with better societal morality than us.
Only a socially enlightened, progressive government can ever fix this. Right now, it's the status quo for the "haves" that prevails. The rest just need to work harder they say from their ivory towers and pedestals of entrenched privilege. Sadly, with the current governmental mindset things will not improve for any except those already in a good place.
1
Thank you for sharing your story. Where can people donate online this Christmas. Also, stop by your local food bank and drop off some cans of food, rice and perhaps a box of candy canes.Every small act adds up.
2
May the day come when helping someone in need is the first reaction rather than to merely look the other way and do nothing as if impoverished people are invisible or worse, non existent.
3
Clearly, poverty is not a simple issue. People need to be are aware that not only is the problem complex, but the solution is complex too. It’s not just one quick fix.
Poverty is a vicious cycle. If one thing goes wrong, as its most likely to do in the face of poverty, it causes a domino effect.
It is almost 2020 and the premise is still, that not enough people on the outside even know the problems of the poor exist, or, more significantly, know that people exist behind the problems, and behind the traditional stereotypes.
1
Thank you very much for sharing your story and the perseverance as well as bravery of your Mom. Poverty should not exist in this country. Period. Individuals who can must do more to help provide support for those less fortunate, especially when elected officials like Trump pursue heartless policies that hurt the poor. Growing up, my family wasn’t in poverty but we didn’t have a lot. My dad taught us that giving is a bigger reward to the giver than to the receiver, and my experience has proved that right more often than not. Giving what you can isn’t just kind, it’s hopeful. Hope is something I think is more important than ever...hope and active pursuit of opportunities, acceptance and a much better country for EVERYONE.
2
About a year and a half ago my house caught on fire. 1 year and a half later my only piece of furniture is a bed, a dresser, and a nightstand.
My significant other and I have a modest income.
He works full-time at about $16 an hour.
Unfortunately I am too physically ill to work, so I have been put on a medical disability.
We don't go hungry. We are able to pay the bills. Kinda.
But there's really not much for the extras.
Sure, it would be nice to have a big tree with lots of gifts underneath it.
But this Christmas being able to pay off my electric bill.
Well, keep up with the payment plans anyways, was gift enough for me. I'm tryi
I get a little sad and depressed. Sometimes a little jealous or resentful. Maybe even judge mental. But even though I lost basically everything. I have my life. My significant other, he is alive and healthy.
I do have a lot to be grateful for. I keep that in the front of my mind. It could always be worse. 
There are so many of us "working class poor" you go by us every day, and probably don't even notice it.
If you saw me, or my significant other, you would never believe our bed is our kitchen table, desk, bed, and "chill zone". LOL
the nightstand also doubles as a kitchen table/workspace.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
5
To those of us who are still living the after affects of the great recession, this economy is no different than the one that preceded Donald Trump: most of the new jobs pay less than a living wage and the gig economy is not providing any more than he did three years ago. Let us not confound a strong economy that translates into a soaring stock market and stock buybacks by companies that are flush with tax gimme money, with an economy in which no one has to work seventy hours in order to make rent and gas money, or work at age seventy because rents are too damn high. Workers who were in their 40s in 2008 didn’t get rehired and still can’t work ten years later, due to ageism. Want ads now demand 3-5 years of experience with skills one develops over a 20-year span for a third of a fair wage.
Inequality impacts a third of this nation, at least. Homelessness is rising again and it has been bad enough as it was through the recession and recovery.
Remembering those less fortunate would be most effective at the ballot box during the primary and again in November.
192
@Rima Regas
I agree. I honestly don't understand why people are so exuberant about the economy and the new jobs that are being created.
Many minimum wage jobs now have agreed to increase minimum wage to $15 dollars, but that increase wouldn't start until one or two years. By that time inflation would render the worth of $15 to about $8 to $10, whoopee!
Pretty soon we'll be watching our economy slow because there is going to be decreasing consumer spending caused by all those student's debt. Who can afford to buy a house and furnishings when you have $800 a month student loan payment, especially when you can't get a good paying job?
There are certain things that could happen to a family that would curtail their rise to another income level-- loss of a wage earner, hospital bills, our ever rising cost of Rx medication, school fees. There are hundreds of other traps that could ensnare people in a permanent underclass.
So, we're living in a world with a shrinking middle class, tax cuts that benefit the rich. It's just so depressing. My advice to young people is to abandon our sinking ship and head either north to Canada or sail to a more humane country that doesn't require
$10 to $20,000 to get an education without a guarantee of a job.
12
Thank you Charles M. Blow for reminding us that the hard work, sacrifices and meager resources of the poor is the story of many of us.
As a single mother in the late 1970's I often had little to give my only child, a son. I worked two jobs to keep up, only to hear my boy complain that I never had time to play with him.
Now my son is successful and a married father of three. He recently complimented me by apologizing for his childhood complaint because he knows how hard it is to work and provide for a family.
Let us never forget the poor. Many of them will not be as fortunate in their lives as Mr. Blow and my son.
8
what strong economy would that be? the economy is working for the 1% and that's it. care and compassion is an everyday way of living and breathing.
4
I find this Opinion Piece a sobering and encouraging reflection on the state of our country.
My life was not easy but nowhere as difficult as Mr Blow's description of how he grew up.
I have no real idea what I can do to help.
Just an old man
1
Thank you for reminding us of the poor in America.
However, when I think of the poor peoples of the world, my mind goes way back to my orphaned cousins & the widows in Ndiakwu Otolo--a remote village of Nnewi, Nigeria. A country rich in natural resources and yet, with over 80% of the populace living under poverty.
And I don't just wait for Christmas to remember them; I remind them EVERY month when I get my paycheck.
63
You need to get with the programme then and increase taxes so the poor can feed and house themselves instead of having to be humiliated by relying on charity. The charities will make them beg for every scrap of food and use it as a PR exercise to increase their own wages and get more donations. The poor are often victims of charities as well so need to be independent and the only way that will happen is for the central government to give them access to all the tax benefits, family support payments, welfare benefits, universal state paid pensions and housing allowances like they do in NZ. The poor don't need to be humiliated with charity; they need all year round support and assistance. Lots of people are not religious and lots of those religious people are control freaks who expect slave labour from the recipients of charity. You need government to make laws to protect the poor; not allow exploitation of the poor and vulnerable because USA doesn't have a minimum wage of $20 an hour across the whole nation, plus pay accommodation allowances to people working or not working. USA never talks about the people in the shadows living in the worse cities in USA.
73
@CK
I dont understand how a ' strong economy' translates into a minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
5
@CK
I see by your address that you are from
NZ. From your writing, it seems that there are those who take advantage of the poor when they are given aid. You must have a law that is designed to punish these people, to prevent them from doing this again.
There is no shame about being poor. It's just the luck of the draw. However, there is a shame about being uber-rich and paying a tax specialist to reduce your taxes to $0.
The US is just such a country in the throws of a battle between the 1% and the rest of us. We may not make it. We may find ourselves slipping backward into a third world status. 2020 will tell us which way the wind blows.
5
Thank you for the beautiful and insightful article Charles. Your mother sounds like an incredible woman. We must not forget the elderly, the poor and the disabled.
4
Americans donate more to charity than the citizens of any other country on earth.....we are a nation that does NOT forget that the private sector is the salvation of the needy.
1
Tears as I read of your mother’s courage, dignity, hard work and love for her family. To have a son like you is quite the reward. Deep appreciation for you, Mr. Blow. You contribute to the good in the world. Thank you.
1
I would add yet one more group deserving of help and remembrance this holiday season - the Hispanic children in our nation's internment camps. Children who have committed no crimes. And the majority of whose parents committed no crimes, either, and simply presented themselves at ports of entry, as they are legally entitled to do.
There is no plan to ever reunite these children with their families. So, unlike even Mr. Blow, they no longer have that strong parent to shield them, to give them hope, to believe in them. Many are suffering from abuse, malnutrition and neglect. Several have died already, when medical care was withheld from them.
This is not the America I know. This is not the America I grew up in. Regardless of one's views on immigration, human decency cries out for these children - cries out for their humane treatment - cries out for their return to their families as soon as possible.
These children are in this nation's first internment camps since WWII - and they are only there because of the color of their skin. They are being left to languish in intolerable circumstances. And they have no hope of ever leaving.
Every single American, of any background, ought to be sickened that our government has warehoused these innocent kids. And for those who do have a little extra money this holiday season, please consider contributing something to help these children.
173
I remember as a child, my mother taking my sister and I to a movie. She had stacks of pennies and the ticket cashier would sigh and roll her eyes. I remember my mother apologizing. I will always remember the poor.
108
Enjoyed the writing. I think it's important to remember all the poor. In Victorian (read Dicken's) there was a public perception that there were two types of poor. The "deserving" poor who were unlucky but clean, hardworking, sober and religious, and the "undeserving poor" who were feckless, drunks, unclean and either not working or working in the sex/alcohol/drug trades. Unfortunately this thinking still exists in politicians' heads. The reality is that both groups need support. The "undeserving poor" often have mental or physical ill health. They may self medicate with alcohol and drugs to relieve their pain. They're so stressed they're unable to plan. Public policies which help all the poor are needed. Individual efforts are still wonderful though.
73
@Mary Yes I agree, there was that dichotomy.
Nevertheless, then, even the sober, religious, sick or mothers and children ended up in the workhouse or pauper's prison. Hardworking meant 24 hour servitude. As well slavery for the others on the historical hierarchy.
I agree with you, that in the 21st century we live in there is contempt for the so-called feckless. There also seems to be contempt for the idea of paying for anyone else, feckless or non feckless.
Cannot economic, educational, health and employment programmes/policies recognise that not only poor, homeless (priority) are suffering, but many across the spectrum.
Some are mentally and physically stronger than others regardless of the power structure, either at times in their lives or throughout their lives.
There seems such divisive polarity at the moment, I do not know who or how these issues of reality can be addressed in a constructive and humane manner.
4
I wish the “undeserving poor” were a figment of politicians minds. In the extremely Republican, “Second Amendment Sanctuary” where I live, the poor are regularly called lazy and unwilling to work.
11
@Florence
Vote for Anyone But Trump.
5
Given the meaningful sentiment expressed in Mr. Blow's
column, it is worth pointing out that after pressure from
the LTBTQ activists over the Christian principles of the Salvation Army, Chik-fil-A cowardly acceded and ceased its donations to the charity. This is despite the fact that the Salvation Army seems to be the largest provider of
charity relief to the LTBTQ community. Such is the left:
feeling good about themselves is far more important than
actually doing good. Utter hypocrisy. Are Mr. Blow and the readers of this column willing to criticize these activist
groups and support the Salvation Army with the assistance
it provides 30,000,000 Americans yearly?
In addition to remembering, what immediate action do you recommend?
1
Remember the poor? Minimum wage has been $7.25/hr since 2009. That’s poor.
I was an RN Case Manager in the recession. The unemployed had no healthcare insurance but were sick and dying. This country has well forgotten that, too. The leaders don’t care. The poor are here now, too. They are broke paying healthcare insurance and held hostage because our government won’t consider that or do anything to help the situation.
Being poor is bad enough, but to be poor and sick you have to be about penniless to get medical help from a government with just about more money than anyplace else on earth. What would Jesus say?
111
@MIMA Jesus would be appalled at over 568,000 homeless in America. He would also be shocked that we don't provide life sustaining health care for our people nor feed those that are hungry. He would also be greatly disappointed in the extreme hate coming from so many.
23
@MIMA
Jesus would say vote for Anyone But Trump.
14
Wonderful column, Charles. Thank you for writing it. It's so needed at a time like this.
3
Thanks Charles. This was a sad but beautiful column. I'm so glad you have a voice at the NYT.
4
What might help poor people even more is if journalists stopped parroting the term "strong economy" in reference to this administration. A closer look shows that this economy leaves out the very people you're discussing in today's column. I grew up in a family of seven and at one point, my father had three jobs to support us all. We're seeing that phenomena again, Mr. Blow. The "strong economy" is only strong for some and I'm sure you know that, so why the misleading sub-heading? And this column doesn't even mention the damage being done, much of it irreparable, to the environment since the establishment of 45's Environmental Pollution Agency. Of course the numbers look good at first glance: corporate America has been let off its chain. No need to refrain from poisoning the earth, air, and water, or paying fines for reclaiming land under tRump! The best advice in this column is inadvertant: learn how to grow your own food and how to sew and all the other "make it do or go without" economies practiced by our grandparents. We're going to need them.
8
Bravo, Mr. Charles. And let's remember also the poor in many other llands who have been survive but are made poor, sick and/or homeless by US government actions and inaction.
3
The story of Christmas whether you consider yourself a Christian or not is a call to compassion for the struggling and the suffering. Charles, that is the story you tell us so clearly with that of your family. It is a story of hope in the darkest part of the year or in our lives. Charles thank you for this reminder and I wish for this country that we can listen and act to offer hope, a place to live and relief to suffering, a suffering that can befall any of us under different circumstances.
2
Thank you, Charles. I grew up poor too, the kind of poor where the power and water is turned off and the car, if you have one, is broke down. You never forget those things.
Family and lots of crummy jobs and school and, yes, a little government welfare saved us. There was a path out for us. Being white helped too. Now we're able to give back and it's the least thing we can do.
1
This Christmas? remember the poor?
What about the rest of the 364 days of the year?
This YEAR please remember the poor and every year.
3
Be careful what you wish for because you may get it.
Putin's Donny did remember the poor around Christmas time. Didn't he just propose cutting back on Medicaid, food stamp, and trying to totally void Obamacare as well?
And despite the editorial of Christianity Today I hear the evangelical "Christians" are still solidly behind Donny.
Merry Christmas to the Rich and the Super Rich. They do remember the poor - and trying to get rid of them. Isn't that the meaning of their War on Poverty?
8
Can we please STOP with the 'STRONG ECONOMY' propaganda - because that's all it is.
The NYT has had articles questioning the economic statistics released lately. We have been trained to believe that all government statistics are accurate and true.
They are lies, deliberately manipulated to provide a positive view of things . MOPE - management of perspective economics - is repeating good news over and over so people will believe things are improving and then go out and spend more, hopefully improving the economy.
Unemployment has been over 20% since 2009. There was NO recovery for a large part of the population. How can you have 'record low' unemployment rate when workforce participation has declined to record low numbers?
Countless companies are announcing layoffs, trucking companies are going bankrupt - leaving drivers stranded on the road and retail companies (the lowest rung on the employment ladder) are going out of business. I have yet to read ANY story about massive hiring. But unemployment is at record lows?
9
I am a cashier in a food coop that asks it customers if they want to round up their change to support a local charity each month. In November it was the local coalition to end homelessness. Many snarled "No," at me when I asked -- 2 cents, 3 cents, a quarter on a big basket of holiday food for their Thanksgiving tables. This month it was for the local animal shelter. The rounded up change has poured in, with many people asking if they can donate extra. I love animals, myself. But this made me really, really sad. I asked one couple if they wanted to round up for the animal shelter and the husband said "No". His wife punched his arm and said, "Yes, we do!" That never happened for the humans in need of shelter.
130
@December
Animals are more sympathetic. That is just how it is.
2
@Daphne
No, we can feel empathy for both. The problem is that we look away from painful truth.
20
Totally agree. This is a disheartening climate creeping through America. We dote excessively on our pets but deny those in poverty basic comforts. Your coop conducted an interesting social “experiment “ of which the outcome is disturbing.
35
Well said, Mr. Blow. Painful to read, but well said.
For those too consumed by Christmas to think of others- perhaps use Boxing Day, the 26th, as your day to clean out your bookcases, closets, and food shelves and bring what you find that you don't need to a local shelter.
You matter. Please don't underestimate the difference you can make.
6
@common sense advocate
Another brilliant comment and suggestion csa!
Local shelters and food pantries are hurting for food.
The very best to you and your family this Christmas season and all year round.
4
They wouldn't be poor if the USA government passed laws to enforce all the united states of America, to pay a minimum wage of $20 an hour to all minimum wage workers. And something is seriously wrong with the USA when people have to rely on tips instead of getting a minimum wage. Government needs to pay accommodation allowances as well as build State housing to get all the homeless off the streets. Churches only do the bare minimum so they qualify to remain charitable trusts. Maybe your government could have more public hospitals for the mentally ill and better help for people to get off drugs. You need to do whatever the NZ and Australian government are doing to raise the standard of living of their citizens.
6
Your readers would all like to help in whatever ways we can. Best to make recommendations how we can do that.
3
I will give my coats away in the new year
I got my Social Security raise Saturday
$15 a month after medical increases
I am lucky and greatful
Been up and down all my life
Joy to the World!
10
I am thankful that writers and journalists with backgrounds like Mr. Blow's have earned a place in our civic conversations. We need their perspectives desperately. Mr. Blow's article reminds me of the privilege/blessings I have been given, and of my duty to try a little bit harder to help and empathize with those who are marginalized in our wealthy society.
5
It's only a "strong economy" for those with investments. Or for CEO's and other titans. The stock markets are not relevant for millions of Americans. Why can't government actually work for more people?
342
@JNK It’s a strong economy for all - for all who want to work.
10
@Olivia
The trouble with Buttigieg's gimmicky "... for all who want it" is that it is doublespeak for continuing along the path of inequality.
From Axios' Future newsletter of December 18, 2019:
1 big thing: An unsettling future for American jobs
"The U.S. economy is besting expectations for job growth, and the unemployment rate is at its lowest in several decades — but the other side of the story is that millions of jobs out there just aren't good enough.
Why it matters: Almost half of all American workers are stuck in low-wage jobs that often don't pay enough to support their lives, lack benefits and sit squarely inside the automation bullseye.
By the numbers:
There are 53 million U.S. workers — around 44% of the total workforce — who work in jobs with a median hourly wage of $10.22 and median yearly earnings of $18,000, according to a November Brookings study that examines low-wage work.
Around a quarter of low-wage workers are the only earners in their households.
"The storyline from the jobs reports is the result of looking at an incomplete set of measures," says Martha Ross, co-author of the Brookings report. "We do have to look at the quality of the jobs we are creating.""
131
@Olivia Sorry, I disagree. I know of many people - some working for the company I work for - who are just one misfortune away from financial disaster. Some work two jobs. Others have no savings because everything from their not-so-great salaries (but hey! They have jobs!) goes into housing, food, utilities and transportation. They're not putting money into a 401(k) because they can't afford it. No, it's not a strong economy for all.
313
For Mr. Charles Blow, a token of appreciation for his writing and his courage in being our last man standing, as depicted in Ionesco's play where everyone turns into a trumpeting rhino.
"My mother, who was exceptionally intelligent, was the most beautiful girl in Alabama. Everyone said so and it was true; and when she was sixteen she married a twenty-eight-year old businessman who came from a good New Orleans family. The marriage lasted a year. My mother was too young to be a mother or wife; she was also too ambitious. She wanted to go to college and to have a career. So she left her husband, and what to do with me, she deposited me in the care of her large Alabama family', so wrote Truman Capote in his 'One Christmas' in 1982.
The Cost-of-Living continues to rise. not only economically, and this America is hoping Pope Francis will say a prayer for our Poor in body and our Poor in spirit.
The Giver is often the Receiver, and a timely reminder on the part of Mr. Blow that we not squander our pennies, waste food or become careless to the needs of those who have less.
2
For Mr. Charles Blow, a token of appreciation for his writing and his courage in being our last man standing, as depicted in Ionesco's play where everyone turns into a trumpeting rhino.
"My mother, who was exceptionally intelligent, was the most beautiful girl in Alabama. Everyone said so and it was true; and when she was sixteen she married a twenty-eight-year old businessman who came from a good New Orleans family. The marriage lasted a year. My mother was too young to be a mother or wife; she was also too ambitious. She wanted to go to college and to have a career. So she left her husband, and what to do with me, she deposited me in the care of her large Alabama family', so wrote Truman Capote in his 'One Christmas' in 1982.
The Cost-of-Living continues to rise. not only economically, and this America is hoping Pope Francis will say a prayer for our Poor in body and our Poor in spirit.
The Giver is often the Receiver, and a timely reminder on the part of Mr. Blow that we not squander our pennies, waste food or become careless to the needs of those who have less.
1
This heartfelt and humbling
2
To quote Linus from the Charlie Brown Christmas special, "And that's what Christmas is all about."
My wife and I have made some donations during the holiday season: a turkey, a couple of winter coats, nonperishable food, some cash. I hope we can send a couple more checks tomorrow to a local soup kitchen and homeless shelter.
We're not rich by any means, but since we have the money to spend on material gifts for Christmas, we should spend money in helping the poor. That's what Jesus said we should do.
Thank you for sharing your story, Mr. Blow. I'm glad you climbed the socioeconomic ladder despite the disadvantages you talked about (and those you didn't). Merry Christmas!
5
@JediProf I like that.
Perhaps we could amend:
If one has money to spend on material gifts then one has money to help those who are poor. Or homeless and desperate on the streets of New York, holding their children close for warmth.
Or maybe if some habe $ billions while others starve or can't afford insulin maybe something is wrong.
1
I volunteer at a food pantry in a middle-class community. Many of the people who come to us are seniors who once they pay for their rent and their medicine, have little or nothing left for food. There are also working people who are working two jobs, but the jobs don't pay enough to provide for a growing family. And we have homeless clients, many of them veterans. There is always a need, regardless of the economic numbers.
Here is a practical suggestion to communities that have or want to start a food pantry, because this is what has enabled our pantry to have food on our shelves year-round, not just during the holiday season when a lot of food drives happen. It is this:
PLEASE consider getting groups in your community -- churches and synagogues, social clubs, businesses, fraternal and other social organizations -- to "adopt a shelf" in your food pantry. We put up little plastic printed plaques for each shelf. "Lion's Club", "First Baptist Church", etc. The groups have their members collect one type of food item only, and it really helps to keep that shelf stocked because it is very easy to remember to pick up just one item.
For example, a class of 50 kids at a church or temple Sunday school, with each kid bringing in one can of beans per week, can contribute 200 cans of beans a month to the pantry. More than one organization can adopt a shelf (the meat shelf has several sponsors because canned meat can be expensive).
Thank you for this excellent reminder, Mr. Blow.
3
When I was homeless, it convinced me that empathy doesn't work. I know everyone in science town is counting on it to save the planet but what really saves people is writing comments on the internet. Salvation Army doing the most good? Nope. It's me. Donald Trump's tweets are the cause of great woe. My comments heal. Whatever you do this holiday, don't remember the poor. Remember to comment.
1
Christmas is a nightmare when you are poor. My alcoholic dad and my mother worked blue-collar, manual-labor, exposed-to-the-elements jobs. There was never any money for bills or extras (but somehow plenty for booze and cigarettes) and every Christmas/birthday/start of school/big event was stressful, disappointing, and miserable.
My friends would return from winter break with new clothes and jewelry; I would dread that first day back to class because I would have nothing new or flashy. My parents fought every Christmas morning. I have no good memories of Christmas. The entire month leading up to the 25th my parents would lecture me about money and remind me I was getting no gifts and to quit asking.
I'm an educator, have been for 2+decades. My whole career I've secretly bought Christmas gifts for poor students and tried hard to figure out who was headed for a holiday of misery so I could anonymously funnel food or cash or whatever their way. Once you've been poor and once you've been marinated in shame, you'll do anything to keep others from the same fate.
Yes, Pete, we've got to talk about poverty in this country. A great many of us are one catastrophe away from total financial ruin. That's facts. Christmas is just another reminder of that.
621
Thank you for being a great teacher and looking out for these kids that are left behind. It shouldn’t need to come to that, but your generosity and kindness is extremely meaningful.
167
@SLH You are doing something wonderful for your students. Thank you for your caring. Gestures like yours are never wasted. While you may never know the effects they will have on a child's life rest assured that some children will remember what you did, even though they don't know it was you doing it, for their entire lives. I know because there were a few adults in my life who did far more than befriend me as a troubled teen. They cared and they stayed with me and they still mean the world to me. It's because of them that I do appreciate Christmas and other gestures.
To quote the last part of some scripture:"...whoever saves a single life is considered by Scripture to have saved the whole world."
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@SLH What you have done is beautiful and even more beautiful because you do it anonymously. You are truly an inspiration. Thank you.
64
Why remember the poor during Christmas only?
Jesus Son of God and of the Virgin Mary did not seem to care much.
Had he cared he would have said " Let there be no more poverty" and poverty would have been history for humankind.
Jesus instead said " The poor shall always be with us."
2
@Indian Diner
There is the possibility that Jesus Christ was talking about other things that make folk poor. Such as kindness, respect, and sharing what you can.
Just an old man's opinion...
@Indian Diner It seems that Jesus was more a philosopher than a magician. If he were a real magician, maybe he could have waved his hand and wiped out greed, lust, and stormy days.
Thank you for an authentic holiday message, and Merry Christmas Charles.
6
Thank you for this inspirational story
4
Thank you Mr. Blow for a real Christmas Spirit column.
Gotta say that I bet you didn't just not go hungry. You grew up eating great food. So did I, parents home-jarred their own tomato puree from our garden and farm bought bushels of Jersey Tomatoes every summer and we ate fabulous red sauce from those mason jars all year long. Fish was striped bass caught off the surf and filleted while still flipping on the just touched land.
Yet some of the neighbors thought of us as poor.
3
Bravo, Charles Blow. Now more than ever people need to be reminded of the plight of those on the fringe.
4
thank you Charles Blow for sharing your inspiring story. This Christmas for me means helping my daughter who just left an abusive marriage with her small children ages 3-10. My wife and I are her financial and emotional support and are able to do so because we are middle class and have savings. Otherwise she and kids would be homeless or in a shelter. Many women with children have no options except to endure an abusive marriage or relationship. My daughter needs to finish a degree, and get a job that will sustain her and children and we the grandparents are her safety net. For so many other families, this is not available and thus we need public safety help.
10
Being poor in NZ is having a higher standard of living than schoolteachers in Appalachia. You need to send the schoolteacher that commented below to NZ as we are short of teachers and you'll never have to go dumpster diving with schoolchildren again. We have universal free health care and you get a government universal pension when you retire no matter what your income or assets are. I'm poor but am now on the pension and have a higher living standard than a USA schoolteacher! Schools travel all over the place and get grants to go on skiing trips and overseas trips from the government owned lottery called, lotto. Most schools in NZ go skiing and to the beach as we are no more than 3 hours in any direction from a beautiful beach, lake or ski field.
6
This is a wonderful piece. Thank you. Yes, in the society we are, so competitive and seeking the more and the new that is old as soon as acquired, the poor are not a main consideration, if any. Not to take the spirit out of Christmas; in fact, exactly the opposite ... should one take the time to read the Story that Christmas is about — not as history, but as a means to tell the Truth; and about all of us and what is right and what is not. The specialness of Christmas as we experience, surely allows room ... maybe out of guilt ... acutely to include the poor, but certainly not to be dismissive of the poor otherwise, during the rest of the year. It has been said the poor are always with us; but this is not an immutable fact; it is a consequence of the refusal to share ... because there is enough to go around. Scarcity is the lie. The message of Christmas then would be to realize the latter substantively with amendment in the way of regular being. It comes to kindness and the courage for choosing it.
1
Thank you so much for this article, Mr Blow. Even people who are doing well in this economy can be $400 away from disaster as The NY Times reported recently. It could be any one of us that needs a leg up. A telling clip is the Steve Hartman video of the mysterious man who gives away $100 a year to people on Christmas in various parts of the US. To see how much it means to the recipients, and even more; how much the people who are passing out the money are changed by the experience of giving.
1
If we get rid of the poor, we won't have anyone to blame all our problems on. Wealth equality simply isn't good for capitalism so I wouldn't expect any serious solutions to the problem anytime soon. The wealthy need to maintain this order.
3
@Bonnie Huggins , I also think the enormous wealth gap makes the rich feel evermore entitled and special. They like their specialness, and they like looking down at others. This is as true of those with inherited wealth as those who earned it!
Thank you for sharing your life. What a courageous mom and family. We are touched by someone’s Love and sacrifice and we are changed forever. Yes we need to speak about poverty in America because mostly it is not mentioned. We give gifts from our Church’s or schools but we are not willing to work for the rights of workers or raise the minimum wage. I see Americans in my area working hard with two or three jobs just to provide for their families. Our people struggle daily. Thank you and our focus should turn to the Joseph’s and Mary’s of our time, the poor. Especially during Christmas. This economy helps many but not the poor not with minimum wage jobs. Merry Christmas.
6
It's sobering to realize that Mr. Blow's story is typical of oh so many of us who are not European-Americans.
We people of color from one generation to the next grew up in an America that showed us nothing but exclusion and racist discrimination.
My family's story stretching back three generations in America was one of bottom-of-the rung labor, poverty pay and segregation. We lived exclusively in Latino and black impoverished enclaves.
That's the sort of neighborhood I lived in the first 20 years of my life.
Only after I had extricated myself from that environment did I realize how utterly marginalized we were.
Mainstream America had no place for us.
And so today, we still live in separate Americas.
15
I hear the economy is great. But great for who.
I have been poor my entire life. Teaching kids is not going to make you rich. In some places it doesn't buy you food. Last year, I was rummaging in grocery store dumpsters.
Some of my students joined me.
We put our heads together and figured out that the group of us was more productive than each one of us.
I live in Appalachia. Poverty is unforgiving and unforgiven.
There is hunger in Appalachia. My stories are about child abuse, deep depression, suicides, prostitution, addictions, sexual exploitation, empty refrigerators, no transportation, disease, HIV, no health care, no job, no education, no future, and no hope.
On Christmas, we just try, like any other day, to make it through to the end of it. People talk about one day at a time. We talk about one minute at a time. It is very common for everyone I know to express the feeling that they wish they were dead. There is little stigma for articulating that. Because we all share it.
The America on TV or in the media is not one we know.
Many of the people who live around me have never been more than twenty-five miles away. They were born here. They live here. And they will die here. We believe in fate.
Many of our homes are warmed by wood. The main reason our children are removed from our homes by the State is because of lack of running water. The new year will be the old year and all the other years. There is much evidence that suggests there will be little change.
18
@Tim Barrus
How can we help?
Today is my beloved's birthday. I have been a widower since 2007. We had many tough years as there had been in 1990 a prognosis that death would come around 1993. After sobering up I asked G-d for more time, not many people have received a outright blessing that came to 14 years.
I understand now my mom's decision to be alone after my dad died in 1990 of brain and lung cancer. I am 69 years old and the last of both families. As such I can help but I have no idea how to.
Any advice on how to help?
Just an old man.
15
@Alecfinn
In this part of the country, we have a place called The Storehouse. At Christmas they have food boxes. If they didn't, there would be people near starvation because Trump has kicked so many of them off of the food stamp program, SNAP. I have no idea if the media covered much of that, but it was beyond cruelty. No warning. Just no more food. The Storehouse simply has food in the boxes and you don't have to prove anything to anyone.
I have used the Storehouse both ways. Receiving and giving. The boxes keep some people alive.
https://www.storehouseonline.org/
1
@Alecfinn I did try to leave the .org Internet address of a place down here that does feed people. I doubt NYT will publish it because it was a direct link. Check out storehouseonline as they have food boxes that feed a lot of people in the so-called holidays. I have both used and given to this charity. The food box is a godsend that goes a long way toward alleviating hunger with respect. Note respect. No one has to know you are eating from the food box. People need respect, too. Trump has taken away the SNAP food stamp program from people in Appalachia. This is beyond cruelty. Without food boxes an awful lot of people will be in those grocery store dumpsters.
1
There are 552,000 people in America who are homeless.
I receive many packaged food items - nuts, chocolate, popcorn - as gifts - from coworkers, from neighbors for Christmas.
I don't need or want these little gifts so I hand them out to the people on the streets of Denver who are homeless. I hope it helps a little to brighten their day.
11
There is an old saying: "When you give to the poor, you are called a saint. When you challenge the economic system that allows poverty, you are called a revolutionary. "
During this holiday season, we ought to do both. We ought to give to the poor and challenge an economic system that allows the kind of income inequality that produces poor people.
Jesus of Nazareth was a radical because he wanted an economic system that erased debt,(forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters) where people would give each other what they needed when they needed it. He advised a rich ruler to sell all he had and give it to the poor before following him. Had the young man had the faith to do this, he would have been part of the economy of his community in a new way.
There is an economic component to Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward humanity and all of creation.
18
You tell a crucial story at this time of year, when advertisements and marketing flood us with "things" we should have to fill our baskets and carts. So thank you for the reminder that not everyone -- past and present -- has the means to put the latest gadgets under the tree. (I hope the Times' story on L.A.'s homeless is widely read.)
As many here note, the economy our 'president' brags on is thriving for those who have already been thriving.
As Gandhi wrote, "Poverty is the worst form of violence." We have to work even harder to ensure that more people in our country -- and the world -- discover that peace is increasingly possible.
10
Charles, this personal story of yours is so affecting, and provides such a strong example that most poor people are working, and working very hard indeed, not only to provide for their families but to maintain their dignity and humanity as well.
15
"That is how I grew up: working a garden and chasing runaway hogs that rooted out of their pen. I grew up watching my mother make quilts so that we wouldn’t catch a chill from the winds that whistled through the drafty house. I grew up watching my mother clipping coupons and stretching two bags of groceries over two weeks."
This description is reminiscent of my childhood. My parents never thought of themselves or their family as being poor, we just had to work harder and be more resourceful of what we had to make ends meet.
I still have one of my mother's quilts and every winter it continues to keep that winter chill away.
This is probably one of my favorite articles by Mr. Blow because it addresses poverty while gently focusing on those less fortunate at Christmas.
Those struggling with poverty not only do so at Christmas and the holidays but all year round.
Food banks continue to be woefully under stocked throughout the year while the number of people needing food continues to increase at an alarming rate.
Going to bed hungry, especially for children, is something a person never forgets.
I agree that “. . . we’ve got to talk about poverty in this country.” Christmas is a good time and a logical time to remember those in need, but shouldn’t those who are in need be remembered thought then entire year rather than merely at Christmas?
18
@Marge Keller: No. The rest of the year the NY Times is obliged to give a partisan spin to every story, so that they can boost their Democratic Party friends into power.
My granddaughter and I are the struggling forgotten poor. I was better off when I worked. I got sick and am now on disability. A so-called "Fixed Income". It's not fixed it's broken, because I always seem to be broke. My Granddaughter said she feels sad, first time we aren't celebrating Christmas, I just didn't have it this year. She is a good kid. Good grades very respectable and smart. I never thought our lives would be like this. It hurts my heart.
18
A strong, world-class economy does not trap millions into generational poverty and dependence. Just look in the shadows of our large and small cities and you will find economic hopelessness and resignation.
11
It’s great to remember people at Christmas and thanksgiving but people need to eat all year long. They also need places to live. It’s a disgrace that in a country with so many billionaires there are millions of people with not enough to eat and no decent housing. And that children are suffering from dire poverty. How is it possible that school children are denied lunch because of so called school lunch debt? None of the candidates seriously discuss poverty and homelessness or even treat it as an issue to be addressed.
There’s no excuse for it. It’s shameful.
18
Nice column. And an important subject.
As many things as I would like to contribute to, my donations go to an organization that tries to respond to hunger. There are lots of people who do more than I am able to do, but I’m trying to make a difference. All year. Not just around the holidays. Any time I feel fortunate to have experienced something, I go to my online account with this organization and drop something into the communal bucket.
As long as trump is in the White House, the neediest people will be overlooked. He’s not capable of facing the issue because it isn’t and has never been a part of his, privileged life.
Vote him out! Sadly, we can’t rely on congress (the senate) to do its job.
16
Charles,
Thank you for sharing your story and for sharing an important reminder for this holiday season.
I've missed your voice in the NYT Opinion section. Hope this means you are working on a book.
M
11
Charles M. Blows compassion is always in his work.
Thank you Mr Blow for reminding us that Christmas is not about the shopping and material things, Christmas is about remembering that people are suffering and struggling. It's about wanting a better life for people who don't have what we may have. And caring enough to help. I think Charles will always treasure the memories of his mothers kindness and hard work more then anything that money can buy. Compassion is the greatest gift of all. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Charles M Blow and The New York Times. And Thank you.
11
While your message is great, you also miss an important point. Many, many people DO remember the poor on Christmas. Many groups from scouts to the women's group to churches make donations of gifts & cash. They also eagerly request time slots to throw parties at children's hospitals or VA hospitals. That's all wonderful, but often overwhelms those places until they have to turn some groups away (I experienced this excess both as a patient at a VA hospital and as a nurse in children's hospitals).
Please remind folks in March or June or September about the poor. Everyone is into the "spirit of the season/giving" this time of year, but in the coming months that spirit diminishes to a trickle. Remind us again then, please.
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@Anne-Marie Hislop
1000% in agreement.
4
@Anne-Marie Hislop. Amen
@Anne-Marie Hislop You missed the point.
Thanks for the reminder. It's something I do as a matter of course, planning for the end of the year when I can donate to the charities I like, those that help the poor and needy.
4
Thank you Charles for keeping those in need foremost in our mind during this holiday season. Whether it’s a random act of kindness or donating to your local food cupboard or helping to serve a meal to those in need, your kindness and humanity will warm your heat and renew your spirit. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year!
7
How sad that many of those who possess enormous financial wealth are emotionally poor when it comes to thinking of those who are truly in need.
'Tis always the season to break this cycle of poverty and inequality that is America.
11
The Scrooges among us will avow a rising tide lifts all boats forgetting at the same time a boat with its bottom blown out still will not float well and can carry no passengers. In this economy, the average income skews much higher than the median income reported by the BLS because of the distortions of inequality. And it's persons of color who most often take it on the chin as upward mobility has been and continues to be most often a fiction from the days to Horatio Alger stories.
We cannot salve our consciences by dropping a few dollars is a red kettle at holiday time and forget the poor in March or June or August. The poor are poor 24/7/365.
Shame on us.
25
During the Democratic debate on Thursday not one of the candidates would say that :
" It’s easy to forget those left behind in a strong economy"
Nice to see you admit the economy is strong.
Our church supports a very poor downtown church.
On Christmas Eve all offerings will go to help this poor church.
3
Charles Blow, your Mother was the epitome of the American dream. Hosannas to her for rising from poverty in a southern state, educating her children and providing food and human skills to teach you and your brothers the meaning of life. Half a loaf (a Hobson's choice of a husband) isn't better than no loaf, as so many divorced and widowed women know in their elderhood years today. Thank you for your Christmas paean to your blessed Mother. The poor are with us. They need education and skills and the caring that we the middle class in America can provide. May 2020 bring you and your family the prosperous American blessings that used to be the reason for our precious democracy
18
Thank you for your story. You were poor, but clearly rich in many ways...those times are revealed in every column you write, every
bit of courage you display in words others fear to express.
We need more reminders like yours to move our focus to what matters, where we can be of service, where we can make a difference. Small acts of kindness can be enormous to a small child. Merry Christmas and many blessings to you and yours.
35
Please stop saying how 'good' the economy is.
It is not
REAL unemployment has been over 20% since 2009. Workforce participation is at a decades long low and NOT because wages are so high that you don't need two incomes in a family now. Many families don't even have one full time job.
There have been countless stories about layoffs. JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley are cutting staff. JPM is moving whole departments to India. trucking companies are going bankrupt and leaving drivers stranded on the road. Navistar is laying people off. Retail Companies are going bankrupt.
The jobs that are being created are poorly paying 'gig' jobs that are little more than indentured servitude.
A lot of middle class families that used to help the poor in real and meaningful ways are having trouble getting by themselves these days.
The really wealthy, those that don't have such worries don't seem to do much for the poor - they donate to 'the arts' - organizations that have nice galas where they can mix with other rich people.
28
@cynicalskeptic - I am frustrated with poor reporting as the next person, but your characterization is not correct. "real unemployment" is best measured with the U-6 (including discouraged workers and others) vs U-3 *official unemployment is 6.9% (Nov '19) vs ~17% at peak. Participation rate is low but growing and one has to account for the aging of the population (middle age workers often dont want to work) and effects of opioid crisis which by one estimate accounted for as much as 20% of the decreased participation rate among men.
The economy is much, much better and no, it's not the wealthy preying on the poor. The growth in the job sector is not gig workers. There are 6M unfilled high paid job and about the same number of chronically out of work workers. We have a skills and education problem.
5
I was lucky enough to grow up in a lower-middle class family, with bargain basement clothes and hand-me-downs.
Sure, the kids made fun of my clothes, but they were envious because my Mom really knew how to shop and we would eat really, really cheap cuts of steak. Nobody else had steak.
I see that as a problem in our culture. People need to learn how to cook and eat cheap.
London Broil. Cheap, goes a long way, tasty.
7
@Pat
I think that poverty now is different than it was when I was a child (1950’s, fried ketchup sandwiches). For one, the cost of housing has risen faster than wages and the general cost of living for other things. For another, health care and health insurance take a very large piece of our incomes. Poverty is very isolating, back then and now. Many foods remain cheap, but steak isn’t one of them, at least where I shop.
1
The economy may be “strong” and unemployment” low, but for whom? Many Americans work several jobs and cannot even afford basic healthcare, just to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. The expression “the working poor” has never had more relevance than in the current “booming” economy. There are plenty of working poor here in France as well, but at least there is some semblance of a safety net and no one goes without healthcare.
The fact that there are 38.1 million Americans living in poverty in the richest country on earth is shameful and should be addressed by all politicians, and not just the Democrats.
37
Enjoyed reading the article, as it is the first article that did not bash Trump that I can remember--very refreshing. If Mr. Blow could write one article that does not mention Trump or race I believe the world would stand still for a moment--there is more to life than Trump and race/victim stories.
6
Sorry, we're not ignoring his destructive ignorance for your comfort. We're going to be talking about nothing else until the corrupt fool is out of office and safely away from our democracy.
We won't let you look away from the lies and cruelty. The spotlight will be trained on him until his end. His demagoguery is cemented in history forever.
2
Thank you Charles. It’s just a shame we need reminding. Blessings to you and yours this holiday season.
12
Good stuff.
I love reading everybody's views.
I've got family that died of heart attacks at age 48.
Good news is, I'm 57 now.
So, all borrowed time, I guess.
So much science, and space travel, about to happen.
Want to see as much as I can...
3
@Jeff
I certainly hope you do.
I cannot wait for the next space adventure, either.
Charles, I have maintained contact with an American professor who makes a strong case that America should come closer to having policies like those in Sweden that keep the percentage of impoverished small.
Policies are enacted that are based on SES status alone, not as you describe for America, with the best example of such policy being Universal Health care. All, whatever their place of birth or SES status, have access to first-rate medical care.
I have 18 years of experience with people who fit pretty well the groups you focus on, experience at the Red Cross where every week my colleagues and I meet with new asylum seekers and with large numbers of people, mostly young, who have been granted asylum. I have their signatures in notebooks – 1000 or more signatures - and I know a good deal about the experience of many of these people. I believe that some of them would have wound up in poverty were they in America but here thanks to financial support and universal health care they do not live in poverty or close to it.
Since the impoverished in America do not have equal access to health care, and since health care costs so much, I think implementation of Warren-Sanders UHC could be a first step toward reducing the number of those living in poverty.
Would you agree?
Take that step and add another later.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
11
@Larry Lundgren - To my fellow comment writers. The 1st version of this named the professor and the title of his/her brilliant. Book.
In a microsecond I got the now familiar message I'm red. Your submission cannot be saved try later.
I removed name and title and key words. Submitted and accepted instantly.
If you experience this would like to know Gmail at blog above.
2
Wonderful article and a wonderful mother!
15
Love, hope and promise shines through this tale of homes lost and homes found, like a single candle lit by an angel and placed in a country church window.
5
I've long thought that a nominal additional capital gains tax (say 1%) should be directly allocated to fund initiatives aimed at eradicating property.
People who make money simply by already having money should help reduce the burden on those struggling just to survive.
20
@JBC - You perhaps meant poverty?
Most people have stories of miserable childhood experiences. Mine was a common story, one of three children of a very unhappy marriage.
Even though Christmas may be a time of joy it often brings up memories of unpleasant childhood experiences.
I encourage everyone to concentrate on the positive aspects of the holidays and not allow the past to spoil your good time.
6
Although all she ever did in life was help others and was the epitome of charity, my mother on her death bed uttered these words:”I just wish I could’ve helped more people.” May we all remember the less fortunate all the time. Thank you, Mr. Blow, for this exquisite piece.
23
Mayor Pete has it right. 'Poor' is a word that politicians don't like to use.
But most of the gains in wealth in America over the last few decades have accrued to those who were already wealthy. Class mobility has stalled. I may be Canadian, but I know that the American Dream seems out of reach for many.
20
More than a few commenters have stated that finding work when you’re over 50 is beyond arduous. Ageism is the most difficult form of discrimination to prove. I know this first hand. The NYT wrote about this a few years ago.
My earlier post did not take ageism into account. Readers schooled me on it and rightly so.
Fellow readers over 55, my baby boomer sisters and brothers, what can we do about this? I’m retired, but my younger family members and friends will have to deal with ageism in the near future.
Any ideas?
Thank you.
7
Those with money.... Hire those over 50. As your babysitters, your house cleaners etc.
Thank you for this touching column. I am white and now upper-middle class, but I too grew up poor. Head start AFDC no electricity poor. My mom worked two jobs to put my dad through medical school. He cheated on her. She left him because it was not worth raising her daughter in that environment. I have a decent relationship with my dad now, but I respect my mom for that choice. But I remember being hungry. Not soul crushing hungry, but wanting to have more in my tummy at night, rumbly hungry. My husband died this year, and left me a woman who will always have enough to eat. I donated 4X as much as our usual donation to our local food bank in his name. Thank you for reminding me that there are real people feeling this pain.
32
Charles, this is a powerful column. Thank you for creating a mental picture of your wise, brave, generous mother and the enduring memories from your childhood. Stories such as yours help us learn empathy, if we are willing.
While growing up I spent summers with my (white) grandparents in Ruston, very near where you grew up, and on a farm in a nearby parish. I saw the poverty you and too many others endured. When I asked why the poor lived they way they did, the standard reply was "that's the way it is".
I encourage all who don't accept "that's the way it is" to work and vote to change our system, to donate to charities, individuals, churches where they see need, and help individuals who are not born with the strength of Charles' mother.
Charles' story is inspirational. And many born in poverty need help understanding how to make their way in this world. At Christmas, we are reminded that charity is needed throughout the year. That is the true reason for the season.
18
Thank you, Charles, for your endearing recollections of your family life and the strengths which sustained you. We are enrichened to know such testimony.
I was out with my daughter on a Thanksgiving morning when both we and a mother with her children "met" at a prominent intersection at the merge of the South Hills of Pittsburgh and some not-so-comfortable edge-of-the city communities. She seemed to be possibly not quite 30 and driving a U-Haul truck toward some destination. I believed she was moving her family on the only time she had to get it done. She seemed strong and determined. Many face "holidays" as just another day, both gray and dawning.
This was probably in the late '90s. The economy was supposed to have been good. But then as now the health of the economy usually means higher prices at the checkout and jobs are just indenturements when they don't provide any disposable income except deeper in debt.
And most of us are sharing with those in our extended families as we can, quietly as the Church teaches us modesty. But the loneliness of having no family is not a statistic that helps those without. If we cannot be generous at a holiday, perhaps another day can substitute as a holy day for someone dear who is in need. If the government will not do we will.
11
My grandfather died on December 17th, 1931 in Ireland, leaving behind a widow with 8 children ranging from ages 16 to 2. Minimal social services existed, so my father, the eldest boy, left school to work as did his next eldest brother. My grieving grandmother became a seamstress, taking sewing jobs into the family's two-bedroom house shared by all 9 people. Luckily, within a few years, my father got a union factory job, later left for England to get an engineering degree, and eventually emigrated to the U.S. Because of the strength of my grandmother and determination of my father, I have never known poverty or even economic distress. He always reminded me that no one should face such poverty, and all societies must have strong welfare programs supported by taxpayers in systems that close wealth gaps and respect the dignity of all work.
31
Thank you for sharing this important message at à spécial Time of thé year. Your story was both touching and Heart warming. You are so fortunate to have a mother so strong, determined and upright. À true North for out more compassion.
I rarely miss Reading your columns.
10
Our family has been blessed with material abundance, and for many years it has been our tradition to spend both time and money helping the poor people, especially children, in the Greater Cleveland area.
This activity occurs throughout the year, but particularly at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our grandchildren are now full participants in that tradition of giving.
Thank you, Charles M. Blow, for writing a beautiful column and reminding me as Christmas approaches that we can do more – much more.
18
This is a beautiful message, and all the more so for being understated. A low rate of unemployment does not, to put it mildly, represent an escape from poverty even for those working at two jobs.
The understatement is like a tap on the shoulder, something no one can ignore. The mind is going to stop, turn around, and see for itself.
12
Dear Mr. Blow, I'm a 74 year old guy--who feels like he's been around the block and would never be described as a sentimental type. I think that this is one of the most touching pieces I've ever read. Your recollections coupled with your call to be charitable and understanding towards poverty, are exquisite. I've groused about some of your columns in the past. I'm so glad I've continued to read your work. May I be more charitable and may others join me.
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Thank you, Charles, for this reminder that not everyone is benefitting from this strong economy. I also grew up poor and was raised by a single parent. My mother sacrificed so much to make sure that there was always food on the table. I am eternally grateful that there were resources available to help her provide for her children and keep a roof over our heads.
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My suggestions (not just Xmas, but all year round):
1. Buy $100 worth of $10 gift cards from Walmart. I hand them out to homeless families in the CO summer, when it's 100 degrees, as well as Dec., when it's sometimes zero.
2. Pay it forward. National Jewish Hospital saved my respiratory health, so every year I give them $15. Ditto my Honors English Program (undergrad) and Fellowship program (grad school). Support freedom of the press by subscribing to local newspapers/NPR.
Other great charities include: "First Book," which places a gift-wrapped book on a needy child's bed on Xmas morning. Many families are too poor to afford ANY books. If parents are illiterate (more than you might think), buy a picture book. Then parents can point to the pictures and make up a story.
If you value saving the Environment, The Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, and World Wildlife fund all support worthy causes. Habitat for Humanity helps build homes for the homeless.
3. Volunteer your time for an isolated senior. In my neighborhood, people who need help can sign up on , and others can pitch in.
4. Don't forget the needy after the Xmas holidays.
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The past 2 Christmases we’ve sponsored a needy family’s gifts. It gave me so much more joy buying presents for these families than my own children because I know how much more it means to them. They literally asked for diapers, cookware, coats, and shoes- all necessities- for Christmas presents. It broke my heart to read their wish lists. Last year we delivered the presents to the family. It was too much to bear for me. They lived in little more than a shack, there were space heaters in the shabby bare wood floors and everyone was wearing coats inside in December. I couldn’t bring myself to deliver the presents in person this year. Thank you for bringing attention to this dire issue Mr Blow.
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Stokely Carmichael taught us that empty stomachs are the first frontier to conquer. But we have indeed come a ways. And empty stomachas are less of a problem. I venture to guess that the need for pride has outstripped the need for charity. A warm and respectful conversation may have surpassed a warm and tasty meal.
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@michjas
Stokely Carmichael's breakfast program is not only still needed but it needs to be expanded to all daily meals for millions of children and their families. Food insecurity is still very much a big problem around the nation. What's more, the Trump administration is rejiggering the eligibility criteria for SNAP and up to 700,00 already food-insecure recipients will be dropped from the rolls early next year.
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@michjas Empty stomachs especially those of children in our country are still a profound problem. Children who are deprived of food are prevalent in our country now.
@Rima Regas I'm talking numbers here. Hunger is a menace. Addiction is an epidemic. Stokely Carmichael would have us work on both, but the greater priority is what plagues the most and the worst, and that is lost souls by far.
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The funny thing is we're all poor but a very lucky 20% of society. Everybody else has to scrape by. At the 20% percentile, you make $100,000 a year or have a household income of $100,000. The average cost to raise two children and pay for college and all other expenses until they're 22 is $100,000 a year. Most everyone else is in debt. So maybe not most New York Times readers, but 4/5 of people struggle to match unofficial inflation not counted in the CPI. And if anything interrupts this delicate balance, a health problem or unexpected expense, the interest eats them alive.
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I could live very well on that $100,000. The fact is, most people aren't making anywhere near that much money. People are living and struggling, holding multiple minimum wage jobs. And even people like me, with adequate salaries, find a huge portion of their salaries taxed, not to help the poor and give them a leg up, but to subsidize billionaires. I can't consider that a strong economy, but one that punishes the hard-working poor and rewards the overpaid rich who exploit their labor.
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@David Equating 6 figures and no figures is the height of oblivion.
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Truly Touching Charles. It touched me. I have never known poverty except as an adult where I was prepared and could take it. Fortunes do change and I am proof. So are you. But it's good to not forget the less fortunate in this season.
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Sweet story Charles. While your family was financially poor it was rich in ways that last far longer than money.
You have rich memories that didn't come with a price tag.
And yes, Christmas is a time to remember the poor as Jesus preached.
Thanks for sharing your family's heartwarming story.
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Appreciate you letting all out like this. It was not easy writing but I rarely see easy from you. All of us were raised in millions of unique circumstances. Sometimes worlds apart. The kind of worlds one needs to read about and ponder over. Try to convey wisdom when needed.
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When I was at my poorest, needing a divorce from an abusive alcoholic husband, Christmas was coming and my baby would be 6 months old. I put a couple of toys on layaway. I was able to make the final payment just before Christmas. Tomorrow I will visit Walmart to see if I can pay someone's layaway. Such work needs to be done, especially during this time of year when it is so stressful to be poor and responsible for children.
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@Sweetbetsy
The idea of paying someone's layaway is a very interesting one. I hadn't thought of doing that. Thank you for mentioning it.
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@Sweetbetsy what a wonderful idea. How do you make sure you are paying for someone truly needy and not someone profligate?
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@Groovygeek Ask the clerk help you figure out which one to help anonymously, leave it up to God to make sure you pay for the right person. Over 99% of people who put things on layaway, I would believe, given my one time experience of needing it for myself, really are in need of help. One time when it wasn't Christmas and I was at a checkout, a woman was buying a bunch of towels and asked to have them put on layaway. I asked her if I could just pay for them and she said yes. At least three happy people that day: the woman, me, and the clerk. I prefer giving directly to the poor when I can.
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My dad grew up in the depression and sometimes was lucky to receive an orange for Christmas. He made sure we never forget the poor at Christmas.
Thank you for the gift of this article Mr. Blow. The spirit of Christmas is alive and well. You have reminded me of how my dad believed in the gift of giving.
Every day we have an opportunity to make the valley lifted up, and the mountains of inequality made low for our fellow citizens.
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The economy is not strong.
Both the economy and stock market are in a credit fueled bubble. The "upward wealth redistribution" alias "deferred taxation (your kids will pay for it)" tax bill of December 2017 caused these two bubbles:
1) Heavy govt borrowing to offset the loss of tax revenues injects billions of borrowed money into the economy.
2) The corporate tax 'savings' was used for stock buybacks, not business investment and wages.
Revoking the Volcker rule re-enabled proprietary trading, the type of trading that caused the crash of 2008.
The US is rapidly heading for yet another GOP crash, not too unlike the crash of 2008.
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@oldBassGuy
Thank you for your comment. I would like to add that we cannot accurately count the number of homeless people in our country and therefore hundreds of thousands of our homeless are not reflected in our economic statistics.
The numbers are higher than the counts because many are unsheltered, and therefore all over the place, in areas such as woods, outskirts of cities, and on the streets and therefore constantly moving.
Natural disasters (California, etc) create more homeless folks. Our economy is not strong if our most vulnerable, who will also need great amounts of support in terms of housing, drug treatment, food stamps and Medicaid, as well as mental health services.
And, this does not include the huge number of people who are incarcerated or in state hospitals. When all of this is factored in we are kidding ourselves if we think the economy is booming!
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@oldBassGuy
All courtesy of Trump and the spineless Republicans in Congress.
They don't care about the future, just buying the next election.
We must "Vote Blue No Matter Who" so that we can start the process of cleaning up yet another Republican mess - domestically as well as internationally.
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@GreenSpirit Thank you so much for speaking of the reality of life for so many people in our country.
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Thanks, Charles Blow. Those of us who have should remember those with little or without, especially during this holiday season. Sad to see so much poverty, while there is so much thoughtless consumption.
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A wonderful opinion piece. Yes I was a child of the 1960's in Arizona who was on the edge but had opportunities with a single father (my mother died when I was 4) that worked hard in a grocery store to take care of me.
When he died when I was 18 social security helped me finish college. Never felt poor but I have benefitted from programs that eventually lead to grad school and wonderful career.
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@John
Unfortunately, one of Reagan’s “reforms” in the 1980s was to limit Social Security survivors’ benefits for children to those under 18 or 19 (depending on when a child finishes high school). Nowadays SS won’t help with college.
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I like Yang's one thousand dollars per month per American adult. It's perfect. Even handed and fair. But, what does it mean.
A grand per month for many, (like your family) it means everything.
For others like myself it means a few extra vacations per year, for the top few percent, it means very little.
Since it positively impacts the great, great majority of our citizenry, the money will circulate through the economy and may even pay for itself.
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@Anyoneoutthere?
check his policy closer -you get to chose between SS his
$1k then it isn't really fair.
@specs
No. It's stacked.
1
With trump and the greatest economy ever, how does he explain 55,000 female veterans homeless. Actually, how do we explain it to ourselves?
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In the NYC subway, it’s difficult to forget that a lot of people are one step away from becoming like the many homeless men and women who ride the trains to shelter from the cold. That’s how strong the economy is. The whiff of homelessness is present in more ways than one. In the short-term, helping with a small contribution to people in need is the thing to do. In the long-term, we need to defeat Trump.
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agreed. let's make poverty disappear. but the government is a big player in making that happen (health care, minimum wage, investment in public goods).
also, let's stop with this "strong economy" stuff. yeah, it's ok if you want a gig job - plenty of them out there, but a real, full time job with benefits...nah, ain't so great.
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Food banks. Energy bill write-offs. Rent assistance.
All good places to give (locally, where the overhead is lowest). Remember the elderly, the frail, the confused.
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What an inspirational story.
With the wealth in this country no one should have to worry about a roof over their head or food on the table
Thank you Mr. Blow for reminding us that these problems are needing to still be solved and our Government who sees fit to provide help to the Corporations and the wealthy do so with no thought given to the poor
Shame on those in Congress for voting the biggest tax savings for those who don’t need it, but will take Food Stamps away from those who need them.
Need I remind us who did this? I think they are called Republicans or heartless, your choice.
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If you aren’t directly in the line of creating or harvesting that wealth, you do not get to share in it. That is not to say that suffering shouldn’t be addressed but it should be the purview of voluntary charity not social engineering via government fiat. Charitable giving, while distorting the free market is perhaps the ultimate property right. To give as one chooses, in amounts desired to causes that are personal is something no one of means should be denied. But where each dollar goes should be decided by the individual who supplied it. If Jeff Bezos came to the decision to liquidate all his assets and donate the entire proceeds to the National Arbor Day Foundation with the expressed purpose of planting two oak trees in front of each and every address in America, then we should have oak trees by the hundreds of millions.
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@From Where I Sit
Can you explainen why All the wealthy, the Corporations, Foundations, Private schools, non-profits and Universities should be given bail out assistance and and tax loop holes so they can shelter income?
I do not think that it is social engineering to feed the hungry, house the homeless, educate children and take care of health care needs.
It is called humane. And the very least the wealthiest nation on earth can do for its citizens.
The tax code structure and the lack of a living wage from companies like Amazon have called caused this as well as the Congress of the United State
You sound like Scrooge
Bah Humbug
5
The rest of us who AREN'T billionaires are forced to part with a sizeable part of our income to subsidize tax evading billionaires like Bezos. If that isn't social engineering, what is? You and I have to support the excessive wealth of people who exploit other people, who are forced to go on public assistance. That sort of economy goes back to the Dark Ages, to feudal Europe. By the way, if you or I choose not to pay our taxes, the police state of Scamerica seizes everything we have and throws us on the streets.
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God bless you Charles and your family. Thank you for so very many meaningful and accurately delivered columns. Merry Christmas!
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Thanks Charles, for sharing stories of your childhood, it puts more meaning to the thoughtful op-ed you write every week. It is important to know that Christ was born in poverty. He never was rich and always broke bread with the poor. Instead of buying presents, Churches should make it mandatory to give to the poor, whoever they are. Unfortunately that is hardly the case.
I personally don't ask for present and when asked what presents I want, always tell friends and relatives to donate to whichever charity they please in my name (if they so choose).
Compassion for others, is hard to come by in this time of self glorification and indulgence but it is what makes us human and makes for a better future for all of us. Please give to the poor.
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@TheniD I do the same. I don’t need anything and there are so many who do. Next July, I will be getting married and my fiancé and I have told our guests to donate to their favorite charity in lieu of buying us a gift.
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A great uplifting message. But let's not forget that our current 'robust' economy is running on fumes, and that the current strength of the stock market has little impact on most of us. Wages have been stagnant for the majority of us for the past 30 years, while basic costs have increased dramatically. Career-path jobs with benefits are rapidly being replaced by contract and gig jobs. Wealth inequality is at record levels. The rich get richer and everybody else must work twice as hard to compete for the scraps leftover. Half of our citizens live paycheck to paycheck and don't have an extra $400 for an emergency. There's a cold wind blowing and the forecast calls for pain.
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I agree with you. But there is always this war between giving and saving particularly if one is not wealthy or is on the edge of poverty. There are an awful lot of people living outwardly prosperous lives while their finances are not healthy. We just don't know because they hide it behind the walls of their homes. We find out when they move out or a disaster strikes them in the form of an illness requiring medical care, suicide, divorce, or worse.
What I wish more columnists would mention is the role government can play in alleviating poverty, helping people to survive some of the misfortunes of life. Losing a job at or after the age of 50 shouldn't mean being unable to find another decent job or being forced into early retirement. Having cancer or diabetes or kidney disease or any number of other illnesses ought not be the end of one's savings.
Your mother was a strong woman. She showed you and your siblings how to survive. It took a lot of resilience for her to do that. My worry is that for a lot of us our resilience is being pushed to the snapping point. I'm not sure that any amount of kindness or charity will heal that sort of calamity. And yet, in spite of it all, we persevere.
12/22/2019 9:04pm first submit
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@hen3ry Such a passionate response. Thank you.
Here is a STUNNING fact about life in America: 40%-50% of all Americans could NOT handle an unexpected $400 financial emergency, such as an auto repair or a furnace malfunction. That is just amazing, and it has been found to be true for at least the last 5-8 years that researchers have been looking at this phenomenon. The American Dream, indeed.
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@Jankowski : I have often discussed this, and I am sure it is true….but do we know for a fact that 10 or 20 or 30 or 40 years ago….people DID have savings and $400 (or the equivalent adjusted for inflation)? or were they just as bad off in terms of living from paycheck to paycheck?
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@Jankowski our consumer economy does not encourage saving. When I was a child in the 1960s our local bank helped us set up savings accounts. Every Tuesday we'd bring our bankbooks and a dime. The teacher collected the bankbooks and the dime in the envelopes the bank provided. We got the satisfaction of seeing the totals grow each week. We learned about delayed gratification and that saving was important. In my opinion that is one of the most important things we learned as children: how to wait. Unfortunately that's not the way it is today.
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@Jankowski
Yes, it IS stunning. And the only reason I am not one of these people is that I have no children, drive a second hand car, and teach at three different institutions nearly every semester.
I don't know how families make it with the limited wage growth, and the expensive health care costs and rents we have these days!
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What a wonderful story and message. (Your mom’s a sweetie, too, which I think I commented to such on another column!)
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Charles, this is truly a beautiful piece. Your mother seems to be a wonderful, strong, caring, and loving woman, to all as well as her family. I know so many people, friends and acquaintances, who forgo giving presents to each other, their loved ones, and instead donate to charity not only within the community but also abroad. In fact, your colleague Nicholas Kristof every year during this Yuletide season writes a column informing us of what causes he will be supporting in underdeveloped countries. I do not want to bring this back to the self because it is not about me or you. But I must admit there is such a strong feeling of joy I feel within when I reach out. Just think how that happiness is multiplied exponentially by those who receive. Merry Christmas, Charles, and thank you.
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I "adopt" a family each year for Christmas. The kids write a little wish list that is sent to me, along with their ages and sizes. I get the fun of shopping and wrapping the presents. A third party delivers the gifts before Christmas.
Great for them, way great for me.
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I read the author's first book, "Fire Inside My Bones" about his upbringing in LA. So his retelling of how his mother raised him and his brothers was not new, except for the fact I'd forgotten his mother was also taking care of a great uncle who couldn't care for himself.
I agree it's so terribly easy to forget the plight of the poor, particularly when they seem to be perpetually out of sight. One would think in a nation as rich as America that poverty would be far less than the figures Charles cites, but I know it's true because of the way this booming economy simply hasn't lifted all boats.
The only people who claim to see nobility in poverty have never been poor themselves. Leave it to those who have known it to describe it with authority.
My wish for the New Year is that Christmas not be the only time of year the poor are remembered--because they need it more when nobody is seeing it.
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@ChristineMcM
Indeed, the poor should be remembered all year long and not just around Christmas.
Giving a 'gift' only during that holiday season won't help those who have to chose between putting food on the table or paying for medicaments someone in their family urgently needs. And we shouldn't forget the homeless either.
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@ChristineMcM
Hi Christine, thank you for your comment--I always appreciate your comments! It is so true that much poverty is unseen, and many suffer without hope or help and in ways or places we do not know of.
I would like to add that many of our poor are in plain sight. They are on our mass transit systems, where we shop, on our streets and under our bridges as unsheltered (and very difficult to accurately be counted) homeless, in our schools, our workplaces.
Natural disasters (California, etc.) have created more homeless folks. We have many hundreds of thousands of homeless in our country, many who will need massive amounts of support services.
All of us, including our government, and new sustainable energy, sustainable products and food, and sustainable manufacturing businesses creating jobs, need to care for our most vulnerable every day of the year...
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@GreenSpirit: I believe we develop filters, in order to not see what's right there in front of us, because to do so requires action or at least some response. People in need make us uncomfortable, particularly when the problem is so massive we realize that alone, our efforts are not likely to make things better. One thing I know we can do is to vote for candidates who make preserving and even expanding social services a priority. I also give to local shelters and organizations at my church--St. Vincent DePaul, our local food pantry. I've often read that if one knew how many availed themselves of food pantries in affluent areas such as Boston suburbs, we'd simply be appalled.
9
You know more about poverty than I ever will, but since I am working on article about LBJ's Great Society and many of its silent accomplishmnets, I will recount one snippet. Poverty in the US declined from 19.5% in 1964, the year LBJ introduced his war on poverty, to 11.5% by 1974. I am sure, like Trump, Nixon took a lot of credit for that decline which would not have started without LBJ's Great Society. Poverty began to rise under Nixon and has never been below 12% since Reagan was president. Reagan started the war on the War on Poverty which Trump triumphantly continues today.
At the University of Michigan in 1964 where LBJ introduced the Great Society he said something that is as true today as it was in 1964:
"Poverty must not be a bar to learning, and learning must offer an escape from poverty."
The US has not lived up to either of his hopes.
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The late Rita Jensen, founder of Women's eNews, told us about the support she received in the early 70s, when she was a mother fleeing an abusive spouse and pursuing an education. She would not receive those opportunities today. The USA is no longer a great society.
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@James Ricciardi
Actually, Nixon should be remembered for efforts to increase aid for the poor. He doesn't deserve the credit that LBJ gets, true, but he was a more decent person regarding the disadvantaged that any Republican after him.
And its probably because he grew up poor himself!
7
@Bryan No argument from me on that point.
2
I enjoyed the article. I have lived in Eastern Kentucky for nearly 9 years and have seen a lot of poverty. Without getting political there are some recurring themes that I see. Cigarettes, cash advances, and overdraft fees are contributing factors. People often do not have a working phone with a reliable number. Moreover poor people often do not have reliable transportation. Peace!
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@Mushroom Man
And Mitch McConnell would like to keep it that way, especaiily the lack of transportation to voting locations.
3
I liked the article, it was well written and had the right thought behind it,However, w/o patting himself on the back. author might quietly and discreetly help one family in great need himself, and perhaps make a trip to a local shelter to rescue a poor, abandoned animal who otherwise might not have a bright future and write about his altruistic gesture for the benefit of his readers.
4
@Alexander Harrison How do you know he didn't? Why would you assume that? It would have been contrary to the whole reason for the article!
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I’d not assume that he did not make a similar donation to a family or an organization this year, but instead the more likely assumption: that Mr. Blow builds this practice into his budget as a rule.
Most likely, not only at Christmastime, either. I’m picking up the envelope I should have sent off last week, with a check, to my rural South Carolina county organization that provides a good dinner, clothing, and shelter to at least some of those who will appreciate it. Am grateful for the reminder...
16
@Ambroisine: LET us hope that he has set the example for others,rescued a homeless pooch from ACA, sponsored a needy family from a "developing" country for green cards, translated his empathy for the helpless, down and out, victims of the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune "into concrete acts of altruism for helpless creatures, whether on 2 legs or 4:"ojalla!"In any case, it's a good article, excellently written.
I almost always disagree with Mr Blow's columns and his politics but this article resonates and strikes a cord. Mr Blow, you have travelled far in your life from humble beginnings and are a gifted writer as well. You are the embodiment of the American success story.
I don't think anyone, even the most partisan from either side, can disagree that helping the less fortunate, especially around Christmas time is a noble effort. Year round is better but starting now is positive.
I wonder who the first commentator will be that feels compelled to write some incendiary rather then just thanking Mr Blow for a helpful reminder?
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Amen. Great message, Mr. Blow.
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@Norville T. Johnstone
Oh, I think all kinds of people disagree. The ‘less fortunate’ as you call them are sitting in cages on the southern border.
@celia
The 'less fortunate' that I was thinking about where those similar to what Charles endured. Born here and disenfranchised from the start.
I don't care where they are more then I care about helping those that you can.
The world is a big place and there are more people suffering far worse in Central and South America, The Middle East and in Africa then those at our borders in detention centers.
1
I love Mayor Pete. I wish he was 47 instead of 37. Don’t get me wrong. I think he’s got what’s needed at 37, but I don’t know how many people are thinking like me. What a breath of fresh air he would be.
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@celia Well, he'll turn 38 next year and be 40 in his second year of office.
Get him in the Senate, or the Governorship, and he’ll be ready in 4 to 12 years. Can he win statewide in Indiana? He may need to move. Or the party could make him VP first. He has the goods, but the South doesn’t trust him yet.
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@celia I think he would make a terrific Vice President. Eight years of learning on the job would make him ready at 47.
1