my thoughts on poverty

dear friends i wrote and re wrote a piece on poverty but i felt a pinch in my heart like it was not enough. then today(15) being my birthday. i found it to be a bit of hypocrisy to participate in my own celebration...

I am not sure what to write. i have read so much today, learned so much about the world and about the conditions here in the Us. I live in the smallest state in the the country yet it has the highest poverty rate of all the states.

I have had the opportunity to travel to many places around the world- where poverty could not be ignored, but has.

I want to change so much, in my life. As an environmental designer, my job is to reduce waste....but my focus is that one day you can not have something labeled organic that is not also labeled fair-trade and that something that is labeled Vegan without it being labeled fair-trade...

I also believe that poverty is because some people choose to take more than they need, a bigger piece of the pie- that profit margins have become so disjointed with morals as we have witnessed in the us state of affairs that small majority of people have decided to risk everything. in a century were the last few presidents could have made a world of difference in Education, Healthcare and Hunger here and around the world have failed . I have trouble understanding why with all the resources that we speak about how is that there is more poverty in this country today, how the planet is suffering more today, that genocide still takes place TODAY in a world where it has been said "never again" where children die from starvation, where people die from the lack of simple over the counter medications....

I would also would like to address minimum wages for agricultural workers- and say how dare you mr.and mrs government think that that is acceptable in fact i question minimum wages across the us- should it not at-least help secure a safe place to live, food on the table, education, and health care- shame on us that believe that third world wages are not practiced here.

I completely believe that communication and education is the answer here in reducing poverty as many of you have posted about- but i am beginning to think that education for those who make the decisions is a must. have them bring home a $143 dollars check for working forty hours of labor in states such as mississippi or alabama....and then let them lead in-the changes that would end poverty here and there and everywhere...

i thank you for allowing me to write this post.

please if you have a minute read the comments left on the previous post and visit those who commented for they have
wonderful insight.

part of blog action day