A new poll finds most U.S. adults think personal choices are a major driver of poverty and homelessness, while fewer blame a lack of government support.
I do volunteer work for homeless outreaches and yeah I’m totally sure the women who are homeless right now due to escaping domestic abuse it was totally an “individual choice” to get their faces beat in on a daily basis. The kids who are homeless because their parents abandoned them for being LGBTQ+ - totally an individual choice on their part. The military vets who are homeless because their country ditched to the curb, yup that’s an individual choice because they decided to serve their country and then their country said “get lost”. The ones who end up on the streets because they couldn’t get treatment or help for their mental illness. Why that was an individual choice to go mentally ill in the first place! The Elderly who can no longer afford to pay the constantly increasing rents on whatever fixed income they have, totally an individual choice to not some how make more money at the age of 80+.
I know the bootstrap people. I’ve been around them my whole life. What you’re saying wouldn’t even register with them.
Domestic abuse? You should have made a better choice in partner or chosen to leave sooner.
LBGTQ? Well, honestly, there are a lot of people who believe that’s a choice in and of itself, but even more believe that kids can/should just keep it to themselves and “act normal” while under their parents’ roof.
Military vets? They believe that the military trains you for civilian jobs and gives you lots of additional opportunities, including putting you ahead of others when it comes to employment, so if you chose to be lazy afterwards or chose to become a drug user, that’s your choice.
Mental illness? They honestly believe in the “cheer up” mentality, i.e. if you’re depressed just cheer up. So, that’s all a choice as well. If you’re an addict, just stop using drugs. If you’re schizophrenic, just take the medicines you’re supposed to. Etc.
Elderly? Why didn’t they save when they were younger? Why don’t they go get a job as a Walmart greeter? Why live some place so expensive? Literally, those are the types of questions you’ll get, but I will say honestly, this is the group that tends to get the most sympathy from the personal responsibility crowd.
Of course, you and I know these issues don’t boil down to a simple choice, but what I’m pointing out is that others don’t see it that way.
“Until it happens to them”
I do volunteer work for homeless outreaches and yeah I’m totally sure the women who are homeless right now due to escaping domestic abuse it was totally an “individual choice” to get their faces beat in on a daily basis. The kids who are homeless because their parents abandoned them for being LGBTQ+ - totally an individual choice on their part. The military vets who are homeless because their country ditched to the curb, yup that’s an individual choice because they decided to serve their country and then their country said “get lost”. The ones who end up on the streets because they couldn’t get treatment or help for their mental illness. Why that was an individual choice to go mentally ill in the first place! The Elderly who can no longer afford to pay the constantly increasing rents on whatever fixed income they have, totally an individual choice to not some how make more money at the age of 80+.
I know the bootstrap people. I’ve been around them my whole life. What you’re saying wouldn’t even register with them.
Domestic abuse? You should have made a better choice in partner or chosen to leave sooner. LBGTQ? Well, honestly, there are a lot of people who believe that’s a choice in and of itself, but even more believe that kids can/should just keep it to themselves and “act normal” while under their parents’ roof. Military vets? They believe that the military trains you for civilian jobs and gives you lots of additional opportunities, including putting you ahead of others when it comes to employment, so if you chose to be lazy afterwards or chose to become a drug user, that’s your choice. Mental illness? They honestly believe in the “cheer up” mentality, i.e. if you’re depressed just cheer up. So, that’s all a choice as well. If you’re an addict, just stop using drugs. If you’re schizophrenic, just take the medicines you’re supposed to. Etc. Elderly? Why didn’t they save when they were younger? Why don’t they go get a job as a Walmart greeter? Why live some place so expensive? Literally, those are the types of questions you’ll get, but I will say honestly, this is the group that tends to get the most sympathy from the personal responsibility crowd.
Of course, you and I know these issues don’t boil down to a simple choice, but what I’m pointing out is that others don’t see it that way.