Thursday, May 20, 2004

Conjuring Up Poverty

This morning, the Washington Post has a longish article on poverty titled “The Hard Times Never Left." The article portends to chronicle the hard times in the panhandle of Maryland, commencing with Lyndon Johnson’s visit, forty years ago, when the “war” on poverty was launched.

While thinking about this, I wondered if individuals reading the article understand what living in poverty actually means.  Merriam-Webster defines poverty, primarily, as "1 a : the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions." A fairly broad definition, if you ask me, and, rather vague, also, when you consider the definition includes “...a usual socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions.” Whatever that means.

When I think of poverty, I recall some of my wanderings through the Philippines.  Individuals living in shacks made from hammered flat tin cans, with no bathrooms, running water, or electricity.  I recall the looks of young kids, who, when I would reach into my extra large backpack and pull out an orange, or an apple, and drop it into their outstretched hands, would run off holding the orange or apple, like a trophy, proudly displaying the fruit to whomever was wandering in the street, and pointing back at me as if I was a god, or Santa Claus.  I recall young women, who, not wanting to work in a local brothel, would stand in dugout canoes in the Olongapo River, which we called the Shit River because of the flowing raw sewage within, begging for coins, and sailors throwing coins to them, and into the river itself, and young boys diving into Shit River to retreive the coins, peso coins, even centavo coins, because that was how they lived.  As scroungers.  In poverty.

Then I thought about the definition of poverty, provided above, and that portion of the definition of poverty dealing with what is socially acceptable as poverty.  As I considered that definition, I thought of areas here locally in Grand Rapids, Michigan where supposed poverty exists, at least according to the media.  Areas I drive through almost everyday.  Similar areas that you may drive through everyday in your neck of the woods.  What I see in this supposed underpriviliged area, an alleged area of poverty, is individuals living in rather shabby homes, with electricity, running water, telephones, satellite dishes, two or three run down cars, wearing the newest $150.00 dollar sneakers, and cell phones dangling from belts.

Is that, now, the socially acceptable definition of poverty?

Posted by John Venlet on 05/20 at 06:07 AM
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