Still Blaming

I (Larry) had an interesting conversation with our 13 yr. old son, Jordan, last night. We continued to discuss why Kathy and I have chosen to do the challenge. He talked of how one of his teachers said that people on social assistance use their money to buy alcohol...I almost lost it. Not at him, but at the fact that there continues to be a stigma (aka. stereotype, prejudice) against those on social assistance. The implication was those that need to go to a food bank and/or soup kitchen is because they spend their money foolishly, and therefore need the social safety net to make up for their mistakes. We corrected his teachers ignorance (and dare I say arrogance) of what was assumed...and yet we are not surprised.
William Ryan wrote in "Blaming the Victim"(1971) wrote of how often the poor end up getting blamed for their condition. Isn't that what happens when teacher's commments like this are made, implying that people are poor because they drink (and/or use substances)? It becomes a very easy answer to a very complex situation. It becomes one more way of knocking those who are powerless down. As I have read others posts I am reminded of how asking others for help is a ding on a person's sense of self-respect and their dignity.