Why is it offensive for Americans to be poor, but it is okay for everyone else?

Question

I have discovered that Americans do not like to acknowledge that there are many poor Americans in our country.
Illegal Immigrants that add to the poverty are allowed to be poor.
However, the American labor force has been forced to work for crap wages because of Illegal Immigrants, and for the 12 million Illegal Immigrants there is at least that many hard working Americans in this country starving.
I would just like to know why, and should I become an illegal in America so that I can reap the benefits they do?

Answer 1

It seems like most Americans like to ignore that which is unpleasant. If it's not in their backyards, then they pretend it's not happening. That passivity is what got us a moron in office and has basically screwed up our country.

Answer 2

First of all, there are varying levels of "poor" in our country. Some people that can afford multiple TVs will be considered poor, and sometimes it's homeless people with no health care that are considered poor. If somebody's definition of "poor," includes too many luxuries, then they will assume that there are no truly destitute people. Why are the truly desitute, poor people ignored? It's an inconvenient truth, because we are the richest nation in America. It's easier to ignore it, or to blame the poor people for their lot in life. While some people may get ahead in America, I think mostly the "American dream" of rising from rags to riches is a lie. Those who are rich remain rich, and those who are poor remain poor, most of the time. We rely on exceptions to this rule like fools rely on the lottery for income.

Additionally, I think it's rather a myth that illegal aliens are doing wonderful in America. After all, the arguments I have heard are that Mexicans do the jobs that Americans don't want to do, and they take jobs for much less money. Does that sound like the kind of life that you would like to have? I don't know why we pretend that we are doing the Mexicans a favor by living here. They are just doing what it takes to survive, and corporations are taking advantage of both Mexicans and Americans in the process.

Answer 3

But you wouldn't take them unless your children would otherwise be destitute. While there are exceptions, Americans on the whole consider going on public dole programs to be shameful. Otherwise there would be much greater use, much less abuse, of these programs, and they wouldn't be able to provide as high benefits as they do for those who use them.

On the other hand, immigrants and particularly illegal immigrants have a much higher statistical use of these public programs.

The many programs specifically designed to benefit illegals, like the Dream Act contained in the Senate immigration bill and already passed by the House Judiciary Committee (to pave the way for federal tuition funding and in state tuition for illegals) is only one sort of magnet that draws further illegal immigrants here. They also disproportionately use welfare, childbirth and other health care funding for indigents, etc. That is beyond the huge impact they have on subsidized education in this country. Possibly this is a cultural difference where they think that if it is paid for by the government it is 'free'. I don't know, but the difference in per capita use of public programs by illegals is a statistical fact.

Answer 4

I don't mean to sound stereotypical, but my guess is that us Americans are too stuborn to admit that "we're in need"...We've built our image over the years and have become one of the world's strongest and wealthiest (if not THE strongest and wealthiest) nations, so it is hard for us to admit that we are "struggling", mainly because we do not want to seem "weak"

But what really kills us is the fact that we only let the world see what we want them to see...in other words, we only show the good things about living in the US and leave the bad stuff out, which is why there are so many illegal immigrants...they look at us & think that it's all fun and games, when in reality we all struggle to achieve what we have, some harder than than others and some more successfully than others...

Answer 5

Americans rich, poor or starving are all Americans and most other countries don't care about Americans. They assume all Americans are rich, those traveling the world anyway. That's why Americans always get asked for money, we give so much to other countries, foreigners assume we are there "just to drop off some more money".
But we need to continue helping other countries and take care of our own poverty problems. We can't expect any other country to feel bad for homeless Americans, especially when some cheer the deaths of 9/11.
I'm confused as to the effectivness of our "help". I don't see any end to giving away US $$$, except for Israel. They are the only country with a 10yr plan to gradually ween off US aid. We should solve some domestic problems with that cash, not waste it on bandaids.

Answer 6

I'm working and a poor American with 5 daughters. No shame or offense here. Just the way it is. My political affiliation is Independent. The Benefits of allowing them to become legals is it will benefit the economy by keeping inflation down. my problem with it is the schooling situation. American children are suffering because curriculum's must be changed to accommodate the illegals. If we would quit spending billions on fighting marijuana and divert it to education we could accommodate all and benefit from this dilemma.

Answer 7

You know, oddly enough I learned from watchin Law & Order, that people only have those rights they can defend.

I have seen how organized and well taken care of with illegal immigrants, and how another war for independance is inevitable. They have over half a dozen SIG's and at least one union, the UFW, and MECHA and La Raza and stuff like that.

They are defending their rights to colonize and take states back to Mexico just fine while most of America doesn't know or care.

What can we do to defend our rights and not shame our boys around the world serving our country that when they get back they and their children will have a fair equal shot at the American Dream?

Where I am, for each job that I qualify for there are 40 qualified people to do that job. What happens when this reaches over 100, 200, or 300 for my skills and yours? Is that a fair and equal shot?

What can we do to fight four OUR rights for what we already have but are in real danger of losing it all, and that's no exaggeration!

If they can organize against us, we can organize to protect ourselves and be organized against them. Form civil organizations, get the ball rolling, write to your leaders in droves at congress.org, which I am finally glad to say what I am talking about is in plain sight on Congress's offical web page.

IF YOU WANT TO SAVE YOUR FUTURE YOU MUST PROTECT IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE GETTING IT.

That's not racist, that's a statement against colonization and loseing states to weaken us and preventing legal overpopulation where it's believed life is only fair if no one has a job.

We may not win until everybody wins, but we will sure lose while everybody else wins.

Ponco Villa Rides Again...this time with the Border Patrol and the Minutemen at his back...

Answer 8

On a day like today, maybe it does suck to be a citizen. Good luck pretending to be illegal.

Answer 9

My grandparents used to say:
Why are you poor ? Because you're stupid.
Why are you stupid? Because you're poor.
Our country is giving everybody a chance to have a good life.
Starving in America ? You are kidding me. You have to choose to be poor by not working.

Answer 10

LOL if an illegal beat you on a job interview you deserve what you got. LMFAO!