Over a year ago, I moved to the poorest neighborhood in my city. It is also one of the most Violent in the nation. I did this because my convictions led me to quit reading about the cycle of poverty and actually experience it.
I am a young, Middle Class, white male, living in a neighborhood of 90% African American, 7% Latino and 3% other. The poverty rate is well over 50%. I have had my share of persecution . . . which isn't important to the point of this thread.
This Is what I know.
Poverty here is the result of lack of education. This is not to say a lack of motivation or work ethic.
Unbelievably enough, my citys public schools have lost their accredidation. This has created a "Whats the point" attitude for most kids pursuing graduation; that is those who even go to school. I befriended a family and ended up driving the kids to school almost daily because the parents slept in until about 2 in the afternoon. Before you jump all over the parents, they did this because they had to work late, late nights to support the family.
Plus, even if the kids graduate from an accredited high school, no way can they ever afford College. So what IS the point?
Lack of education also contributes to a lack of financial understanding and therefore a lack of responsible financial management. Why save money when you can afford the TV today? In all honesty, someone may shoot you tomorrow, so why wait to pamper yourself? People in this poor neighborhood just have no idea how to handle finances . . . its not a lack of responsibility, its a lack of knowledge, plain and simple.
Neighborhood businesses perpetuate the cycle of poverty. Places such as Rent-a-centers and Payday Loans prey on the uneducated. Banks are not within miles of this neighborhood so then they don't have to loan to people within. The local grocery store charges 2-3 times the amount for the same item in a suburban neighborhood, knowing that people don't have adequate transportation to cheaper markets. Most businesses are owned by rich, white suburban dwellers.
If you're from this neighborhood and really, really want to work for a decent wage, its almost impossible. Transportation to a decent job is unavailable and almost no jobs exist within the neighborhood.. Even if it was available, lack of education would present itself in the interview and you would always be passed up.
Racism is alive and well. The staunch racism of past decades have built cycles that still exist. Whether or not there is still any persecution, or even if minorities are viewed the same as Caucasian Americans, Our racist ancestors put into place systems that still continue to exist such as the geography of cities, access to resources such as libraries and public facilities, and a ruined educations system (as seen by loss of accredidation of city schools, which matter little to the more privileged who can send their kids to charter schools or flee to the suburbs).
The rampant drug problem is a result of this reality. If you want to make money, what option do you have? Sell drugs. If you want to escape this reality, what real option do you have? Take drugs. You come from a broken home and receive no love . . . join a gang who functions more as a real family than your family ever did. Nobody loves you . . . become a prostitute of a pimp who tells you how much he loves you, if only you do him this favor . . .
Poverty in this country is very much a cycle. And after a year of living here, I am convinced Almost all middle to upper class people have a complete misunderstanding of the situation. This has nothing to do with laziness, savagery, or irresponsibility. It has everything to do with lack of education.
Forgive any misspellings, incoherency, ramblings or lack of details; Frankly, there is so much to say on the issue, I have only scratched the surface. I have no energy to edit this, so do what you will with it.