tallmike wrote:
Can a kid coming from a poor uneducated family make his life turn out great? Absolutely, but it is much harder and far less likely than if your parents were Harvard graduates.
Can you honestly tell me that a single mom HS dropout, who works for $8 per hour, lives in an inner city hotel where she raises 3 kids can provide her kids with the same opportunities in life that a doctor mom and lawyer dad making $400k per year would be able to provide for their kids?
I'm certainly not saying that government charity is the best answer, but its part of the answer. If you were having a conversation about this with Jesus do you think you would be able to convince him that he should be against paying an extra 3-5% income tax next year?
Wealth and privilege carries its own burden. The news is rife with the tragic lives of the offspring of the rich and privileged; J Paul Getty, Kennedy, Hunts, the son of Nicholas Cage, and most recently, allegations of Sage Stallone being a big time drug dealer. Being born into wealth often robs the child of motivation, drive, resourcefulness, and hunger for a achievement. Born into poverty often nurtures such traits. There is no distinction between bad choices made by social class. Lack of resources does not negate character.
America is about its people being free to make their own choices and, being allowed to reap the consequences; either good or bad.
I bear no responsibility for the choices the Gettys or Kennedys made, and I certainly dont "the single mom HS dropout who works for $8. per hour". She made choices that I can bet didnt include being a responsible or serious student. Since the early days of man there has been inequality and regardless of the dreams of the foolish, our world will never be a utopia.
I dont have a problem with helping those who I personally determine are worthy; I call it helping those who help themselves; but I am being denied the right to determine who those people are.
The people who should have have had conversations with Jesus are the very ones who decided to live a life differently than what he advocated. I dont know about your Jesus, but my Jesus tells me not to waste my time on certain people. He also tells me that I shouldnt buy parasites a new LED flat screen television. If you believe in his teachings you will know that he says those who dance have to pay the fiddler; and that is an individual debt.