Sam’s Perspective: The food Stamp Program

I’m Sam Jones. Parenting is not an easy job and certainly not one for the faint of heart. There
is so much one must pass on to a child that it sometimes seems overwhelming. Of course I’m talking about what we’ve already learned through our life lessons. At the same time, the little ones are learning a great deal on their own. If they cry we have to consider a feeding or a diaper change or a hug or all three. So they are teaching us as well. Along the way we take pictures and make notes hoping that years from now we’ll remember the early days. We hope as they get older they’ll make good choices. They don’t always and as parents we try to be there for them. We stand by them and help them grow and learn not to make the same mistake again. Some lessons are hard to learn. It goes with being
child and a parent.

Eventually things seem to smooth out somewhat and we can breath a little easier for a while. We try to teach them right from wrong. As they get older they learn that we are a nation of laws and to break the law is wrong. We try to teach them things that will help them avoid pain and injury. Also why you shouldn’t hurt others. That instead we should look for ways to help those in need,
because no matter what problems you’re having, there is always someone out there in worse shape and a helping hand is just the right thing to do.

Then along come computers and cell phones. Once again, we as parents have to step in. Here we are guides to the various mine fields that exist on the internet and through social media. They are taught that anything you say or do on social media will always be out there and to be very careful what you post, because once its done,… well,… its there for life. There is so much responsibility that goes with being a parent and, I might add, you are a parent for life, no matter what.

Then along comes a politician, a human wrecking ball without a hard hat because apparently there’s nothing he or she needs to protect, who throws a monkey wrench into all that child has been taught. And after you learn what that political type has done, you wonder just what parenting skills were involved in his or her childhood development.

With this in mind, dear Oklahoma parent, I direct your attention to the former Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Randy Brogdon who posted the following on the Republican Party’s facebook page: “The food Stamp Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proud to be distributing this year the greatest amount of free meals and food stamps ever, to 46-million people. Meanwhile, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, asks us “Please Do Not Feed the Animals.” Their stated reason for the policy is because “The animals will grow dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of themselves.”

Oklahoma Republican and Democratic lawmakers came together on this one and their outrage was loud and clear,… in essence, how can you link aid recipients to animals? Brogdon pulled the posting and sort of apologized, but the damage was already done.

Randy,… Randy,…Randy. Apparently you haven’t been in the trenches, you haven’t seen the needy up close and personal. I have and let me tell you ole buddy, yours is not the kind of help they need. Since you don’t know what’s really going on in Oklahoma, let me help you out. According to DHS, in June, over 600,000 people were in the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Of that number, over 350,000, “ are seniors, disabled or children.” Additionally, only a very small percentage, 2.1% are able bodied adults and are required to work. The program was never intended to be a person’s sole source of food, but to supplement it.

Randy, just a couple of more things,… First, poor people are not animals! Second, thanks to you, national criticism was dumped on Oklahoma again. Third, since you seem to lay claim to your party being the one Honest Abe was a corner stone of, tell me,… what do you suppose Abe would say about your comments? Better yet, and you gotta love this one,…what would Jesus say? Well sir, I can’t speak for him or anyone else, but this reporter has been to the very heart of the problem. I’ve seen it up close and personal and your approach is very sad and a personal slap in the face to every parent trying to instill “do the right thing” in their children. It also is a direct insult to the thousands of men and women fighting the good fight in the trenches of the war on poverty and never, ever asking for a ‘thank you’ or publicity.

Randy, let me close by quoting a few remarks from Franklin Roosevelt in a 1937 speech: “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much. It is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”

I’m Sam Jones and that’s my perspective.