The Poor, the Near Poor and You
is the title of this lead editorial in today's New York Times. As we give thanks for our blessings today, I thought it worthwhile to call this to your attention.
Here's the opening paragraph:
What is it like to be poor? Thankfully, most Americans do not know, at least not firsthand. And times are tough for the middle class. But everyone needs to recognize a chilling reality: One in three Americans — 100 million people — is either poor or perilously close to it.
People here will probably know much of the data cited, and like the author(s) of the editorial will know how ridiculous the criticisms by Heritage of how the data is calculate are. As the editorial notes
The rankings ignore the fact that many of these are requisites of modern life and that things
Thanks
in no particular order, for
- the students who each day give my life meaning
- the parents who entrust me with their children
- the benefits I received from an excellent free public education
- National Music Camp in Interlochen, where I learned I could be both a musician and an athlete
- Haverford College, which admitted me, then twice readmitted me, letting me grow up and find myself
- Sylvia and Louis Bernstein, my parents, who gave of themselves so that I could do things like music, Interlochen, and more
- this electronic community, which enabled me to develop my voice, and which has sustained me at times when I was shattered
- teachers and professors like Thomas Rock, John Davison, William Reese, Linda Poole, and others, who saw value in me even when I didn't
- Marion White-Hood, Doc, who gave me leadership positions when I was still a beginning teacher
- Leaves on the Current, now 37 years together, almost 26 of marriage, who still will tell me she loves me, especially when I am down or depressed
- Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Sibelius, Dvorak, so many wonderful composers whose music has brightened my
