Poverty In America

In America today, many people are homeless, starving, and on the brink of death because of the shortness of basic material needs. 

(the following comes from worldhunger.org)

2010--> Approximately one in seven homes, were food insecure

      -->46.9 million people were in poverty

      --> the poverty rate was 15.1 %

      -->poverty rate for Hispanics was 26.6 percent, for Blacks 27.4 percent. 

     --> poverty rate increased for children under age 18

20.5 million Americans live in extreme poverty. This means their family’s cash income is less than half of the poverty line, or about $10,000 a year for a family of four

49.9 million people or 16.3 percent of the American people, do not have medical insurance 

The National Coalition for the Homeless website gives the following information:




"In most cases, homelessness is a temporary circumstance -- not a permanent condition."


Most studies of the actual number of homeless people are limited to counting people who are in shelters or on the streets, making the number inaccurate.


"A recent study conducted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that 12 of the 23 cities surveyed had to turn people in need of shelter away due to a lack of capacity."


"On an average night in the 23 cities surveyed, 94 percent of people living on the streets were single adults, 4 percent were part of families and 2 percent were unaccompanied minors.  Seventy percent of those in emergency shelters were single adults, 29 percent were part of families and 1 percent were unaccompanied minors.  Of those in transitional housing, 43 percent were single adults, 56 percent were part of families, and 1 percent were unaccompanied minors.  Those who occupied permanent supportive housing were 60 percent single adults, 39.5 percent were part of families, and .5 percent were unaccompanied minors (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2008)."


"The average length of stay in emergency shelter was 69 days for single men, 51 days for single women, and 70 days for families.  For those staying in transitional housing, the average stay for single men was 175 days, 196 days for single women, and 223 days for families.  Permanent supportive housing had the longest average stay, with 556 days for single men, 571 days for single women, and 604 days for women (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2008)."


"The homeless population is estimated to be 42 percent African-American, 39 percent white, 13 percent Hispanic, 4 percent Native American and 2 percent Asian, although it varies widely depending on the part of the country. An average of 26 percent of homeless people are considered mentally ill, while 13 percent of homeless individuals were physically disabled (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2008). Nineteen percent of single homeless people are victims of domestic violence while 13 percent are veterans and 2 percent are HIV positive.  Nineteen percent of homeless people are employed (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2008)."

What can you do to help?

Currently, my service project group is volunteering there to help cook and serve the homeless, poor, and hungry. We haven't been there yet, but I am sure that it will be a rewarding experience. Do the same thing as us! Volunteer! Donate Food, Money, and Time! Nothing can help them more then to actually get involved. Start a blog, tweet, raise awareness. The Homeless people need help.

Reaction to Trayvon Martin

We all know about the tragic and untimely death of Trayvon Martin. But, I am sure that not everyone is doing their part in solving this issue. Here are some examples of people who were moved by the murder of this innocent young man. 

"The crowds on Granby Street held the symbolic snacks, 

along with homemade signs and t-shirts,

 chanting "No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!" 

Many children wore shirts that read 'I am Trayvon Martin.'

 and mothers held signs that said 'Trayvon Martin is my son.'" (Source)

Hundreds lined up on Virginia Beach Boulevard to take part in the

 "Hoods Up Rally" in demonstration of the killing of Trayvon Martin. (Source MUST WATCH VIDEO!)

Supporters gathered on Northwest 8th Street for the 

"Hood Up for Trayvon" event to remember Martin and continue the nationwide 

outcry for Zimmerman to be arrested and charged.

Many of the participants dressed in hoodies and carried Skittles and Iced Tea,

 which Trayvon was carrying the night he was killed.

 "He took his life for a reason," said Big Mama to the crowd. 

"And whatever his reason is, it's going to come to justice but the community must come together.

 Lets do this. Amen?"

Read more: http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21007032429723/big-mama-local-community-rallies-for-trayvon-martin/#ixzz1qEVguK4J 

You can help the cause,too. Spread the word! Try to hold walk, with your hoods up! Anything you can do to spread awareness will help get justice for Trayvon! Don't hold back & don't give up, and Zimmerman will be punished for his terrible crime. 

Trayvon Martin

A 17 year old boy named Trayvon Martin was killed last month

All he was carrying was a bag of Skittles, a Tea Drink, and his phone.

The killer, George Zimmerman, said he looked suspicious, followed him and confronted him. 

A shot was fired.

Shot in the chest, Trayvon laid face down on the sidewalk, dead.

CNN reported on this issue with a video containing 911 calls and an interview with the father.  (<click to watch)

"I think that's an issue that Mr. Zimmerman himself considers as someone suspicious -- a black kid with a hoodie on, jeans, tennis shoes," Martin said. "Thousands of people wear that outfit every day, so what was so suspicious about Trayvon that Zimmerman felt as though he had to confront him?"

Zimmerman actually chose to not listen to the operator on the 911 call. He was advised not to approach Trayvon. The operator asked him if he was following Trayvon. Zimmerman said yes. 


Another call was from a woman inside of her house, to afraid to leave because of the yelling going on outside. She said, and you can hear, that someone was yelling help multiple times (believed to be Trayvon) before a single and deadly gun shot was heard. 

"It's heartwrenching, because those actually were my son's last words," he said.

 "And to hear his last words being cries of help, is devastating. 

It tears me apart as a father." 

Trayvon Martin                 George Zimmerman

thegrio.com gave the follow list of facts that people should know about this case:

1. Zimmerman called the police to report Martin's "suspicious" behavior, which he described as "just walking around looking about."

Zimmerman was in his car when he saw Martin walking on the street. He called the police and said: "There's a real suspicious guy. This guy looks like he's up to no good, on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around looking about... These a**holes always get away" [Orlando Sentinel]

2. Zimmerman pursued Martin against the explicit instructions of the police dispatcher:

Dispatcher: "Are you following him?"
Zimmerman: "Yeah"
Dispatcher: "OK, we don't need you to do that."

[Orlando Sentinel]

3. Prior to the release of the 911 tapes, Zimmerman's father released a statement claiming "[a]t no time did George follow or confront Mr. Martin." [Sun Sentinel]

4. Zimmerman was carrying a a 9 millimeter handgun. Martin was carrying a bag of Skittles and a can of iced tea. [ABC News]

5. Martin weighed 140 pounds. Zimmerman weighs 250 pounds. [Orlando Sentinel; WDBO]

6. Martin's English teacher described him as "as an A and B student who majored in cheerfulness." [Orlando Sentinel]

7. Martin had no criminal record. [New York Times]

8. Zimmerman "was charged in July 2005 with resisting arrest with violence and battery on an officer. The charges appear to have been dropped." [Huffington Post]

9. Zimmerman called the police 46 times since Jan. 1, 2011. [Miami Herald]

10. According to neighbors, Zimmerman was "fixated on crime and focused on young, black males." [Miami Herald]

11. Zimmerman "had been the subject of complaints by neighbors in his gated community for aggressive tactics" [Huffington Post]

12. A police officer "corrected" a key witness. "The officer told the witness, a long-time teacher, it was Zimmerman who cried for help, said the witness. ABC News has spoken to the teacher and she confirmed that the officer corrected her when she said she heard the teenager shout for help." [ABC News]

13. Three witnesses say they heard a boy cry for help before a shot was fired. "Three witnesses contacted by The Miami Herald say they saw or heard the moments before and after the Miami Gardens teenager's killing. All three said they heard the last howl for help from a despondent boy." [Miami Herald]

14. The officer in charge of the crime scene also received criticism in 2010 when he initially failed to arrest a lieutenant's son who was videotaped attacking a homeless black man. [New York Times]

15. The police did not test Zimmerman for drugs or alcohol. A law enforcement expert told ABCthat Zimmerman sounds intoxicated on the 911 tapes. Drug and alcohol testing is "standard procedure in most homicide investigations." [ABC News]

The Martin case had been turned over to the Seminole County State Attorney's Office. Martin's family has asked for the FBI to investigate.

This whole thing is just really screwed up. How can it be possible for the police to let Zimmerman be free, no drug or alcohol test, no holding for interrogation, no punishment at all? There is a dead 17 year old boy, with no justice given to him. And there is a 26 year old murderer, comfortably living at home, as if nothing happened. How can this be okay, in any way? No mater how you look at it, it is wrong.  

We Should Work Together to Provide Justice for Trayvon

The "R-Word"

 "Every time Ellen Seidman hears the word "retarded,"

 she worries for her 9-year-old son, Max, who has cerebral palsy.

 She wonders if people will ever respect him, or see him as an equal,

 if they associate that word with people like him, 

who have intellectual disabilities."

are people too sensitive?

What I have noticed, is that people are offended by pretty much everything. 

Every race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or other derivation of society seem to think everyone is out to get them.

What people don't realize is; is that not everyone is racist or sexist.

The term mental retardation was coined in 1963 by scientists. The definition is

"developmental disability marked by impaired intellectual capacity" 

Retardation means exactly that. Someone who incapable of performing at a normal intellectual level. 

I have never heard anyone ever make fun of a mentally retarded person. Not once in my life. I have heard people call other people retards when they are acting like their intelligence is sub-par. It is the same thing as asking "Are you blind?" or "Are you deaf?" The thing that these all have in common is that they are real diseases or imperfections. People are retarded, blind, deaf, and much more that I really can't think of. 

Basically, what I am saying  is that people are becoming way to tender to this topic. 

Blind people do not get offended if you say "what, are you blind?" to someone who cant see some thing. 

Deaf people do not get offended if you say "what, are you deaf?' to someone who cannot hear what you say(even though deaf people could not hear you say that)

Mentally challenged people aren't even the ones who are complaining.

It is everyone else who seems to think that the mentally challenged people are going to take offense.

However, it isn't nice to call someone a retard. 

All I am saying is that it's not a sin or crime or evil in anyway.

Mental retardation can affect anyone. It can affect women and men, young and old, black and white, tall and short. You never know when someone will walk into your life with a mental retardation.

I do feel bad for this mother, however. If people are saying it around her child, then it is extremely rude. You cannot walk up to someone with such a major disease and be rude to them. It is all in the context of the word. If your friend is literally acting like they are mentally challenged, then I wouldn't mind you calling them a retard. However, if you see a mentally retarded person in public, you shouldn't yell out, Hey look, a retard!

The whole point of this blog is this:

People are extremely sensitive about this subject, and are taking it a little too far.

I recommend not calling people retards because it is disrespectful.

I think that anyone who makes fun of a retarded person should get their mouth sown shut.

The Bishop Kearney Girls Varsity Soccer Team went to School Of The Holy Childhood

The children there are all mentally disabled. 

I really enjoyed being there. We helped all the children play soccer. This was one of the most life changing experiences of my life. If they were normal children, I would not have really cared. I am not saying these children are not normal because of their retardation. What I mean is that they were the happiest and most grateful children I have ever met in my entire life. I think if everyone had an experience like mine, maybe they would understand the severity of the word retard. Even though I believe people are too sensitive about this subject, I also believe that there is a value in understanding what you are saying. 

Just because someone has a learning disability does not mean that they are any less of a human.