March is National Social Work month. It is a time to reflect on all of the ways social workers sacrifice, and give of themselves selflessly to society.
Social workers are trained to deal with a wide variety of problems.
The public may never understand how important and very much needed this profession is.
One of the ways social workers contribute to society is by advocating for the nation’s poor.
Many times I have overheard conversations in which people were discussing people who are using food stamps or WIC. Most of the conversations I hear resort back to the same kinds of thinking.
People will say, “I work for a living and I have worked for everything I have. How is it these people think that it’s okay to get free or next to free goods and services?”
I hear others make comments such as, “Look what kind of food these people are allowed to have. They get to buy things that I can’t even afford and I’m working.”
Still others make pre-judgments about these people and automatically assume that people who rely on these programs are lazy and just don’t want to work.
“These people are taking my hard-earned money,” they will say. I would like to break down some of these comments to hopefully get people thinking in a different way about these issues.
To assume that all people using food stamps and WIC are lazy is an inaccurate assessment.
There are many reasons beyond people’s control that may result in the need to access these services.
Those reasons include loss of a job, a slow down in hiring due to the economy, natural disasters, etc.
Many people do not have the added luxury of a family or a spouse to lean on for extra support. Anyone could lose their job, their spouse, their vehicles, or their possessions at any time. Nothing is guaranteed to any one of us.
When as a nation are we going to stop judging others?
We cannot possibly know every detail about everyone’s life or why they are where they are.
It is time we look to see what we can do to help others and make the world a better place instead of dragging people down when they are going through a difficult time.
Lorie Goetz
Cumberland
Frostburg State University
Social work practice class student
Letters
Don’t be too quick to judge those on public assistance
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Help keep teen drivers safe during the summer months
Memorial Day marks the beginning of the 100 deadliest days of the year on our nation’s roads for teen drivers.
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Walk Smart
Many local residents will be visiting Ocean City this summer, so it is worth noting that the resort has launched a campaign that it hopes will keep pedestrians out of harm’s way.
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Trailer case bound to increase scrutiny on town of Piedmont
This letter is in response to the recent story concerning the guilty plea entered in federal court by Piedmont’s town foreman (“Piedmont town foreman Shingler enters guilty plea,” May 21 Times-News, Page 1A).
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Fixing community’s problems starts with your young people
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Why are there no answers to these questions?
We currently have the most corrupt administration in the history of the country. Every day more and more lies come from the Obama administration.
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Roaming dogs prove menace to some residents of LaVale
I am writing to inform your readers and the animal control staff of Allegany about a problem that is dragging on and unresolved, yet.
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These types should look to the Boy Scouts for an example
Consider these headlines:
NRA will “Never Surrender.”
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The No Tax Group will “Never surrender.”
Neocons will “Never Surrender.”
Far Left Liberals will “Never Surrender.” -
Housing project will have bad effect on property in this area
I am writing to you to voice my opposition to a low income housing project that has been proposed for construction on a tract of land on Pine Swamp Road in Mineral County, W.Va. I am a registered voter and resident of Mineral County and live in the New Creek/Pine Swamp area.
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Why have the media been silent all this time?
When I read the Cumberland Times-News Editorial this morning, Friday, May 17, entitled, “Outrageous,” I laughed like a kid at a birthday party!
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What are chances this much money will be spent on road?
I was intrigued by cost data summarized in reporter Kathy Mellott’s recent article, “Completing southern link of U.S. Route 219 said to be best use of highway funds,” which appeared in the Cumberland Times-News on Tuesday May 14 (Page 1A).
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Help keep teen drivers safe during the summer months
