An Opinion

Our nation’s media amazes me. I read an article today that marks the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. It is a story supposedly about one mother’s fight to stay on top. Now while I have all the sympathy in the world for most of those people I just can’t stand this article.

It features and African American woman in an oversized tank top with her bra showing holding two babies on both hips. The article is on her because this time last year she was the front cover of Newsweek magazine. In almost the same type of clothes with the same two babies on her hips. Now at first the picture of the cover from Newsweek that the article shows give you a pang of sympathy. Then you read. She is 28 and has 7 children. One that is in and out of juvy, the two little ones who live with her and the other four live with their grandmother in Mississippi. Now the first question I have to ask myself is…”Ever hear of birth control?” I know that sounds harsh to some but seriously if you can hardly support yourself why the hell do you have that many children! Too many children are brought into the world that way and live miserable uneducated lives because their parents couldn’t straighten themselves out.

Then the article goes on to explain how she wound up in Houston. Okay that’s all good and well, but then she got her FEMA and Red Cross money. The first thing she does with it is buy a car, second is she finally finds an apartment in the sleazy part of town. Third she tries to find a job but can’t get hired on anywhere. Then to top it off the car she bought catches on fire! So FEMA sends her more money plus reimbursement for the car. What does she do with it this time? She buys a truck and an old trailer for them to sleep in. Nowhere does it explain why she no longer has an apartment but I have my guesses. It also goes on to tell about how she became very depressed and started drinking everyday. This helps out her children how? And why would you be dumb enough to say that to someone who writes for a national magazine?!

So to continue after she buys the truck and trailer she heads back to New Orleans. She finds a job at Burger King but can’t find an apartment because of the raising rent rates (that one I will give her). She then trades off from staying with a friend to staying in this trailer that she bought. And after we get past that turmoil she goes on to complain about how her old neighborhood doesn’t have anybody there and none of her friends are there and it’s not “lively” anymore.

Now please understand I am normally a very compassionate understanding person. And I will say she did a couple of things right but for the most part this article makes me want to scream. This article could have actually focused on an individual or individuals that have actually bettered themselves and persevered better through everything. Instead they pick a woman who can’t take care of her own children and would rather buy vehicles and booze with the money she’s given rather than find a decent place to live. Now I’m sure she’s a very nice person but she has some priorities to get straightened out in my opinion. Everyone has potential but so many either don’t use it or use it in the wrong ways and try to live off of everyone else. This article doesn’t help any of these matters either. It shows that the government will give you so much money in a crisis and if you spend it wrong or mess something up…they’ll still give more to you. There are people out there that really need that money (and this woman really needs it to but spent it poorly) that really deserve it and then there’s others who just abuse the system and make it that much harder for the deserving people to get it. It’s just insane the way things work sometimes. But maybe someday this lady will get her act together as I hope many, many other people do and rise to their true potential. There is good in everyone, but they have to want to be good to show it.

I did not write this to step on anyone’s toes or to offend anyone this is just my opinion on one article and the stupid ways things work sometimes. Have a good night!!