Welfare Ain’t What It Used To Be
Sharon Jasper has been victimized. Sharon Jasper has been rabidly wronged. She has become a Section 8 carcass, the victim of ever changing public housing policies.
Sharon Jasper has spent 57 of her 58 years dedicated to one cause and one cause only, and has nothing to show for her dedicated servitude. She has lived in Section 8 housing all but one of her 58 years. This legacy was passed down from her parents, who moved into Section 8 housing in 1949 when Sharon was six months old. She has passed the legacy down to her own children, but fears they may have to get jobs to pay for the utilities and deposits that Section 8 is now requiring. She laments about her one year hiatus from the comfort of her Section 8 nirvana: “I tried it for a year… you know… working and all. It’s not anything I would want to go through again, or wish on anyone in my family, but I am damn proud of that year.”
After hurricane Katrina, Sharon moved out of the St. Bernard housing project and into a new, albeit substandard, quarterage. As can be noted from the above photo of her new Section 8 home, it is repugnant and not suitable for someone of Sharon Jasper’s senior status in the system. “Don’t be fooled by them hardwood floors,” says Sharon. “They told me they were putting in scraped wood floors cause it was more expensive and elegant, but I am not a fool–that was just a way to make me take scratched up wood because I am black. The 60 inch HD TV? It may look nice but it is not a plasma. It’s not a plasma because I’m black. Now they want me to pay a deposit and utilities on this dump. Do you know why?”
She has held her tongue through years of abuse by the system, but it came to a head at the New Orleans city council meeting where discussions were under way about the tearing down of the St. Bernard projects. When a near riotous exchange between two groups, one opposing the tearing down of St. Bernard and the other wanting the dilapidated buildings torn down and newer ones built, Sharon unleashed verbal hell with her once silenced tongue. The object of her oratory prowess was an acquiescent poor white boy in attendance. The content of her scathing rebuke was, “just because you pay for my house, my car, my big screen and my food, I will not be treated like a slave!” and “back up and shut up! Shut up, white boy! Shut up, white boy!”
Recapping from the mental log of the city council minutes in her head, Sharon repines, “our families have been displaced all over the United States. They are being forced to commit crimes in cities they are unfamiliar with. It is a very uncomfortable situation for them. Bring them back, then let’s talk about redevelopment.”
To try to bring notice to her tribulations, Sharon has graciously allowed parts of her slummy abode to be photographed for documentation of her abuse.
Shown above is the dining room that the housing authority pawned off on her. Sharon will acknowledge that it is nice and all, but the “man” knows she has 25 family members to feed and the size is inadequate. She believes she is the recipient of malevolence by “the man.”
Above is her bathroom, intended to taunt her because “the man” knows she is going to have to start paying her utility bills and wants to run-up her water and towel bills. Once again, she is the recipient of malevolence by “the man.”
Above is the stocked wine cellar that came with her new Section 8 house. Sharon states that this is another example of the white man taking advantage of poor black women. “Look at all these bottles of wine,” she said. “They are worthless. Just another example of thinking I am stupid. All this wine is at least 10 years old and some of it is 20 years old, you know the white man kept all the fresh stuff for himself. I ain’t that stupid.”
Sharon directs the reporter’s attention across the street to Duncan Plaza, where homeless people are living in tents, and states that, “I might do better out there with one of those tents.” She further lamented about her situation, “I might be poor, but I don’t have to live poor.”
Sharon Jasper is not going down without a fight. She is the head of a tenant association that works with the AFL-CIO’s Gulf Coast Revitalization Program, which is working closely with the Congressional Black Caucus, which is working very closely with Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to get a bill, operation Section 8 Time Share, passed in Congress. The bill would allow people of seniority, like Sharon Jasper, who have been loyal recipients of Section 8 housing for a minimum of 20 years, to be able to use a special Section 8 permit for a time share vacation home two weeks out of the year in a tropical location.
Comments (326)
I hope all reading this understand it is not real. Photo Shop is a wonderful thing. I am not one to defend the foolish way our tax dollars are spent but please, this just is not real. Funny yes, but not true.
Donna #95 couldn’t be more right! I have recently become unemployed – and not by choice. My husband works 55+ hours a week driving a truck. I have 3 kids ages 16, 11 and 2. I have a student loan that requires monthly payments of $268. After you add my mortgage, car payment, utilities, and everyday essentials for a family of 5, I have nothing left. Yet, I cannot get any assistance from anywhere. Why? Because I am white.
I understand that the above article is satire. But it has an underlying truth. Way too many people abuse welfare. I agree that some people do NEED it to get by, but it is not a long-term solution to hard times.
I believe that if you are an able bodied person, then you should be working for a living. No excuses. I don’t see the greeters at Wal-Mart complaining. Most of them are handicapped! Yet they are happy to have a job and they do it willingly.
I hate standing in line at the grocery store and watching perfectly healthy people getting tons of food and unecessary items for free by using a link card or food stamps or WIC. It’s not right. I pinch my pennies and buy generic everything so that I stay within my budget and make sure that my gas bill gets paid. These people have cell phones, manicures, expensive weaves, and designer shoes. I have jeans and a sweatshirt from K-Mart. My purse cost me $12.95. My no name tennis shoes from Payless have a rip in the seam. And my hair and nails – all natural!
As if the lazy people who were born here aren’t enough of a drain on our society, what do we do? We allow foreigners to come into our country and get grants to open up their own businesses so that the American mom and pop stores are forced to close. I would love to open up my own business – I don’t even care what it is – just as long as it is my own and I could make a decent living. But, I cannot do any such thing simply because I was born in this country. I am white at that is a severe disadvantage.
We need a major overhaul in our government and of the people who decided that giving the hard working American tax dollars to lazy welfare scum and foreigners was a good idea. Common sense has completely gone out the window!
As the name says, I am neither Black or white. I am what the blacks call a half-breed (American of Native descent). Notice I said AMERICAN. As some one who lives in New Orleans and has lived here my entire life, let me set the record straight for those of you who think this is just to strange to be true. Let’s just say, the person (Sharon) is for real. For us poor saps that work everyday we were treated to this display of greed and a lot more adjectives (of course I cannot, because if you are not black you cannot have an opinion or be upset, if you do you are? That’s right a racist). I have live here all of my life and believe me there are more Sharon’s out there (in New Orleans) than any of you could possibly phanthom. She was the featured story on the local news when the public (taxpayers) housing debate was going on here. The comments attributed to her, were stated by her, and she was truly appaled that she would now have to pay utilities in this new place. She was also distrubed that she was upgraded to a better place. She could not understand why people did not agree with her that she was entitled to wooden floors, big screen t.v. and any other luxury she should want. I was raised by a single mother who had 6 children and believe me when I tell you our skin color was not the right shade to get any assistance. We were raised to work for whatever we needed or wanted. We were never taught that someone else owes us a place to live, furniture, designer clothes, automobiles, and the right to eat like a king. My husband and I both work every day, pay for health insurance, high fuel cost to commute from home to the job, and I do not believe there is are has ever been a program for me. As someone, who as one of the others stated earlier, had to have (not want) some help for my 2 children. I received food stamps for 6 months until I could find a job. I hope you guys are all ready for this tidbit – I was a single mother (my ex left for California) and refused to re-qualify for assistance, the government wanted the 6 months back. I refused to pay because during my marriage I felt we had paid enough taxes to provide many meals for others on the system, so 5 years later when I remarried and filed a joint tax return, you guessed it, they took the money back. Now, I would be willing to bet good working money on the fact that in the 13 years of marriage to my first husband we definately paid more that 1,200 in taxes that went to a whole lot of Sharons. I shall stop for now because I get so very up set. Trust me between the illegals and the abusers it is very stressful. I do vote, I do work, I do believe that all able bodied people should not be living off of anyone expecially the people that struggle every day.
Having lived in NO for the last 10 years and watching the debate of how much welfare our crippled city can support, I don’t want the ratio to go back to what it was pre-Katrina. It was an unsustainable situation. People here are just clans, they can’t leave their other welfare clan members. It’s weird to me how they are so attached to one another. This article is great, nice job.
All is can say is WTF?!!!!! i too grew up in new orleans, and have been apalled on more than one occasion of something that i’ve seen in a grocery store or better yet, THE MALL! As for Mr. Jeffrey Ryan, GET A F”ING JOB! YOU LAZY ASS DRAIN ON SOCIETY! I’m sure all of the people responding to this issue does indeed vote. How about we turn the tables, you get a job and pay high gas prices to commute, watch your hard earned money go to someone like you and sharon while i lay on my ass and watch tv all day long. if you think your too good to work in a fast food restaurant or grocery store, then maybe you should have shut your mouth and opened your ears in school. For some, you should have stayed in school. i, myself, still haven’t been able to go to college due to the cost of tuition, see, for me, a white female, there is NO “united caucasian college fund”. Go take a good hard look at the elderly who are greeters at wal-mart or serve YOU a cheeseburger, b/c they can’t afford to enjoy their well deserved retirement. it makes me sick to see a 65+ year old person standing on their feet working long hours, while some young, able bodied people are at home sitting on the front porch bitching about what hasn’t been handed to them.
All I can say is “NO WAY!” lol
Bleeding heart liberals, affirmative action and political correctness have all helped produce the mess we now face in this nation regarding welfare fraud.
The bible states that if any would not work neither should they eat. 2 Thess. 3:10
And if a man doesn’t take care of his own family, he is worse than an infidel. 1 Tim. 5:8
Even IF you are NOT a Christian, this country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and never was the government expected to feed, shelter and care for those who make NO effort to accept their responsibilities.
And to exacerbate the problem we now pay money to women who keep having bastards! And the more they produce the more money they get.
Many do not even know WHO the fathers of their children are! How shameful is this? But it has become so common place that it is not only tolerated but ACCEPTED!!
IF you do NOT have a job or OWN property, you should NOT vote. That would help the situation greatly as many politicians “court” these parasites in order to secure their votes.
I fear that IF Obama is elected, he will be assassinated and then we will see a black uprising that we can’t imagine! And it is this attitude of “we deserve it” that will cause it.
The BIGGEST racists in this nation are BLACK.
Jeremiah Wright’s remarks show the suppressed rage and hatred towards whites that many of the blacks in this nation hold. And like, Sharon Jasper, the majority of those getting all the freebies feel NO gratitude or shame!
Any person, white, black, brown, red or yellow, that is a citizen in America can improve their lot IF they so desire. But too many choose a “Free Ride” on the government teat.
I believe ALL Ameican workers and taxpayers are fed up with HUD, Section 8, Welfare and other FREEBIE services. And now our Social Security funds are being given to those who have never put one dime into this fund!!!
There should be help for those who need it but not for those who do not.
Unless we all start writing and calling our senators and reps until they respond to the will of those supporting them, things will not change.
Our leaders say “God Bless America” but how can He when there is such corruption, sin, crime and disobedience to His Commands? We need the FEAR OF THE LORD to come upon our nation once more.
I was considerably upset by Sharon’s story. I am 62 yrs old, came from a family of coal miners, sheet metal workers, mechanics, and police officers. I worked for doctors without overtime pay, no health insurance (that’s why Dr’s have the big $$). When my health failed me and I had to go on disability they awarded me $565 a month. It has went up to $646 a month over the years, but I had to pay EVERYTHING out of that check. Needless to say for a few years it was touch and go. I made too much money to qualify for medicaid and food stamps. I was on the waiting list for HUD. When they finally approved me, I jumped for joy.
Yes, I recieve HUD, but my housing is nothing as nice as hers is and they only pay a %. My furniture is used, and I have to pay my own utilities. I get $56 a month for food. Most times I break even, sometimes I don’t. If my car breaks down (95 Ford) it sits. I haven’t bought my grandchildren or children birthday or Christmas presents in 9 years because there is not enough left out of my check. I don’t drink, smoke, date or abuse the system. I am not ashamed of needing help. My family paid into this all their lives and so did I.
My point is that yes there are those that abuse the system, but there are also those that actually need it and are grateful for it. Don’t hurt them in the process of punishing the abusers.
“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith, becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American.
There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all.
We have room for but one flag, the American flag.
We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language and
We have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”
Theodore Roosevelt
I love these words spoken by Theodore Roosevelt, and I feel that if you want to claim the “American” title, you need to work for a living and show the support of America. That doesn’t mean that I need to work till I am 70 to support your sorry butt. We ALL need to work. If you are an American, living in America, then by jove, be for US!!! Don’t soak us for our taxes, and hard earned money.
Close the borders…nobody else is allowed in. No money to go outside of our borders. Clean house first.
Make Welfare a temporary situation…1 year max…unless there is a major problem…cancer, coma, things like that.
I had a baby, and went to work 2 weeks later…yes, I was allowed 6 weeks, but I didn’t want to apply for subsidies of any sort. I had to earn my own money.
When I got chemo, for a whole year, I still managed to work part time at the job, and part time at home. I managed. I didn’t need government help.
Anybody who is walking, talking, and breathing can hold down some sort of a job. Maybe it is sitting in a chair and putting parts in a plastic bag…something. Personally, I would never work at McDonalds, but it can sure provide an income for someone who really needs an income! At least it is something!!!!
So, to submit that Sharon is not capable of working, she said she did it for a year…make it another 30, and I will be happy. To submit she doesn’t want that kind of life for her kids…is just showing how selfish people in her situation can be. As long as the government keeps on handing out the contributions, there will be people there to take it from them.
Sad situation for our country.
I know I’m still a kid by a lot of standards, but I apparently (too young to remember) lived in a homeless shelter for 2 months with my single mother. Why was a woman who was ditched by her husband with a baby who was maybe a year or so old living in a homeless shelter?
She was denied government help. Why would someone who obviously needs government assistance be denied?
She had student loans for college.
Yeah I know it sounds like a scene out of “Pursuit of Happiness” trying to finish off her degree while raising one kid (with another on the way) and living out of a homeless shelter because neither her parents nor his parents would help out and the system is whack, but this crap happens.
I think it’s high time someone looks into that stuff and fixes the problems. Not for me, my mom somehow managed to make it through all that crap and I grew up in a decent home she paid for (with no help from my dad who was usually months late with child support) with my little sister, but for the next person who comes along and desperately needs the help, but can’t get it because there’s not enough to go around.
I’m not saying scrap the system, some people (like my step-mom who’s legally blind and couldn’t see the people to be a walmart greeter, though bless her heart she’d try) need it.
Some people obviously don’t. So we need to push our government to figure out where they’re screwing up and fix it. C’mon people!
Just a short post to allay your fears..or possibly increase it. This article is REAL. It was published in the Times Picayune (New Orleans Newspaper) in December 2007. The person depicted (Sharon) is a living, breathing, (scum sucking) individual. If you’d like more Sharons, vote for Obama or Hillary and they will send some of them to your neighborhood.
Unfortunately, there is more truth than fiction to this.
It may have been the democrats who put Section 8 into effect for the short term use, not to be abused like this article shows is being done.
Why hasn’t our great president, GWBush, put an end to this abuse in the 8 years he has been in office.
Why – because he has been subsidizing the Iraqi citizens at the expense of the citizens right here in this country.
Some Iraqi subsidized citizens are better off then we are.
My husband and I are seniors, retired, and on fixed incomes, but we have one heck of a time trying to make ends meet. What has our government done for seniors?
NOTHING!!!
True or not, this isn’t too far fetched. There are thousands of men and women of all races milking the system. In my humble opinion, one of the reasons we have this problem is because of political correctness. We can’t call people lazy assholes because we hurt their self-esteem and risk a law-suit.
I miss the good old days when you could call someone a dumb-ass if it was warranted. If someone spilled hot coffee on themselves, you call them a dumb-ass and tell them to be more careful. You DON’T let them take the restaurant to court for some insane amount of money. If someone gets fat from eating fast food, you call them a dumb-ass and don’t let them blame the restaurant. If someone slips on ice in a driveway, call them a dumb-ass and tell them to watch their step.
We as a society are too concerned about not offending anyone. What about us hard working citizens who day in and day out work our asses off to make a better life for our family. It doesn’t matter if we’re offended. Who cares if we have to pay taxes? Who cares if we have to work 60 hours every week? As long as the leeches get what they “deserve”. I’m done catering to the weak, the lazy, and the inept. If they don’t like it they can read a book, lose weight, or get a job. Being a former serviceman, I wish we had mandatory 2 year enlistments in the military for every capable individual over 18. I know the military has their share of problems, but imagine a society that actually takes pride in their job, their family and has a sense of values. Our crime rate would drop, we would generally have better quality products, we would show more respect towards our fellow citizens and have a lower unemployment rate because I don’t know any military man or woman afraid of hard work even if the pay wasn’t the best. They’d rather work than suck off the system. Just my two cents.
Time to put a stop to section 8. This is just the tip of the iceberg threatening to sink this country. Where does america go to file bankruptcy??? Contact your senator and representative and tell them this has to go. Not a party issue but a financial threat to us all.
I have worked my entire life to get hardwood floors and have a place to call my own. I drive by everyday the results of Welfare living and third and fourth generations. My point is maybe Katrina can work herself up again and do another 23 billion in improvements to places like where Sharon and her family live. Since she is so ungrateful and her family has to do their crimes in foreign cities maybe we can get the government to build them all a place lower then normal and let God give them another washing as the first one missed a few of them.
You should be ashamed of yourself for believing this outright pack of lies and garbage.
It shows how hateful and dumbed-down America has become.
Let’s blame the victim again… hope it makes you feel better. Maybe someday if you really try you’ll turn human.
Dear Wexler,
Thanks for chiming in. I cannot think of a rebuttal, since you make me feel sort of stupid. I must confess my ignorance for believing the New Orleans Newspaper the Times Picayune article, the original source.
If you get a chance, please read it and interpret it for me. I am concerned about all the lies they are spreading.
Thanks you, Wexler
Their is a special place due south for people like this and trust me she won’t have to pay for heat…………
Wow! I didn’t think that Section 8 was a legacy… especially one that I would want to brag about handing down to my whole family.
All that she is saying is… “my family has lived in this country for free for generations and I am such a good mama I taught my kids how to be a free loaders too!”
Great job mom! Way to teach your kids some values there!
These programs were designed to help people who CAN’T work or just need it to get back on their feet… NOT to live on their whole lives.
Maybe if the gov’t gave them a time limit then the recepients would be more motivated to get off of thier “ever widening ass’s!!!
Well, I hate to say it, but we have only ourselves to blame. That’s right – you & me, the hard working tax payers. We exhaust ourselves by dedicating our time and energy to our family, community, jobs, church, etc. We pay taxes & we expect our elected officials to represent us, but they don’t. Deep down, we know it and we see them for what they are. The politicians know that we we see their true nature, but they also know that we don’t have the time or energy to get involved in the political system to the extent we need to hold the accountable to us. They know all the tricks and are very adept at hiding between the cracks like a bunch of cockroaches that they are. Their only goal is to get reelected and procreate. They must be exterminated one by one with the power of knowledge and commitment. Then and only then will insanity like these welfare program be controlled. It’s time we took back America. Vote wisely in 2008
My husband has been in the Navy for 20 yrs, and is getting ready to retire. I have had to work the entire to time help us make it. I take care of my kids and also my parents live with us because of their health, but we have never asked for help on anything. We work hard to have everything we have, and let me tell you it’s not close to what she has.
They say our country is in trouble because of the war. Our country is in trouble because of people like her (Sharon).
I was born in a less than blessed family, Tragedy we all know to be true. The money was tight, I left as a teen to live on my own because of abuse from a parent. I have been homeless and no food. I have had a home and a car repossesed over the years. I have had a home and no food. Each scenario you can come up with I have survived. I am a single mom with 3 kids. I have always worked and never received financial aide. I am white. They say I make to much money. 25,000.00 a year. HaHa…. I was rejected for food stamps, utility payments, food banks, you name it. I managed to live — on my own. No helping hands to help me. I went to college at the age of 32 still at a dead end job. I never had a big screen tv. I filled my washing machine with a water hose from the outside into a window and across the kitchen floor into the pantry I turned into a “spot” for a washing machine. I dried the clothes on the line spring and summer unless it rained or was winter. Then I hung them all through the house. Still a single mom. I did not have a new car. I had a car that everyone look at it with pity. They said it didn’t matter to them. As long as it got me where I needed to go. NO AC, No inside light, had to roll the window up and down myself, 4 unmatched tires, etc….. I kept trying and trying and trying… See the pattern. I am now a 37 yrs. old mom who is single. a 16, 14,11 yr. old daughter to finish raising and I drive a new car. I have plenty to eat. I go to nice restaurants, movies, entertainment. My oldest daughter has a car (used but better than 99.9% of anything I had until now). I am an engineer. The only woman at my co. of 25 engineers who are men. and I did it. I did it. I did it. and I am not done yet. Im still young and have a future of hope. But I have hundreds of thousands of people like this woman to support so I have to work and try hard. She is a disgrace to our freedoms of this country and she will ultimately pay for her stupidity.
This story is what’s wrong with our country today.
We pay for someone like that to live better than a lot of the honest hard working people of America.
She should have everything taken away from her until she gets a job and earns all that crap in the house that we all paid for.
She doesn’t deserve any of it. Also, how is someone entitled to live like that and get all that free stuff. If we all turned into her our country would go down the toilet.
Drug test welfare recipients!
Derek, I agree with you. If I have to be drug tested to get and/or keep my job, my only source of income, then welfare recipients should too. I go to work everyday to support those people and I am basically supporting thier habits.
I was on welfare myself many years ago, but I worked my butt off to get off of it because I was embarrased to be on it in the first place. I know how hard the transition is from paying for food with a “link card” to paying cash. It sucks at first, but the self-satisfaction you get knowing that you EARNED that money, it wasn’t given to you, is great. I hate it when I’m at the grocery store check-out lane and I’m behind someone with nothing but frozen pizzas, chips, soda, all sorts of junk and they whip out that blue card and off to their apartment or house (that I”M essentially paying for…) they go while I’m counting my spending on my milk, bread, cereal and pay cash. But I look at where I am now, sitting at my desk in my own office, and I wonder how on earth ppl can be OK with living soley on welfare… Those people say they are proud of who they are, well…. not proud enough to stand on their own 2 feet.
Well, back to work for me…. thousands on welfare are depending on my paycheck!!
number 49 should president, i can barley afford gas,food,rent i tried to get help once when my wife lost her job they said i made to much, as far as lawmakers if they change things,do what they they say when they get in we should impeach them and throw in jail along with system abusers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hate to say that a lot of what she says is true, as far as the generational welfare issue. Once on it, never off it. The government tried the “welfare to work” legislation to help welfare moms collect and keep their welfare and it has pretty much failed. They are happier not working, living on welfare and getting the child support pass through money… if the child support is paid.
Welfare receipients qualify for section 8 housing, food stamps, in many cases SSI (even though they have never worked a day in their lives) and of course the monthly check. They often work on the side babysitting, or doing other jobs for cash. It can be a pretty lucrative deal if you work it the right way. Even without the extra income from a cash job, total income including food stamps, can be as much as $4,000 a month.
When I was a single parent at the age of 17 and all my friends were telling me to apply for welfare (back in the 1970s) I was appalled when I was told I would have to quit my job but they did give me $300 a month in foodstamps… for myself and an 8 month old baby. I asked if I could get 1/2 in cash and the rest in food stamps, of course not. So I did what I had to do and sold some of my food stamps to get money for paper items and other things I needed. But, we never went on welfare, I worked my butt to the bone and finally got 2 college degrees.
Now, if this is what HUD housing is like in New Orleans I might just load myself up and move down there. I think that these photos are a bit of a ruse but believe you me I plan on finding out as I do have family down there and this is just ridiculous to say the least. I live in Kansas and FEMA nor the Feds of any type replace our homes with houses such as this…. they don’t even give us the tents when the tornadoes rip through entire towns. The good ole auditorium is always standing and that is just where you stay if you don’t know someone who still has a home.
If this is a true story… someone needs to give this person a dose of reality. Kick her to the curb and let her fend for herself.
Thats no surprize her coming from New Orleans. Thats the way the politicly correct have kept them selves in office. Give them everything and we get the vote and stay in power.
After working very hard for almost 50 years, I now must live in Section 8 housing. I’m grateful that I have a Sec. 8 Apt. But it certainly does not resemble this greedy lady’s apartment. My entire apartment would probably fit into Sharon’s bathroom. And I don’t have, nor do I expect to ever have a giant t.v. like hers. And a wine celler…………..Damn!
This is a response to ‘Mark’
I think most of us realize that most of the story is ’satire’ – so just chill out a little bit. Even though most of the story is probably fiction, or exaggerated, it did what the author meant it to do – bring out honest communication about politics, race, etc.
If you read all the emotional remarks above, you will see that most of us have experienced or witnessed something similar to the ’story’.
I truly believe, like UV Mom and Erika, that there are Americans that should get help from the government, because their situations warrant our help. – And thank God for Erika and UV Mom that want to get out of their situations…
But unfortunately, the system for the most part is exploited and taken advantage of by others that know how to work our liberal, lazy government policies.
We can point fingers all day long, but let’s take a stand and do something about it!
As I commented above, most of us have experienced something that enforced our confused feelings- because of the lack of gratitude, along with the sense of entitlement, that was received after ‘welfare’ was given over and over again.
My personal experience: and I will not state the ‘color’ or ethnicity’ of the group…my neighbor offered her home to a large family that were victims of Katrina. The government had gotten them to Texas, and the two children were going to the elementary school… my neighbor offered to take the kids to and from school for them and ended up having the whole family live with her. They had been given debit cards to buy food, housing, etc. Most of the money on the debit card had been spent on new Nike sneakers, going out to the bar and on new tires for the husband’s brother’s old cadillac.
The elderly mom and dad ended up coming to live with them, so my neighbor had 10 people living in her house. They never offered to help her with anything even though she took their kids to and from school. Finally, one of the women said she wanted to pay her back by cooking a big southern chicken dinner – but of course, my neighbor had to go to the store and get everything.
After dinner, my neighbor asked them if they had any ideas about jobs, etc…they said, ‘why should we get a job? the government is giving us money…
I have another example, but I know this is way too long an email..
There are a lot of people that truly need help, but unfortunately, it’s all these other losers that make us bitter and end up not helping those that really need and appreciate the help…
Check out Snopes. There is some truth to the story.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/satire/jasper.asp
I can’t believe this woman has the adasity to actually complain!!! look at all she has! thats more then what i ever had put together growing up!! and if you werent so stupid…the older the wine, the more it appreciates you moron! get educated! people are never satisfied. and the fact that “shes black” has absolutely nothing to do with it at all. stop stomping down on your culture and making all “black people” look bad.. abusing issues that happened hundreds of years ago will not change anything. she uses that as a reason to bitch about stupidity. what about all the people who live in a carboard box or in shelters??? i work hard every damn day since i was 15 actually, and to know that this woman has never worked a day of her life, and tried for one year and found it too exhausting, is a joke!!pathetic!!. its all of you American’s tax money that pay for all these lazy people who dont think they “should” work. get in the program. life isn’t given. stop worrying about your complaints and start worrying about what you will do with your low lifes. get a job! and stop depending on others to feed and house you. stop waisting us reader’s time with your nonsence. you and all the rest just like you! ya’ll are sad cases and are poor excuses for human beings. god it makes me mad to see unappreciative ppl like this!!! i grew up with nothing but an old tv that you’d have to kick to make work, and after the beating, all i got was chanel 2 chanels and once in a while, 3, if the signal came in. 3/4 my stuff was from a second hand store. now ive worked my way up for new things as a grown woman…so save this shit for ppl who actually DO NEED EVEN HALF OF WHAT YOU HAVE!!! go get your hair done or something…welfare should be investigated and banned to people who are able to work and should not be aloud just because you have a child. so now a child is a reason to cover your lazy self? damn, lets all have kids and go on welfare then!! if you have enough engery to get laid and create huge families that you can’t even support, you have enough energy to get a job. your doings ARE NOT AMERICA’S PROBLEM!! clean toilets for gods sake! go to school!! be the better end and not the shit end…SYSTEM ABUSERS!!! black or white, SLAVERY IS OVER! stop thinking that that is the key to your riches because it’s not! and stop trying to raise issues like this just so you and your family can get attention and freebeez!
That race card is getting old and worn out. This is a perfect example of who is keeping racism alive! Honestly, I’d trade places with her in a heartbeat….she’s got nicer shit than I do. Except that I have too much pride to ever sit on my ass all day with my hand out!
Sharon….I busted my ass in college for four years while my two little boys had to go to daycare instead of being raised by me. You should be ashamed of your self for not only abusing the system, but for actually complaining about it. It’s a shame that you were lucky enough to be a stay at home mom to your children and you didn’t teach them one of life’s most valuable lessons. To be hard workers and to provide for your family as best as you can. As far as your family, I only hope that for their sake they picked up on a sense of dignity elsewhere
And by the way, our hardwood floors were put in with my husband’s bare hands. Each piece by piece, then sanded and stained by his own hands. Our big screen was purchased with $ that we saved for two years. Our food, utilities, clothes, gas and toiletries are all paid for by what we have left after the government takes out the taxes that pay your bills! YOU”RE WELCOME!
stop talking about it and do something about it… let your congressman, senators, and President know. Bush was voted in at first because of his promises to do something about this, and that was 8 YEARS AGO, unfortunatly the White House is too busy with the Middle East to care. And dont expect a Democrat to do it, they keep the welfare system to buy votes, not just at the present, but they knew it would become a disease that would spread through generations and create a larger voting strength. Gather protests on capitol Hill. Just like this woman protested about her situation, every one of you have the right to do the same. If there was a protest on Capitol Hill about this crap tomorrow, I would get on the first plane there and so would the rest of America. I have seen this kind of abuse of the system all the time, and believe me its bad, but one person CANT make a differance in this country, it will take all of us, and we do out number them believe it or not. But unfortunatly you wont do anything, this message will go unheard, it will fire up many and they will be ready to go and do something about it… but something will get in the way from you actually doing something, something that doesnt get in Sharon’s way to do something about her situation, that something is a JOB!
I know that part of this is a spoof, but the part that is for real is so sad for our country. Many people talk about the Democrats being for Welfare, but you have to remember that it was Bill CLinton that proposed that people only get welfare for 2 years while they get their acts together, then they HAVE to get a JOB!!
Much better than anything that the Republicans have proposed yet. They are too busy making sure that the Fat Cats are still getting their Golden Parachutes when their companies go bankrupt Because of the CEO’s failed job performances. (Happened with mine, we took 40% paycuts while the CEO’s and Ex Vps, got $400 Million!)
Now, if responsible, ethical people would Please take over the Banking system, we might be able to dig our way out of this mess we’re in.
Hope SO for All our sakes!
Sue
poor, poor Sharon – maybe she should have had another 10 persons for her already 25 to feed. definitely too ignorant to get a job – oh, no – would have to “work” and that is definitely a four letter word that she can’t pronounce!!!
Wow, my mother was on wel-fare back in the 70’s. If she worked, they took what little they gave her away. She could never make ends meet. Welfare sure has come a long way. BUT..you can thank the government system for that. It is the politicians that let people get away with this type of living and then we wonder why are taxes are so high. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! Anyone with common sense would know that this is a situation that has slipped through the cracks….and she obviously is not monitored, nor is being tracked to find out if she has even applied for any jobs. This is a complete disgrace (only in America!!!) Oh and the race card, that is so old…really, get another excuse…slavary was abolished a long time ago the last time I checked. They know exactly how to play the system, but the disgrace part about it is….
WE ALLOW THEM TOO!
DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIFE BESIDES SPENDING OUR TAX DOLLARS AND GET A JOB.
This is in reply to susan 285 who thinks that Bill Clinton was trying to do us all a favor….http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=28714 while Ann coulter tends to be a bit sarcastic we can thank ‘Ol Bill for his PC attitude and liberal bs for the mess our country is in right now with the 700 billion dollar bail out. I’ve done some serious reading on the subject and found this article to be right on…..we are heading to socialism with all this liberal crap. It’s got to stop or pretty soon (joke or no joke) we will all be living in a home picked for us by the government.
People must not let the govenment dictate what we do…nancy pelosi and other hardcore left wingers need to be replaced by moderates who can help balance and clean up this country. Enough with the hand outs….I’ve worked hard my whole life and I’d be ashamed to live of others like this ungreatful women….just imagine how many are out there that don’t care. They will keep thier hands out until “the man” runs dry and then they will find something else to find fault with and bitch about.
Where can I sign up? I had to buy my house to get anything half way decent and it still doesn’t look anywhere NEAR that nice!! Maybe hubby should quit his job, us go on welfare and get a section 8 home and live in luxury!
Ya know, here in Texas lots of us live on farms and ranches. Sometimes bad situations arise through the normal order of things. The farmer/rancher has to be a big boy and take care of these things, no matter how gut-wrenching it may be. For example, a horse with a shattered leg, a cow hopelessly stuck in the mud, deformed calves and foals, drought that threatens your stock with starvation if you don’t feed them, bank won’t loan money for next year’s crop, etc. Most bad situations are either temporary (like a drought) or must be handled swiftly and surely.
Our welfare system is no different. Like an extra hand, it was designed to help deal with those temporary messes that happen. But on a real ranch, folks like Sharon would have probably been put down long ago and little thought would have been given to it. She (and her type) is one of those things that have to be handled swiftly and surely, no matter how unpleasant.
Prolonging an animal’s misery is considered inhumane, yet we continue to feed and shelter and perpetuate this useless, parasitic vermin with no end in sight. Not to mention the cost to the rancher and the detriment to the ranch overall. A pen full of lame and listless animals is a petting zoo, not a ranch. It cannot sustain itself except through charity. A dying breed, the rancher that pulls his own weight (and wagon, if necessary). Hope we’ll be missed when we’re gone and the petting zoo has to close down. What then?
This type of BS will run a working ranch straight into the ground. What do you think will happen to our great nation? Time to become big boys and deal with these things – you can bet the farm on it!
I think this IS partly the fault of the man…….I mean if you were given $100 a week its human nature that after a while you will want $150. If you worked for the $100 it would mean much more to you. Sharon is just an example of people who get something for nothing wanting more. So yes I said it! Iit is partly our fault for allowing a sytem that breeds laziness and Sharon’s to keep this lifestyle. Sharon’s know the loopholes and exploit them just as accountants exploit the tax code for those who can afford it. I say close the loop and there will be nothing to exploit.
While I understand the rage you all feel because of this woman’s fraudulent use of the welfare system, I suggest you read this article in the Oct 19, 2008 NY Times. Remember. S*** flows downhill. Look up the chain to see where the true corruption and fraud begins.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/19/washington/19fbi.html?ref=todayspaper
Since 2004, F.B.I. officials have warned that mortgage fraud posed a looming threat, and the bureau has repeatedly asked the Bush administration for more money to replenish the ranks of agents handling nonterrorism investigations, according to records and interviews. But each year, the requests have been denied, with no new agents approved for financial crimes, as policy makers focused on counterterrorism….Some critics question whether the shift indicates not just a lack of resources, but a lack of interest by the Bush administration.
I think the s*** just rolled down further. The NY Times is a joke. They are pro liberal.
The truth is that the Democrats and Barney Frank knew about all the problems with Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac and did nothing. They were all too busy getting big fat pockets full of cash to do anything and Frank was getting a sweet mortgage deal. I don’t care for the Bush presidency they did many poor things but Please give some love to conservatism.
The Clinton doctrine of more home owners should have kicked in for poor Sharon. She should OWN a home for free. Rentals, whatever .
jimbyrd,
I thought your satirical piece was funny and a sublime commentary on racism – in perhaps a less obvious direction. Sorry so many of the readers weren’t quite up to speed to get the joke and find your meaning. I guess election fever has squashed the fun out of your much of the fun of your work. Rest assured, some of us get it. At least you got a lot of traffic.
Wonderful satire on the abuse of the Welfare system. Though a good portion of this story is true, the embellishments from the photos and additional comments in the story made it a work of art. I laughed throughout this whole piece. Not sure if you knew, but since this was written, there were a lot of questions asked as to if this was true, and it was determined that many potions were, while others were completely fictional.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/satire/jasper.asp
That’s a very interesting piece of satire.
298 Don
Well folks, what do think it be like after tomorrow, 20 January, 2009 when Barack obama becomes President??? This article will be just the beginning.
[...] Welfare Ain’t What It Used To Be snopes.com: Sharon Jasper Section 8 Public Housing [...]
[...] Posted by Danzig Welfare Ain?t What It Used To Be snopes.com: Sharon Jasper Section 8 Public Housing Sounds like mostly true, with a little made [...]