sorry, democrats, but the poor little match girl doesn't exist.
(oh, she probably exists somewhere, but good luck findin' her.)
the picture that most americans have in their minds of the poor and the needy is all wrong. it's a nice picture - in an ironic way - but it's wrong. most of the time.
most of the time, the poor and the needy aren't all that adorable, and i don't mean physically. most of the time, they are angry and bitter and have a sense of entitlement that enrages even my priest.
most of the time, they are not poor and needy because they led solid lives which included fairly reasonable financial decisions until out of the blue, on Christmas Eve, their house burned to the ground.
many of their children aren't shivering-in-the-cold sweethearts with runny noses and dirt streaks across their faces. many of their children are locked up in juvi.
i'm not saying we shouldn't have compassion for these folks - we should. i'm not saying we shouldn't help them - we must.
what i am saying is, who we're helping isn't necessarily gonna warm the cockles of your heart.
which is just as well.
cuz warming the cockles of your heart isn't the point.
