What's It Worth?

With the continuous sense of entitlement that rushes through current American society with the might of a tidal wave, what happens to the little ones who have these people as parents? Rooms full of useless toys, but not concern for their actual well being or needs. Its keeping up with the Joneses to the level of abuse and neglect.

Case in point. The arts are completely out of the public school system. Anything that aids in the opening of the human mind such as literature, theatre and visual arts are all but gone. So with this reality in our soon to be third world nation, many teachers and concerned parents get together and form organizations that provide children with these foundations for free thought and creativity, in order to hold on to some vision of culture.

However, these after school programs are not free.

For a single mother these programs can be costly when doing the rest of the basic survival budget. Especially when child support is no where to be seen. What is she forced to do? Well things that a great deal of spoiled American adults would never be will to do. Go without. What a concept. Going without. who would have thought that would aid in the decency and proper education of a child. Now its not unheard of to have children not get everything they want, but a proper education should not be included in that sacrifice. In fact, it is the obligation of the parent to sacrifice their take out, new clothes, and un-necessaries in order to make sure that their children get the well rounded education that is so important in our nations tumultuous times.

Unfortunately a lot of parents don't feel this way. In fact, a great deal of non-custodial parents feel they don't have to provide anything at all in the way of support. Say a single mother gets $100 a week in child support. The parent paying the support may think that this $100 absolves him/her from ever having to provide any other kind of support for his/her child whether they see the child or not. It in fact doesn't. That support (as little as it is) is for basic necessities. That doesn't include education, health and socialization.

Why are brand new cars, gym memberships and flat screen televisions more important to parents these days than their children having the basic necessities and a proper education? This seems so monstrous to me. I cant even begin to understand it, even though I see it everyday. Parents that literally buy their kids clothing at Goodwill, but drive around in Audi's. These people should have a sense of shame for that, and are teaching their children lessons that are completely opposite from what should be taught. Selfishness, materialism and disregard for the things in life that really do matter.

Do we blame reality TV or do we blame the credit card companies? Because we know we are not going to blame ourselves. Living in poverty has been a awakening that I cannot compare to anything else I have ever known. I have found genuine people, coupons can help, and what is really important in life. The most important thing in life is in fact life. All the possessions, toys, big houses and crap that people fill their lives with instead of caring for their children is just tomorrows garbage. Do I feel privileged to be a mother? Absolutely. Do I wish I had a better support system? Without a doubt. Will I trade in my integrity in order to have the things in life that everyone else has? Well I haven't yet, but as the years go on I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out. I don't want a new car, big house or even a flat screen television, I just want the ability to provide my son with the best education available to us. Imagine that being a wish.

I have said to myself for years, "Someday it will get better." Well someday has taken 38 years and i think that someday is already here, and it hasn't gotten better. Should I replace acceptance with viciousness? Should I replace smiles with screams? Should I give up the hope of love for money? Everyone else does, so why shouldn't I? Because I'm an adult and not a prostitute by profession. I don't have a problem with women who choose prostitution as a profession, but I do in fact have a problem with women who do the same thing and call it marriage. At least a hooker is up front. They are providing pleasure for money. They do not perform under the guise that they actually care about the person in order to somehow gain a house and car. If your attraction to a person is contingent on how much money they make and what possessions they have, then you could be construed as a prostitute, well at least to someone with integrity.

What's The Point? The Writers Dont Even Know.

I wasn't quite sure what to write about today, but as fate would have it an idea jumped right into my lap. While calling the newly name changed Fitchburg State University for some very basic and uncomplicated information, the response was amusing and yet somehow sad.

My goal was to propose a story idea concerning an event taking place in Fitchburg for my former paper The Point, and to inquire about some basic business advertising within it. Seems simple, but the students whom were answering the phones became horribly confused with the question; "Could you tell me who I would speak to about The Point student paper?"

First response; "Um, huh, ahhhhhh, we don't have a student paper." pause pause pause, "Oh but we have an online new site called The Point."

My eyes rolling I said, "OK, well could you give me the contact information for the people who deal with the line version of The Point?"

This reply was in fact my favorite. "Um, like, I'm not sure, oh wait..." Unnamed girl on the phone yells to other unnamed girl in the room giggling away...,"Hey (girl's name), you work on The Point right?"

Girl answers, "Um yea, the online news thing right?"

Girl on the phone says, "Yea. Do you know the contact info or url to get to it?"

Girls answers, "No, I'm like, well they like changed it. But um I don't know. She can do a search for The Point online maybe?"

Girl on the phone says to me, "Maybe contacting the head of the English department would help?"

I was pretty sure I wasn't getting any help from anyone who was on the phone or within earshot of the person I was talking to, so I asked for the contact info for the professor, which luckily I was able to get without too much trouble. What I really couldn't grasp was how a contributor to a publication whether print or online, wouldn't have any idea how to access the publication to which they contribute to. Is this the future of journalism? Not that much journalism these days is worth reading unless you want to help support the government paid media and their whore like practices with their words as opposed to their bodies.

I did manage to find the link to the online version of The Point by going to Fitchburg State University's (still cant get used to that) site and doing some clicking around until I found the link. I learned these sort of research skills from some wonderful professors that worked for Fitchburg State College, back when it was a school for learning and not promoting agendas and producing people who hardly know the name of the publications that they contribute to.

The online publication is mundane and tolerable at best. It lacks the voice of the students and the passion of writers. I would challenge that any high school news paper in the Central, MA region could trump The Point in content and skill, and as previously mentioned, awareness. However, those who contribute and work for The Point shouldn't worry too much (and I would assume they don't from their robotic writing) because the Fitchburg Sentinel and Enterprise is always looking for new and uninspired staff members to continue to write agenda based dribble.