Labeling the Poor: Reading Freire & Gans

Labeling the poor really struck me as it helped me understand the difference between term and label and why people choose to always label. I liked this article better than the other one because it made me look at society from a different perspective, from the perspective of the underclass, otherwise known as the culture of poverty and it made me look at their day-to-day activities and analyze why these so called socialists are extremely interested in labeling “them.” But is it that these labels so called terms empower or suppress the underclass? I strongly feel that these terms empower the poor to do better in contrast to what the reading suggested. Nowadays people are desensitized to terms and labels and are very strong minded. I had an incident with a homeless male on 46th and 9th ave this morning who was in a very playful mood but I couldn’t have it and when I yelled: “get out of my way you bum!” he immediately replied: “this bum ain’t a bum no more, and started screaming and shouting…then he turned around and asked what can i do to better myself, to get out of the streets man!” After experiencing similar encounters such as the previous situation, I feel that my theory is becoming more true about the underclass.

Coming from a low-income neighborhood, the lack of healthy food markets is quite obvious. And I agree that we need to show these areas that eating healthy is very important. But its hard to see change when healthy foods would fail from the beginning because cheaper markets have so many locations here. The necessity of government input in these matters is important because they can deliver the message quickly. Implementing programs with schools and other public institutions would allow more involvement. I find the lack of information in these areas as a main reason why most people do not seek change in the quality of their "delis." I see, in my neighborhood, many summer projects for the urban youth. The make gardens and harvest fruits. But there are barely any kids involved, and the gardens turn into junkyards during colder months. The amount of these eco-health projects seem to decrease year by year.

In the two articles that were assigned we see stark and scary differences between those who are described as the oppressors and the other who are the oppressed. I describe these differences because I think the conflicts that are described are very accurate. When the oppressed are constantly the oppressed they only identify with their oppressors, they know nothing else because they see nothing else. In this case even if the oppressed can become in a position of power they do end up taking on the role of the oppressors seemingly no matter what to a certain degree. While reading these articles I was reminded at some points of the American Revolution. Thomas Paine famously said, "We have a chance to make the world anew," yet a great hero of American history and the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence was Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson wrote of the equality of man in the Declaration of Independence yet at the same time was a slaveowner and struggled all his life with this contradiction. This in my mind was an example of a conflicted man who felt through the revolution he was throwing off the shackles of a dictatorship yet ran what could be seen as a dictatorship on his own land. The discussion of todays forms of the oppressed and the oppressors I think was most interesting, especially the discussion of the structural parts of the system that sustains this cycle of life. With this I see most people do agree that government aid is needed but I think this aid should be given in a different way. The poor can not become dependent on the government or else they may be stuck in this cycle of constantly relying on what some may consider their oppressors. The structural changes I think need to be the government aid in this process. If the government can force structural changes by mandating in our public schools more real life education, such as financial education and nutritional education. The poor will only be able to cut off their oppressors and at the same time not become the oppressors if they are educated in ways that we today are only educated in college. Social programs must be kept in place as a safety net but at the same time the poor must need to know how they can pull themselves out of this dependency on the oppressor.

As I was reading “Labeling the Poor”, I found that it is really true that most of the time we just judge people by their appearance. By doing so, we are labeling them. When we see a person dressing really well, we assume that he/she has a decent job, home, and family. I think it is human nature that we always prejudge a person in the first look. It is hard to avoid prejudgment because that will be the first impression that we have and the first idea that comes up. However, we misjudge people all the time. I remembered professor Bernard mentioned that there was a guy wearing a suit in a soup kitchen. Without knowing the whole story, I thought that the guy should not be there because he should have the ability to support himself. I was surprised that he was actually unemployed and waiting for a chance to have an interview. Because of this, I immediately found out that I actually label others by their appearance. After the discussion in class, I agree that we cannot just determine people by just looking at them and without trying to understand their situations. A healthy-looking person might have their own problems that drive them away from the labor force.

There was a new study recently published that shows that the majority of poor people have the same access to healthy foods as the higher classes. People Eat poorly because the food tastes good, not because of access or price. Many of the dietary habits of The lower class are cultural and learned through family. For instance, a poor child with overweight parents will be more accepting of ding overweight. These habits are difficult to break, and proper educational still not cure obesity amongst the poor. Cultural characteristics are difficult to change, and take prolonged periods. In many cultures, it is viewed as desirable to be overweight. My neighborhood is more health aware, and make better choices when it comes to food. That is their culture. Freire's academic interpretation has yet to be proven. In theory, government aid would serve to cure this problem. However, the government has tried for Many years with little to no success. Freire's words are overly idealistic. One more drastic measure would be to add extra tax on unhealthy foods. The government can try and strongly persuade people to eat healthier through pricing of food

I am playing catch up here, but I agree with most of my colleagues comments regarding this issue. First and foremost, I am from Jamaica Queens, border of South Jamaica. Originally from Brooklyn (with access to “green groceries” around the corner from my house) in my queen’s neighborhood there are three delis on the main street which is a stone’s throw away from my house. The supermarket is a few miles away so if I need to get something quickly I have to depend on the delis/bodegas. The delis/bodegas by the way DO NOT have any type of nutritional food; No vegetables, no fruits, nothing I can consider healthy. Of course the canned goods and other staples are in abundance and that spells true for all three of the delis. I really don’t know why there are three of them sitting on the same corner, but that’s another story. Regarding the supermarket, I have to walk a good 15 blocks to go to the supermarket, which by the way does have most of the nutritional items that I need at times, AND if there are items on the shelves, they do not look delectable (i.e. Fruits are battered and bruised, vegetables are withered, etc.) Thankfully I have a car and can drive to the bigger supermarkets such as Pathmark to get access to an abundance of fruit and vegetables plus the added deals of the week. I think the government is doing a great deal to encourage low income neighborhoods to access healthy foods. About four months ago, I was perusing the New York City Planning’s website and found out that the neighborhood that I currently live is being re-zoned to allow more supermarkets and food stores to infiltrate the area. I jumped for joy when I found out about this change, I love the idea and I am all for it.

Years ago, I would travel on the A train home to Inwood. I always had cash tips from waiting tables at night and when I was approached by someone in need I would always give. I had conversations with some people who turned out to be pulling scams or it became clear they were in another reality all together. But others were regulars on the A train, like a Vietnam veteran named Alan, who just wanted a little polite conversation and any change if available. I tried not to give out of pity or out of pretending to relate to their situation. I considered my donations to be gifts, no strings attached. But over time, I stopped giving to anyone seeking an interaction. I don’t listen to stories anymore or even acknowledge another person’s existence whether on the sidewalk with a sign asking for help or on the train looking for assistance. I’m indifferent. Maybe it’s dehumanizing to be detached in that way, but it’s a choice I’ve made as a short term strategy to continue living here. In turn, I’m less human myself so, everyone loses by failing to connect. Maybe these sentiments come in waves for all people depending on different factors, like winter holidays or a Season of Giving. Or maybe giving shouldn’t have a season and we should try to be human every day.

In my neighborhood, I noticed that there are several options about buying food. There are places that sell fresh fruits and vegetables where you can walk to. After working hours you can see people going to buy fresh fruits & vegetables to cook. However, there are parts where fast food restaurants are in one corner such as Popeye’s, KFC, burger king and McDonald's. There are also Chinese restaurants in almost every block. There are also places where you can purchase fresh poultry, my parents usually to the poultry farm & choose whatever they want live and the butcher will clean & cut up the meats for them. On the other hand, its common sense to know that certain foods isn’t healthy and that you shouldn’t eat so much of it. I don’t believe that it’s the government position to take care of the country health crisis. If Bloomberg wants to ban large soda at fast food places and people still wants to drink large soda they can go to the Deli and purchase the large soda. You can’t stop people from eating what they want. Unfortunately some people will make poor choices about eating until it’s too late for them & then they choose to do surgery. I feel that there will always be large amounts of food and people need to learn what they put in their mouth. Soda intake is a personal choice, obviously too much of anything is bad for you but if an individual wants to drink 5 32oz of soda per day that's their business. The government needs to back off. But where would you draw the line? As well, I agree with the health concerns but I don't think banning 32oz bottles will solve the state's obesity problem. People will continue to buy sodas only now they'll buy it in bulks. Time will be better spent educating urban communities on the health risks of sugar/sodium and increase access to healthier options. One way of doing so is reducing the cost of healthy foods; it's ridiculous how expensive fruits and vegetables are. Also, there are LOTS of things that cause serious health effects, not the least being soda. If we're going to be expected to pay for universal health care, maybe we should allow the government to regulate these things. Again, where do you draw the line? Many public health experts would argue alcohol and cigarettes are much greater public harm, for example. Does that mean we should return to prohibition? I'm happy Bloomberg is sparking the conversation but I'm not in favor of legislative action. Lastly, the topics that were discussed in class about the poor & homeless. I feel that there are little things that the homeless can do to help themselves. I've seen people in the streets in my neighborhood & elsewhere where they gather plastic bottles to recycle. Some people collect magazines or old books to sell. They do something to earn a few dollars so that they can buy food. But I feel like the homeless finds it easier to beg in the trains & on the streets and even in incoming traffics. Some immigrants come into this country will little money but they try to help themselves to better their future. If they have to work for as little as $5 an hour it's still something at the end of the day.

A couple of years ago I moved from Westchester to Queens to be closer to New York City. The neighborhoods, supermarkets, restaurants and all establishments related to food consumption are completely different. In Queens I have access to more ethnic food, but also to more unhealthy & fast food. When I go food shopping in Queens, the message being directed to me is cheap prices=large quantities. Whereas in Westchester, a more affluent area, the message is clearly focused on “eating smarter” as part of an overall healthier lifestyle. My interpretation of the message in Westchester is that it doesn’t matter that I can’t get large quantities of unhealthy food, because the point is that I shouldn’t want it. I should want to spend more money in keeping myself healthy and eating better. I think that it can be assumed that if you are affluent, you’ll have time to exercise and take time to care for yourself. I am lucky enough not to be poor, but I think that if I am struggling to make ends meat, taking time and money to have a healthier lifestyle is not an option. We have come to accept what I have finished describing, so I guess in many ways each of us do straddle both worlds. Personally, I have gone out of my neighborhood to go food shopping, because a lot of the supermarkets by me do not even offer the products/food that I consume.

I guess it’s safe to presume that there are always the oppressed and the oppressor in any culture or society, and even if oppressed people managed to escape they will join the oppressor’s group. However if the life of oppressed people becomes too arduous, they would have no choice but to fight for their rights. In our society the oppressors following the rule “panem et circenses” to satisfy peoples basic needs and avoid revolution movements. They feed them with cheap, unhealthy and fattening food and ridiculous and dull TV shows and movies, which lead to human degradation, when spiritual values are replaced by primitive desire to fill the stomach and head with low quality, but vast quantity products. However, the oppressors must understand that the society function as an integrated system, and the lagging oppressed people will drag down the entire society. In my opinion, even people in the poorest neighborhood sill can choose to maintain healthy diet; the problem is the lack of education. Some people cannot understand the implication of bad food habits, such as diseases, obesity and fatality. The government or oppressors have to smooth the differences in people’s life conditions by investing in public education, health and restoration of social dignity.

Often times we see many circumstances around us that we cannot understand or even control. It is alright to turn a blind eye if you really believe that your life in this world is only centered around you and those who are in your inner circle. However, the circle tends to keep growing day by day because as human beings we thrive on social interactions. It is important to be aware of all the threats posed upon us and those around us, such as STD's, war , famine, and importantly poverty. No matter how much information is present for us to digest, if we do not try our hardest to make sense of what is out there, not only will be poor health wise, we will be poor morally. Yes sometimes we can only lend a hand but so much and yes sometimes it is not within our means to help everyone; but we can start with one! My brother tried his hardest to shut me out and not accept help when I knew he needed it, but I kept pushing because in my eyes, it was my responsibility as his own flesh and blood. I refused to allow the bridge to get longer and wider. Working in the school system has showed me the importance of keeping the student/counselor relationship at a level of honest communication and support because there is none of that present inside of their homes. Parents are working two and three jobs a day and there is no parent at home to cook a decent meal for their children so they have no choice but to buy those $1.25 french fries from the Chinese restaurant. This is also linked with their education. Because of the economical strain, parents are working more and home less so there is no one to reinforce H.W. and at-home reading. Everything is connected and there is a greater need, more so now than ever before, for communities to get together and fight for the things that are important so that the generations after can have something to look forward to.

I think that culture can be seen as an excuse to why people remain and maintain a narrow minded thinking because I don't believe that because you live in a "poor" neighborhood, doesn't mean you can't be wise about your choice. Like MacKenzie stated above, even if you have to spend that extra $2.50 to take that ride to get better food, while the products may be a bit more expensive, you can buy things on sale or use things like "rainchecks" which can promise you the product if it runs out while the sale is going on; at least you would be eating healthier. I think that people have ample opportunities to know that fast food isn't good for you: there are movies made about them, documentaries and sometimes even just walking in the grocery stores you can hear conversations about this. It honestly makes me wonder, do people just not care enough about their health? Is the government doing enough to bring this to their attention? If we ask government to do so, is that socialism? If they don't do anything, we say they aren't doing enough. It's such a fine line. I'm sure some people don't know how to eat healthy or stay fit, but if they were concerned with that, wouldn't they seek information about it? Especially with children who are in school, I think that more programs should go out to helping children understand bad eating habits. So that they can understand the diseases that they risk having, by eating unhealthy. This way, kids can break he vicious cycle of repeating what their parents may not be aware of. I think this should be the case because if we can teach kids at young age about sex education, then we should specify a program for this as well. Let's actually find real solutions as opposed to band aids. Lewis believed this in his research as I read in labeling the poor and I think breaking the pattern at an early stage would be a more effective approach.

I can relate to a lot of the topics that we spoke about last night in class. She mentioned her brother being incarcerated for so long, and then coming out of prison to find love from someone. I had an uncle that had a job in the bank as a bank teller and turned to drugs, he lost his job and literally became homeless, he tried coming back home, but his father did not want him back in the house, so he turned back to the streets. If they would have given him a chance, he probably could have turned his life back around. I belive that people can only help themselves. Everybody in life has a choice, and its up to the individual to make the right decision. There are a lot of people in this world that has been neglected from a lot of things in life, and even though they are neglected, they do something with their life and become successful. People in this world hit rock bottom, but to me its all about how you recover, and if they choose to recover. Some people do recover, but there are people that are just comfortable living the way they live. I know someone that got evicted from his house, lost all his furniture, and lives with his mother-n-law, and is jobless. He is comfortable living like that. I tried to help him in looking for a job. I tell him who is hiring, and he tells me that he is not going to do it because it does not pay enough. He rather be broke, living with his mother-n-law, instead of doing his family, and having his own place. You can only help someone only so much. This is why I sometimes feel like the opressed and the opressor.

After tonight's discussion I even more strongly believe that efforts to help those in need, such as soup kitchens and shelters, need programs to inspire change and not merely to sustain one's lifestyle. It seems to me it's a dichotomy of long term and short term problems. The short term problem being hunger and homelessness while the long term problem is lack of a job or career, lack of adequate funds to survive as well as possibly a lack of motivation or inspiration. Such lack of motivation may be results of what we mentioned in class: psychological and social issues. As for my neighborhood's availability to healthy food choices I have noticed many many options. I live on the Upper East Side, on 97th Street. There are ample grocery options ranging from bodegas, CVS, Duane Reade and Food Emporium although I choose to shop at Whole Foods which is pretty far (I travel to either the Union Square or Columbus Circle locations). One thing I have noticed and looked into is the presence of an NYC Food Cart (http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cdp/cdp_pan_green_carts.shtml). This program was put into place by the City of New York in 2008 to bring fresh produce to all five boroughs using 1,000 food carts selling raw fruits and vegetables. I think this is a great initiative to combat the "food desert" problem we spoke about in our first class meeting. My one question, though, is when reading about the NYC Green Carts there is a map designating certain areas of each borough where they are allowed. Because I do not know about the availability of fresh produce across the city I'm not sure if these carts are being targeted in the right areas or not. I would love to hear what others in the class have to say regarding the carts and the map associated with them in regards to those areas being "food deserts".

Both “small-time groups of folk” and the involvement of government are necessary to improve the lives of poor. Government action is necessary on the part where the labeling of natural or genetically modified food is concerned. According to the article about GMO the government hasn’t taken action about these products. This is where involvement of people is needed to bring action from government. If the government is not concerned about its people than people need to show the government that they are concern about their own health.

I spend the majority of my time in the city so I get to see different options of food. However, when I travel to Jamaica, Queens where I coach its another set of options. The contrast is just so obvious. I wish that there was a balance, if we are going to have unhealthy spots then at least have the healthy options too. I tell my girls to eat healthy and try to give them as much information as I can. However, when lunch time hits the only options they have in the neighborhood is Popeye's, taco bell, pizza hut, mcdonalds, Chinese food or the kart guy. I think that for a dramatic change in people's choices and neighborhoods only occurs when something tragic happens. You tend to not take action if it isn't affecting you personally even if you have the information. Before coaching I only worried about my family and myself. However, now I see these girls and I feel the need to make them see things from all sides. Part of the way they eat comes from the lifestyle they carry and the way they think. People don't change or contribute if they are not involved emotionally and I do think that is why majority of the time we need government participation. And information is very important because like I tell my girls all the time I can bring you to the water but can't make you drink it. - but if there is no water in the first place then we're screwed.