Poverty: it is easier said than done
Social studies teachers have always given lessons about the causes of poverty at college. They tend to look very concerned about the issue. Although they will never teach how to solve the problem of poverty, they make us think about solutions. However, in my opinion, they like lecturing us on poverty but they do not like facing real poverty. It is easier for them to talk about poverty than to do something about it.
To exemplify my point, I can describe what a teacher of mine did some weeks ago. Laura Sanders is her name- she is still teaching at college- . She has been teaching Social Studies for many years. She loves giving books and notes about authors who analyse poverty. All her classes finish with these words: " You have to do something about poverty. Have you ever thought about the drunk people in the streets?".
Alcoholism seemed to be related to poverty for Laura Sanders. Therefore, some weeks ago I asked her why she always mentioned the drunk people in the streets. She answered my question. She gave a long explanation about the connection: in her opinion , poor people felt miserable and needed alcohol to feel better. However, drunk people might be dangerous for the people in the cities. As a conclusion, she wanted us to help the drunk people in the streets. In her opinion, we had to start with the drunk people in our neighbourhoods.
Guilt was more real than help. I always felt guilty after Sander's classes; I could not feel helpful. I did not know how to help the angry drunk people in the streets. Some weeks ago, after Sander's class, I felt very worried. I left college late in the evening. I saw Laura Sanders leaving college at the same time. I was walking behind my teacher when I saw something strange. There was a drunk man lying near the bus stop opposite college. Sanders saw the bus. People were getting on the bus. Sanders ran to catch it; she stepped over the drunk man to catch the bus!! I got paralised.
My term ended and I sat for my Social Studies exam. One of the points in the exam was to reflect upon the number of drunk and poor people in the streets. I could not write my full reflection but I could write this question: " Are the drunk people near bus stops less drunk than the people in books?". I failed my exam. Laura Sanders is still teaching about the connection of alcoholism and poverty.
