Show of Hands

..place at the right time.

Poverty is perpetuated by lazy people who make bad choices.

That's simply false. It's a foolish stereotype.

Except it's true. I started dirt poor, and watched the lazy around me learn to mooch while I learned to change my situation.

Ok, and in the U.S., we can be born dirt poor, and die filthy rich. It comes down to personal choice.

Oh I understand that, believe me, but there is a correlation between personal success and, say, your parents' education or income.

Wolf ... not always. My parent was uneducated, I determined myself not to continue the cycle of poverty and ignorance.

The problem is in large part do to learned behaviors like laziness and ignorance.

It's a trend. Not an always, just a sometimes. Nicely done being one of those who beat it.

Wolf ... having been there and having beat it leaves me FAR less sympathetic with those who choose to stay in poverty.

They chose drugs and the gangster lifestyle, and now want handouts.

I agree.