Update: Kevin at last has some support. Stuart* has joined the fray inspired by Kevin's pertinent advice. Stuart* is a true poet so I'll share his wisdom. **CW likening receiving a benefit to sexual assault.**
*
*
*
*
"I rent I pay it end a story lol can't just keep rapeing the taxpayer cause your hopeless with your money oh winz will pay lol what a joke" (sic...obviously)
I try really hard not to be pedantic about spelling and grammar because snobbery is gross and I don't think it matters so I'll leave that aside and focus on the sentiment.
The Kevins and Stuarts of the world are comfortable enough to put their real names to their feelings and air them in the town Facebook group, the modern day equivalent of heading down to the town sqaure and shouting them then leaving a written transcript pinned to ye olde bulletin board in case anyone missed it.
Stuart goes on to say that benefits should be abolished and in the next sentence (although without punctuation so it's really the same sentence) says they should be kept for the people who need them. This is what decades of political point scoring does.
People can recognise that in theory at least there is a need for a safety net and that some people genuinely cannot work. However they also feel empowered to write off these people as lazy, hopeless, bludgers and feel qualified to make this call publicly without knowing (or having any right to know) their circumstances. We've dehumanised the most vulnerable among us.
I had really hoped that the covid uncertainty and lay-offs would increase awareness about the realities of life on a benefit, the inhumanity that winz can demonstrate at times, and generally increases compassion. That doesn't seem to have happened. A special VIP benefit was rolled out for people who became jobless due to covid, spousal earning caps for these people were all but cut, and people quickly forgot the old adage there but for the grace of god go I.
If you find yourself thinking something about beneficiaries, I know that I know many people who have these feelings, I strongly urge you to reconsider. Or at least please keep this to yourself. Telling people you think that they deserve to starve and be homeless is super unnecessary. This isn't and should never be an issue of politics. We can remove policy from the human beings involved and retain our compassion.
*also not his real name although why I'm protecting the privacy of these men who for two straight days have shat all over this woman and everyone else doing it tough, again in a town where house prices have more than doubled, I have no idea.
Update: Kevin at last has some support. Stuart* has joined the fray inspired by Kevin's pertinent advice. Stuart* is a true poet so I'll share his wisdom. **CW likening receiving a benefit to sexual assault.**
*
*
*
*
"I rent I pay it end a story lol can't just keep rapeing the taxpayer cause your hopeless with your money oh winz will pay lol what a joke" (sic...obviously)
I try really hard not to be pedantic about spelling and grammar because snobbery is gross and I don't think it matters so I'll leave that aside and focus on the sentiment.
The Kevins and Stuarts of the world are comfortable enough to put their real names to their feelings and air them in the town Facebook group, the modern day equivalent of heading down to the town sqaure and shouting them then leaving a written transcript pinned to ye olde bulletin board in case anyone missed it.
Stuart goes on to say that benefits should be abolished and in the next sentence (although without punctuation so it's really the same sentence) says they should be kept for the people who need them. This is what decades of political point scoring does.
People can recognise that in theory at least there is a need for a safety net and that some people genuinely cannot work. However they also feel empowered to write off these people as lazy, hopeless, bludgers and feel qualified to make this call publicly without knowing (or having any right to know) their circumstances. We've dehumanised the most vulnerable among us.
I had really hoped that the covid uncertainty and lay-offs would increase awareness about the realities of life on a benefit, the inhumanity that winz can demonstrate at times, and generally increases compassion. That doesn't seem to have happened. A special VIP benefit was rolled out for people who became jobless due to covid, spousal earning caps for these people were all but cut, and people quickly forgot the old adage there but for the grace of god go I.
If you find yourself thinking something about beneficiaries, I know that I know many people who have these feelings, I strongly urge you to reconsider. Or at least please keep this to yourself. Telling people you think that they deserve to starve and be homeless is super unnecessary. This isn't and should never be an issue of politics. We can remove policy from the human beings involved and retain our compassion.
*also not his real name although why I'm protecting the privacy of these men who for two straight days have shat all over this woman and everyone else doing it tough, again in a town where house prices have more than doubled, I have no idea.