About twenty years ago, I had a neighbor tenant with roommate in my building who were on unenployment and food stamps. I used to drive them on errands when I could, 'cause they couldnt afford to run their car. In the same week, they both got jobs. I took them shopping to spend the last of their food stamps which they used to buy a really lush dinner. Some customers in the store started with dirty looks and went on to nasty comments. One of the girls jumped up on the checkout counter and said, "adies & gentlemen, after two and a half months on food stamps and unemployment, WE HAVE JOBS! With the last of our food stamps, we are buying a dinner to celebrate the event. We hope that others ...

About twenty years ago, I had a neighbor tenant with roommate in my building who were on unenployment and food stamps. I used to drive them on errands when I could, 'cause they couldnt afford to run their car. In the same week, they both got jobs. I took them shopping to spend the last of their food stamps which they used to buy a really lush dinner. Some customers in the store started with dirty looks and went on to nasty comments. One of the girls jumped up on the checkout counter and said, "adies & gentlemen, after two and a half months on food stamps and unemployment, WE HAVE JOBS! With the last of our food stamps, we are buying a dinner to celebrate the event. We hope that others in our former positions will soon be joining us!"

The angry muttering turned into a round of applause; the girls took a bow and announced that on their next visit thy'd be spending their own money.

People who observed our family may have made judgmental assumptions. We use to get in line, my siblings and myseld to each individually buy a food product that was just over the dollar. So, for example, I would get a can of tuna for $2.01 and then get 99 cents change. After each of the three oldest children had done this, my mom would have enough coins to buy laundry detergent or toilet paper or whatever basic necessities were needed. Of course, we used the county food bank, school lunches, and church suppers to keep having food when the Food Stamps were out.

The resentment toward people who may game the system for cigarettes is so disproportionate. We have corporate welfare that benef...

People who observed our family may have made judgmental assumptions. We use to get in line, my siblings and myseld to each individually buy a food product that was just over the dollar. So, for example, I would get a can of tuna for $2.01 and then get 99 cents change. After each of the three oldest children had done this, my mom would have enough coins to buy laundry detergent or toilet paper or whatever basic necessities were needed. Of course, we used the county food bank, school lunches, and church suppers to keep having food when the Food Stamps were out.

The resentment toward people who may game the system for cigarettes is so disproportionate. We have corporate welfare that benefits individuals with as much as millions of dollars, but that guy walks away with the mother lode with the support of all of the little people. They win being both rich and unstigmatized.