Speaking The Voice Of America

It is important for Americans to start speaking up across the nation. Most of the time we don't use our voice, tell our stories, or stand up for what is right. We leave it to the politicians, but maybe they would do a better job if we all decided to speak up and tell our personal stories to the Senators and Congressmen. We voted for them, but that is simply not enough.

Understanding where people are at as a Human Service Worker/Social Worker perspective, I understand there is millions of people across the nation with their own stories, their own personal situations. Most case workers, politicians, and several other service workers don't hear out the people, they are most of the time limited to state regulations, rules, and policies. The only way your voice will be heard is by telling your story, sharing it with the State Legislation's, Senators,and Congressmen.

The more voices they hear they will know what the people go through every day and what kind of red tape they go through to survive, all the way down to being homeless. There are a variety of social issues, and problems people are encountering. There are people not getting the help they need because there is no help, what help there is, it is limited. It covers across many social and economic levels, everyone is feeling it, but the middle class is no longer the middle class, and falling into poverty.

Our country should not be in poverty, someone was upset due to an organization in my local community because they were collecting sleeping bags and flashlights for Japan. Understanding they are in trouble over there, of course they need help, but understanding as well, in America that person was right. There are children here that go with out what they need physically, emotionally, and financially. There are people with valid disabilities that can not work, that are denied, there are plenty of single mother's and father's having a difficult time surviving as well as the elderly.

There are many people across America that are unemployed but that do not receive unemployment benefits and that are never counted. There are many people living in cars, or on the street because they have no other choice. Depending on the location, transportation, economical issues,housing may not be accessible. People have to depend on their neighbors to help them out with showers, hot water, to get rides and do their laundry. People are resourcing together using the barter system because that is the only way they're surviving. There are many situations that people find themselves in, and its not due to laziness or living on welfare, it is a gap of transitioning their lifestyles with education, training, criminal record checks, credit checks on jobs and limited job opportunities. These are all just a few examples, society as a whole is suffering from past choices the government has made, now it has to be revised and changed.

We are encouraged to vote, but most of the time the electoral vote is what determines the score. They say our voices matter. We should than start using our personal voices to state our stories. If we can not advocate for ourselves who will? We can not keep sitting around being silent. It affects the infant to the elderly. There is no part of the population that is not affected. We have health care problems, we have economic problems, we have environmental problems, Housing problems, There is so many social problems out there that need to be dealt with. Of course we are concerned about helping other countries, but at the same time we are all suffering, paying the consequences. Our country is in debt to other countries.

If we give those politicians the right to be in there position than we should also write them, share our stories, help them understand that millions of people out there need the help now, and not 10 years from now. They need to come up with better solutions to the problems than are currently happening. How do people survive in these times when non-profit organizations can't help them more than one time, or State Department of Human Services can only help them one time. Where do these people go when family members insist on not helping them because they don not understand the situation.

I heard many times from people they think people choose to live off of welfare, or don't want a job. That may be the case in certain situations, but at this moment in time there are many families that would love to work, but the jobs are not available or they do not have the training, or education. These people have road blocks because they do not have the money for education, or training. Depending on their ages it is also held against them, if they don't have the work experience they are limited. Some jobs insist you have at least 6 months to a year experience before they will consider you even in factory work. Others require experience, plus training or education.

People are limited, they don't have transportation, they don't have the skills they need, they sometimes don't even have a G.E.D. or High School diploma. Workers that try to help them are judgemental towards them looking down on them due to the fact they are in the position they are in. They are accused of being lazy, or not willing to help themselves, yet people do not try to help them, or give them the chance or opportunity to get help.

Often times when people go for interviews they can have good qualities, and be good workers, but they are also playing a political game when it is a team interview, they also have their personal agendas, personal view, and some times bias with their own prejudices. It is not supposed to be this way, but they can hire anyone they want to, they will not admit they are being discriminating against you, but they are. Of course every company knows what they are looking for and should have an idea of what kind of employee they are looking for, personal agendas, their own bias views should not even be in the mix whether someone gets employed.

Case workers should not be judgemental or bias towards clients either. They are supposed to reunite families, do assessments, take the time to figure out what the situation is, evaluate the problem, hook them up with community resources that will help them. They should be given parent mentors that can teach them life skills, coping skills, and encourage clients to succeed, not put them down, or be little them. There are many good programs out there to help families make better choices, and healthier lives. It doesn't help a family when a case worker comes in their home, doesn't do there job correctly, or finds out what obstacles their family is facing. People need direction, resources, and options how to solve their problems, not be discouraged, or lumped up in a group. Not every family is the same, have their own set of problems, issues, and deserves to get the help they deserve.

That is why I encourage people no matter where they are at economically, or socially to raise their voices, tell their politicians in their state what is going on. Don't sit back and do nothing. Speak up for yourself, because most of the time the non-profit organizations, or State Case Workers won't speak up for you. It is up to you to write those Senators, and House of Representatives to tell them how the systems are working for you no matter what situation or social problem you are facing. Make your voice heard, it may or may not make a difference, but the more people speak up across America, maybe something will eventually be done and change.