Classism and COVID

[Not_a_Number]

7 minutes ago, popmom said:

Just curious... How many friends do you have that are "poor"? How about working class? 

I don't know about Corraleno, but the range of people I know has really increased through homeschooling, since lots of people homeschool from all walks of life. I had the same experience through being involved with babywearing groups. 

Obviously, my friends from other eras of my life are more uniform, since I met people in college and grad school... 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Not_a_Number

[Happy2BaMom]

2 hours ago, Soror said:

As others mentioned lower income people often have less access to healthcare anyway, so it especially stinks. It just further illustrates the disparity in our country. We're all in this together, except we aren't, some can isolate themselves from nearly 100% of risk easily, many don't have that choice. Some threads and comments on here seem to be forgetting this fact or oblivious, I find it in bad taste. It makes me frustrated and sad and I don't see a way moving forward possible that it isn't the case. Acknowledging the disparity is a start though.

It is not the fault of the people who can work from home that millions upon millions in this country are blithely - & proudly - unconcerned about the effect of their actions on the less privileged. I've seen nothing to indicate that stay-at-home workers are more likely than others to disregard masks, downplay the virus and mock those who care (if anything, I think it's probably the opposite), so I'm not sure why you are focusing on one subset of workers.

Yes, there is a huge disparity in this country - it's burgeoned for the last 40 years. And we have the most expensive and one of the least effective health care systems in any developed country. We can't solve systemic, country-wide problems for 350 million people without involving the government. That's what governments are for. But when a sizeable portion, if not the majority, of this country believe that the government is only to be feared, and that it can never do anything good or right or useful, there's no mechanism to leverage to achieve public policies. So we wait for "market forces" to fix it. Except all the market cares about are profits.

It's horribly sad. But given the political polarization in this country, it's not like anything is going to change.

Edited December 3, 2020 by Happy2BaMom

[popmom]

@Not_a_NumberThat's great, but not exactly all walks of life. Any homeless veterans with substance abuse issues? Any minorities who have spent years in prison? You have a personal relationship with anyone like that? I'd really like to hear from @Corraleno. Apparently, she has blocked me since I can't tag her. 

 

Edited December 3, 2020 by popmom

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, popmom said:

That's great, but not exactly all walks of life. Any homeless veterans with substance abuse issues? Any minorities who have spent years in prison? You have a personal relationship with anyone like that? I'd really like to hear from @Corraleno. 

No, I don't know anyone homeless veterans with substance abuse issues. 

Would you mind explaining what point you're making here? (And yes, I'll wait for @Corralenoto chime in as well.) 

[Happy2BaMom]

1 minute ago, popmom said:

That's great, but not exactly all walks of life. Any homeless veterans with substance abuse issues? Any minorities who have spent years in prison? You have a personal relationship with anyone like that? I'd really like to hear from @Corraleno. 

I've worked side-by-side on projects with minorities that have spent years in prison, and I think my views are not horribly different than Correlano's.

What's your point?

[popmom]

4 minutes ago, Happy2BaMom said:

I've worked side-by-side on projects with minorities that have spent years in prison, and I think my views are not horribly different than Correlano's.

What's your point?

My point is that every single person I know that would fall into the poor category is vehemently anti mask, hangs out with friends, does all the things that Correlano hates. Her comment demonstrates her privilege. 

Edited December 3, 2020 by popmom

[MoyaPechal]

My husband has to work in person because he deals with classified information. For our HCOL area, we are lower middle class. We and everyone we know in a similar financial situation are being very careful. The people I know who think covid is a hoax and masks are stupid are all affluent crunchy moms.

[Bootsie]

40 minutes ago, OH_Homeschooler said:

What do you propose instead? Not boosting their pay because not everyone is getting a boost? Letting them leave the profession, and watching education fail? Yes it sucks that some people are with getting less pay but still have to pay taxes, but that's how it's always been. 

Locally there has been no indication that teachers are leaving the profession and that this is being done because of a teacher shortage.  If that were the case, then it would make sense to address teacher pay and not give the same bonus to all school district employees whether they are teachers or not. 

To me, it is not simply that not everyone is getting a boost.  It is a situation where many of the taxpayers who are paying for these bonuses are suffering financially due to COVID; they are having their salaries and benefits CUT or are losing their jobs.  With all of the talk of "we are in this together," these school districts are sending the opposite message.

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, popmom said:

My point is that every single person I know that would fall into the poor category, is anti mask, hangs out with friends, does all the things that Correlano hates. 

I'm not sure what that has to do with Corraleno's point, to be honest? One can think people are misguided and also poorly served by society. 

[Little Green Leaves]

20 minutes ago, MEmama said:

No one is disputing that? Of course it’s hard.

I feel like this conversation has gone off track. That an elderly shut in doesn’t have grocery delivery still doesn’t make the service “classist” or “elitist”. It feels like grasping at straws now to prove some point that doesn’t quite add up in the first place.

Once again, every American is aware of income and regional disparities in this country. Half our population continually votes for the gap to widen; it’s been going on forever and it matters. The inequalities in this country are a disgrace always, and of course something like a pandemic is only going to make the situation worse. That’s what not having a good safety net and good governing does. For some, it’s a benefit—this is literally what they want. For others, to call it a National disgrace isn’t going nearly far enough. 
 

It’s been asked so many times...what do you think the solutions are? Because it seems to me the conversation is spinning instead of working toward real movement forward.

I'm listening, and ready to do the work. 

In terms of what people can do to help:

I think there are a lot of tremendous teachers on this board, with a great store of knowledge and experience. I think it would be lovely if people found a way to contribute those skills. Off the top of my head:

--Maybe by creating lesson plans for new homeschooling families and sharing them online

--Maybe by signing up to online tutor kids who are struggling in school.

--Maybe by giving homework help. I know that some of the shelters in NYC are organizing online help for the kids who live there, since many of them are struggling with online school.

Maybe there is a way to reach out (virtually) to people in old age homes? I wonder if there's a way to pay virtual visits to people, read to people, etc.

Those are the things that come to mind, off the top of my head. Obviously those with money to spare can also donate to food pantries and other charities. 

[Corraleno]

14 minutes ago, popmom said:

Just curious... How many friends do you have that are "poor"? How about working class? 

 

1 minute ago, popmom said:

That's great, but not exactly all walks of life. Any homeless veterans with substance abuse issues? Any minorities who have spent years in prison? You have a personal relationship with anyone like that? I'd really like to hear from @Corraleno. 

I grew up dirt poor: 4 kids sharing one bedroom, hand me down clothes, and not enough to eat (and most of the food we did have was nutritionally worthless, like grape jelly on discounted white bread with watered-down kool aid to drink). I am the only one in my family who not only went to college but grad school (with zero financial help from family obviously), and I am the only one who had a "career" vs a blue collar job. Most of my friends and relatives live paycheck to paycheck, although a few are well off.

I'm afraid I don't have any friends who have spent years in prison — is that supposed to mark me as an "elitist"?

[popmom]

4 minutes ago, MoyaPechal said:

My husband has to work in person because he deals with classified information. For our HCOL area, we are lower middle class. We and everyone we know in a similar financial situation are being very careful. The people I know who think covid is a hoax and masks are stupid are all affluent crunchy moms.

I know these types, too, but that's really a generalization.

4 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

I'm not sure what that has to do with Corraleno's point, to be honest? One can think people are misguided and also poorly served by society. 

She claims to speak for what the "working poor want". I bristle at privileged people claiming to know what poor people want or need.

[Corraleno]

7 minutes ago, popmom said:

My point is that every single person I know that would fall into the poor category is vehemently anti mask, hangs out with friends, does all the things that Correlano hates. Her comment demonstrates her privilege. 

Clearly we hang out in different crowds, because everyone I know in the "poor" category feels the opposite  — thus demonstrating my point that this is more about one's political persuasion than it is about the "elitism" of people who work from home or get groceries delivered.

[Happy2BaMom]

10 minutes ago, popmom said:

My point is that every single person I know that would fall into the poor category is vehemently anti mask, hangs out with friends, does all the things that Correlano hates. Her comment demonstrates her privilege. 

Well, you haven't spent any time on a Native American reservation then - which, BTW, are among the very poorest of the poor - in the US. Most of them have extremely stringent protocols and many are in complete lockdown. There's been a lot of strife in SD where the reservations have locked down to the point of not allowing outside traffic through the reservation, much to the chagrin of the SD governor.

 

[popmom]

4 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

 

I grew up dirt poor: 4 kids sharing one bedroom, hand me down clothes, and not enough to eat (and most of the food we did have was nutritionally worthless, like grape jelly on discounted white bread with watered-down kool aid to drink). I am the only one in my family who not only went to college but grad school (with zero financial help from family obviously), and I am the only one who had a "career" vs a blue collar job. Most of my friends and relatives live paycheck to paycheck, although a few are well off.

I'm afraid I don't have any friends who have spent years in prison — is that supposed to mark me as an "elitist"?

You definitely come off that way.

[Happy2BaMom]

Just now, popmom said:

You definitely come off that way.

To you.

[popmom]

1 minute ago, Corraleno said:

Clearly we hang out in different crowds, because everyone I know in the "poor" category feels the opposite  — thus demonstrating my point that this is more about one's political persuasion than it is about the "elitism" of people who work from home or get groceries delivered.

I can assure you the guy who spent years in jail would not have voted for Trump.

[catz]

Our urban high poverty communities of color are some of the most mask compliant communities in our area.   Many of them were hit with serious cases early on.  

[prairiewindmomma]

Pop mom, it seems like you are trying to pick a fight. Why?

[Happy2BaMom]

1 minute ago, popmom said:

I can assure you the guy who spent years in jail would not have voted for Trump.

Neither did a single one of my Native American friends & acquaintances. They still wear masks & will do *anything* - including complete & total lockdowns for weeks on end - to protect their elders.

What is it you're trying to prove?

[catz]

5 minutes ago, popmom said:

I can assure you the guy who spent years in jail would not have voted for Trump.

And that is you trying to stereotype an entire group of people.  I've done some volunteer work through our church with social justice and prisoners being released.  They are as diverse as any other group out there.  

[MoyaPechal]

Just now, FuzzyCatz said:

Our urban high poverty communities of color are some of the most mask compliant communities in our area.   Many of them were hit with serious cases early on.  

It seems to be the same here. I know in our area, disproportionately more poor families and POC chose distance learning over hybrid/in-person. 

[prairiewindmomma]

The “poor people” I know are masking like crazy because they can’t afford to get sick. They have no paid sick leave and they have to make rent and pay more for groceries as prices have gone up.
 

On my street at least seven houses have more family living with them than they did on March . A lot of them have shacked up with extended family as leases have come to an end this year so they have backup on childcare. They are afraid of bringing this home to their parents.

 

[Not_a_Number]

42 minutes ago, popmom said:

You definitely come off that way.

But she isn't. She just told you she isn't born into a life of privilege. It seems very dismissive to reply that way. 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Not_a_Number

[Not_a_Number]

For the record, I'm not sure what to classify myself as. I'm an immigrant from Ukraine who lived there through the turbulent early 90s, when there was massive inflation and everyone's savings were wiped out. Sometimes, we didn't have toilet paper or meat or hot water, although overall, I don't remember being stressed out by it. 

I had my own bedroom in Ukraine and my grandparents and parents are all highly educated -- so you can score those as privileged. On the other hand, I immigrated with only my mom (she had at that point divorced both my dad and my first stepdad) and we didn't have much money for a while. My second stepdad was rich, so I did live in comparative luxury as a teenager, although I hated it, because he disliked me and the feeling was mutual. I refused to take his money for college, and they've divorced since then, anyway... his money has nothing to do with me. 

Right now, my family definitely has enough money, and we're lucky enough to be able to work remotely. I'm sure that colors my perspective. But it's also not the perspective of a kid born with a sliver spoon in her mouth... 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Not_a_Number

[popmom]

50 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

And that is you trying to stereotype an entire group of people.  

Absolutely not. We've had actual conversations about these things. I know exactly where he stands politically.

Edited December 3, 2020 by popmom

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, popmom said:

Absolutely not. We've had actual conversations about these things.

Oh, you meant a specific guy? Yes, if he's someone you know, you probably know his politics 🙂  .

[popmom]

54 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Pop mom, it seems like you are trying to pick a fight. Why?

I'm not picking a fight. 

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, popmom said:

I'm not picking a fight. 

You do sound frustrated recently, though. 

[popmom]

4 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

You do sound frustrated recently, though. 

Fair enough. I am very frustrated. And anxious. I'm guessing not much different than most of y'all. I just have a different point of view.

Edited December 3, 2020 by popmom

[Not_a_Number]

9 minutes ago, popmom said:

Fair enough. I am very frustrated. And anxious. I'm guessing not much different than most of y'all. I just have a different point of view.

What are you frustrated about? 

[Not_a_Number]

1 minute ago, Thatboyofmine said:

Yesterday, alone, I got word an acquaintance who'd befriending me when I first moved here was killed in a car accident, my husband's coworker's wife is dying in hospice from something rare and that was totally unexpected (she had just taken on the care of her 8 yo niece who's parents are drug users and who knows what the future looks like for that baby now), and my uncle went into hospice with all his organs shutting down.   That happened within the span of about 2.5 hours yesterday evening.   2020 just sucks to the extreme and frustrated seems too weak a word for me right now.  I'm just spent.   This year has got to end soon.  

I'm really sorry. This year stinks so bad. 

[Scarlett]

NM I should have kept reading.

 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Scarlett

[Mrs Tiggywinkle]

I think it speaks to how vast our country really is.  I can’t stereotype anyone.  The most ardent Trump supporter I personally know spent five years in state prison on drug and weapons charges.  I know people of all classes, except perhaps super wealthy people.  I know people who are liberal politically who are dirt poor and upper middle class. I know people who are super conservative who haven’t had income in six weeks due to Covid and are waiting on unemployment and utilizing food pantries, and I know super conservative people who are upper middle class.  I know people who think Covid is an absolute hoax and refuse to mask as well as people who are super careful, and all are in different economic and educational classes. 

When I’m speaking of things like elitism and Covid safety, I am thinking of one particular person I know(though she is representative). She is an upper middle class SAHM of an older infant. Her husband works remote IT and hasn’t been in an office since March. They live in an urban area where everything can be delivered, contactless to their doorstep.  She is all over FB about how people are selfishly working, grocery shopping, not using telehealth, and it is so very tone deaf.  The second most vocal person is a single retiree who hasn’t left her house in months. It’s just tone deaf to people who are struggling and don’t have options.
 

Honestly I have no bone to pick.  I’ve had Covid twice. Even mild cases are miserable.  I am severely depressed and likely going to wind up inpatient because Covid has screwed my brain up. I’d prefer to avoid it a third time, and honestly could afford to be a SAHM with my three homeschool/virtual school children, but I am also want to stay completely aware that not everyone lives my privileged life.  Many people I know and love are struggling very much to make ends meet, virtual school their kids without access to internet due to location, find childcare and try to safely grocery shop.  I know, personally, a single mom who posted a FB picture of her and her two kids eating in a restaurant. She was blasted.  I also know she had just worked three 12 hour shifts in a row as a phlebotomist, starting every day at 4 am, came home and tried to help her special eeds 9-year-old with virtual Schoolwork he didn’t complete, never made it to the grocery store and didn’t have food in the house,  and around 6 pm and took them out to Applebee’s, which is operating at 25% capacity and requires masks when not eating at the table. I also know she had no cash because baby daddy’s child Support didn’t come that week and she was behind on bills, and had an Applebee’s gift card. The one grocery store she had access to that does curbside is Aldi’s, which uses Instacart for it’s curbside pickup. But she didn’t have cash. Instacart, by the way, doesn’t take EBT/food stamps except in, I believe, Georgia. 

I am not judging anyone anymore(except privileged crunchy moms who refuse to mask in places where it’s mandatory, like Ithaca NY).  I don’t know what’s all behind the social media pictures. 
 

If you saw pictures of our Thanksgiving, you’d probably judge me.  What you won’t know is that half of us had had Covid, my sister found out two days before that her husband was cheating and so was at my parent’s with her kids, and my dying grandmother requested that we all spend Thanksgiving together and not social distance to her(she wanted the hugs and kisses). There was probably 15 people not social distancing but the pictures don’t tell the whole story. 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Mrs Tiggywinkle

[Not_a_Number]

5 minutes ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

When I’m speaking of things like elitism and Covid safety, I am thinking of one particular person I know(though she is representative). She is an upper middle class SAHM of an older infant. Her husband works remote IT and hasn’t been in an office since March. They live in an urban area where everything can be delivered, contactless to their doorstep.  She is all over FB about how people are selfishly working, grocery shopping, not using telehealth, and it is so very tone deaf.  The second most vocal person is a single retiree who hasn’t left her house in months. It’s just tone deaf to people who are struggling and don’t have options.

"Selfishly working" is a bizarre thing to say. I've been trying to stay home as much as anyone else, and I can't even IMAGINE feeling judgmental towards people who have to work. 

 

6 minutes ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

Honestly I have no bone to pick.  I’ve had Covid twice. Even mild cases are miserable.  I am severely depressed and likely going to wind up inpatient because Covid has screwed my brain up.

I'm really sorry you're still struggling 😞 . 

 

7 minutes ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

I think it speaks to how vast our country really is.  I can’t stereotype anyone.  The most ardent Trump supporter I personally know spent five years in state prison on drug and weapons charges.  I know people of all classes, except perhaps super wealthy people.  I know people who are liberal politically who are dirt poor and upper middle class. I know people who are super conservative who haven’t had income in six weeks due to Covid and are waiting on unemployment and utilizing food pantries, and I know super conservative people who are upper middle class.  I know people who think Covid is an absolute hoax and refuse to mask as well as people who are super careful, and all are in different economic and educational classes. 

Thanks for this. I've also found people pretty unpredictable about this, to be honest. Some of my most careful friends are also anti-vaxxers. My pro-vaccine, militantly liberal ex-friend was the one who spouted nonsense about it all being a hoax back in March, and we don't talk anymore. 

[Scarlett]

34 minutes ago, popmom said:

Fair enough. I am very frustrated. And anxious. I'm guessing not much different than most of y'all. I just have a different point of view.

I just can't figure out what your POV is.  

[catz]

41 minutes ago, popmom said:

Absolutely not. We've had actual conversations about these things. I know exactly where he stands politically.

I didn't get the impression that you were talking about ONE particular person and if so that isn't particularly relevant to this discussion.  I know plenty that came through this urban social justice program release program identified strongly as conservative and Christian.  

I'm sorry you are having a hard time but your posting felt like an unjustified lash out.  Also can't figure out what you're trying to get at.  

[Not_a_Number]

1 minute ago, FuzzyCatz said:

I'm sorry you are having a hard time but your posting felt like an unjustified lash out.  Also can't figure out what you're trying to get at.  

I think a lot of us are simply struggling at this point. We've been living in this topsy-turvy world for a year, and things are getting worse, and it is SO HARD. 

[Emba]

2 hours ago, MEmama said:

Yes, I should have included curbside pickup. That was an oversight.

Curbside pickup is not universal. In my very small town there is neither curbside pickup nor delivery from the single grocery store, and the Family Dollar and convenience store certainly don’t offer it. Now, I’ve got a car and plenty of gas money, so I can go to nearby towns where curbside is available, if I desire (nobody will deliver to my house, as I live rurally) but I’ve known plenty of people through the years who, on a temporary or permanent basis, had no access to reliable transportation , and that small store was it for them If they needed perishables.

 

[Scarlett]

16 minutes ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

I think it speaks to how vast our country really is.  I can’t stereotype anyone.  <snip>  I don’t know what’s all behind the social media pictures. 
 

 

I think we can judge a situation that we personally know the details of.  And when I hear someone saying things like 'my nurse friend told me at the end of her shift she sent in 13 blank tests and they all came back positive the next day',  I do decide he is full of crap.  Now I don't know whether he is full of crap because he is a Trump supporter, or 'religious' or uneducated, or poor or any or all or none of the above. 

8 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

"Selfishly working" is a bizarre thing to say. I've been trying to stay home as much as anyone else, and I can't even IMAGINE feeling judgmental towards people who have to work. 

 

I

Right?  How strange.  

[HS Mom in NC]

26 minutes ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

 

When I’m speaking of things like elitism and Covid safety, I am thinking of one particular person I know(though she is representative). She is an upper middle class SAHM of an older infant. Her husband works remote IT and hasn’t been in an office since March. They live in an urban area where everything can be delivered, contactless to their doorstep.  She is all over FB about how people are selfishly working, grocery shopping, not using telehealth, and it is so very tone deaf.  The second most vocal person is a single retiree who hasn’t left her house in months. It’s just tone deaf to people who are struggling and don’t have options.
 

 

Honest question.  Is she referring to people who have the option of delivery, curbside pick up, contactless delivery, and telehealth but choose in person instead?  Or are you saying she is actually upset with people who have no alternatives?

[OH_Homeschooler]

2 hours ago, Bootsie said:

Locally there has been no indication that teachers are leaving the profession and that this is being done because of a teacher shortage.  If that were the case, then it would make sense to address teacher pay and not give the same bonus to all school district employees whether they are teachers or not. 

To me, it is not simply that not everyone is getting a boost.  It is a situation where many of the taxpayers who are paying for these bonuses are suffering financially due to COVID; they are having their salaries and benefits CUT or are losing their jobs.  With all of the talk of "we are in this together," these school districts are sending the opposite message.

I guess I just don't understand having a beef with teachers getting a little extra right now when there are so many politicians, corporations, basically tons of entities who are benefiting from working class tax money every single day. I would say that teachers are much more "in this" than say, stockholders who benefited from large companies getting boosts from the Cares Act.

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, Thatboyofmine said:

I think we all are, me included.   The attitudes bother me and then I see the lower class in my area who are struggling and then I see the upper class who are pissy they can't vacation like they want or travel to wherever for holidays.   It's just beyond frustrating and I'm sure a lot of my frustration is what I'm seeing around me, things I shouldn't expect people in other places to get.   Just like I mentioned in another thread, I'm flabbergasted that some people in other places are ridiculed for wearing masks.   I mean, I live in the deep south, and I haven't seen or heard anything like that at all.  Everyone here just doesn't seem to care what precautions other people take. 🤷🏻‍♀️  
 

Yesterday, alone, I got word an acquaintance who'd befriending me when I first moved here was killed in a car accident, my husband's coworker's wife is dying in hospice from something rare and that was totally unexpected (she had just taken on the care of her 8 yo niece who's parents are drug users and who knows what the future looks like for that baby now), and my uncle went into hospice with all his organs shutting down.   That happened within the span of about 2.5 hours yesterday evening.   2020 just sucks to the extreme and frustrated seems too weak a word for me right now.  I'm just spent.   This year has got to end soon.  
 

and I apologize for preaching grace and not showing it like I should.   Seriously. 💛

What a day!  I hope things get better for you.  

[Ausmumof3]

54 minutes ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

I think it speaks to how vast our country really is.  I can’t stereotype anyone.  The most ardent Trump supporter I personally know spent five years in state prison on drug and weapons charges.  I know people of all classes, except perhaps super wealthy people.  I know people who are liberal politically who are dirt poor and upper middle class. I know people who are super conservative who haven’t had income in six weeks due to Covid and are waiting on unemployment and utilizing food pantries, and I know super conservative people who are upper middle class.  I know people who think Covid is an absolute hoax and refuse to mask as well as people who are super careful, and all are in different economic and educational classes. 

When I’m speaking of things like elitism and Covid safety, I am thinking of one particular person I know(though she is representative). She is an upper middle class SAHM of an older infant. Her husband works remote IT and hasn’t been in an office since March. They live in an urban area where everything can be delivered, contactless to their doorstep.  She is all over FB about how people are selfishly working, grocery shopping, not using telehealth, and it is so very tone deaf.  The second most vocal person is a single retiree who hasn’t left her house in months. It’s just tone deaf to people who are struggling and don’t have options.
 

Honestly I have no bone to pick.  I’ve had Covid twice. Even mild cases are miserable.  I am severely depressed and likely going to wind up inpatient because Covid has screwed my brain up. I’d prefer to avoid it a third time, and honestly could afford to be a SAHM with my three homeschool/virtual school children, but I am also want to stay completely aware that not everyone lives my privileged life.  Many people I know and love are struggling very much to make ends meet, virtual school their kids without access to internet due to location, find childcare and try to safely grocery shop.  I know, personally, a single mom who posted a FB picture of her and her two kids eating in a restaurant. She was blasted.  I also know she had just worked three 12 hour shifts in a row as a phlebotomist, starting every day at 4 am, came home and tried to help her special eeds 9-year-old with virtual Schoolwork he didn’t complete, never made it to the grocery store and didn’t have food in the house,  and around 6 pm and took them out to Applebee’s, which is operating at 25% capacity and requires masks when not eating at the table. I also know she had no cash because baby daddy’s child Support didn’t come that week and she was behind on bills, and had an Applebee’s gift card. The one grocery store she had access to that does curbside is Aldi’s, which uses Instacart for it’s curbside pickup. But she didn’t have cash. Instacart, by the way, doesn’t take EBT/food stamps except in, I believe, Georgia. 

I am not judging anyone anymore(except privileged crunchy moms who refuse to mask in places where it’s mandatory, like Ithaca NY).  I don’t know what’s all behind the social media pictures. 
 

If you saw pictures of our Thanksgiving, you’d probably judge me.  What you won’t know is that half of us had had Covid, my sister found out two days before that her husband was cheating and so was at my parent’s with her kids, and my dying grandmother requested that we all spend Thanksgiving together and not social distance to her(she wanted the hugs and kisses). There was probably 15 people not social distancing but the pictures don’t tell the whole story. 

I think that anyone who needs to be with other people for mental health reasons definitely needs to do that.  There are definitely circumstances that demand a different response.  

[prairiewindmomma]

(Tiny aside—You can do EBT with instacart and Aldi. https://www.google.com/amp/s/techcrunch.com/2020/10/22/instacart-in-partnership-with-aldi-will-support-snap-ebt-for-online-groceries/amp/ )

This is new this fall, so I am mentioning it, as someone upthread said this wasn’t a possibility.
 

 

[Mrs Tiggywinkle]

56 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

I think we can judge a situation that we personally know the details of.  And when I hear someone saying things like 'my nurse friend told me at the end of her shift she sent in 13 blank tests and they all came back positive the next day',  I do decide he is full of crap.  Now I don't know whether he is full of crap because he is a Trump supporter, or 'religious' or uneducated, or poor or any or all or none of the above. 

Right?  How strange.  

She seems to believe that there should just be a very skeleton crew of essential workers. For instance, I was selfish to stay working as a paramedic because if we rearranged some things I could be a SAHM right now. Instead I worked, caught Covid and subsequently exposed my children.

48 minutes ago, Homeschool Mom in AZ said:

Honest question.  Is she referring to people who have the option of delivery, curbside pick up, contactless delivery, and telehealth but choose in person instead?  Or are you saying she is actually upset with people who have no alternatives?

People should choose to live where there are services such as high speed internet and food delivery. 
She is not mentally ill or uneducated.  She simply believes that it is her choices that have landed her a highly privileged spot in life.

Polticially she’s extremely extremely liberal, to the point some liberal mutual friends think she’s nuts.

i try to think the best of people but sometimes you’ve just got to unfollow on FB.

[Not_a_Number]

2 minutes ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

Polticially she’s extremely extremely liberal, to the point some liberal mutual friends think she’s nuts.

Some people are just zealots and can't be reasoned with. I try to avoid them, whether they're left or right... 

[Mrs Tiggywinkle]

40 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

(Tiny aside—You can do EBT with instacart and Aldi. https://www.google.com/amp/s/techcrunch.com/2020/10/22/instacart-in-partnership-with-aldi-will-support-snap-ebt-for-online-groceries/amp/ )

This is new this fall, so I am mentioning it, as someone upthread said this wasn’t a possibility.
 

 

It’s not everywhere yet. It is in Georgia and then will spread to four other states according to the article. Eventually I’m sure they’ll add it, but it’s another roadblock for people in poverty. 
We got EBT cards from the state for my kids’ missed lunches in school(they attended a school where everyone gets free lunch regardless of income). I was annoyed to find out I couldn’t use them for Aldi’s pickup here in NY.

[Happy2BaMom]

After reading this entire thread (and all the confusion over - and the wide-ranging mix of people - who we're all mad at), all I can think about is one of my favorite lines from Sherman Alexie's book, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian":

"I used to think that the world was broken down by tribes,” I said. “By black and white. By Indian and white. But I know that isn’t true. The world is only broken into two tribes: The people who are assholes and the people who are not."

(Note: I would now add "by liberals and conservatives" to his list of tribes. But his basic message is spot on.)

 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Happy2BaMom

[TravelingChris]

4 hours ago, popmom said:

My point is that every single person I know that would fall into the poor category is vehemently anti mask, hangs out with friends, does all the things that Correlano hates. Her comment demonstrates her privilege. 

I don't ask people about their incomes at my medical appointments.  But at least the AA patients are just as cautious as me with mask wearing and social distancing.