Are we really cracking down on the misuse of public assistance or creating another problem?

While on Twitter yesterday I came across a tweet that stated, "Beginning July 1st, the state of Florida will require drug testing before issuing public assistance."  Interesting.  I got my career start in Social Services beginning as a Case Manager, so I am fully aware of the disparities that plague the programs of self-sufficiency. 

The real problem that I have is this....are we creating a different problem, perhaps a more severe problem?  The individuals who unfortunately have to use public assistance are from lower income families.  This is the demographic that is probably affected the most by the economic downturn that our country is facing. These are the individuals that have the odds stacked against them, limited education, poor housing, high crime, etc.  Although I understand the crack down with the drug tests, are we looking to create a higher problem of crime.  Without the "check" due to a positive drug test, can we see higher crime rates.  Florida is known to be senior living retreat.  Will this new policy invoke fear?  Honestly, these are things that I tend to think about.

Perhaps we need to go back to the drawing board with regards t the crack down.  We need a bigger view of the big picture.

The Business of Systems

Recently, I came across an article that highlighted a program in the Dallas area called the Prostitution Diversion Initiative.  Due to my heightened emotions regarding women’s issues, I was intrigued to read about the services that this program had to offer.  As I continued to read, I noticed that I had begun to take a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde stance on the issue.  

Sgt. Louis Felini, who had noticed that the same women were continually stuck in the cycle of being arrested, sent to jail, and then allowed back on the street; developed this program which allows prostitutes to choose between jail or forty-five days in a residential drug treatment facility, followed by transitional housing and job training. The Dallas police have taken the approach that these women are victims with many of them who have severe substance-abuse problem.  Many of them are diagnosed with mental illnesses and the majority all have had a history of sexual and physical abuse dating back to their childhood.

You may think that sounds like an effective program that is helping women get back on their feet.  Why the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde complex?  Let me explain.  As an experienced individual within the social services arena, I have seen all too well good programs with good intentions turn sour.  We as human beings love to assist others who are hurting, those that we have a point of identification to within ourselves.  It is human nature to reach a hand to another person in a time of need.  The problem that I have is the business of systems.  A program such as the Prostitute Diversion Initiative which is founded upon the call of action to be a resource and a place of refuge to these women, stand at the open mouth of government regulations, benchmarks, and money.

My concern is that the giving heart of programs that truly have a desire and commitment to serve as well as establish a resolution for issues plaguing the community; will not be convoluted by the money hungry intentions of the government.  So often, the mission of an organization is rewritten by the demands of contract deadlines, paperwork and governmental guidelines.  Individuals who once were purposeful employees now become the product of burnout and constant programmatic changes.

The cycle of government influence on such programs leads to an increasing problem that is often overlooked, the cycle of dependency between the program and those that they service.  Instead of being a launching board into a life of self-sufficiency and productivity, the program then becomes another revolving door system of entry and release. 

All of us have taken notice, especially with the current state of the economy, how there are little resources in times of crisis.  How often have we heard of a local non-profit closing down due to the lack of funders or the loss of a contract?  Not all organizations close because they have implemented bad programming, they may not have focused on gaining the political backing sometimes needed in order to be escorted to the front of the contract line.

Ask yourself, are we contributing to these senseless systems of pacifying our community’s issues?  Do we really take notice to the systems that plague camouflage concern with yearly awards, but do little to sustain the Mom and Pop organization that relentlessly work long days and nights to feed, clothe, and restore hurting individuals?

Let not a need of a person become a business of competition or money, but lets get to the business of solution, resolution, and restoration.

William and Kate: How this royal wedding is reviving our belief in fairytales.

Unless you live under a rock, have no access to television, magazines, or social networking, you like so many of us have been inundated with reports of the royal wedding.  Coverage of the event begins at 4 am with many of our favorite fashion and gossip reporters on hand to to discharge every single detail of the big day.  The fact that she is the first bride in the royal lineage to walk down the aisle with her hair down or if JayZ and Beyonce will perform Bonnie and Clyde at the reception or that the guests have to curtsy before the Prince and Princess can all be a bit of information overload.  The speculation surrounding the dress is an entire blog to itself.

Despite my weariness behind the constant reporting of the impending nuptials, it got me to thinking.  Has the royal wedding revived our beliefs in fairy tales? Love and all of its possibilities still lead as the number one topic in conversations, however with the realities of the growing rates of divorce, open relationships, the acceptance of mistresses and "male friends,"  we have grown a little cynical of ever lasting love.  We really want for the princess to kiss the right frog, but these days the frog may turn into a prince that secretly likes other princes.  You never know.

This leads me to the grand pomp and circumstance surrounding the 29th of April.  Does our connection to William and Kate go beyond the fact that they are royalty?  Stay with me a moment.  Weddings tend to bring out the hopefulness of love.  Any person in the presence of a bride and groom (under the right circumstances) can not help but to want to see the two make it to the island of happiness and marital bliss. Perhaps our reporting extends to a deeper level because we need to see "someone" make it.  We need our faith in love, marriage, fidelity, and vows to be restored.  The facts that we are dealing with a real life Prince and Princess just increases our hysteria. 

Is it possible that millions of us will set our alarms, attend William and Kate viewing parties, and for some maybe shed a tear because this is the grandest representation of love that we have seen since well the wedding of Princess Diana?  I would have to say yes.  No matter how old we have become or what relationship madness we have experienced, there are still tiny pieces within us that wants to believe that fairy tales still exist.   Stay tuned....

"Madea's Happy Family" uncovers how far society has come. (Really)

Like many others this week, I waited in anticipation for the Friday release of "Madea's Happy Family."  My anticipation was elevated after the week long repeated comment from Tyler Perry to Spike Lee to "go to hell!"  I sat erect when I first heard Tyler Perry's comment, this coming from a man who best expresses his feelings through his written talent. With all of the negative backlash Tyler has received, especially after his melodrama, "For Colored Girls," he has managed to remain composed and let the venom of critics to not enter his creative vein.

The saying must be true that the pain is much greater when stabbed in the back by family.  Spike Lee has made it no secret that he detests the character of Madea or the stereotyped portrayal of the African American family.  Spike has gone as far to call Tyler Perry's movies buffoonery.  The public argument between the two fueled my curiosity of "Happy Family."

I saw the movie on both Friday and Saturday with racially mixed audiences. Two things happened which made me realize that the TPS brand was needed in cinema. The first ten minutes, I sat paralyzed at the numerous stereotypes that came across he screen.  There was the excessive weed smoking, the rude customer service at the fast food chain, the nagging baby mama, the gold digging girlfriend wanting the fast life that only the streets provide, the light skinned pretty sister with "good" hair  against the darker skinned sister who wears wigs, and let us not leave out the deep dark family secret regarding rape from an uncle that led to a baby who was raised as a brother and not the son.  I could continue to add to the list of stereotypes but I will urge you to see for yourself.

However, once I relaxed my muscles from tension and the crippling judgement, I could see a lovely story unfolding.  Could the movie have done without the negative images?  I am not so sure.  People love to watch what they can identify with.  In the case of the TPS productions, I understood why they are such huge attractions.  Although the characters are mainly African American, the lesson, the story lines super cede color lines.  Around me in the theatre were different ethnicity's who laughed, cried, and talked backed to the screen, because they saw themselves and connected intimate relationships. Besides, in these rough times, everyone needs a laugh.

Side note: African Americans are not the majority or equal players in the film production industry.  There is more than enough room for various types of storytelling.  Spike Lee, Tyler Perry, T.D Jakes, Tracey Edmonds, and an up and coming film writer all have room to brand themselves and make their mark.  Let's get past the crab in the barrel complex already. 

During my second viewing on Saturday, a young Caucasian girl about ten or eleven was very vocal during the movie.  The scenes of Byron's baby mama, the young girl would say that she was ghetto and needed to be slapped.  However, she caused a little commotion as she yelled out that the baby on the screen had nappy hair. Black people around her were highly offended and made it known that her comment was not appreciated. 

I didn't understand the offense at all.  The younger generation use words like this in their general daily language. How often have we heard the word ghetto on Jerry Springer?  How many times has the term nappy been used to describe matted hair regarding any race?  Are youth have really gone beyond the color lines.  Is this not what our older generations wanted for us to no longer see color.  So why is it that when a young Caucasian youth use these terms, we send ourselves right back to the era of segregation?  Tyler Perry has done an amazing job of using universal undertones to bring to the forefront dialogue that we still refuse to maturely engage in.  We have come to point where Whites, Blacks, Asians, Hispanics can watch an "urban" film together but have not removed the mental blocks that keep us seperated. "Madea's Happy Family" has made me question, how far have we really come?