The American Dream is Dead

I realize that this blog has never been very political except with those topics that pertain to children, yet in a way this does. It deals with the so called "welfare queens" and this attitude that the working poor could "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" if they wanted to. I would like to tell my story. Take from it what you will. 

I lived the American Dream. I went to college right after High School. I worked really hard and did everything right. Then due to a couple bad semesters (one where I was helping my Mom through a hard time and one where I was going through something really awful) my financial aide was revoked. So I left college. I worked really hard and I paid off a good chunk of my loans, paid for my own wedding out of my own pocket, and worked three jobs to keep food on my family's table. 

Then when my son was 4 months old I went back to school. I worked my behind off! I got Dean's list grades. I got a full 4 yr degree in Biology. A subject that is intensive in every sense of the word. I respect anyone who gets a college degree but lets face it some subjects are harder than others. Science is not a subject one goes into lightly.  

I graduated in May of 2012. My then 2 yr old son and proud husband watched me walk and get my diploma. I then started job searching. I found nothing. I was over qualified for anything normal and under qualified for anything good. I finally landed the job I have now,  working as a preschool teacher making minimum wage. As a result of that being the best I can get we use Food Stamps. 

Now knowing my story, do I sound like a welfare queen? Am I lazy? Am I a loser welshing off the system? Poor people work REALLY REALLY HARD!!! Harder than most people I know. I am very tired of the attitude in this country, that the working poor somehow did something wrong, are lazy, or don't work hard enough, or somehow deserve to be poor. I am so tired of this self entitled snobby attitude. You look down your noses at the working poor. That all the poor need to do is try for the American Dream. I lived the American Dream.. the American Dream is dead!