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30 octobre, 21h30 sur l'espace second life de Médias critique http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ecologia%20Island/142/206/258/?title=Ecologia%20Island, intervention de l'américaine d'UndoneChaos Enoch, traduction française en voice ou en chat
Argument on Poverty and Voice
Culture in the United States today dictates a certain level of animosity for the poor. Unlike the other minorities, those in poverty may not necessarily wear their class status on their arm. Rather, there is a complicated structure, based on animosity for the poor that dictates those who are in the poverty class attempt to hide their status. Americans, frustrated with this structure often make it seem as though they are much better off financially then they really are.
However, this leaves the question as to why people would feel compelled to mask their social status. Why would there be such a compelling urge to hide social status and feel shame in income. This issue has lead to a plethora of issues which have not only created an economic crisis in the United States but a warped view of those individuals who are in poverty situations.
The reality is that it is socially acceptable within the United States boarders to discriminate against those in poverty. Policies and programs make it difficult if not impossible to get ahead and make there lives what they would like. Within the walls of the United States there is an unspoken class system. One which judges individuals based on their economic status. Those in poverty assume many names (poor white trash, lower class, welfare mothers and more). What is most concerning about this is how, as in any form of hate, those in the poverty class are two dimensionalized in order to facilitate a thought process which can over look the problems and other various issues associated with being in the poverty class.
In a consumer society this becomes much more difficult to define. The difficulty is in that social norms, attitudes, and of course morals are coming from so many different sources. These sources range any where from friends, family, media, schools, and entertainment. All of these elements are combined together to create a menagerie of different thoughts that individuals are supposed to somehow filter down into one the decision making process.
This shame in being in a lower income class status has created a venue for which is a prime breeding ground for hate, animosity, and apathy towards as well as within low income groups. This shame is not an incentive to incite change through motivation. Shame is instead a tool that silences an oppressed group and disables that groups abilities to assert their human rights and demand the same resources that are available to other income levels. Some of these resources would include dental care, health care, and an ability to access competitive education. Moreover, theses feelings are subsequently turned on others within the oppressed group, hating one another. This then manifests in self hate for those in poverty.
This self hate has caused a significant wall of silence within poverty groups in the United States. Those that dare to speak up are labeled as having a sense of entitlement or lazy and not actually willing to work for what they need. However, because of this silence there is a definitive lack of accurate information about these groups which comes to mainstream United States Culture. Therefore, breaking the silence is one of the main tools which would aid poverty groups in standing up for and attaining basic human rights.
The question then becomes how would a group that has strong feelings of animosity towards the other members as well the individual members engaging in self hate start down the long road of dialogue? Previously, there have been very successful attempts in other countries as well in the United States to empower minority poverty groups. This involves being able to break out and start to communicate with others in the same position. But, how can this be possible? A critical analysis using Freire illustrates that it was made possible through a discussion, reflection, and action. However, this change was made from within the oppressed group, not from outside the oppressed group. It must be questioned then as to whether or not this same process could be utilized within United States.
Change Agents that work using Freire's ideas:
Green Belt Movement
http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/
The MST Brazil
http://www.mstbrazil.org/?q=history
Martin Luther King’s Poor Peoples Movement
http://etext.virginia.edu/journals/EH/EH40/chase40.html
Bolivia Water War
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/South_America/Bolivia_WaterWarVictory.html
White earth land Recovery Project
http://nativeharvest.com/
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UndoneChaos Enoch has worked in mental health as a counselor as well as a director of a social service program for individuals with difficulty managing very difficult symptoms. Undone lived under the United States poverty line through most of her childhood as well as living that way as an adult.
Education
BA, College of Saint Benedict
Currently: Graduate student at St. Cloud State University working towards MS in Human Relations & Sociology
2007 to Current: Director
Assertive Community Treatment
Administrative in nature. Hiring, scheduling, teaching mental health issues in the community, working with clients.
2005 to 2007: Mental Health Practitioner
Community Support Program
Developing goals for individuals within the community with chronic and persistent symptoms of mental illness. Facilitating Living Well Independently. Setting up sister office separate from main office.
2001 to 2005: Primary Counselor/Mental Health Worker II
Developing programming to aid individuals in transition to independent living. Administration of medication. Facilitating groups. Ordering medications for clients. Scheduling all medical and dental appointments. Acting as intermediary between social services and other team members associated with rehabilitation.
MÉDIAS CRITIQUE, Ecologia Island 130, 202, 259
Espace second life de Médias Critique
