Poor Whites (SC for sale?)

[Tony Z]

Guys this is shocking, I did not realize that this is so bad in SA. How many of these "camps" are over SA? Have anybody of you (better off) ever thought about doing a food drive to help out these people? I know everybody is pulling tough,but there are still some can goods etc. that you can spare and donate to a cause like this. Some body take the lead on this, I will be happy to help.

I wont get into this discussion about poor people....

But, wouldnt this make a good Beetle Run? Tinned food, toys and maybe some cooked food in containers that we can dish out to these poor people who need it. Not a charity event, but something we can do to help.

[Watercool]

Guys I kinda understand where you come from regarding these people with gambling, believe they are owed something better in life, etc. But remember I see these things on a small screen about 7000 miles away, you all live it. But they are still human beings, and to help your fellow person is compassion. I am not talking give them employment, housing, etc. Just some left over stuff you have laying around.
TonyZ you got the idea, collect the stuff and then make a run to a camp as a "club" and hand it out, believe me the thanks will be overwellming. Let me know what you guys are planning. But like I said I am 7000 miles away.

[Klaus]

Dirk - I agree with you 100% - dont think I could have put it any better !

What saddens me the most no matter what race is involved there is always so many children and pets. Almost all the pictures have very young children. Yes we know the photographers do this to pull on heart strings but it is a reality.

[dsan]

As a working photographer and one who contributes to publications with content like this, kids don't sell as much as sad adults. We are used to seeing poor kids, but rarely are they used as an anchor for a story.

I still reckon a food run is a good idea, or someone buying that SC

[vfront]

Somehow I don't think the single cab is forsale, I've seen it around town in Krugersdorp. Think the owner does some kind of handyman work, always has tools on the back and seen it at the builders depot......

[Chris]

Leave the SC alone.The guy obviously works with it and at least he IS working.Leave him be.

Rather show him how to keep it alive and help him with parts to keep it going.I'll do it if no one else wants to.

[Dirk]

I'm getting the feeling that some might thing my earlier post was intended to discourage a food run for these people.

Please, that was not the intention.

If anything, I'd like to be part of a run like that.

[Dutch_Diver]

Barry, I saw it too all over and I had 320 people working for me. I assumed it was just down to the past, where I left it.

[Watercool]

All of you make good points and I agree with most of them, but the bottom line is these people are out there and we have the ability to help. Like I said maybe not with a job or a roof over their head but a little food or clothing it will make you a hero in their eyes and show that they are not forgotten or throw away people. Some one care.

When you get something together let me know and I will send some money over so one of you can go and buy food to hand out. I am a little busy this week but I will go see what kind of clothing is at the goodwill and maybe make a box of assorted stuff and send it over.

Barry you might think it is a silly discussion for a car forum, but I have not found a poverty forum on the net as of yet. So if we just sweep this under the rug it might be out of sight but not solved at all. We have to do something, think if the tables was turned will you still think the same way? Walk a few miles in another mans shoes before you judge him.

Chris I bow down to you my friend, that is a great gesture. The old saying of "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach him to fish and you feed him for a life time" comes to mind.

We have a car show here once a year for the local animal shelter, the entrance fee is dog/cat food, or you can make a donation. Last year we collected over 2 tons of food and nearly $3000.00 in cash. All that went for the shelter, nice TV coverage on that for the local club too.
How about the same kind of idea for over there.

But as I said I am 7000 miles away and you all wonder why do i give a hoot about this, well I do not know, maybe I was touched by the nice people on this forum. What ever it might be, hell we are not made of stone.

[Barry]

I agree - Chris has made the most meaningful and positive suggestion/contribution to this thread

There are one or two points in what you say Henry

All of you make good points and I agree with most of them, but the bottom line is these people are out there and we have the ability to help. Like I said maybe not with a job or a roof over their head but a little food or clothing it will make you a hero in their eyes and show that they are not forgotten or throw away people. Some one care. .

All well and good, but I believe there also needs to be an understanding of whether "they" want help and what "help" means to them. All too many of us can relate stories of people being "ungrateful" for what they were given because we make our value judgements based on our own point of view, not their's.

Barry you might think it is a silly discussion for a car forum, but I have not found a poverty forum on the net as of yet. So if we just sweep this under the rug it might be out of sight but not solved at all. We have to do something, think if the tables was turned will you still think the same way? Walk a few miles in another mans shoes before you judge him..

Henry, you might also be surprised to know what shoes I have walked in in my time, but then each one of has has many stories to tell and experiences that shape us.

Part of the point I was making did relate to race however, and the levels of poverty discussed in this instance are by no means the bottom of the barrel compared to what many black South Africans face. And even then they are "rich" compared to what some in other parts of Africa or elsewhere live with. This isn't a discussion of degrees of "suffering" (which is in itself defined by the perceptions of the observer as much as the sufferer) though. Just that I for one would like to see the same level of concern expressed to anyone who found themselves in such unfortunate circumstances. Unfortunately almost 20 years later we continue to live our lives and go about our business with race defining and informing much of our value system - perhaps more so now than ever. This holds true for all "sides"
But if a certain group perceives themselves as being better or superior, wouldn't the expectation from them to deal with such issues be more pressing.......
^ This incidentally was the part that I meanty wasn't really fit for a car forum!

[Skymac]

Hi guys, I have a couple of black bags of hardly used woman's clothing, I was going to give it to the local church, which hands the clothing out to the black community. I would much prefer the clothing to go to the community in question. Are we going to organize a run? If so please let me know ASAP so that I can keep the clothing for that rather. It will be winter soon and I am sure the clothing will be appreciated for the cold season.

[jmvv]

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but everyone must realise that, but for the Grace of God, there go you.

Imagine this (true example)

By January 2009, you are employed by a prominent company to do contract work in Africa. Your total cost to company is R700K per year.

By June 2009, you contract malaria in the African country you work in. By July 2009, your wife leaves you to come back to South Africa and cleans out all your bank accounts. By August 2009, you loose your job at the prominent company, you are stuck in the African country with no money and the malaria flares up again.

By December 2009 you get off a plane at OR Thambo (after a family launched mercy mission)with all your worldly posessions in a backpack, because of your wife's shenanigans you owe the banks R300K and you have no place to stay and because of our economic situation, you have hardly any hope of finding equivalent employment again.

This is a true story, so just keep in mind that not all people living in these colonies are the dregs of society or the rubbish scum of the earth.

Sometimes, decent people, with good qualifications, good upbringing and decent background get dealt a hand by fate that litiraly knocks them on their collective arse.

Have compassion for these people and hang your head in shame for your pompous, arrogant attitude, because I have seen that it is possible to be forced to join the ranks of the poor in less than a year....

And this is not a colour thing. This type of scenario plays out in our country daily with White, Black, Coloured and Indian, Male or Female. You have no guarantees.

[fig]

... but for the Grace of God, there go you.
...

Nuff said.

[buggyfan]

http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/sl ... R2C3ZV#a=1

"This is a true story, so just keep in mind that not all people living in these colonies are the dregs of society or the rubbish scum of the earth.

Sometimes, decent people, with good qualifications, good upbringing and decent background get dealt a hand by fate that litiraly knocks them on their collective arse."

if anybody went thru the slideshow above ,you would have noticed a guy working by his pc/laptop under generator power.the above sentence applies to him .

[Chris]

Last year I lost more that 2/3's of my income.One month we were still living it up,the next month I had no business,and then another and another.......

It went on for a year.My cars were nearly repo'd,I got furter and further behind on everything.My wife lost her job when the company she worked for went into liquidation.

We had to cut back on everything,sell my ACVW,toys and anything else I could.If it wasn't for my perseverance and good friends I would have also most likely have ended up there.It's simple and can happen to anyone.The idea is to never give up!

Lots of my friends did and a lot of them will never be the same.