Geoff W. Sutton Blog

“7 Lies About Welfare That Many People Believe Are Fact” The article named above was shared by my friend, Donna Washburn. It caught my eye because several people offered comments of support. The author, Danica Johnson, offers some insights into the US welfare system that are probably not known to many. Unfortunately, some of her comments have a slant that could prove off-putting to some as noted by another friend, Brandon Schmidly. Johnson's ideas are worth examining with a critical eye—at least by those of us who care more about understanding our world and helping people in need than we care about advocating for one political agenda or another. 1. As noted, welfare is not one program but a general term for a group of programs designed to meet the needs of people with different needs that cannot be met in other ways such as employment or relying on a family or church for support. This is important. Criticizing welfare makes no sense . Criticizing a speci...

Creating Good Memories After a Loss I knew something was wrong when my dad came to take me out of fifth grade in the middle of the day. In the old grey ’49 Plymouth, mum was crying. Soon we were at Idlewild for my first flight back home- London, England. For days, my aunt Joan’s home in East Finchley (North London) was a grand central station-- family coming and going. Funny old stories repeated. Newfangled Lego blocks were really cool. A visit to Aunt Lilly and Uncle Jack’s sweet shop (actually a small grocers- I focus on what’s important). Then there were trips to old friends. The lights of Oxford St and Regent St. A walk with dad by the Thames whilst mum grieved with her sisters and her dad. Good memories amidst the sorrow. The 5 th December, marks the anniversary of my maternal grandmother’s death and a special memory. I’ve lived more than six decades. My wife and I have known many losses. And some of our loved ones died very close to Christmas. I’ve learn...