Okay, so here's a rant....
I was behind a woman in line at Wal-Mart recently and of course the place was busy as heck, so I waited a long time. She proceeds to place her order on the counter belt in three sections: one was for food stamps, one was for WIC and the last was for cash items. When the WIC order was rung up, she had gotten the wrong eggs, so she told the cashier to forget it. (The cashier asked her if she wanted to run back and get the right ones, which is a WHOLE other rant on keeping the lines too long). She said no very disgustedly and proceeded to finish the transaction. Now, being in the Holiday spirit, I could have offered to pay the 79 cents or whatever for the eggs, but here is why I didn't: this woman, receiving Public Assistance, was carrying a Louis Vuitton handbag. A most-likely $800 handbag. It was not a knock-off...I had plenty of time standing inline to admire her handbag, so I know it was authentic. Now, I realize it could have been a gift. But don't you think a nice $800 gift to a woman on welfare would be paying her heating bill, or buying her kids some clothes or something? Not that we shouldn't be allowed luxuries when on welfare (yes, WE...I was on welfare myself years ago), but don't show them off in public when you are using food stamps and WIC. I am married with a household income of six figures, yet I cannot justify spending that kind of money on a handbag - and I can afford it! I just think our society tends to accept these types of infractions (right word?) too easily. Why aren't more people outraged? Oh, well...I guess we'll never know.