JC> Post a message that is _totally_ outrageous about some JW belief (true or
  > not, but written in all sincerity) in the correct forum and I will get
  > much the same reaction from _those_ folks as the reaction many people who
  > post outrageous messages get in _this_ echo or other cyperspace 
iscussion
  > groups.
Grin!  It's amazing how quick folks are to defend their own belief
systems, and, at the same time, they often do not give the same respect
to the beliefs of others they wish those others to give to theirs.
JC> Well, that same phenomena occurs around here. The largest metropolitan 
area
  > in Oregon (Portland and vicinity) has a large population of "immigrants". 
I
  > guess my question is who do the "immigrants" think is supposed to provide
  > (pay for) the services? The federal government? Local government? The 
local
  > tribes? Why did they come "here"? Who told them "things" would be better
  > "here"? How do they think "things" _got_ better "here"? Do they expect a
  > "silver platter of services" or do they expect they are going to have to 
pu
  > forth little effort on their own?
JC> There are LOTS of "services" provided here in the metro Portland area for
  > NAs, but they _all_ require a little (and in some cases maybe a LOT of)
  > effort on the part of the individual.
We have similar services here, also; but it is never enough.  "Why
don't you have drug rehab centers?' asks the parents of drug abusers.
"Why don't you have medical clinics?" asks the ill.  But there just
isn't enough money to meet all needs.  I personally would rather see
programs on how to create your own business, how to find scholarships,
etc. first; and then, if there's still money, look at what else is
needed.
JC> By the same token, I also have to look at what I "hear" some of those
  > "immigrants" left behind. Just to give one example (and I don't have a 
ot
  > of details, so this is just to illustrate my point)... Why would a Lakota
  > leave South Dakota which has NA schools through college level and come to
  > Portland and expect the citizens of Oregon to _give_ him an education?
Then again, I left my people for an education.  On the other hand, I had
already left my people at ten to be a migrant worker.  And I had an
academic scholarship to college, one that actually had no dependency at
all on my being Native or my being poor, although I would have looked
for such scholarships if I had needed them.
                     Sondra
-*-
 þ SLMR 2.1a þ Do not believe in miracles.  Rely on them.
--- Opus-CBCS 1.7x via O_QWKer 1.7 
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