Spring Break
Parker speaks on poverty
Author stresses personal responsibilty
McLean Bennett
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Campus News
|
bennetms@uwec.edu
Arts and events coordinator Jennifer Brockpahler described Star Parker, the featured speaker at Wednesday's Forum Series event, as an outgoing, articulate and conservative woman.
Parker, a columnist and author of three books, spoke at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Schofield Auditorium in a presentation titled "Breaking the Cycle of Poverty."
"There's not a formula to get rich - there's certainly a formula to stay poor," Parker said.
Dropping out of school and having children out of wedlock, she said, are two ways people can ensure they will stay poor.
During the presentation, Parker said several things must be done to break the cycle of poverty. She said a limit should be placed on the amount of time during which a person may receive welfare, and said those in poverty need to develop a work ethic, complete their education and take responsibility for their actions.
Parker also illustrated the role that out-of-wedlock childbearing can play in poverty, arguing that sexual immorality is a contributor to increasing poverty rates.
In marital households with children, she said, the poverty rate is eight percent; on the other hand, she said the poverty rate for single-parent households with children is 65 percent.
Parker also stressed the importance of education and school choice, saying parents should have the opportunity to send their children to whatever school they want.
"If we're going to force parents to educate their children, then we should allow them to choose where they're going to do that," she said. "We force people to get auto insurance, but we don't make them all get it at Allstate."
Sophomore Sarah Netterlund said she didn't really know what to expect before coming to Wednesday's Forum, but said she agreed with many of Parker's ideas.
"I thought (her ideas) were inspiring, especially in regards to the aspects of education and freedom of choice," Netterlund said.
Parker also said that it is an individual's responsibility to help cure poverty, and said left-wing attempts to cure poverty have failed.
"We hear a lot of voices from the left that we should just put a Band-Aid on (poverty)," she said. "But that has not worked. …freedom and personal responsibility are the answer to poverty, not the welfare state."
Community member Kevin Balash, 48, agreed with Parker's stance on personal responsibility.
"We all are responsible for the actions that we make, and for those folks that choose to drop out of high school, to do drugs - why is that my responsibility?" Balash said.
Netterlund also agreed with the idea of personal responsibility.
"I … agreed with her that we have the freedom of choice," Netterlund said. "In order to be able to step out of the cycle of poverty, we do have to take personal responsibility."
Be the first to comment on this story