Ashley Nietfeld's Opinion Column

[wordsmythe]

When my wife was pregnant we realized whe had 2 choices. We could cut everything we had down to just barely living and I could drop out of school and go back to slave labor like I did at Excel. (I was almost graduated and there were no real jobs in Hays) Or we could get a medical card.

We got the card but turned down everything else we were offered like WIC and food stamps. We didn't need food, we just needed help with the medical bills.

I'd been in the job market for more than 15 years at the time and I'd paid more than my medical bills in to state taxes so I had NO problem taking the money.

On top of that, my wife and I both ended up getting Master's Degrees. She teaches high school and I'm up for a job that will end me up paying more state taxes in a year than I would in 5 throwing boxes at the packing plant.

Sometimes the system works.

[momof2beautifulkids]

Originally Posted by 357 mag

Well said Weezie, I am a prime example, after my 2nd child was born, I went to SRS and asked for assistance with daycare, we could barely afford to pay it. I was told that I was $1 over the accepted limit so we had to struggle to pay daycare, plus put food on the table and buy diapers and formula. We made it but barely. Now when I look back on it I'm happy we didn't get it because it only made us stronger.

well said Mag!! I too am an example I was in college full time after my son was born-my hubby the only one with income and we couldnt get WIC to help buy formula-plus we had to pay BCBS insurance and do diapers etc... I will agree it made us stronger too but hotdogs and hamb. helper sucked for that year. We made it though and went on to have baby 2 and they just laughed when I applied for WIC (just had to try it) they said we made way over the amt for help but it irrates me to be behind someone in line while they are buying anything they want and Im counting pennies!!!

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by momof2beautifulkids

My hubby says that right after they have a baby there is another in the oven--kindof like rabbits!!!

They do that because that is how they get a raise. They can claim more deductions on the paycheck so they take more home and they get bigger WIC and food stamp payments because they have more mouths to feed.

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by jeezeweeze

...The Ashley chick has a right to print her opinion...

You know what they say about opinions......























They are like @ssholes, everybody has one and they usually stink!

[wordsmythe]

Originally Posted by Bubba

You know what they say about opinions......


They are like @ssholes, everybody has one and they usually stink!

And is that YOUR opinon?

[Bubba]

I'd tell you, but it stinks.....

[momof2beautifulkids]

Originally Posted by Bubba

They do that because that is how they get a raise. They can claim more deductions on the paycheck so they take more home and they get bigger WIC and food stamp payments because they have more mouths to feed.

I thought a few years back they were gonna only pay a set amt after like 3 kids or so.

[Flying Dutchman]

Freedom to say something dumb
My Opinion
Flying Dutchman
Dodgeboard Member

Personally I am glad to read Ms. Nietfeld’s piece. For once she is talking from her heart and showing some emotion about a subject that has substance and not the usual fluff. While I may not agree wholeheartedly, it does make a better read than hearing about what books she likes and about cooking for one.

I think it should have been labeled Freedom to complain rather than Freedom of speech, but they both intertwine. We, as Americans, truly love and enjoy our freedom to complain. We enjoy our right to bitch and moan, it makes us feel good. Maybe, if we bitch and moan enough, those that matter will see there might be something there that needs fixed. It is easier to complain than it is to fix a problem, we all know that. You mention something positive and others will nod their heads, say “That’s right” and then usually drop it. Now, you complain and whoa Nelly! Everybody else has something to say, some way to up the complaint or add their two cents in. “Bob worked his butt off and got a raise!” Now that’s positive. Out of all the co-workers maybe a small handful have done the same thing. “Bob worked his butt off and some pinhead desk monkey got a raise instead of him!” Way more than a handful have experienced this and they will let you know it. “Boy, I feel great today!” That’s nice. “Boy, I feel like crap today!” Oh yeah, I felt like crap last weekend. People do not want to trump a positive, but they will trump a negative anytime.

So, yes there are those who complain about things and do not take into consideration the what ifs and maybes. On most of the big issues----illegal immigration, abortion, gay marriage, welfare fraud-----people will speak out about the extremes. Maybe if the one side would actually admit there is a problem instead of rationalizing and blaming, people wouldn’t complain as much because then they would think they are being listened to.

“How many anti-abortion activists will help a teenage girl tell her mother she's pregnant before the fear of disappointing her parents leads her into the clinic?”

More than you think. If it will help her and maybe keep her from doing it, they would jump on the chance. I ask you, how many times have you held a person’s hand and tried to comfort them when they tell you about having an abortion when young, and now in their 30’s they cannot have a child? They will never know the feeling, the joy, the heartache, the pride of raising a child of their own. Their lineage dies with them. Go ahead and tell that woman that she made the right choice. Go ahead and have that talk with your daughter…..oh, wait, you don’t have one now do you?

“How many of those who look down on users will support a drug or alcohol program that struggles to pay the rent?”

How many nights or times have you spent in a hospital holding your brother’s hand while he lays there in a coma, tubes coming out of every hole on his body, a nice little machine breathing for him, because he overdosed on heroin? How many homes have you went into and almost vomited from the stench and filth because the owners are to drugged up to think about cleaning? How many dead children have you investigated because their parent(s) were strung out on meth and killed them? I, and many like me, will empathize and sympathize with the depression and low esteem that leads one to an addiction------but I will NEVER compromise my position that it is a pathetic weakness caused by one’s own choice. I have no problem with someone falling off the wagon---------but for God’s sake at least try and ride that wagon!

“How many will mentor a teen who feels isolated before he picks up that gun?”

How many teenagers have you raised? How many kids do you have? Oh, that’s right, none. Why don’t you tell me how I am to notice automatically that a kid feels isolated. Tell me one teenager who doesn’t. Maybe, just maybe, the parents of that teen should be paying a bit more attention to them, you think? Maybe they should put their child ahead of themselves? Maybe they shouldn’t be working most of their waking lives in order to pay the bills? Maybe the schools should be able to intervene and let parent’s know their kids are having some trouble? Oh, wait, they can’t do that because that might be judgmental, or prying into a teenagers right to self expression. And don’t forget those parents who sue and chastise the schools for making little Bobby take some responsibility for his actions.


So, yes, maybe we as Americans and Dodge Citians complain a lot. Yeah, some of us jump to conclusions and make bad assumptions. Maybe even a good portion of us bitch just to hear ourselves. If you look at what the bitching is about, and maybe listen between the lines you might notice that there is some honesty in there. Maybe some of us are just plain mad at being told we are wrong all the time, or that what we say is not important. Or just maybe, we just need someone to mentor us because we feel isolated and it is better to bitch than to shoot people.

So, why do I bother writing this? Because I like to bitch and complain, it makes me feel good.

[Made in the USA]

Looks like most of the Globe writers love being a "Sanctuary City"! Catch Bob Wetmore's column "Strictly Business" in todays Glob!! I realize that Mr. Wetmore has his own business now, but only a few months ago, he was deeply involved in "making DC a better place to live"!!

If the packing plants knew that there was not the "local workforce" to be able to run their plants out here, then why did they build here?? Because they knew that in our small Western Kansas town, they could take over and bring their undesirables here and we wouldn't do a damn thing about it!! On top of that, they could plunder our natural resources, dump their wastes, ream our financial basis, and then have the local taxpayers pay for it all!!!

[Flying Dutchman]

I read in todays paper that this is her last column.

I truly do wish her the best in whatever endevours she undertakes. I do not know what it is like to be a reporter, but can say i wouldn't like it either. I give her credit for saying what she felt and trying to write editorials ( i can only imagine how hard that must be). I do like how she kept religion and her religious views out of her writing, can't say that for the majority of the oped's in the paper.

So to Ashley I say thank you for the job you did while here. Good luck in the big city.