MyPE

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Why I am Happy to Live in a ‘Third World’ Country

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One finds that as democracies age disgracefully into First World status, the number of shock, gasp, moral decrepitude stories increase exponentially.

Take the UK’s welfare state as an example – I know guys in the UK living off of welfare, getting a new car every two years (from the state mind you) AND running an ‘entirely illegal home business’ that supplements their income no end. These oxygen thieves have no compunction about boasting about how they rip the UK government off either!

And now along comes a serial abuser of the Welfare System who has proudly announced to the World that he is about to become a Grandad at the age of 29 as his 14 year old daughter is pregnant. Yup, do the math: 29 minus 14 means that he became a father at the ‘tender’ age of 15.

Now this is where it gets entirely ludicrous – Our Grandad to be has never worked a day in his life – what a role model he has become!

Of course the report, “It’s quite mad… I’m about to be a grandad”  appeared in the Daily Sun which has been known to make the ‘odd’ mistake or two with regards to this kind of bottom feeder reports.

In the article one local councillor is quoted as saying; “This is a deprived area – but thankfully families like this one, who are unwilling to contribute to society, are rare” and “Those who have made a lifestyle out of claiming benefits are very much the exception, not the rule.”

Now it is the second part of the sentence that gets me. I continually tell my kids and those not bored enough to listen; “If you open the door a crack, then the light will come in.” Loosely translated for this situation, I am saying; “If a democracy or society creates the mere notion of a welfare state then there will be those who take advantage of it to the hilt.” But now the ‘Grandad to be’ and his family are the vanguard of another door that was opened to reveal the light so I am sure that the UK can expect a growing band of citizens to make a lifestyle out of claiming benefits.

And before we utterly condemn the UK for their skewed welfare policy we need to look within our own society where our own citizens see the only way out of a desperate situation is to have children and apply for grants.

Somewhere a long time ago society lost the plot. I certainly do not view the present ‘caring society’ as such – caring does not solely consist of putting your hand in your pocket and tossing a few coins at people. We need to learn from the UK and change the model completely.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.