Listen to "Welfare Cheese" by Emanuel Lasky (1963)
Did you catch these lyrics?
"Calling Mr. Kennedy
Its an emergency
Hand me some of that welfare cheese"
Read the following excerpt from a blog about growing up on welfare:
I was raised on welfare. I was raised using food stamps, government healthcare, and eating government cheese. Like many other families my parents divorced when I was young and my father never paid child support. My mom was left to raise four children – alone. So what was she expected to do? Of course depend on the government. It's their obligation to care for people in situations such as these, right? The government distributed small checks, food stamps, cheese, and limited healthcare but the price was your self-worth, pride, and dignity.
My family finally broke out of poverty when I was in my teens. I often ask my mother how she broke out of poverty. She tells me that welfare and all of the government services were helpful but the longer she was on them the more life they would suck out of her. The welfare cycle is hopeless, helpless, and creates and unhealthy dependence upon the government. So what did she do to get free?
One of the keys for her was her sister, my aunt. She told my mom that if she did not find some way to get off welfare that her kids would most likely follow in her footsteps. Painful as that conversation might have been, it was just what the doctor ordered. My mom continued to work jobs that did not pay too well . She returned to school, received her diploma, and began to take some college courses.
Do you think Byron was right to feel so strongly about the cheese?
What do you think it says about the times that there was a popular song titled Welfare Cheese?
My family finally broke out of poverty when I was in my teens. I often ask my mother how she broke out of poverty. She tells me that welfare and all of the government services were helpful but the longer she was on them the more life they would suck out of her. The welfare cycle is hopeless, helpless, and creates and unhealthy dependence upon the government. So what did she do to get free?
One of the keys for her was her sister, my aunt. She told my mom that if she did not find some way to get off welfare that her kids would most likely follow in her footsteps. Painful as that conversation might have been, it was just what the doctor ordered. My mom continued to work jobs that did not pay too well . She returned to school, received her diploma, and began to take some college courses.
Do you think Byron was right to feel so strongly about the cheese?
What do you think it says about the times that there was a popular song titled Welfare Cheese?
19 comments:
1. I think Byron was right in feeling so strongly about the cheese because if I ever had to stand up and know that I was on wlfare I would be extremely embaressed about it.
2.If there was a popular song about welfare cheese in the time if the Watsons that makes me feel welfare was not that of a uncommon thing back then.
Avidan G.
1. I dont think Byron really cared about the cheese and if he did I think its not so bad because its still cheese.
2. I think its because a lot of people were in welfare back then.
Yonit O.
Yes I think byron did have the right to feel strongly about this because he new that if people found out that his famly and him were on welfare he would be teesed for ever.
Adi,B
I don't think Byron had to feel so storngly about the cheese because it is natural to be enbbarised that you are on wlfar food. I mean telling your children that and Byron was like the hot shot at school and to be told that he was on welfar food would be a little embbarising.
I do think byron has the right to feel so strongly about the cheese because he was like the hot shot in school and if people found out that his family was on welfar food they would feel embbarised. I also think if people did find out the people he teased would get him back. I mean it's not right to have revenge but he would have a taste of his own medicen.
I do think byron has the right to feel so strongly about the cheese because he was like the hot shot in school and if people found out that his family was on welfar food they would feel embbarised. I also think if people did find out the people he teased would get him back. I mean it's not right to have revenge but he would have a taste of his own medicen.
I do think byron has the right to feel so strongly about the cheese because he was like the hot shot in school and if people found out that his family was on welfar food they would feel embbarised. I also think if people did find out the people he teased would get him back. I mean it's not right to have revenge but he would have a taste of his own medicen.
I think that Byron shouldnt of have felt so strongly about the cheese because hes probably not the only one in the town that has to have welfare,and we hear that they are considered regular interms of money in there town.
I think that the times must of been pretty bad inerms of money because of when we see that larry dun has holes at the bottom of his shoes and that it seems pretty common for them to have welfare.
Talia P
I think that Byron shouldnt of have felt so strongly about the cheese because hes probably not the only one in the town that has to have welfare,and we hear that they are considered regular interms of money in there town.
I think that the times must of been pretty bad inerms of money because of when we see that larry dun has holes at the bottom of his shoes and that it seems pretty common for them to have welfare.
Talia P
I think that Byron shouldnt of have felt so strongly about the cheese because hes probably not the only one in the town that has to have welfare,and we hear that they are considered regular interms of money in there town.
I think that the times must of been pretty bad inerms of money because of when we see that larry dun has holes at the bottom of his shoes and that it seems pretty common for them to have welfare.
Talia P
1. Yes I think it was right for Byron to feel strong about the cheese because everyone is entitled to there own opinions.
2. I think that if a lot of people were on welfare it would be fine but it seems pretty common for people to be on welfre from the book.
Eliana I.
1.I think Byron had the right to feel strongly about welfare because if I had welfare I would be scared of the teesing and embaressed,and since he did have it he had the right reaction since he is a kid and that would be a normal reaction.
2.I think that if there is a song about welfare in those days it probably was a talked about thing or alot of people had it and were mad about it.
Zev Mark
1.I think Byron had the right to feel strongly about welfare because if I had welfare I would be scared of the teesing and embaressed,and since he did have it he had the right reaction since he is a kid and that would be a normal reaction.
2.I think that if there is a song about welfare in those days it probably was a talked about thing or alot of people had it and were mad about it.
Zev Mark
1.I think he shouldn't feel so strongly about the welfare cheese. I think he feels so strongly about the welfare cheese because he was the cool kid and if the cool kid is on welfare food people would think his family is like un cool.
2.I think welfare was very popular because they didn't have that much money or they didn't get paid enough.
Lia H.
1.I think that welfare was very common or they didn't get paid enogh money
Lia H.
1. I think byron felt so stongly about the welfare cheese because he is the like bully of there school and if anyone finds out he is on welfare then people wont think he is as strong anymore.
2. I think that song was so popular because a lot of people were on welfare and everyone heard it and once they see that there not the only people on welfare they will have a little more confidence in thereselves.
Kayla R.
1. I think Byron had the right to feel that way because he was living on welfare for a while.
2. I think that means that a lot of people were poor.
Kevin D.
1. no because he should try to understand what is going on. He should not get mad, rather he should try to make things better
2. i have no answer
I think that Byron had a right to feel so strongly about welfare, because he is probobly very embaressed and
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