The poverty line is essential for determining who receives welfare benefits in this country. Poverty does not seem to be an evenly distributed social problem. In America, African Americans and Latinos have, by far, the largest poverty rate. Even more discriminatory is the status of women among those living in poverty. Many factors such as poor wages for women and the increase of single-woman parented families have caused an increase in the percentage of women among the poor. Also in a high percentage are children. The elderly, however, fill a much smaller percentage as they receive such benefits as social security. .
Many people believe that poverty is caused by a personal choice. This, however, is a common misconception. Rather than something that a person chooses, it seems as if poverty is more of a lifestyle that one is born into. When a person is brought into this world they are given certain privileges based on their status in society. A child that is born to a middle class white family with two parents will most likely live a fairly privileged childhood. The child will receive adequate financial support from its parents. Just as important, this child will be given educational opportunities which most poor children are not afforded. On the other hand, a child who is brought into the world as the third child of a poor, African American, single mother, has the cards all stacked against it. Statistically, this child will be deprived of the opportunities that were given to the middle class child. The hardships of living in a centralized urban area with a low-income support system do nothing but handicap the child. Although this child will still be able to attend public schools, he is still more likely to be unsuccessful in the educational situation due to many of the hardships of the child's life. There is a much smaller chance that this child will be able to continue its education beyond high school and into college, thus enabling him to earn more money in the future.
