Modern-day poverty strikes at the top as domestic strife soars
A homeless man sleeping on the bench. Not wishing to seek government aid, a man racked up expenses on his credit card while waiting for an upturn in his fortunes. The trouble was no upturn came about.
PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- This man is a part-time university lecturer and holder of a PhD.
- Two years ago at Christmas, he was at his local church helping to serve dinners to homeless men.
- Little did he think that not far down the line, he would himself be seeking assistance.
He is aged 64 and jobless, lives in an unheated flat and can afford only one meal a day, usually made up of items given to him at a local food bank.
So then, just like the other five million poor people in Britain living on government handouts? Not quite.
This man is a part-time university lecturer and holder of a PhD.
Two years ago at Christmas, he was at his local church helping to serve dinners to homeless men.
Little did he think that not far down the line, he would himself be seeking assistance.
ECONOMIC DISASTER
It would be understandable if people in countries without any form of social support network felt little sympathy for this man’s plight, but the fact is economic disaster can strike any of us at any time.
Writing under the pseudonym, James Russell, the academic told his story in the religious weekly, The Tablet.
An unexpected divorce and a sudden reduction in teaching hours undermined his financial security.
Not wishing to seek government aid, he racked up expenses on his credit card while waiting for an upturn in his fortunes.
The trouble was no upturn came about.
JOB APPLICATIONS
His many applications for work, any sort of work, were either ignored or he was told he was over-qualified or not physically fit enough — he is waiting for an operation on eye cataracts.
Finally, he turned to the state and now receives income support, although a good proportion of this goes towards servicing his credit card debts.
“I face the same conundrum as many old people — heat or food?” he writes.
Bills he must meet, apart from the credit card repayments, include rent, gas and electricity and council tax.
To keep out the cold, he wears many layers of clothing, plus a newspaper under his shirt.
As for the future, he writes, “I am luckier than many. I pray that 2020 will be kind to me and those in similar situations to mine.”
That is an unusually generous appraisal of his situation!
But I can’t help wondering what sort of society we live in where such a situation can exist.
* * *
What should you do if you place an order for sausage and chips and the shop sends three orders by mistake?
Why, call 999, of course! At least that is what one London woman seemed to think the emergency telephone system is there for.
Just like another Londoner, who did not want help from the police, ambulance or fire brigade when he dialled 999; he wanted to complain that he had been sold an out-of-date packet of biscuits.
London’s Metropolitan Police announced that during the first 11 months of 2019, it had received 22,491 hoax or irrelevant 999 calls.
Said Chief Superintendent David Jackson, “These calls block phone lines for people who could be calling in a real emergency. Not only do they waste police time and resources, they potentially put Londoners at risk.”
* * *
The Observer newspaper said it all: “Domestic violence is a deadlier threat than terrorism in UK.”
Any mention of terrorism here brings expressions of fear and deep concern while violence in the home, including murder, raises few ripples. But the figures are startling.
Between 2000 and 2018, there were 1,870 domestic murders, mostly men killing their wives or female partners.
Add to that 400 who take their own lives as a result of persistent violence. In the same period, the number of terrorism-related murders totalled just 126.
“This is outrageous,” said Mr Harry Fletcher, spokesman for the Victims’ Rights Campaign.
He called on the new government to boost police budgets and increase spending on measures to prevent and investigate domestic abuse.
* * *
Recent headlines in UK newspapers include the following: “Australia to send in military as bushfires rage,” “Climate crisis linked to 15 disasters in 2019,” “Climate change is the defining issue of our time,” “Amazon rainforest under threat,” and “Bank of England chief issues climate change warning.”
Yet there are still powerful voices, including those of some scientists and academics, who argue that raging fires and melting ice caps are a temporary phenomenon, that they have happened before and are nothing to worry about.
I just hope that come the day, they have a nice fast car and an asbestos suit at their disposal.
* * *
Tom asks Mike for a cigarette.
Mike says, “I thought you made a New Year resolution to give up smoking.”
Tom: “I did but it goes in two phases and I am still in Phase One.”
Mike: “What’s Phase One?” Tom: “Give up buying.”
* * *
The professor entered a chemist’ shop and asked, “Do you have any Acetylsalicylic acid?”
Pharmacist: “You mean aspirin?”
Professor, “That’s it! I can never remember the word.”
