I am sure you have received an enormous response to Chris and Karleena Perry's letter. I have sat here for the past two days thinking long and hard about what I would say to this couple for I am one of the low-income people they referred to.
The Perrys are not the first couple in St. Albert that I have come across that have had this attitude. So I thought rather than judge them I would simply tell them about my life as a low-income person. After a young short-lived marriage I left to raise my son and attend college. Being a community social worker, I have helped communities, children and families have success in their lives. I've not only raised my son, but have fostered and taken in nine children in total. I sponsor a child in another country even though I am broke most of the time. I also volunteered as a football, lacrosse and soccer coach. I volunteer in the housing co-op I live in (which has never been full of crime) and have a well-manicured yard and garden. I have re-done the inside of my home by myself and it is beautiful. I have very strong values and stand by them vigorously.
The only behaviour I judge is the mistreatment of others. I am responsible and support equality with reasonable and fair treatment. I have always believed that people are the commodity of this world and if we chose to teach kindness and have no tolerance for mistreatment of any kind, the Perrys’ son would never had experienced inequality based on possession. Inequality is an unnecessary evil of this world and it is the arrogance and ignorance of the adults that enable this attitude. I have had the honour of working in this community and the Perrys’ beliefs, as well as others with this view are what cause issues in this community in the first place. I have consistently worked with parents who deal with children who have been over-privileged and therefore unaware of how to be respectful, responsible and follow expectations and rules.
So low-income or high-income, each comes with individual concerns and issues. Judging is not going to make the community a healthy place to be. Getting involved, setting rules and boundaries and having expectations creates success no matter what community you are in. My hope here is the Perrys realize that respectful, responsible, reasonable people with great values can be found in any community, including low-income. And it is the attitude and involvement of the community members that create a safe welcoming, respectful place to be, not income level. It is my further hope that as outraged as people are to the Perry's letter that no one behaves with the same ignorance or judgment that they have.
Sandra Hansen, St. Albert
