Relying on government is a New Jersey tradition (Opinion)

By now most of our listeners are aware of the Cherry Hill school district's attempts to deal with parents who don't pay their kid's lunch tab. First they tried giving the kid's whose parents are delinquent in paying a tuna sandwich. Some said giving them a tuna sandwich was somehow demeaning.

Next the district came up with a rule to deny those kids' participation in extra curricular activities, including going to the prom. Then a local business man offered to pay for the kids' lunches, but the district declined the offer. The thought being, why would any parent pay, if someone would step in and start buying kids lunches. And they were right. Human nature would take over and why wouldn't lots of parents take advantage.

Now a student organization who are part of an group called Rays of Hope, is asking 'Givenor' Murphy to step in and make sure the state ends the practice of "lunch shaming." The Governor's office has acknowledged that they have received the letters, but has not yet agreed to meet with the group. He should meet with the group and give them a good lecture on life and responsibility and shame and how depending on government to take care of your personal responsibilities is a cancer. Of course he won't do any such thing, because his entire goal as a politician is to give away hard earned taxpayer money to garner more power and votes.

Since the "war on poverty" began in the mid-'60s we have created a climate of dependency of government that has been as destructive and expensive as any battle with cancer. We have developed and encouraged a sense of entitlement in our society that is corrosive and destructive to the human soul. It is eating away at the heart and soul of our country. There are already programs in place to pay for lunches of people who fall below a certain income level.

The parents of these kids can easily afford a loaf of bread and something inexpensive to put in between to feed a kid lunch. By abdicating their responsibilities and putting it on the government is the wrong message to teach their children. Maybe by the kids feeling the "shame" of their parents irresponsibility they'll learn to be more resourceful and responsible than their parents and become better citizens. But that will only happen when the government says, "ENOUGH"! I'm afraid that will only happen in this state when hell freezes over.

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