I'm not a mooch

The following conversation I had a work started because I made some joke about government cheese. You know, like government peanut butter, and cheese and dry milk. I made some joke about giving someone some government cheese. The exact joke escapes me right now but it went something like this

Girl 1: "So, girl two do you have any of that cheddar cheese left for sale." (I know it's strange.)

Girl 2: "I'm not sure"

ME: "I got some gov'ment cheese I can sell ya... but it's not that cheddar crap just good ole American, the way it's supposed to be."(obviously joking)

Girl 2: "Why do you have gov'ment cheese?"

Girl 3: "Oh are you guys like on wic or food stamps... do they even still have the gov'ment cheese program?"

Me: "What?, I have no reason to be on food stamps or WIC"

Girl 2: I bet you'd qualify, you're wife doesn't work... right?"

Me: "Whether I qualify or not doesn't matter" I'm an able bodied man of sound mind There's no reason I can't support my family, I don't need money from the government

Girl 2: Why don't you take the money you'd save by getting food stamps and start a college fund for him.

Me: "He doesn't need anything I can't provide for him, and have you ever heard of raising your children the right way so that they don't need the governments money either?"


This exchange, in and of it's self, didn't bother me so much, What did bother me is why no one seemed to understand why I thought it was wrong to take government money without actually needing it. When did we all come to believe that we're entitled to "free money".

It's pretty amazing how much money you can make and still qualify for government assistance I have a buddy who makes about 40 grand a year and his wife probably makes another 12 to 15 and they have one child and they still qualify for government assistance. We don't have a ton of money left over every month but we have more than enough to pay all our bill without wondering if they'll get paid, we have enough for food, and enough to feed our child. So why exactly do I need the government to give me money as well?