By: Jennifer Wilson
7 billion. That is the current number of humans living on our planet, according to United Nations demographers. That number is an estimate from one organization, of course; but the Census Bureau also stated that although they believe the number is a little off, it is definitely close.
At least 1.4 billion of those people are living in poverty.
That statistic is according to a 2008 study released from the World Bank. It also says that a person is living in poverty if he or she makes less than $1.25 a day, which is $456.25 for an entire year. That is the international poverty line as defined by the World Bank; different countries define poverty at different amounts.
In the United States, the Department of Health and Human Services issues poverty guidelines each year. In 2010, the Poverty Guidelines stated that a person is considered to be living in poverty if he or she makes less than $10, 830 a year. That means an American citizen can make $10, 373.75 more than a citizen of Somalia, yet still be considered poor.
This brings up the question, what exactly does “living in poverty” mean?
Dictionary.com defines poverty as “the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor.” Do all people who are living in poverty fit into this definition?
“My family falls just above the poverty line with my income,” said Timothy Moore, a former student of Ole Miss and a current Airman in the United States Air Force.
“We have 2 cars, a 2- story house, 2 computers, 2 televisions, an Xbox, a Wii, cable, high speed internet, and 2 smart phones with data plans,” he said.
Moore and his family are close to being poor, according to Mississippi and national guidelines. But he makes just enough to escape being defined as living in poverty.
“Now, all that being said, I'm poor. I live paycheck to paycheck and couldn't afford to take my wife on a date even if I had the time. But I lack nothing I need to survive and I even can afford some luxuries for my family,” Moore said.
Records from the Census Bureau show that 21 percent of Mississippi residents are currently living below the poverty line. That is the highest amount of any state in America. Another record from the same organization shows that 32 percent of Oxford residents are living in poverty.
Yet just because a person is defined as poor by the Census Bureau, does that mean that they are hungry, cold, sick or are living without basic human needs?
A study published in July of this year by the Heritage Foundation revealed some eye- opening statistics. The researchers provided data from the 2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey, which is conducted by the Department of Energy, to give a look into the living conditions of America’s poor.
The survey shows that out of all Americans defined as poor, 98 percent have a television and 65 percent have more than one television. Also, 65 percent of poor people have a DVD player and 22 percent have more than one. Over 30 percent of Americans living in poverty have one video game system and 38 percent have a personal computer.
The same study shows that all of those items are also kept in decently sized houses that are in good condition. The average person classified as poor lives in a 3-bedroom home with more than one bathroom, a porch, and a garage.
Also, around 70 percent of households deemed poor have no problem paying all of their “essential expenses.” That includes rent, medical bills and utilities.
The study concludes by stating, “Exaggeration and misinformation about poverty obscure the nature, extent, and causes of real material deprivation, thereby hampering the development of well-targeted, effective programs to reduce the problem.”
Casey Hendricks is a former Ole Miss law student who has done extensive research on this topic. She agrees that there is a disconnect between the percentage of Americans defined as poor and the amount of people who should be classified in that way.
“Yes, Mississippi is the poorest state in America,” she said.
“But compared to people in other countries, starving to death, with no clothes or shelter, many of us are like millionaires. I wish more people recognized this.”
7 billion. That is the current number of humans living on our planet, according to United Nations demographers. That number is an estimate from one organization, of course; but the Census Bureau also stated that although they believe the number is a little off, it is definitely close.
At least 1.4 billion of those people are living in poverty.
That statistic is according to a 2008 study released from the World Bank. It also says that a person is living in poverty if he or she makes less than $1.25 a day, which is $456.25 for an entire year. That is the international poverty line as defined by the World Bank; different countries define poverty at different amounts.
In the United States, the Department of Health and Human Services issues poverty guidelines each year. In 2010, the Poverty Guidelines stated that a person is considered to be living in poverty if he or she makes less than $10, 830 a year. That means an American citizen can make $10, 373.75 more than a citizen of Somalia, yet still be considered poor.
This brings up the question, what exactly does “living in poverty” mean?
Dictionary.com defines poverty as “the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor.” Do all people who are living in poverty fit into this definition?
“My family falls just above the poverty line with my income,” said Timothy Moore, a former student of Ole Miss and a current Airman in the United States Air Force.
“We have 2 cars, a 2- story house, 2 computers, 2 televisions, an Xbox, a Wii, cable, high speed internet, and 2 smart phones with data plans,” he said.
Moore and his family are close to being poor, according to Mississippi and national guidelines. But he makes just enough to escape being defined as living in poverty.
“Now, all that being said, I'm poor. I live paycheck to paycheck and couldn't afford to take my wife on a date even if I had the time. But I lack nothing I need to survive and I even can afford some luxuries for my family,” Moore said.
Records from the Census Bureau show that 21 percent of Mississippi residents are currently living below the poverty line. That is the highest amount of any state in America. Another record from the same organization shows that 32 percent of Oxford residents are living in poverty.
Yet just because a person is defined as poor by the Census Bureau, does that mean that they are hungry, cold, sick or are living without basic human needs?
A study published in July of this year by the Heritage Foundation revealed some eye- opening statistics. The researchers provided data from the 2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey, which is conducted by the Department of Energy, to give a look into the living conditions of America’s poor.
The survey shows that out of all Americans defined as poor, 98 percent have a television and 65 percent have more than one television. Also, 65 percent of poor people have a DVD player and 22 percent have more than one. Over 30 percent of Americans living in poverty have one video game system and 38 percent have a personal computer.
The same study shows that all of those items are also kept in decently sized houses that are in good condition. The average person classified as poor lives in a 3-bedroom home with more than one bathroom, a porch, and a garage.
Also, around 70 percent of households deemed poor have no problem paying all of their “essential expenses.” That includes rent, medical bills and utilities.
The study concludes by stating, “Exaggeration and misinformation about poverty obscure the nature, extent, and causes of real material deprivation, thereby hampering the development of well-targeted, effective programs to reduce the problem.”
Casey Hendricks is a former Ole Miss law student who has done extensive research on this topic. She agrees that there is a disconnect between the percentage of Americans defined as poor and the amount of people who should be classified in that way.
“Yes, Mississippi is the poorest state in America,” she said.
“But compared to people in other countries, starving to death, with no clothes or shelter, many of us are like millionaires. I wish more people recognized this.”Ole Miss law professor Deborah Bell retains a different view, and believes poverty is a relative term. Living in poverty, she said, depends on the area and society in which a person exists.
“I would define poverty as the inability to afford what one's society deems basic necessities of life,” Bell said.
“In the US, I would say that includes habitable housing, adequate medical care, safe daycare for children, a functioning vehicle, and access to educational opportunities, as well as food, shelter, and clothing,” she said.
Bell believes that just because a poor family may have some nice things, that does not always mean that they have everything they need for survival.
“There are low-income families who have decent housing, food, and clothing, but who are unable to afford medical care for the adults in the family or safe daycare for their children. They are living in poverty."
Word Count: 868
Sources:
Deborah Bell, Professor of Law, dbell@olemiss.edu
Timothy Moore, United States Air Force Airman, 662-801-7942
Casey Hendricks, Former law student at Ole Miss, 662-640-2286
http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/10poverty.shtml
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2011/07/what-is-poverty#_ftn12
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/28/2854840.html
http://www.globalissues.org/article/4/poverty-around-the-world#WorldBanksPovertyEstimatesRevised
“I would define poverty as the inability to afford what one's society deems basic necessities of life,” Bell said.
“In the US, I would say that includes habitable housing, adequate medical care, safe daycare for children, a functioning vehicle, and access to educational opportunities, as well as food, shelter, and clothing,” she said.
Bell believes that just because a poor family may have some nice things, that does not always mean that they have everything they need for survival.
“There are low-income families who have decent housing, food, and clothing, but who are unable to afford medical care for the adults in the family or safe daycare for their children. They are living in poverty."
Word Count: 868
Sources:
Deborah Bell, Professor of Law, dbell@olemiss.edu
Timothy Moore, United States Air Force Airman, 662-801-7942
Casey Hendricks, Former law student at Ole Miss, 662-640-2286
http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/10poverty.shtml
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2011/07/what-is-poverty#_ftn12
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/28/2854840.html
http://www.globalissues.org/article/4/poverty-around-the-world#WorldBanksPovertyEstimatesRevised
Deborah Bell on "What is poverty?"
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