Fail

The state of Florida has started requiring that recipients of welfare benefits in that state submit to drug testing before they are able to receive their entitlements. This law impacts new applicants for the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, who incur the cost of these drug tests, and are reimbursed only if they pass.

Despite the fact that this new bill is questionable at best in its constitutionality, it is highly discriminatory, based on the presumption that poor people in need of benefits are likely to be drug users. This is purely a stereotype, as a 2001 pilot testing study in Florida found no significant difference in drug use among aid recipients. And in a state where the unemployment rate is among the highest in the country, the government is compromising the ability of families to survive by failing to provide a valid harm reduction model.

Consider the children who are impacted by this new law. If a parent is denied their welfare checks because of a failed drug test, which has now cost the family up to $70 of crucial funds, where will money for the child's food and clothing come from? For their educational materials? Under the law, a parent is supposed to be able to name another adult who can receive benefits on behalf of their child. But in an environment where support is low and resources are limited, this answer may become more of a problem than it is a solution.

It seems as if the agenda of this new law aims more to deter families from applying for benefits than it does to deter drug use. In the absence of a drug therapy or rehabilitation program to accompany the testing subjection, what choices will a despondent parent have to support their family and get back on their feet? If drug use was actually a critical concern of the Florida government, the position of these individuals would be considered before applying such a harsh invasion into their privacy.

D.C. Women

For many people living in and around Washington, DC, the recent aversion of a federal government shutdown has meant so much more than a continuing budget negotiation. For those of us who live in the shadow of power, the recent deal struck between feuding parties on Capitol Hill is an infringement on local sovereignty, and a direct attack (once again) on already undeserved citizens.

The full details of the compromise have not yet been realized, but what is certain is that Washington D.C. has lost the right to determine the use of its own Medicaid funds- specifically, that Washington, D.C. can no longer use its funds to pay for abortions for low-income women. These crucial funds, which prevent women from having to make a life-altering decision based on immediate circumstances, were only reinstated in 2009, and have now been revoked again, in the agonizing, dehumanizing game of ping-pong that Congress plays with the rights of D.C. residents.

This issue is beyond women's rights, because those women who are not on Medicaid, and those who can afford to pay out of pocket for an abortion procedure will not be affected by these cuts. Instead, this setback will have a wildly disproportionate effect for low-income women, leaving them with little to no choice in the event of an unplanned pregnancy.

I understand that this is a controversial issue, and many people have very disparate opinions on the matter of abortion. However, if your empathy or sympathy will allow it, please make a donation today to the DC Abortion Fund, a volunteer-run, non-profit organization helping low-income women in the district access abortion services. You can give as little as $10, and they guarantee that 95% of your donation will go towards helping a woman in need. And if ever the women of D.C. were in need, it would be now.

If you'd like to donate to the fund, you can do so here.

In the Shadow of Power

When most Americans think of Washington, D.C., they may visualize the grand monuments that stand as testaments to our country's noble character, or the immaculate lawn that stretches back to that famous house on Pennsylvania Ave, or the various likenesses of our nation's most honorable leaders punctuating the column-lined mall that seems to denote all of the greatness and grandeur of the U.S.A. They may think of the capitol building with pride; that this is where our elected officials come with meritorious intent to draft the policies that shape our great nation. In movies and on television shows, images of our nation's capitol are confined to those same white-washed edifices, and what we really learn about this arcane city is limited to a view that lacks the social realities that define Washington D.C. as it truly is: a city of dual-existence, where the most powerful individuals in the world are operating amidst a city of poverty, hunger, and desperation that are not typically associated with American life.

But despite the manicured nature of the D.C. that most tourists see, there are undoubtedly parts of the city in which the reality is quite grim, as thirty-two percent of D.C. children live in poverty, an unacceptable rate which is nearly twice the national average. Washington, D.C. is also the city with the highest AIDS mortality rate in the country. And there are more than 10,000 homeless individuals and families surrounding those sparkling downtown streets where the world's most powerful individuals converge to set their agendas. All around the city, residents suffer from such insecurities as poor health, lack of access to fresh food, low performance in schools, low graduation rates, and violent crime. And these issues are largely confined to the poorest neighborhoods of the city, which are intensely segregated according to race, giving the city it's notorious designation as "the south's northernmost metropolis."

Photojournalist Kike Arnal has done an amazing job in exposing these circumstances that face many of D.C.'s residents in his new collection, In the Shadow of Power. He began with a project in 2003 to document the city's library system, and was shocked by the unjust politics and the radical, unashamed separation that lies between the city's elite and those who live in poverty. It is an honest account of human life, and a bold exposure of its often brutal nature. It is a very powerful collection, and should be viewed with much thought and reflection. The startling black and white photos put into perspective our notion of this seemingly forthright city, and give us symbolic insight into the structures that define not only D.C., but our entire country.

Check out the photos, and read the artist's message here: http://www.intheshadowofpower.com/photos.html