What WOULD Jesus Do?

"Temporary Assistance For Needy Families".
That's what they call Welfare in this state. I just had a lovely phone conversation with my TANF worker, after receiving a letter from her on Saturday. The letter stated that my case was being closed effective May 1st because their records indicated I was employed. I had until today to provide check stubs so that they could adjust my assistance accordingly. I am not emplyed.
Oh don't get me wrong, there was a time when I tried. When I was naive enough to believe it was possible to get off assistance. That "adjusting of assistance accordingly" is a polite way of saying we will not allow you to get ahead enough to NOT be a needy family. Zero wiggle room.
We will pay for your childcare so you can work a minimum wage job, but for every dollar you make you lose a dollar of assistance somewhere. Housing, medical, food etc., but won't you feel good about yourself knowing you are being productive! Productive? If abandoning my disabled child to state sactioned daycare facilities where he's neglected and abused by "caregivers" is an acceptable form of parenting, sure where do I sign up? Multiple centers and two home daycare left Al's central nervous system fried. The last one, the fundamental christian lady, had a serious case of OCD. The place was spotless though and that was a far cry better than the one before with all the roach feces on the kitchen counter.
Al had been there about six months when I noticed changes in him.
Sullen, crying, which is highly unusual for Al, and the one that really stood out was he started refering to his penis as his "privates". In our home a penis is a penis, no euphamisms, no big deal.
It was christmas, I was working at the mall and got off at 5:30 to get to FCDL house by 5:45 when she closed. I was 5 minutes late because of traffic in the mall parking lot and she charged me $10, demanded it right there in front of Al. Why? Because THATS WHAT JESUS WOULD DO. Then she asks for $2 from the parents to get all the kids ice cream one day. No prob. a nice treat considering they never leave the house. I ask Al how going for ice cream was, and he informs me the ice cream came out of...you guessed it, her freezer.
That's just petty crap I know, but the proverbial straw came when Al lost it at school, crying uncontrolably. It turned out FCDL had been screaming at these kids pretty much on a daily basis for at least three months. Over stupid ass shit like making messes. Why? Because...THATS WHAT JESUS WOULD DO of course. She had apparently told them that they "better be good because no other daycare has an XBOX". Al and one of the little girls had talked in the bathroom (which was a refuge of sorts) about telling their parents. This is the part when I want to throw up. Al had strongly advized the little girl not to seek her parents for support in the matter, warning her that CPS could come and take her even if she did nothing wrong. She chose to heed his advice.
Now you might be wondering what I did about FCDL?
(I'll be right back, must vomit) I did what any mother who had spent 5 years tormented by the state would do, I did nothing. When Al was in a center facility last year there was an incident in the boys bathroom concerning Al and a 13 year old who pushed him off the toilet. (hold my hair?) I found out prior to making a referal on the facility to CPS, that by law if there is even a hint of possible sexual abuse involved, they pick the child up regardless. This in theory allows CPS to rule out any perpetrators in the home. No thanks. But what about the other children, don't you have an obligation to protect them? Nope. At one time in my life, yes. I would've risked it all to right injustice, I nearly did. Aren't referals to a hotline ANONYMOUS?
Are you really that naive? As far as FCDL goes, well I'll just let her Jesus deal with her, and hope that those kids parents give the church enough money , then they too can be forgiven.