Chinese Discuss Pictures of American Poverty

A black man in a white shirt living in a dark house.

The house he lives in has no door, only a very small window, the interior is completely dark.

From Sina:

Revealing Prosperous and Powerful America’s Impoverished Other Side

America, the world’s premier economic, political, and military superpower. Upon mentioning the US, I think that the most people would give it a great deal of reverence. The towering skyscrapers and an economy that is even higher, everything there appears to be perfect, and the living conditions there are what many developing and undeveloped countries dream of.

I remember that in the past I heard this story, a Chinese study-abroad student went to America to study, midway he got a part time job, and the money he earned from washing dishes and wiping tables would allow him to return to China and become a little rich man. One can imagine just how prosperous and superior America’s economy is. Before our eyes, everything we see is America’s glorious and magnificent side, but apparently we never hear about America’s impoverished and suffering side. The feeling is that living in America means living in utopia.

But, everything is not as it appears so perfect and flawless. America is also not perfect in every way. It is an economically strong country, but in terms of wealth, it also cannot provide equal conditions for everyone, and also has many people living impoverished and backwards lives. No matter how strong and powerful the United States is or how prosperous, we cannot ignore these facts and truths hidden behind the prosperity.

In America, I don’t know what the percentage of poverty is, the purpose of writing this article today is also not to expose America’s scandal, the main thing is I want to let everyone know that poverty is not something only developing and undeveloped countries have. Even economically powerful countries like America also have impoverished and backwards people living there. There are impoverished people in every country, and poverty is a problem that every country faces. In America, poverty also continuously troubles and affects America’s economy.

The following pictures come from a website for Spanish-Americans, completely revealing a superpower’s unknown side. Actually, America is equally inhabited by a group of destitute people needing everyone’s protection and attention.

A black mother with her two young children.

The younger child in the picture died not long after because of malnutrition, while the slightly older child in the picture was strangled to death by Helen's husband. Her other daughter is currently in jail. Since then, Helen has been dedicated to her religion.

An old, skinny, black woman sitting on a chair next to a brick wall covered with graffitti.

A dispirited Philadephia woman.

A small black girl looks ino an old refrigerator looking for food in a poor house.

A starving child looking for food.

A small black child looks into an old refrigerator filled with leftover food and trash.

A child opens a refrigerator, hoping to find food.

A man sits on his bed thinking in a shack.

Living in a house full of rotten stench.

A lonely black woman living by herself in a broken-down building.

She is the most lonely, those living around her--the people living at the front of the road leading out of the dense forests of Alabama have completely forgotten her, living by herself in this broken-down building.

A black woman in a messy room.

An emotionless woman living in North Carolina.

Two small black children living in a shack.

Suffering children living in Georgia.

A poor, sick black man sitting on a bed in a messy, dirty room.

Living in a rotten, dirty, messy building.

Comments from Sina:

Relates a real America.

^_^ Every place has poor people.

There’s nowhere without poor people…

How old are these pictures?

Have you been to Americas backcountry? It just resembles China’s impoverished areas…

They are all black people.

After looking at these my heart is very uncomfortable, so sad/pitiful.

Black people, still living at the lowest level of society!

No way.
So pitiful.
Before I saw this I thought America was so good.
Those people are truly tragic.
God,
so tragic.

Some of these pictures don’t exactly fit with the concept of America…does Africa also have a place called America…

When can humanity break free from this kind of situation?

Comments from NetEase:

Really funny, come check out Guangzhou, there are even more.

1960s photos.

When these pictures were taken, lou zhu‘s kid had not yet been born, now who knows where he found these to trick people!

Have you seen that broadcast ten years ago of the Beijing people in New York?
Do you still remember that bit of dialogue?
If you love her, take her to New York, because there it is heaven. If you hate her, take her to New York, because there it is hell!

You should say what is the percentage of poor people in America, and what is the percentage of poor people in China.
Then take pictures of poor people in America and pictures of poor people in China and compare them.
Then do a comparison of the living conditions of the common citizen that make up 60% of the population. This way it would actually be more objective!

I bet these were taken in Africa. America’s black people, no matter how poor, still could not be like this. As long as they have official American citizenship, each month they can get one about 7000RMB in US money, which is completely enough for daily expenses, and what more it is calculated per head. ~This I bet can fool the Chinese people who have never been to America. Chinese people are often fooled, tricked, and do not have much discernment ability.

I think that America and China are basically the same, only the geographical environment and cultural accomplishments are different, everyone wants to be big and strong, but unexpectedly everyone has something in common, which is that poor people exist, and what more, this is a key element that pulls down economic development. But, it cannot be helped. Who wants to be a poor person? It is a result forced out by the country. Now that China has become big and strong, America will also envy/be worried a little, but it cannot be denied that America is still a superpower, despite experiencing many unforeseen events. However, China is not weak either, what with an economic disaster, stock market disaster, natural disaster, man-made disaster, an earthquake, the 2008 Olympics, have you seen how much money China has spent?? Banks tightening money, the stock market falling and falling, business is difficult, a lot of job competition, and what more, increasing prices, low wage levels, tell me: who does not want to be a rich person? Being able to endure it all is pretty good already.

Hahah, ~~I see that America’s problem is very grave, not only is there a gap between rich and poor, there is also severe racial discrimination!!!

Lou zhu, are you mentally handicapped, using this kind of fake news to fool everyone? One look and you know it is not real! And you though you were wise. Such trash…

There are poor people everywhere! It is unavoidable and unquestionable! In terms of proportions, America should be considered to not have a lot [of poverty], it is no big deal! Also, it does not prove there is a problem! If there were also “city management” attacking poor people~~, then there would really be no way out~~ lamentable~

THIS IS NOT AMERICA.

Long-suffering black people. Everywhere they are the most miserable ethnic group. I wish them safety and peace!

If you don’t understand, don’t make irresponsible remarks! A bunch of trashy people! Running to America or some Europe country to be gluttonous and lazy! Not engaging in honest work, not willing to do anything! You all have no clue how high America and Europe’s labour expenditures are! I operate a restaurant in Europe! For one dishwasher, I have to pay more than 1000 Euros a month! And what more, this is the price even after evading and cheating on taxes! Blacks, Arabs, heh, they chose this! Especially Arabs, brothers, it is not that I am racist, go out and get some experience. do not know why America wants to extinguish this kind of trash race [this sentence is unclear]! This shouldn’t be called “Prosperous and Powerful America’s Impoverished Other Side!”

Haha, with regards to the lou zhu, I am speechless. America’s welfare and charity system are “as numerous as the hairs on an ox” [Chinese idiom to mean, "a lot"], with community, church, national, fund, chamber of commerce, as well as individual donor associations for charity. These organizations are “as numerous as the hairs on an ox”, when you’re hungry go to a church or an organization, their doors are wide open. For food and every day life stuff, there is no problem. Except for this essay by the lou zhu and television dramas, have you seen any news about Americans starving to death?

I doubt the authenticity of this article. In Canada, every child 18-years-old and under can get 500 dollars a month from the government. In addition, every low-income family all has enough living subsidies. Also, generally speaking 300 dollars is enough for a family to not worry about food. With America so close to Canada, the government subsidy should be about the same. Unless they all entered the country illegally [illegal immigrants], or drug addicts.

Share This Article

155 Comments

  • Some HTML can be used to format your comment.
  • Add a picture to your comments with Gravatar.
  • Our Comment Policy.
  1. Hey dude, I cannot read the CRAP you just wrote. Please be concise. Wait, there really is no need. Nothing you write makes any sense. You make these non-existence connections between things but the #1 problem is that you fail to look-up the definition of persecution complex; with that you would see that REVERSE persecution complex would be a simple tautological follow up to the definition (LOL! PUN intended).

    I have clearly demonstrated the above with various quotes from you, that you clearly posses the tendencies for persecution complex. You on the other hand, have not at all showed me the things you claimed. So this is the end of it. I’m not going bother to read any more of your responses, just as I didn’t bother to read your response preceding this post.

    HAHA.

  2. ^ that was a really lame reply wasnt it?

    i gave u the benefit of the doubt on every account and thats what u repied………..

    i suppose my english was not comprehensible to u?
    or more to the point, i addressed u with decency and respect as i thought u had done me. Would it make it better if i use CAPITAL LETTERS?

    do u still have no argument , u racist trolling bastard?

    maybe if u suck ur felllow racist webmasters cock that will make it better?
    maybe i shud start my own site?
    im obviously not entitled to an opinion because im white and much smarter than u.

    i wud refer u again to the 7 points i posted above, u fit the bill entirely.

    and i quote myself haha
    ______________________


    1 – never admitting ur wrong
    2 – avoiding the point at all costs
    3 – trying to type-cast me as dumb/ insane or not good at languages, as if that would somehow mean my points are wrong. I suppose if einstein posted here he would also be thick and wrong about EVERYTHING because he couldnt speak latin or chinese? Reading comprehension problems? i hope to make that clear too
    4 – type-casting me along with every other EVIL RACIST WHITE MEN because im caucasian.
    5 – fabricating arguments and pretending thats what i said.
    6 – personal attacks that i will prove totally unjustified
    7 – the classic, get the PC crowd on ur side by castigating the other side as a racist/ anti-semite etc. I suppose all palestinians agree that jews are eternal victims?

    _________________________________

    my englsh is soooooooooooo crap isnt it?

    ur right about just ONE THING. u have got nothing to say.

    I wil make gross racial sterotypes until a OBC proves me elsewise (hah, ur not biting r u?)

    _____________________________________________________

    yet again , for posterities sake, note his lingo

    “I have clearly demonstrated the above with various quotes from you, that you clearly posses the tendencies for persecution complex.”

    so i presume its not a , and i quote “REVERSE persecution complex”???????????????????????????????????????????

    __________________________________

    “You on the other hand, have not at all showed me the things you claimed.”

    is that really true einstein?

    _______________________________________________

    “So this is the end of it. I’m not going bother to read any more of your responses, just as I didn’t bother to read your response preceding this post. ”

    again refer to the 7 points…………….

    I presume u didnt read them and then decided they were CRAP? ur no rocket scientist r u?

  3. ^ or maybe im wrong,maybe he cud be like those treachous, racist weasels that worked for the nazis and then switched sides?

  4. 1 – never admitting ur wrong

    I didn’t know I was wrong. That is your suppositions based on nothing.

    2 – avoiding the point at all costs

    Points? WHAT POINTS? You don’t have any points.

    3 – trying to type-cast me as dumb/ insane or not good at languages, as if that would somehow mean my points are wrong. I suppose if einstein posted here he would also be thick and wrong about EVERYTHING because he couldnt speak latin or chinese? Reading comprehension problems? i hope to make that clear too

    When did I type-cast you as dumb. Show me exactly where I did this. Show me the proof.

    4 – type-casting me along with every other EVIL RACIST WHITE MEN because im caucasian.

    I have not done so. This is your supposition. You assumed this. You made this connection yourself. It’s not me.

    You said:
    “we all know china is great and america ( where evil, racist white men come from) is the devil”

    So what I did below was to paraphrase you. I repeated WHAT YOU SAID. You said this! I DIDN’T. You are so weird. Notice that this also evidence of your persecution complex. You think that the entirety of the Chinese people assumes that America is where “evil, racist white men” come from.

    HAHA. It can’t get any more clear. You are insane.

    5 – fabricating arguments and pretending thats what i said.

    Show me the proof (actually, just the money. Pay me and I will agree with you 100%). See #4 on how to go about doing this.

    6 – personal attacks that i will prove totally unjustified

    So what? You are attacking me.

    7 – the classic, get the PC crowd on ur side by castigating the other side as a racist/ anti-semite etc. I suppose all palestinians agree that jews are eternal victims?

    I don’t need any “crowd.” I just need myself. And I’m only responsible for myself. Again, you made a supposition based on nothing from me. You are imagining things.

    Clearly, this is again demonstrates your persecution complex (REVERSE, lol).

  5. I can very clearly see that TahwYOJ is indeed being deliberately misunderstood by PEOPLE. He is wrongly mis-quoted and persecuted by PEOPLE with a sadistic predisposition.

    I can understand his frustrations, but if it were me, I would not bother to rebut as to do so is to amuse them further by feeding their sadistic desires. But if I have to, I’d say:

    The best way to make your wife listens to you is to talk in your sleep.

    How’s that?

  6. Obvious hes full of shit, but yeh i wont bother pointing him out anymore..

    “He is wrongly mis-quoted and persecuted by PEOPLE with a sadistic predisposition.”

    I thought I was persecuting him in revenge for him starting this? Anyhow wot dyu spect from an evil guy?

  7. @TahwYOJ

    I checked the link, I stand corrected. It was the complete lack of an outside door that threw me off.

    @Rick in China

    Fair enough. I was trying to make the point that it wasn’t hunger that was killing homeless people, I should have verified what was. Thanks for pointing it out.

    america ranks only the 7th in term of GDP per capita

    GDP per capita is a tricky number to get your head around. In northern Europe, a significant part of the workforce lives in neighboring countries, sending money home. Non-resident workers aren’t counted, but their income is. In America we have the opposite effect, where a significant part of our workforce sends money to their family outside the US.

    social mobility halved since they took power

    The main problem with social mobility in the United States is the schools. If you have money, you can afford better schools. Not that it’s impossible to improve your station through public schools and scholarships, but you have to work damn hard for it.

    Unfortunately, American welfare and charity systems continue to encourage idle dependence rather than work, and to reward sin­gle parenthood while penalizing marriage.

    In good economic times or bad, the typical poor family is supported by only 800 hours of work during a year: That amounts to about 15 hours of work per week.

    impoverished Americans are usually more concerned about drugs and gangs than starving to death

    Not necessarily in joining gangs or doing drugs, but rather the violence often associated with gangs and drug dealers, who are more predominant in poorer neighborhoods.

    The question is “has the economic divide is increasing”.

    I’ll bet for 2008, now that the stock markets and property values have shed trillions of dollars, the results will be more in line with the growth between WWII and 1979, which was much more even.

    Assuming that all levels of society grow wealthier all the time–which happens to be the truth–then “income inequality” will always increase.

    whereby the burden falls on the rich and big business.

    Take it too far, and disproportionately taxing the rich and businesses is a great way to get them to leave. And Cuban cigars are illegal, while Nicaraguans, like Padron, are as good or better.

    If this site is to have any credibility it can’t publish such misleading articles. Not once was it mentioned what century these pictures were from… Please be more responsible next time.

    Fauna didn’t write the article, he just translated it for those of us who can’t read. This site maintains its credibility by giving us an honest glimpse into what is being said, and frankly I appreciate the hard work that goes into it.

    Time is taken to pick out what to translate, so time should be taken on to put the op into context at the head article.

    His job is to give us the context, to define the situation, not to tell us whether the statements within are true or false. In case no one has told you, don’t believe everything you read on the internet.

    so no1 cares to address my points? hardly surprising

    You insult and berate people, make fun of them for petty grammar mistakes, and glory in your supposed superiority then you’re surprised when no one wants to take the time to try to explain something?

    We all know you’re just going to jump on whoever talks to you next, for whatever slight, real or imagined, that you can wring out of their words.

    so please explain what u mean by “REVERSE persecution”????????

    Excessive anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality, concerning a perceived threat. Aka paranoia.

    Entirely different from ‘reverse discrimination’.

    I read the comments, but know that in reality most people just read headlines, see the pictures, take it as fact, and move on.

    You mean you think you know. You didn’t ask me. Really I’m not sure who you did ask, or how you conducted this research into the browsing habits of ChinaSMACK readers.

    Those reading are crazy and in the same league as us, our brigade of buffoons.

    Actually I was hoping one of you might accidentally make an intelligent contribution to the discussion or ask a reasonable question.

    All you have is taken a single post and extrapolated it into a representation of a larger “problem” you perceive and are upset about.

    A single word. So far, the only evidence he’s mustered is “starving”. And how does that one word equal “slant eyed cocksucker. some gook joke of a man”?

    You’ve got some serious issue, Blah. If your opinion was worth anything, those words just might hurt someone’s feelings. You must have a very large brain, to hold so much ignorance.

  8. The pictures you see is how America is going to be very soon, everywhere!!

    Economy is crap which means economy is toast which means homelessness.

    Say goodbye to the superpower which was once America.

    Who will the world turn to in time of need when tyranny runs wild and food is scarce?

    Certainly not the United States of America….We’re too poor and the Bailouts didn’t do anything for our economy.

    America is no longer a Capitalist country. America is a Bailoutist country and she is going to fall soon with Obama’s “Bailout” plan. The American dollar is going to inflate like nobody has ever seen before and the Chinese will be in a world of S$%T with the 680 Billion dollars they own at this moment. That money is going to turn into nothing. The United States owes many countries money….lots and lots of money. If the United States goes bankrupt, it will not be able to pay the debt owed to other countries which means WELCOME TO THE 18TH CENTURY once again.

    If America goes down….everybody goes down.

  9. A workmate of mine went to the states not long ago. He was surprised to see beggars and poor people on the streets everywhere he went like L.A., San Francisco and Las Vegas. He was amazed it was so common and on every street.

    Bush and Obama has no choice but to bail out the Detroit auto-makers. They employ over 3 million Americans. They have to restructure and cut their lineup of gas guzzling vehicles to hybrid and fuel efficient cars.

    Bush is probably overjoyed that he doesn’t have to deal with the auto-crisis anymore because it will be Obama’s problem.

  10. BUMP THIS THREAD, LET THE VIEWER DECIDE.

    ^ THE KKK WHITE PPL WILL MAKE THE NIGGAZ STARVE 1ST

    WHITE PEOPLE ARE EVIL, JUST LIKE ME. WHITE PEOPLE STARVE ETHNIC MINORITIES TO DEATH IN USA. ( im a bit surprised the obcs with a higher gdp per capita income didnt realise this)

    THATS THE POINT RIGHT? US EVIL RACIST WHITE MEN ARE NO GOOD.

    (KAI I GUESS I GOT THE WRONG GUY, (NO FRIEND OF MINE WUD BE SO FACKING LAME)

    you are assholes, plain and simple

    THATJOKE is beyond hope but kai are u also willing to stand by that desperately inadquate racist troll?

    ur site is quoted on chinadigitaltimes.net now

    Wot was the purpose of the op? again, its simple, do u stand by that?

  11. “Points? WHAT POINTS? You don’t have any points.”

    kinda ironic then that u contested 7 of them………….

  12. this site is shit, the owner or moderator is a racist idiot. peace im out

  13. To even it all out here are a few pics of poor WHITE people living in America!

    http://www.american-pictures.com/gallery/usa/book112.htm

    Here is the original website the photos above where taken from.

    http://www.american-pictures.com/gallery/usa/USA-index1.htm

    Poverty does not discriminate against color, creed, nationality or race.

  14. Hello everyone! I am a Black American and I can definitely say that these conditions do exist in America. They are real. The pictures may be very old but the story is the same. I myself have come from these conditions. Yes these pics are of Black Americans, but poverty exists with ALL races (well maybe except Asian) in this country. I must also say that yes there is rascism against Blacks but there is also an economic and class issue with poor Whites as well. Something that immigrants and people from other countries miss is that when you come here looking for opportunities, that job is being taken away from an American who may truly need it. Many people come here from other countries and make money to send it back home. Is this helping the American economy? Do you even pay taxes when u profit off America? The taxes Americans pay go towards state funding…funding which feeds and clothes and gives shelter to the people we see above….

    So its nice to say, “Oh those poor people.” but will YOU help? Do YOU care. No. You don’t. I’ve been homeless and it really bothered me when I would go to apply for a job and I would have to wait in line with people who may not even be citizens of this country! How would u feel if Americans came to your country and did not help your community? Of course this would not happen because many Asian countries are Communist.

    I’m not homeless anymore. I am a registered nurse and I have opened a homeless shelter in my community. I GIVE BACK to those in need. I don’t sit here and write useless blogs just to exploit poor Blacks or any disadvantaged person for that matter.

    GET A LIFE GUYS!! OR BETTER YET, BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION!!

    • I have a life, that is why i dont give a damn about these brothers. And yes, i truly think they deserve this. I make money bro and i rather spend it on new rims to my car then giving it to these guys.

      You should get a life, workng in a shelter? (smiley)

      I have my own company and have only employed white people. No stealing and they work harder and better then blacks. Also they are better for my business.
      So am i a racist towards my own? Hell yes! Have you ever seen a bar full of black people and compare it with a bar full of white people you understand.

      • You are not a Black Man. What you are is a LIAR. So stop hiding behind you computer keyboard, come out of your hole and say something like this to a “real” black man’s face. Make sure you have your coffin already picked out, you’re going to need it.

    • Dude, you’re awesome! Respect!

  15. Pics are clearly from the 70′s. As an American, I can tell you we do not have poverty as China or many countries know it.Anyone is eligible to collect some welfare money for a home and free food. We do still have some metally insane people who walk the streets or live in really poor conditions. The people in these pictures were not porr, just dirty and dumb and wont take care of themsleves.

  16. Just Dirty & Dumb ChinaJim? Wow. What a statement. So like animals they should be treated. Survival of the fittest. That’s a nice thought. Good thing you weren’t born dumb and dirty ChinaJim or we would have to forget about you too.

    Not all people are eligible for welfare. And welfare has NEVER given free housing. I agree with you that many of these people may have a psychological issue of some sort, but what came first the poverty or the mental instability? The two feed off each other.

  17. There are also white, asian, native americans and Hispanic people living like this in america. The pictures only show black people as if they are the only ones in poverty, in america.

  18. Black people are America’s Uighurs.

  19. It both saddens and angers me to know that the vast majority of people still hang on to ignorance and hatred. For your information, the poorest people in the United States are white females(17-21 years of age). I am an avid “waterfall chaser” and I often travel to the rural areas of Western North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The sights I often see are identical to the ones posted here with one difference….the people are white. When traveling to less rural areas, I see poverty on the faces of Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians,and American Indians. How anyone on the face of the planet who is smarter than the proverbial fifth grader can look down and persecute an entire race of people is beyond my comprehension. The WHITE man STOLE Africans from their country, enslaved them, beat them, cursed them, and called them every possible denigrating name. Many of these people were Kings and ancestors of Kings and Great Warriers. While the men were building cities and picking the white man’s cotton, the females were nursing the white babies and after working 15 hours a day, these same women were raped by the white men. What are all of you racists afraid of? Fear is the only reason for hating a person merely because their skin is darker than the white man’s skin. The white man has, still is, and will always discriminate and oppress those who belong to other races. The good old lazy white man went to Australia and ran the aborigines into the widerness. They even constructed a fence to keep the people of color from having an easy access to their newfound property. Go to the library, why don’t you? Read some history that has been written by someone who isn’t white. Learn from all sources and then, and only then will you be able to burn your confederate flags!

  20. I am black and I live in America. There are just as many whites in America who live just like this. However, because some white Americans want the world to believe that only blacks or latinos endure poverty in America, that is the reason only pictures of black people are shown in the photo eassay here.

    I can take my camera, visit some of the trailer parks here in Florida where I live and show whites who are living in conditions just like those shown here or worse. But that is not the picture America wants the world to see. You see, it is always the worst off black people America wants the world to see, thereby creating the false impression that ALL black people in America live like those shown in the photo essay here. It just is not true that all black people in America live like those shown here. It just is not true.

    America has serious problems with poverty and they are only getting worse because of the disappearance of low level manual labor jobs. There was a time in the past when a low level job in America could begin to lift those trapped in a cycle of poverty out of it. But with the disappearance of those jobs it has become much more difficult for unskilled, uneducated Americans to reverse the cycle of poverty. Therefore, poor people of all colors in America are suffering. While the politicians and crooks who run America’s financial systems and businesses are consolidating wealth into a smaller and smaller segment of American society.

  21. About 1 in 7 Americans live below the Federal Poverty line (150,000 Rmb per year for a family of 4 people).
    American Federal Social Security Programs pay, on average, 200,000 Rmb per year to a family of 4. PLUS free or very low cost health care (Medicare), free or low cost job training, free or low cost childcare when attending the training. Food stamps (free food ), Housing assistance (help with rent costs). Some States have supplemental programs called General Assistance that give more money to the poor.
    Would 17,000 Rmb per month be poor to your average Chinese person?

  22. Cheating!
    I guess it is Africa, because i saw a lamp that is no longer allow to sale long before, because it is not energy saving lamp.
    Also, the english letters, there is only one english word that I can understand. Maybe by chance, these three letters went together.
    America won’t allow its next generation without food!

  23. Its so funny how you Chinese think that black=poor. Such ignorant crap. I don’t want you feelimg sorry for my race. There are different degrees of poor distributed to many colors, not only black.

  24. 10% of Americans live in poverty. It’s bad and a tough tough life but Chinese poor have it much much harder. This video is an example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27EugUIkDPU This is one of the poorest places in America yet the home has satellite tv, electricity, air conditioning, refrigeration, hot/cold water, toilets/showers, and some of these folks own cars. Webb, Mississippi is a very small town but is similar to lots of small towns. These people are probably on welfare or some government system and their wage for the year is probably $10,000 USD which is middle class in many Chinese places. It’s not the same type of poverty as China where lots of Chinese people are truly desperate to survive another day, but it is really sad and unacceptable. Mississippi countryside is where American blues music and rock n’ roll started. Many whites and blacks live in dirty poverty but there is some truth other comments made that maybe drugs, alcohol, social problems contribute to the adults there creating a very difficult situation for kids and organizations and churches that do a lot to help. I know a man from Africa who lived in New York City’s worst neighborhood. He said gun/drug violence was scary but otherwise he thought it was paradise compared to where he came from. Many times people have personal pride that keeps them from seeking charity that could help them such as food stamps, welfare, hand outs. They get isolated from mainstream and it becomes hard to get back in the system. The system is harsh if you fall out of it for awhile. It’s very unfair. My family donates clothing and household things twice a year and it goes to places like this. I have to do more.

  25. I’m tired of seeing pictures of black people being poor. They’re poor people in every country. And with slavery and all what blacks have gone through and are still going through today, it’s normal that some of them are still very poor.

  26. Yes this pictures are from USA since there’re many other websites telling the truth about USA.I always thought USA to be a rich country,but shocked to see this.This poverty is even horrible than that in Asia.Surprising how channels like Fox history & Entertainment never highlight such poverty which exist in USA the way they do about Asia.

  27. These pictures are definitely not from California! Even homeless people can stay in homeless shelters with clean bed and free foods. Yes, there are poor people in America like every where else. However, unless you are drug addicts or alcoholics, you should be able to get help from local government or charity organization with clean shelter and free foods.

  28. a-Freeca and a-Merryca not same

  29. These pictures are from the 1960′s, I can still go to almost any province in China TODAY and see conditions equally appalling if not more so, further more China is the world’s #2 economy.

  30. I live in America, California to be exact, and even in 2011, there are many circumstances like this. Everyday, I see people living on the streets, with no money to eat. Sometimes it is laziness and sloth, but many times it is the circumstances in which people are born. Many times homelessness and poverty are due to drug abuse or mental illness. It’s true, there really is very little reason for people to live this way with all of the opportunities in America, but it still happens. Especially with the current state of the economy. Work is very scarce. My father has been out of work for 6 months now, searching daily. It’s true, there are poor people everywhere. Also, it’s not just African Americans, it is every race. Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, everything. But the difference between American and other countries, is that no matter what your circumstance, there is a chance to rise above it and become successful.

  31. darkandlovelykissedbythe

    I am not sure if the pictures are from America. Poverty in America has a slightly different veneer. Malnutrition is highly unlikely. Usually people will die of diseases related to poor nutrition.

    In my past experience there will always be some American who will go elsewhere and see people living in less than ideal circumstances and say that it is unlike this in America. I have to explain to them that it is like this in many ways. Homelessness in America is a problem, and there are many people who struggle to survive.

    One upsetting aspect of this article was pictures were overwhelming of Black people. Sigh, once again a lot of Chinese people have an impression that the majority of people who are impoverished in America are Black. In actuality, there are many,, poor whites living in poverty in America. I have witnessed poverty among other ethnic groups in America as well.

    One thing I give America credit for is that there are a number of programs, and organizations that help the poor. Compared to many other places, a person may be able to get help from a food bank, food stamps, some type of job training, some access to health care, and so forth. This is not always the case in some of the non western countries that I have visited.

  32. I have to say, America is suffering greatly from poverty recently. It’s not really sad, (I am an american), and I think our country has had this coming for a while, It’s time to see another country top the charts. America has always put on a front, but we are hated for a REASON. I hate my own country. How sad is that?

  33. MOST BLACK-AMERICANS AREN’T POOR.

    THE BLACK-AMERICAN POVERTY RATE IS ONLY AT 24.7%;
    SOURCE: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:sEnJtgO7GDQJ:www.npc.umich.edu/poverty/+24.7+percent+of+blacks+compared+to+8.6+percent+of+whites&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

    The U.S. poverty rate (with all races mixed in) is only around 14.3%;
    SOURCE: http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/16/news/economy/Census_poverty_rate/index.htm

    (^^^^ The figure listed for the poverty rate is a fact and from reputable sources.)

    There is poverty among EVERY race in America. In the American South/Midwest, there are MANY Whites living in poverty (“trailer trash”, “rednecks”, “hicks” were even names created to describe them). In the Southwest USA and some inner-cities, there are MANY Hispanics living in poverty. In the Mountain States, there are Native Americans living in poverty similar to how poor white people live in the South (mostly in Trailers). BUT STILL, you will NOT see poverty as bad as depicted in those photo’s in America. I repeat, there is poverty, but it’s not NEARLY as bad as those pictures. Heck, those are CLEARLY old photo’s.

    It’s VERY VERY VERY RARE to see people living in this kind of poverty in the USA. YES, poverty does exist in the USA but absolutely NOT to this degree (though SOME rural communities in the Deep South may come close). Poor people qualify for WELFARE/SECTION 8 which allows people to live in government housing [housing projects] which resembles a basic apartment building (similar to how middle class Chinese people live) or a trailer-park (which more poor Whites live in) or a Homeless Shelter which is usually a large room with water, electricity, AC/Heat and everything a person needs.

    So PLEASE educate yourselves and DO NOT allow PROPAGANDA/LIES like what this author created to BRAINWASH you.

  34. Its very obvious what you are trying to portray here. Anyone who is able to use a computer in this day and age will obviously know there are poor people in every society. I fail to believe you thought America was a perfect society with no poor people. The pattern of your choice to single out a particular race and associate it to a negative stereotype is racism.

    Here is an example

    People always complain about not knowing what they ate at a chinese restaurant… “was that chicken?

    Here are links to some images

    http://www.flipsurvey.com/2011/01/eat-shit-or-eat-fetus.html

    http://www.uaff.us/chinese_eat_baby_soup.htm

  35. I was just reading this old article and as a black woman who lives very well, let me tell you about America. First, those pictures made my stomach sick just a little, those decaying environments. There ARE poor and homeless people who are white, black, latin and other races. The pictures above are clearly from the 1960s. A so called “poor” person in America lives better than most non-poor people in other countries. they might be “poor” but they still have large screen tvs, video games, designer clothes, and more. In other words, SOMETIMES it’s just an act from people pretending to be poor in order to get free money. THE REAL poor people are without those things, but many have access to social programs that will help. Americans are generous and give charity to poor people and we have a government that offers food programs, people can get free clothes and there are even programs to help pay utility and housing bills. People who have “section 8″ (a government program that pays for housing) can live rent free in beautiful homes or they pay only very little a month. I send money to an “adopted” girl in Uganda, and my money helps to provide a school for them. I send my money to African because poor Amerians have more charity available to them. By the way, I haven’t seen any black people who looked like the people in those pictures except in the 1960s or 50s during the last era of acute racism. In fact, they don’t even look like American black people, they look like Africans. American blacks can tell the difference between an American black person and an African.

    so give me a break. These pictures are disturbing. I’ve been to many of our states and what you see in poor neighborhoods are not starving children (and that kid looked too fat to have died from starvation), you would see gangs, graffiti and scary things that will not look like these sad people, but dangerous people who will make you run for your life.

    What will surprise you are the run down ghetto neighborhoods and trailer parks. That would have been more realistic (and funny) that these 50 year old pictures.

Continuing the Discussion

Personals @ chinaSMACK - Meet people, make friends, find lovers? Don't be so serious!»