I promptly became homeless once again after graduating from a women studies program. To no surprise nobody would hire me, so I lived in my car for the following months while hunting for work. This chapter explains the process of trying to put a roof over my head. It also explores the question: Am I white trash? (more…)
This chapter looks at punk rock, dead-end jobs, the difficulty of living on minimum wage, and why employers should never mess with the dignity of low-paid staff. This chapter explores my teenage years, before a political identity had formed, and the reasons why I was once a strike breaker. (more…)
This chapter looks at the politics of being a man in a women studies program at Oregon State University. Race, gender, and class are more complex than most theories can comprehend. People can be oppressed in some ways; while experiencing certain privileges at the same time. Radical feminists tend to blame patriarchy, and avoid all discussion about their own race or class priviledges. (more…)
This chapter explores life in two separate ghettos where I have lived. It highlights the American history of ghetto slums and explains why African-Americans are crowded into them. As a side note, I try to compare cultural differences between white and black poverty. This includes my father’s background with racial violence in Los Angelos. (more…)
All good journeys must come to an end. This story is about my struggle to return home in time for my friend’s funeral. He had drowned while swimming in Thailand, so I decided to go back to the United States — where I had the greatest culture shock of my life. (more…)
Is education the gateway out of poverty? A university degree can lift the quality of life for many people. However, the cost of tuition can also lead others into great debt. This article looks at various types of learning — academic, spiritual, financial — and demonstrates one man’s path from poverty to a PhD.