Low Life; A. Garner

John, for example, may have been wrong that spanking Alan would have been beneficial. Alan might have responded the same way to being spanked as he had to Howard's constructive alter native methods. With Alan, it may have had noth ing·to do with how he was being raised, but who was raising him. Nonetheless, the state, by forbid ding spanking, by making only one narrow approach to child rearing legal and everything else illegal, inhibits creativity. The process of raising children becomes stagnant rather than dynamic; it remains one-dimensional rather than innovative. So, while spanking may not be productive in a spe cific case, the freedom to spank, in general, is pro ductive. The financial cost to the taxpayers of Alan's tak ing is also considerable. The government hires psy chologists, social workers, custodians, and a net work of foster families.In addition, it purchases real estate. In Alan's case, three foster families received LowLife by Al Garner A ny discussion of crime and other anti social behavior should take a close look at what some people call "low life" bums and criminals. After years of social work I thought I knew something about this element, but it took renting rooms in my house to find out.

Most of the tenants were working class guys. Some were sloppy or crude, but problems could be worked out. They were okay. Mr. Garner is a retired social worker in Midway City, California. FOSTERING THE SYSTEM 271 paYment,a state psychologistand social worker are employed, and a group home and staff are financed. All these people are employed to benefit Alan more, or harm him less, than his mother. Yet, no matter how much money is spent, the state cannot know for sure what willbenefit Alan. Not knowing who or what willbenefit Alan con stitutes the problem of child-rearing. The state can't know and, therefore, it has no right to take a child from its mother unless it has met the burden of proving the child is being physically injured. Although it may be true that Alan was being emo tionally, not physically, injured at home with his mother, the state wasn't able to stop the emotional injury. The state's actions, in fact, very likely increased the emotional injury and made Alan's childhood more miserable than it was.

Several weeks after relinquishing Alan, Lois received a phone call from a social worker about taking in another foster child. The social worker assured Lois that not all foster children are as bad as Alan. That's when Lois realized that Alan was being blamed for being bad, not the system. The state, evidently, assumes it is right. So, while the state, most likely, wrongfully took Alan from his mother, harmed him by doing it, and wasted loads of money, it can blame its failure on the victim.D There were others, however, who were "low life" and problems could not be worked out with them. They lacked empathy and wanted lots of favors-stamps, envelopes, change, jump starts, or tools. They wanted attention and wanted to talk about themselves at their convenience, not mine. They were overly sensitive, defensive, and wouldn't sit down and discuss problems. They got buddy-buddy too fast, and expected their messes to be forgotten because we were "friends." They thought they could find a job and a woman far 272 THE FREEMAN • JUNE 1990 beyond their reach. They were impulsive in eating, drinking, entertainment, and spending. They ignored the house rules or tested them: if you gave an inch, they took a mile.

Some had terrible manners, needed haircuts, locked themselves out of the house a lot, left shop ping carts out front, slammed doors or didn't close them, broke things and denied it, wasted my utili ties and their food, clothing, and tools to an amaz ing extent, and seemed to either yell or mumble. They got behind with their rent, which brought lots of stories, moving out in the middle of the night, and bouncing checks. Some put off small repairs on their cars, costing them twice as much. Some told adult stories around youngsters. One hid a motorcycle in his room to work on, getting grease all over. They resented banks, bosses, cops, girls-life owed them a living. They wouldn't manage their weight, diet, health, belongings, or money and drifted from job to job. They drove uninsured cars with no spare or jack, and they ate out-always broke, but always ate out. (Show me a roomer who's always broke and I will guaranteehe eats out.) Some stole, gambled, drank, and smoked pot. They had companions, not friends.

Many counselors would say their problem was mental, educational, intelligence, discrimination, alcohol, or "deprivation." Nonsense; it was imma turity. Take Pete. He was 40, had nothing, and promised he would be a good tenant. He had a new job. Save his money and get ahead? No, he gam bled and drank it away. His room smelled terrible, he had a bad attitude, and he made a lot of messes in the kitchen and bathroom. He loaned his unin sured car for months at a time. He got terribly drunk on a work night, and he fell behind on his rent. I asked him to leave. He did-sleeping in his car in front of the house. The police picked him up on outstanding warrants and put him in prison. Enter Bob, a divorced 36-year-old escapee from a .Communist country, father of two, with a high paying, skilled job. He was happy, fun, big-hearted, and very likable. He had a strong body odor. He knew it, but did nothing about it, and even went on job interviews that way. He was in and out of love every other week with barmaids, one of whom took his money. He went through a number of jobs and ran out of money. He worked around the house for minimum wage, but still ate out. Once when totally out of money during an emergency, he worked for me four days, was paid each day, and at the end of the fourth day was broke. He needed a loan for a big date who stood him up to go to bed with someone for $50. The next day he was down in the dumps, called his kids, cried, and swore off his night life. Then what? He went out again that night! Eventually he moved out, leaving a big mess and the police on his trail.

If these types didn't respect themselves or their property, why should they respect me or mine? There were thefts, property damage, and near fights. I had to ease them out gently, taking a loss so they wouldn't retaliate. They knew where I lived; I wouldn't know where they lived. The stories go on; you can read, hear, and dis cuss them, but you won't understand until it hap pens to your property, your time, your peace of mind. Most middle-class people are unaware of such people, but workingclass people and the police are, as they have more contact with them. They call them "riffraff, rabble, bums," and worse. They know what they are talking about. Many coun selors, however, are middle class, have gotten their ideas from books, and excuse such behavior. "Low life" have chosento remain immature and irresponsible. Any rehabilitation should meet them only half way and include lots of discipline and hard-nosed counseling. They have the slow, painful job of growing up. Cold-blooded realism is needed, not hearts and flowers. Strangely enough, most of them would agree. D 273 A University with a Future by Leonard ~ Liggio D uring recent months, the freedom philos ophy has been vindicated in Central and Eastern Europe. However, the coming years will show whether the people in those coun tries understand how to achieve the benefits of a free and responsible society. Having had the most oppressive of governments, they have been led as much by instinct as by reason and knowledge.