'Idol' segment judged unfair

The point of the segment on the American Idol show was to highlight that there are some incredibly poor areas in America and it chose to focus on the town and school of Beckham Bates Elementary School. I'm from the UK but have driven extensively around the US and have seen such poverty. It was not the point of the show to film affluent areas of Eastern Kentucky but to highlight poorer areas. The people who are complaing about the segment in the press should be doing something to help the poorer areas in the US instead of moaning about how an area was portrayed. Blustering idiots.

Well, being from the UK, you may not understand the history behind this entire thing. Yes, just like other state, KY has it's own poverty stricken areas. Mostly due to the fact that, like many other places, local government fails to attract industry that would provide good jobs and revenue. Honestly, I believe some of these back wood government officials like it that way. If you keep everyone poor and ignorant, you can simply give them government funded hand outs and maybe even stick a little in your pocket alaong the way. I know because I am from that area of the state. I, just like many, left the area as soon as I was old enough to understand these things. I don't take issue with being honest about poverty, but I do take issue with the fact that they stereotype KY in particular when the same thing happens in almost every state. This has always been the case. The problem with that is, many of those people in KY, could simply educate themselves, do their own thing and change things for the better. Or, they could leave the area for more economically fertile places. But, they don't. Simply because 10 generations of families there have been conditioned to simply accept the way things are and be, well, basically lazy. That is the mind set. And, as long as welfare and other government spending programs give them just enough to get by, they will not change. I'm all for helping people when they are down. I've been there. But, many of these people and families have depended on this for generations rather than break that cycle and do anything for themselves. I grew up there, went to school there and saw it with my own eyes. But, people never talk about this honestly. They just use the poverty stricken as a chance for a photo-op. If they really cared about these people, they would simply teach them that the way to prosperity is not to live your entire life living off government programs, but rather to educate and enlighten them and show them that they have the potential and are perfectly capable of changing their lives. You can't feed them forever. At some point you have to teach them to fish! There are some fantastic people in KY, and it is certainly one of the most beautiful places in the country. But no one ever see outside the stereo-type. They only see this.

I totally agree with Joey. I grew up there and left as soon as I could. You go away and try to come back and your seen as a outsider who they only come see when you have something to give them. You can't help people who don't want to be helped. they have made a living off of the government and I wish they would stop making it so easy for them to get it.
American Idol only showed the truth.

Now there's someone who knows what I'm talking about. Where did you grow up, Kim?

I take issue that people in Kentucky are lazy. Just like in many cities and towns across the nation there are pockets of poverty that are so overwhelming it defies imagnation. People in Eastern Ky live in a highly depressed area that offers little chance and oppurtunity to make it better and to even get out from underneath what they were born in. King coal has robbed the residents of the chance. Every since Lyndon Johnson went into this area and said he would change it the federal govt has not backed up that promise. Maybe some help and a good hand will help these people.

Well, that's basically the point I was making. The local politicians in these areas do very little to attract business and industry. Therefore, unless you want to be a coal minor or you are born to money, you're pretty much poor. That is, unless you get the heck out, which many simply choose not to do because they have been programmed over generations to just take the handouts and stay there. I too would love to see that change. I am from Southeast, KY. One of the poorest areas of the country.

The Government and the politicians in this nation are all confused, mixed up and have their heads on backwards as well as greedy, blind and self centered.. They make promises and never keep them. They keep raising taxes to cover the money that goes into their pockets.. If there is a straight one, put him in office and he will come out crooked.. That's my view. I live in a big city that has 2 kinds of people..One that don't want to better themselves and blame all their short comings on society and the other are people who would love to help themselves, but the circumstances keep them from ever getting ahead..
The Government and state here is more than generous to those who don't want to help themselves and make it very hard for those who try..
The attitude in my state is I can make more if I have many children and don't work.. The Government and state pays per child..Food stamps and cash to certain individuals that can lie and take advantage, but if you try to be decent and help themselves, they offer little or no assistance..
How can you support youself and family, pay rent and food on $6.50 or $7.00 hour. Rents here in IL. are mostly over $500 per month + utilities.. If you have small children, you can't afford to work and pay child care.. Do the math.. It's a awlful case of catch 22
Do you think one Government official or politician would work for that.. I doubt it! The only hope for the poverished is the hope, faith and favor in God.

Joey wrote:

Well, that's basically the point I was making. The local politicians in these areas do very little to attract business and industry. Therefore, unless you want to be a coal minor or you are born to money, you're pretty much poor. That is, unless you get the heck out, which many simply choose not to do because they have been programmed over generations to just take the handouts and stay there. I too would love to see that change. I am from Southeast, KY. One of the poorest areas of the country.

i know how judy thompson done you know in april of 2006 when it flooded i call fema for help thay told me to call judge thompson said thay gave him money for help . well he scent people to come out and thay took pictures of my house said it was realy bad i ask judge randy thompson for help and he told me fema only gave money for the roads and i call fema again thay ask me what he said and thay told me to call again , with no help , but he used my home to help get money i never seen any help in 2006 in april , he took pictures and all with no help i had to take a whill barrellto get the mud out of my yaurd where his men pushed it in my yard after i was all ready wheeling it outbecuase of the flood . and about the vote buying randy slone also bought vote his self try to buy them off me and i woudent take his money that how he got his office and now time bates is putting me thrught hell becuase i threating to tell on him and mike hall by the way thay were four people hear when i was offerd money buy randy slone and mike hall that why im treated so bad in hindman , because i woudent take there money ,

i mean judge randy thompson

While these tv shows may pick the most run down and poorest places to live,it is the residents who get on there and act the way they do.The reporters are only doing their jobs.These people are happy to get on the tv so why shouldn't he reporters go there.I haven't seen the segment mentioned above but he others on these talk shows are only showing what most of us want to to overlook.