Светлана
Welfare
The images from America’s past reflect how health and welfare concerns are viewed in the United States. The first image is that of the self-reliant frontiersman. Armed with only an axe, a rifle, a Bible, and a strong will (and sometimes a bottle of whiskey against “snakebite”), he goes out into the wilderness alone and survives. He asks no man for help (“God helps them that help themselves”).
The second historical image is that of the pioneer community, the groups that circled their wagons for protection, shared their food, and helped each other when things got rough. They came together to build each other’s houses. They had great barn-rising parties in which everyone took part. All together helped to build the community school, hire the teacher, find the doctor, fight the fire and pay the sheriff. When a neighbor needed help, the help was there (“A friend in need is a friend indeed”).
There is some historical truth in both images. Obviously many millions did make it in America with more than a little help from their friends. Other had enough ingenuity, pluck and luck to make it on their own. The famous rags-to-riches and poverty-to-power stories had and have real-life parallels. But there are also the many who did not succeed in America. There were those who, working long hours in factories or “sweatshops”, were too tired to educate themselves when the day was done. There were also those who could not move to where the grass was greener because they were kept where the cotton grew.
Social welfare in the United States has always been torn between the concepts of the independent, self-reliant individual and the interdependent, caring community. Generous to other nations, Americans have been much less charitable at home. They have often appeared to be more compassionate towards victims of earthquakes, drought, and famine than towards people in need in their own land. There seems to be more truth in the observation that Americans very often are too proud to ask for help and welfare. Education and technical skills have long since replaced the axe and the hunting rifle. But some Americans still feel that people who can’t find some kind of work somewhere deserve in part what they get or don’t get.
self-reliant – уверенный в своих силах
frontiersman - человек, живущий или работающий в приграничной зоне прям. и перен.
Надежда
Patterns of Immigration
Major changes in the pattern of immigration have been caused by wars, revolutions, periods of starvation, persecutions, religious intoleration, and, in short, by any number of disasters which led people to believe that America was a better place to be. More than a million Irish, for instance, emigrated to America between 1846 and 1851in order to escape starvation and disease in Ireland. During the same period, large numbers of other Europeans fled political persecution. And in the 1870s another wave of refugees left the political turmoil of eastern and southern Europe to seek freedom and a future in America. The largest streams of European immigrants came between 1900 and 1920, that is, before, after, and during World War II. At other times, for example, during the Depression and during World War II, smaller numbers of immigrants came to the U.S. Since the 1960s, more and more people have fled the poverty and wars in Asia and Latin America in the hope of finding a better life in the United States.
There is, of course, another side to America’s ethnic pluralism and racial variety, one that Americans, more than any other people, are aware of. The first slaves brought to what is today the United States arrived to Virginia on board a Dutch ship in 1619. On the eve of the American Revolution, slavery was already firmly established in what was shortly to be the United States of America. In 1776, probably about a fifth of all inhabitants in the British colonies in America were Negro slaves.
Between 1777 and 1804, all states in the new republic north of Maryland abolished slavery. However, neither the north nor the south would escape the grave social, economic, political, and moral problems that are the heritage of slavery. Although the Civil War (1861 – 1865) brought an end to slavery in all of the states, discrimination against blacks would continue. Ironically, some countries that were among the greatest slave – trading nations for so long, such as Portugal, Spain, and England, have largely escaped the consequences which almost all Americans have come to accept as rightly theirs. Americans know that although most of their ancestors came to America by choice, a great many did not.
Мария
Health Care
By law, health care is available to those without any money or insurance. States, counties, and cities all run or support hospitals, mental institutions, retirement homes and shelters for the homeless. Again, the quality of care varies with the state, county, and community. Some spend a great deal, others the bare minimum. Universities and similar institutions also often support and staff free health and dental clinics. Most large universities sponsor free legal aid clinics that provide legal assistance and advise for a token fee.
What makes the U.S. different from many other countries is the degree to which payments for health, retirement, and even housing come from private sources. Workers in industry and white-collar employees expect health insurance agreements for them and their families, benefits, and pensions as part of their contracts. Companies and employers often pay a large part of these benefits.
Many unions offer unemployment benefits to their members, supplementing governmental sources. Some unions also have their own retirement plans and several even own and manage retirement communities. When employees strike, therefore, they often ask for “fringe” benefits, better retirement payments, better or fuller medical care, and so on. Similarly, when an individual is considering working for a business or even a city or state government, or changing jobs, some of the most important considerations are, for example, retirement benefits, family health and dental plans, or life insurance. In many cases the benefits Americans receive from such sources exceed those from the governmental programs available to everybody.
Still there are many individuals who have never worked, or have never been able to, or who have remained unemployed for long periods. These people are forced to rely on the basic governmental programs and no one who has to do so can live comfortably.
Валентина
Drinking: Alcoholism
Getting the Facts
For many people, the facts about alcoholism are not clear. What is alcoholism, exactly? How does it differ from alcohol abuse? When should a person seek help for a problem related to his or her drinking? This information will explain alcoholism and alcohol abuse, symptoms of each, when and where to seek help, treatment choices, and additional helpful resources.
A Widespread Problem
For most people, alcohol is a pleasant accompaniment to social activities. Moderate alcohol use-up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people (A standard drink is one bottle of beer or wine, one glass of wine) - is not harmful for most adults. Nonetheless, a substantial number of people have serious trouble with their drinking. Currently, nearly 30 million Russians - abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Several million more adults engage in risky drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. In addition, approximately 53 percent of men and women in Russian Federation report that one or more of their close relatives have a drinking problem. The consequences of alcohol misuse are serious--in many cases, life-threatening. Heavy drinking can increase the risk for certain cancers, especially those of the liver, esophagus, throat, and larynx (voice box). It can also cause liver cirrhosis, immune system problems, brain damage, and harm to the fetus during pregnancy. In addition, drinking increases the risk of death from automobile crashes, recreational accidents, and on-the-job accidents and also increases the likelihood of homicide and suicide.
Ибрагим
When a drink with dad turns kids into drunks
Another morning, another hangover. Sarah Watson does not enjoy the experience. "It's not very nice being drunk," she says. "You get full of yourself and then you get a headache."
But Sarah is not an adult recovering from a heavy night in the pub. She is 12 and one of a growing number of young children who know the taste - and the effects - of alcohol.
Sarah is one of the lucky ones. She says her experience is relatively limited. But by the time they reach 14, most children have tried alcoholic drinks, according to a nationwide survey on young people and drinking.
Seventy-three per cent of 13- to 14-year-old children interviewed said they had had an alcoholic drink. As many as 55% of 10- to 12-year-olds said they had tried alcohol, and 45% of seven to nine-year-olds.
Experimentation with alcohol begins at an early age, typically in the form of a glass of wine shared with parents.
Drinkline, the national helpline for people with drink problems, said the dangers of alcohol were being overlooked because of concerns about drugs.
Sarah Watson said: "Many people act as though cigarettes can do more damage, and they take time to talk about drugs, but never about alcohol. When adults do talk about it, they just say it's really bad, and that's the end of the conversation."
"I could live without alcohol." said Sharon O'Dea, 15. "But if you go to a party, it is better than taking drags."
More English teenagers drink alcohol than their contemporaries in France and Spain, according to a report last month.
Дмитрий
Youth Problems
Today it is fashionable to speak about teenage problems. A few years ago alcohol, fights, killings and other kinds of violence were more problems for adults than for young people.
But now, as official report admit, violence, AIDS, drugs and alcohol are more and more associated with youngest. For many children from poor families violence, drinking problems and all that is associated with poverty becomes more real than reality.
The Government surveys show that every fifth teenager who was arrested for criminal actions, was younger that 14 and couldn't be sent to prison. Almost half of teenagers have an experience with drugs, alcohol and sex under age of 16. A lot of teenagers who have drug or alcohol addiction almost never believe that they are dependent. These things are often combined with family and school problems.
What has gone wrong? Some specialists enplane that the changes of our society, the system of our life force young people to choose their own lifestyle. On the one hand, our society agrees that 15-17-yearold people are old enough to be responsible for what they do and dive them quite a lot of freedom and rights. On the other hand, most adults think that teenagers are too young to be taken seriously. This misunderstanding produced many problems. Actually, a lot of teenagers say that their parents let them do anything they want and are quite indifferent to their problems. Many teenagers get upset or depressed when they can't dissolve their problems. As a result, it makes them believe that there is only one way out - to stop living and commit suicide.
No doubt, the teens' problems will increase. And young people should fell that they are cared for.
