Curiosity vs. Condemnation — What Reagan Got Wrong

My friend Edward was in the mood to play “gotcha” yesterday, so he sent me the video below. At first, I got it. I understood the point of the story.

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But, in the wee hours of the morning today, as it is my brain’s wont to do, it began to bug me by introducing what Reagan was overlooking that the little girl was not.

My friend, Edward is a big fan of Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story,” and often introduces that phrase into many of our conversations. So, I answered him in return.

“What’s the rest of the story?” — that’s exactly the question we should be asking about the man on the sidewalk.

Maybe he’s a veteran. Maybe he’s been injured, or struggling with mental health, or any number of challenges we don’t see at a glance. Maybe — and this happens more often than people realize — he actually does work, but just can’t afford housing in today’s economy.

And yet in Reagan’s story, there’s an immediate assumption: the man is lazy and simply doesn’t want to work. That snap judgment is all too common in certain ideological circles. It’s easier to assume and criticize than to ask questions, consider the complexities, or try to understand someone’s reality.

Reagan never even asks why the man might be there — and that lack of curiosity is telling. It’s not just about one man on the street. It’s about how we see each other. About whether we react with empathy or condemnation.

And that’s what makes the little girl in the story stand out. She asks. She wants to know more. There’s a genuine human interest behind her question — an openness that Reagan seems to brush aside with smug certainty and a partisan punchline.

What many of a certain ideology don’t understand, or refuse to understand as it would rob them of one of their favorite little talking points, is that most people who receive welfare or similar assistance programs are required to work, be actively looking for work or participate in work-related activities, depending on the program.

Research from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) indicates that a significant portion of non-disabled, working-age adults participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are employed. These individuals often work in low-paying jobs that may be unstable or lack benefits.

In regards to the homeless, a significant portion of individuals experiencing homelessness in the United States are also employed, highlighting the complex interplay between employment and housing stability.

In fact, a 2021 study by the National Alliance to End Homelessness from the University of Chicago found that 53% of people living in homeless shelters were employed, either full-time or part-time, during the year they experienced homelessness. The same study reported that 40% of unsheltered homeless individuals held employment during that period. The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness estimates that 40% to 60% of people experiencing homelessness have jobs.

So, when Uncle Ron says, “Welcome to the Republican Party,” as if self-righteousness were a virtue, I’d say: Run, little girl. Hold on tight to your empathy, your curiosity, your sense of fairness. Don’t let anyone trade those away for cynicism and easy answers. Follow your questions — not the applause lines.