Behind the truth of "The Land Of The Free" Slab City

As a class assignment in my English 110, my professor Mr. Lewenstein encourages his students to part take in a Community Research Topic that currently has a positive or negative  impact our community here in the Imperial Valley. The following is my Cause and Effect Support - Double-Sided Journal that I would like to share with my viewers, analyzing both sides of the story from my perspective.  

(Summery:) In the cover story “Land Of The Free,” the article describes Slab City as a tragic indictment of the modern economy, a scree of human debris washed up by society. The writer suggest that Slab City begins to resemble the post - apocalyptic era by emphasizing that most people living in the Slabs are dirt poor toothless bums, who are either drug addicts, or convicts who are running away from their past. As a result, Slabbers don’t work, and unlawfully occupy the land.	(Reflection:) Although the writer does have a point by suggesting many Slabbers are facing multiple economical hardships. I completely disagree that all residents of the Slabs should be viewed less than, or continue to be judged as individuals based upon their financial status.
(Paraphrase:) According to Bhattacharya, Sanjiv the author of the article, she insinuates that Slabbers are not productive members of society; as a result, they run away from reality into the Slabs. In fear of becoming a burden to society; Slabbers opt on living in rural conditions such as inhabiting, or occupying an abandoned piece of land. Making the environment their primary resource, many Slabbers utilize broken RVs as their shelter making Slab City look as a waist-full piece of land.	(Reflection:) Poverty being on of the main causes that drives many individuals to live in Slab City. Many Slabbers continue to struggle to meet their basic necessities, regardless of living rent free. Most of the Slabbers are retirees who are living off their pensions just trying to make ends meet.
(Quotation:) “On my pension, free camping is all I can afford, It suits me because I’ve got arthritis, and Mexico’s only an hour away, so I can get cheap medicines,” sighs Ian, a 78-year old Slab City Slabber.	(Reflection:) Clearly there is a glitch in our system, for allowing senior citizens to solely rely on Social Security checks to make a living. We live in modern America, yet many American citizens do not have access to proper health care in the United States. Is this the America we like to stand for?

    In the cover story “Land Of The Free,” the article describes Slab City as a tragic indictment of the modern economy, a scree of human debris washed up by society. The writer suggest that Slab City begins to resemble the post - apocalyptic era by emphasizing that most people living in the Slabs are dirt poor toothless bums, who are either drug addicts, or convicts who are running away from their past. As a result, Slabbers don’t work, and unlawfully occupy the land. Although the writer does have a point by suggesting many Slabbers are facing multiple economical hardships. I completely disagree that all residents of the Slabs should be viewed less than, or continue to be judged as individuals based upon their financial status. According to Bhattacharya, Sanjiv the author of the article, she insinuates that Slabbers are not productive members of society; as a result, they run away from reality into the Slabs. In fear of becoming a burden to society; Slabbers opt on living in rural conditions such as inhabiting, or occupying an abandoned piece of land. Making the environment their primary resource, many Slabbers utilize broken RVs as their shelter making Slab City look as a waist-full piece of land. Poverty being on of the main causes that drives many individuals to live in Slab City. Many Slabbers continue to struggle to meet their basic necessities, regardless of living rent free. Most of the Slabbers are retirees who are living off their pensions just trying to make ends meet. “On my pension, free camping is all I can afford, It suits me because I’ve got arthritis, and Mexico’s only an hour away, so I can get cheap medicines,” sighs Ian, a 78-year old Slab City Slabber. Clearly there is a glitch in our system, for allowing senior citizens to solely rely on Social Security checks to make a living. We live in modern America, yet many American citizens do not have access to proper health care in the United States. Is this the America we like to stand for?