THE GREAT WELFARE EMPIRE CONSPIRACY

A Case Study in Liberal Hypocrisy
and Deliberate Suppression of Free Speech

By Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr.

Why, if the Welfare Game was first published in 1980, haven't you seen it before?

The answer is an intriguing story. The quotes from the early 80's below provide a good summary. We never expected our game to frighten the government welfare empire and its associated special interest groups to the degree that it did. Here's a sampling of their reaction to its release:

We are doing everything we can to prevent (the game) from going on the market.
NAACP representative Dr. Emmett Burns.

Feminist activists are launching a zap action against major retail outlets over the distribution of a monopoly-like board game called Public Assistance.
Lead sentence in a story in the National NOW Times specifying their plan to force the game off the market.

NASW believes this game could unjustly and seriously hamper efforts to truly reform our nation's welfare system
. . . NASW is urging its 85,000 members and all concerned citizens to boycott any store selling this game.
National news release from Chauncey Alexander, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers.

This is a game we feel (the American People) are better off not knowing about.
Luther Starnes, Maryland Welfare Department.

Either alone or in combination with (welfare special interest groups), contact the store owner, manager and/or buyer to explain why the game is offensive and should not be carried . . . Keep us informed of your efforts . . . We at APWA* headquarters will be doing what we can, in conjunction with our Washington colleagues, to remove the game from the marketplace.
From an open letter to all members of the APWA (American Public Welfare Association)*, including every state and local welfare agency in the United States, from APWA* executive director Edward T. Weaver.

We have contacted the Chief Investigator for the South Carolina Consumer Affairs Commission and he advises us that legally the sale of (the game) cannot be stopped. However, he promises that he will encourage retailers not to include the game in their inventory.
Virgil Conrad, Commissioner of the South Carolina Welfare Department, in a letter keeping the APWA* informed of his efforts to force the game off the market.

It is clear that the game is a totally biased depiction of the lives of welfare recipients which bears no relationship to any kind of reasoned, fair commentary on the welfare system. I would therefore appreciate it if you would share this letter with members of the Retail Merchants Association in the hopes that they might follow the lead of other members of Maryland's business community who have already decided not to offer the game for sale.
Part of an official letter from Kalman Hettleman, head of the Maryland Welfare Department to the head of the Maryland Retail Merchant's Association.

Your cooperation in keeping this game off the shelves of your stores would be a genuine public service.
From an official letter from New York City welfare commissioner Stanley Brezenoff to the presidents of 13 chain store presidents headquartered in or near New York City.

Look at the game board yourself and try to find some racism or sexism. It's not there and never has been.
_____
*In 1997 The American Public Welfare Association (APWA) changed its name to The American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), recognizing how easy it is to criticize welfare, but how difficult it is, if not impossible, for taxpayers to object to "Human Services."

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