A nation of welfare families

After reading A Nation of Welfare Families by Stephanie Coontz, you discover more on the history of government aid.  America ,which looks down on government aid today, has always received aid to help better themselves.  In the article it states that all throughout history families in america would receive aid wether they knew it or not.  People were able to buy 160 acres of land for $10 because of the Homestead Act of 1862.  They would also be able to buy a house for close to nothing because of the government GI's.  However in today's society it is looked down upon to receive welfare and government aid, which is very hypocritical considering that all throughout history we have been receiving some for of aid from the government.  I believe that it became looked down upon once there was diversity throughout the US (rich white people didn't want to give minorities their "hard earned" money).   Regardless the US still provides aid to families in need.  The system might need to be reformed but it still does benefit plenty of families that are hardly making it by.  One may criticize people for taking advantage of the welfare system, but have no idea how difficult it might be for the family receiving the checks to get by without them.