Wednesday, June 14, 2006

TRULY UNBELIEVABLE

INFORMATION FROM A JUNE 14TH WALL STREET JOURNAL COLUMN HAS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED ME. I MUST PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS IN MY STOCK OF CLICHES, BECAUSE I...I...I...CAN'T STOP LAUGHING AND RAGING AT THE SAME TIME. NO WAY, NO WAY I SAY. BUT YES, YES, I JUST READ THE WHOLE THING. UNBELIEVABLE BUT TRUE?

JUST WHEN I THINK IT CAN'T GET ANY WORSE THE NONSENSE FACTOR GETS BETTER AND BETTER. IF YOU GIVE IT AWAY THEY WILL COME. SO IF YOU NEED TO LOWER YOUR CHOLESTEROL WITH A HEARTY LAUGH, JOIN ME HERE ABOUT A SUBJECT SO DEAR TO MY HEART - FOOD.

ACTUALLY IT’S THE AFFORDABILITY OF FOOD IN THIS LAND OF PLENTY WHICH IRONICALLY IS ALSO REPORTED TO BE IN THE MIDST OF AN OBESITY EPIDEMIC! WHAT STRAIGHT-FACED REPORTER COULD RECORD SUCH A FRAUD, RE- TELLING IT SYMPATHETICALLY AS A BELIEVER IN THE TALES OF THE HUNGRY? WELL, ROGER THUROW DID. HE SHOWS THAT IN SPITE OF 12 BILLION DOLLARS SPENT ANNUALLY BY THE GOVERNMENT ON FOOD NUTRITION PROGRAMS, CHILDREN ARE STILL HUNGRY. HE EXPOSES THE , "WEIGHT OF AMERICA'S HUNGER PARADOX." WITH A REPORT ON HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE "FOOD INSECURE." GIVE ME A BREAK!

YET, DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR CHILDREN CAN GET FREE BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AFTER SCHOOL SNACK AND DINNER. DURING THE SUMMER THEY PARTAKE OF DAILY LUNCHTIME FEEDING STATIONS. NOW ON WEEKENDS, BACKPACKS, OFTEN PROVIDED BY FOOD BANKS, ARE STUFFED WITH 7 TO 10 LBS. OF FOOD - THAT'S ONLY $.20 PER POUND - AND CARRIED HOME BY NEEDY STUDENTS. THEY CONTAIN READY-TO-EAT SNACKS AND MEALS. OF COURSE THEY ARE CHILD FRIENDLY, BUT THEY ARE ALSO LADEN WITH SUGAR, SALT AND FAT. THEY TEACH NOTHING ABOUT NUTRITION AND EVERYTHING ABOUT A HANDOUT.

I READ THESE STATEMENTS:
A WOMAN CAN SEE "PANIC" IN CHILDREN LEAVING SCHOOL ON FRIDAY SO THEY "EAT AS MUCH AS THEY CAN." SHE THEN CLAIMS THAT AT MONDAY BREAKFAST THEY "EAT THE FOOD ON THE TRAYS OF THE FIVE KIDS NEXT TO THEM."'

A NURSE SEES CHILDREN "DIZZY AND WITH STOMACHACHES FROM HUNGER."

A WOMAN SAYS HER AUDIENCE WAS "REDUCED TO TEARS" BY THE NEED.

"WITHOUT THIS FOOD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD DO."

CHILDREN WEAK FROM HUNGER MUST BE CALMED DOWN WITH CLASSICAL MUSIC WHILE BACKPACKS ARE DISTRIBUTED.

"HUNGER IS A HIDDEN ISSUE WHERE UNEMPLOYMENT IS LOW."

A HUNGRY CHILD "USED TO RUN INTO SCHOOL" BECAUSE HE WAS "SO HUNGRY"

16% OF AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS HAVE "DIFFICULTY PROVIDING ENOUGH FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS."

13.5 HOUSEHOLDS AND 38.2 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE "LIMITED ACCESS TO FOOD BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES."

HA! I AM EXPECTED TO BELIEVE THIS REPORTER'S SAD, SOB STORIES ABOUT STRUGGLING FAMILIES OF SADSACKS WITH EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH AND FOOD ISSUES. YOU JUST CAN'T MAKE THIS HUNGER STUFF UP? OR CAN YOU? SINCE THE WAR ON POVERTY WAS LAUNCHED BY LYNDON JOHNSON IN 1964, SPENDING HAS CONTINUALLY INCREASED, BUT THE POVERTY PROBLEM HAS NOT ABATED.

IT IS TIME TO TEACH PRIORITIES TO PARENTS WHO HAVEN'T A CLUE AS TO WHAT THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION IS. PERSONALLY, I KNOW 2 SITUATIONS IN WHICH CHILDREN HAVE NEVER BEEN FED ON A REGULAR BASIS, NOT BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE LIFESTYLE CHOICES OF THE SO-CALLED YOUNG ADULTS. HOW SAD. HOW MUCH THE LITTLE TYKES WILL MISS ABOUT GOOD FOOD, GOOD HABITS AND GOOD CHOICES. EVEN WHEN FUNDS ARE LIMITED, CHOICES ARE NOT.

CHILDREN WHO "MUST FEND FOR THEMSELVES AT MEALTIMES," OR LIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF UNPREDICTABILITY, ARE THE LOSERS, LOST BECAUSE THOSE ENTRUSTED WITH THEIR CARE ARE LOST.

KERNELS OF TRUTH ABOUT PRIORITIZING CAN BE GLEANED FROM STATEMENTS MADE BY PARENTS IN THIS ARTICLE, WHO MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN "GROCERIES AND THE WATER BILL, "WHO ADMIT TO SHOPPING AT THE "MEAT LOCKER ONCE A MONTH," WHO ADMIT THEIR KIDS "HATE BEANS" AND "DON'T GET TUNA," (WHICH IS A MERE $.50 A CAN) AND WHO WORK BUT DON'T HAVE ENOUGH "MONEY AT HOME FOR FOOD." THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS IN THE DETAILS OF DAY BY DAY RATIONALIZATIONS.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, WE NEED A DEPRESSION, A RECESSION, A REPRESSION, A CONFESSION, ANY ONE CRISIS WHICH WOULD SERVE TO JUMPSTART AN EXAMINATION OF PRIORITIES AND BEHAVIOR PATTERNS IN HOUSEHOLDS TODAY.

IF YOU FEED THEM THEY WILL COME. I WONDER WHERE HAVE ALL THE OBESE HAVE GONE?

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