16 October 2010

Thoughts on World Food Day 2010

Today, October 16, we observe World Food Day.

When Americans think about hunger, we tend to picture emaciated dark-skinned children in distant Third World countries. And, while the plight of those poor children on other continents should not be overlooked, we also need to face the fact that hunger is also a very serious problem right here in the richest nation on earth.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, some 17 million American children today -- more than one in five across the U.S. -- lack food security. Yes, one in five!

I see no excuse for this.

As long as the Republicans in Washington continue to fight any spending on social programs that can help the underprivileged to have a shot at the so-called "American Dream", things will not improve, and American children will continue to go to bed hungry.

It seems there are no more "compassionate conservatives" inside the beltway, despite all the token claims of Christianity.

And it angers me most that it's the poorest children in this country who have to suffer for all the selfish corporatist greed.

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