According to FRAC (Food Research and Action Center), “35.1 million people lived in households considered to be food insecure.” Here we are thought of as the world’s wealthiest country and one that provides for its citizens yet, 35.1 million live with food insecurity.
As Rep. Pete Stark raged against congressional Republicans for turning their backs on America's children in favor of funding the war in Iraq back in October, as reported by FRAC, "Of those 35.1 million, 22.7 million are adults (10.4 percent of all adults) and 12.4 million are children (16.9 percent of all children)." Just imagine if you will 12 million children within this country starving as congressional Republicans turn their back. Do you still feel like going out to your local McDonalds and saying, "Super Size" me?
In reading FRAC’s site, I was struck by this, those who are going hungry are feeling “painful sensation caused by lack of food.” But, yes, we must fund that war in Iraq and possibly fund the one in which many believe President Bush wants to do the same with Iran. Meanwhile Americans are starving. When I see the amounts of moneys being raised by those running for president, I think of how those millions upon millions of dollars could be better used and that is feeding not only America’s most needy but those in remote countries like the ones mentioned in the beginning of this piece. What a perverse system.
For some reason, I let this piece sit a while before publishing it. Maybe the reason was to report on a disturbing new article which came to my attention. This news report is similar to the plight so many Americans are facing today as expressed in my original column, “Freedom from Food”. As you will read, 35 million Americans faced hunger in 2006. In this land of plenty, I find that unconscionable. While the numbers are slightly lower than in my original piece, still it begs the question: Why are so many American’s starving?
The U.S. Agricultural Department reported, “12.65 million households were "food insecure," or 10.9 percent of U.S. homes, up from 12.59 million a year ago.” While this report is only comprised of figures for 2006, one has to wonder what the report will state this time next year.
What clearly astonished me was when I read, “Overall, 35.52 million people, including 12.63 million children, went hungry compared with 35.13 million in 2005. The survey was conducted in December 2006 and represented 294 million people, an increase of 2.5 million from 2005.” We just found out that Pres. Bush once again vetoed a health bill for poor children and amongst those were uninsured children, so this increase does not surprise me.
Exactly where is the mainstream media in reporting these figures? Oh, I forgot a new O.J. trial is waiting in the wings. Many food advocacy groups are stating according to this article that “the United States was not doing enough to combat hunger, and feared conditions could worsen.” I would believe that since it has been reported on Lou Dobbs where two million Americans will face foreclosure in the coming year. Compounding that problem is the rise of home heating oil and gasoline. This is truly a war not only on the middle class but the poor of this nation.
Jim Weill, president of the Food Research and Action Center had this to say and please remember this during the holiday season, "As costs for food, energy, and housing continue to rise and wages stagnate or decline, households are finding themselves increasingly strapped," He goes onto say, "This may mean even worse numbers in 2007." All of which confirms my original opinion what this report’s findings will be this time next year.
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