Food
Okay this is a question.
Are you ever hungry? probably not. Neither am I. I have worked for a living 63 years and I have finally been able to retire.
But is feeding yourself ever a problem? again, probably not.
Guilt trip.
For much of this world, it is.
I never knew my family was sharecroppers until very recently. They literally lost the farm, and went to work growing crops for relatives. My grandmother died from the shame of it.
This is what I've had so much trouble talking about. Its embarrassing that you were dirt poor. But maybe I'm not the only one.
It's been a long, yeh, winding road. And we don't always like to say we ate plates of spaghetti - with a little meat in the mix - and we were told what Good Stuff that was.
Value? Consumer confidence?
When I hear those cretins talking about how we ought to be shopping... I want them to be really hungry, like most of the world's poor are. Living in your mom's basement isn't good enough. And scraps from the table you served aren't what you earned, you earned a living wage.
You refuse to accept less than you earned, you believe that. When you work all day and can't feed your kids, that's cheating you. When billions are going to heads of corporations that fail, that's your money, not theirs.
If we don't have a big salary for working hard, education for your children, roads, health care, you are being cheated. The lie is that you are not worth enough because you weren't born rich. Neither was I. I am ready for everyone, anyone, to have enough.
Vote for it. You know what you have earned.
Are you ever hungry? probably not. Neither am I. I have worked for a living 63 years and I have finally been able to retire.
But is feeding yourself ever a problem? again, probably not.
Guilt trip.
For much of this world, it is.
Key United Nations development agencies are meeting in Switzerland to try to develop solutions to ease the escalating global food crisis.
Led by secretary general Ban Ki-Moon, officials want to mitigate the impact of the steep rise in staple food prices and prevent food shortages worsening.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has said an extra 100 million people need food aid because of higher prices.
Food has become increasingly expensive, triggering unrest in several countries.
I never knew my family was sharecroppers until very recently. They literally lost the farm, and went to work growing crops for relatives. My grandmother died from the shame of it.
This is what I've had so much trouble talking about. Its embarrassing that you were dirt poor. But maybe I'm not the only one.
It's been a long, yeh, winding road. And we don't always like to say we ate plates of spaghetti - with a little meat in the mix - and we were told what Good Stuff that was.
Value? Consumer confidence?
When I hear those cretins talking about how we ought to be shopping... I want them to be really hungry, like most of the world's poor are. Living in your mom's basement isn't good enough. And scraps from the table you served aren't what you earned, you earned a living wage.
You refuse to accept less than you earned, you believe that. When you work all day and can't feed your kids, that's cheating you. When billions are going to heads of corporations that fail, that's your money, not theirs.
If we don't have a big salary for working hard, education for your children, roads, health care, you are being cheated. The lie is that you are not worth enough because you weren't born rich. Neither was I. I am ready for everyone, anyone, to have enough.
Vote for it. You know what you have earned.
Labels: Democracy
posted by Ruth at 8:21 AM
8 Comments:
I am ready for everyone, anyone, to have enough.
I agree with your beautiful sentiment. And regarding your last paragraph, I have been pondering whether or not I should apply for US citizenship. I was awarded permanent residency a few years ago, but am still ambivalent about taking that next step (my country of birth doesn't allow dual citizenships). But as the US is my home now, it only makes sense that I should have voting privileges. I just wish that I didn't feel that to apply for US citizenship was like renouncing my birth country.
hi and welcome to you. If you cannot vote I think I would choose to. But it's your decision.
Yes, but, flag pins!!
You silly. I have a flag pin that I got after 911, because the $ went to families of victims but I will not wear it because of the association with war criminals.
This is gorgeous. Thanks for writing it. I would add that if anyone wanted to do more than vote, they can call their Senators and Rep today (and everyday) to get them to insist on a second economic stim pack which includes extending food stamp and Unemployment Insurance benefits.
Very good point. It will go directly into the economy. Unemployment should include those forced to take a job for less than what they were earning before, as well.
Ruth, One of the best friends I ever had was the daughter of share-croppers. She was from a house with tar-paper siding and a tin roof in Wild Peach, TX. Her mother, though born in TX, had a Czech acccent; she would dance at the SPJST. She carried around alot of self-doubt because of her very humble origins; I guess this was inevitable, but so unnecessary. She would have turned 50 this February.
I realized just awhile ago why my mom never took us to visit our/her relatives. She wanted us not to connect with what she'd gone thru. I finally understand a lot of things better. Sad.
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