Thursday, November 23, 2006

Thanksgiving Irony

Thanksgiving -- supposedly a day meaning just what is says, to give thanks. In reality, though, a day to eat too much; check the ads so we can spend too much tomorrow; and let's not forget football (even if we would like to).

But, back to the first of those -- a day to eat too much. We are reminded too rarely, in these days of obesity-obsession, that there are many even in this country who do not have this option. 11 million people in the United States cannot always feed themselves adequately.

We used to call this "hunger." You know, like that feeling in your stomach when you're on your latest diet, or too far from the nearest Mickey D's? But for the rest of us, it's only temporary.

Not for those 11 million. And really, isn't that depressing? We can spend $1 million on a single missile, waste billions on a no-excuse war, have pretty parades, wait with bated breath to see what extravaganzas will be in this year's Nieman Marcus catalog -- while 11 million sometimes go hungry.

But lo! What is this on the horizon? Good news -- be depressed no more!! According to the 2006 USDA report, released last week, we no longer have hunger in America. Isn't that great?

No, thanks to this wonderful Republican administration, those 11 million are not hungry.

Yes, I'm serious. They are not hungry.

They experience "very low food security."