In New Orleans, Gluttony and Starvation Live Side by Side

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/food/new-orleans-gluttony-starvation-live-side-side

As 13-year-old Jazz Henry practiced her trumpet in a scene fromThe Whole Gritty City, the recent documentary about New Orleans marching-band students, her mother, Lischunda White, stirred dinner on the stove and talked about shielding her children from hardship – and hunger.

“It’s been times when Jazz has seen me with just enough food for just them and not enough for me. And she knew it wasn’t enough. She would say, ‘Mama, where your food at?’ And I would say, ‘I’m fine. I’m not hungry.’”

“I wouldn’t tell her,” White said, “that it really wasn’t enough and I just didn’t have it.”

Despite New Orleans’ reputation as a city of big appetites, White’s narrative is far too common. A recent study by the Food Research and Action Center found that New Orleanians go hungry more than nearly anywhere else in the United States.

[LuvNewcastle]

1. My favorite thing to do when I go to New Orleans is eating and drinking,

especially eating. It's so sad that people are going hungry in a city with so much wonderful food. It's really a crying shame that anyone in America goes hungry. We have so much food that we have to throw out tons of it because it goes bad before we can eat it all.

When a needy person comes to me asking for help, the first thing I ask them is if they've been able to eat. If they haven't, I buy them food. I tell anyone that if they're hungry, I will find a way to feed them.

I can't stand the thought of people starving. I'd say that one of the most important things our government should do is make sure people are fed. If they're not, it's time to examine our priorities and make some changes.

[grilled onions]

2. Bless You LuvNewcastle

While you reply "if they've been able to eat" many growl "if you're hungry get a job!" It seems to wipe away the slate of responsibility. There should be no excuse for hungry people in this country. We have farmers with empty fields to keep prices up. We no longer have "day old" sales for breads etc. Produce overripe? Out it goes! Even many with gardens would rather have those veggies rot. Their excuse is "if they are too lazy to grow their own they certainly are not getting any of mine!"
We need to care! We need to share! We need to be aware of the suffering all around us!