The food bank was crowded. People of all stripes were there -- young and old, sick and healthy, fat and skinny, people with lots of little kids, hell there was even a beamer in the parking lot. It was shared humanity, we all knew what we were there for. We were all looking to fulfill a base need, we were all desperate and backed into a corner. I could tell by the looks on their faces. There it was, right in front of me: the depression personified. The faces of struggling children, way under dressed for the winter season. Parents who looked like they were at the end of their rope. College students who were way underfed. Older people living off of a fixed income who have to choose between their medication and their food.
The food was scarce, only 1 box this time. Some frozen meat, some dry pasta; regular food basket fare. Lots of ingredients were given to us, but nothing to make a coherent meal. After waiting 4 hours at the local lutheran church for the shot to get some food, we put the box in our little mazda truck and sat. To be honest, my fiancee and I fought about what to do next. We knew that this was not enough food to sustain us for two weeks, but that is the amount of time in between our paychecks. We were in between a rock and a hard place for sure.
The thing that disturbed me the most at the food bank was the quietness of the place. There was literally 20 or 30 children there, and yet there was not a peep. They were all quiet and seemingly well behaved, but that makes me wonder: is the lack of energy due to a lack of food? How long had those kids at that lutheran church been without even the most basic food items? The thought tore a whole right through my heart. I was worried about our survival, sure, but the experience of just being there in the food line was jarring enough. I broke down and cried.
For the millions of americans who live on just scraps, this is the reality. Not only do they have to wait in line for hours for a little bit of food, most of the time working people have to take time off of work just to be there; just to feed their family. This usually means that, in the end, they will get less money in their paycheck at the end of the month, thus continuing the vicious cycle of poverty. We don't make money by just standing there. We don't get a dividend check at the end of the quarter. Working people like these actually have to work for their pay and survival, and every hour missed means less food in their children's mouths.
The fact that some politicians find it politically acceptable to hold help for these people hostage while they negotiate (and pass) yet another tax break for their millionaire buddies makes my stomach churn. It is absolutely the sickest thing I have ever heard. Most in Washington DC will never understand what it feels like to go hungry for days on end, or have to choose between working and food, and as such they will never see the value in in helping the poor and the desperate. So, once again, America is forced to choose between giving the rich more money for nothing, or raising taxes on people who need every dollar they can get their hands on.
We are, for all intents and purposes, the richest most prosperous country the world has seen in centuries, but the cracks in our social system are widening, and every day hundreds of people find themselves lost to the system they so depended on for their survival. So when the rich come to the US government with their hands and pockets out, forgive me if I feel no sympathy for them. Forgive me if I refuse to believe giving them more wealth and riches will improve our economy one iota. It wont. The rich will continue to hoard their wealth in offshore bank accounts, hiding from the keen eye of the tax man. And our government will continue to get poorer and more unable to help those struggling to survive.
At some point, we have to stand up and say this is no longer acceptable. Some day we are going to have to mobilize to stop the government sponsored giveaways. Some day we are going to have to come to the realization that the system is rigged against the working man. Some day we are going to have to accept the fact that we will never be a member of their little country club, no matter if we hit the 300 million dollar powerball tomorrow. Once people accept these stark realities, the healing process can begin. Until then, the poor will continue to get poorer, and the rich will keep bilking our government for all its got. At your expense.
Ill never forget the looks on the faces of those children. I will never forget what its like to go hungry for three days, or have your power shut off. No matter how rich I get, I promise that I will always remember my roots, and provide for the society that provided for me. If only those in Washington would take the same pledge.
I leave you with the powerful music of the Flobots. They speak for me.
Update 1:
Just to add a little context: I am in Salem Oregon, and yes it is this bad. Its usually doing a lot better, considering its the Holidays, but this time was different. There were at least 100 people there when I was there, my fiancee & I were #90. I assume thats why the food was sparse this time. I don't think they were expecting the number of people that showed up.
We were actually picking up food this time, not volunteering. My financial aid doesn't come in until the 3rd of January, same case with my fiancee. She will get a check from her banking job on the 23rd, but there was literally no food in the house. So, in a panic we went and picked up a food basket on Thursday. Admittedly we were a little late, like 45 minutes. But we were there for about 4 hours, but we were in the car fighting for a while too, so it might have been 3 or so. It was hard.