My letter to the editor was printed in today's Register Guard. It is short one, and one of just a few not about Syria. I was pleased that the editor chose to hold the letter until the weekend when more people really sit with the paper and take some time to think about what they read.
I hope others will write similar letters. Mine is a common story and needs to be told.
Editor,
Our world is often painted as “us” vs. “them,” and one of the current us/them stories centers on food stamps, now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: “We” pay taxes, and “they” live high on the hog on food stamps.
In truth, most people who receive food stamps have been on both sides of the equation.
An extra $25 for food made a huge difference during a rough patch in my life in the early 1970s. In the years before and since I’ve paid taxes that have vastly exceeded the cost of the stamps I received.
SNAP is a good program and provides a safety net for everyone. Most readers would be surprised at how many people they know who have been helped by SNAP. It’s not just a program for “them,” it’s also for “us.”
Sincerely,
Coastrange
I fear SNAP supporters are making a mistake trying to build support by have high profile people shop on a food stamp budget. That reinforces the "us" vs "them" issue. Since it is just "them" who getting SNAP, some deprivation is probably considered a good thing.
If you, like me, have paid taxes most years, but had a few rough ones where a little government help made a read difference, share that experience.
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