Posted on 11/21/2006 3:04:56 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
The US government has tweaked its terminology in referring to the nearly 11 million Americans who face a constant struggle with hunger to refer to them as people with "very low food security." According to a report released this month by the US Department of Agriculture, roughly 35 million Americans had difficulty feeding themselves in 2005 and of those some 10.8 million went hungry.
But unlike last year's report on hunger in America, which labeled families who don't get enough to eat as having "food insecurity with hunger," this year's report referred to them as having "very low food security."
The change in terminology has angered groups that fight hunger who say it is aimed at hiding a stark reality.
"There is very widespread feeling that it was a mistake to water down the language," Jim Weill, director of the Washington-based Food Research and Action Center, a non-profit organization, told AFP.
"There are 35 million people in this country who are struggling with hunger, no matter what you call it," he added. "An there is no way ultimately to obscure the fact that we're an incredibly wealthy country with 35 million people who are struggling with hunger."
US officials have defended the change, saying it is based on a recommendation from the National Academies, which advises the government on science and medical issues.
No one in America is hungry unless it is by choice. There is free food everywhere.
There's no way 35 million people are struggling with hunger. 3.5 million, maybe. Not 35.
"There are 35 million people in this country who are struggling with hunger, no matter what you call it,"
Duh...isn't that the number of babies who need feeding? Let's see...16 mil illegal immigrants having one baby per year..first thing you know, it all adds up.
Food stamps are being replaced by debit cards. Food banks can't compete. Who wants beans and rice when you can have steak and lobster?
BS. If they chose to not get off their ass and get a job, its noones problem but their own !
Here comes the socialism !
They DESERVE free food and then they DEMAND free healthcare !
GET A JOB !!
I was starving this morning. This must be a standing wave of hunger, ie, 35M Americans are hungry at any given moment. Like just before lunch.
He must be counting dieters and people who work through lunch.
Especially at the grocery store.
I read somewhere that they changed the name because Americans aren't hungry and they are now counting who would go hungry if they lost their job etc.
NO ONE starves to death in the US unless it's by choice.
We have an obesity problem with our poor.
Still there.
America's problem isn't too little food, but too much. And the poorer the economic circumstances of the people I see, the more overweight they generally are.
There was an article in the local MSM paper yesterday, critical of this new policy, which mentioned, straight face, among a list of things obesity as a proof there is hunger in America. Thank you doctor, you can put on me my straitjacket now.
Ten per cent of Americans are going hungry?
I have a widespread feeling that this is total crap. Statistics manipulation in other words, based knowingly on false assumptions...common tactic of leftists.
Democrats won Nov 7, apparently.....
The typical question that these surveys were based on are like, "Were you or any member of your family ever hungry during the year?" I kid you not.
Are they including anorexic pseudo-celebrities like Nicole Ritchie in the "low food security" group?
BOHICA in progress.
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