I have nothing but the highest admiration for organizations that put together soup kitchens or food banks for those who desperately need food. That being said I have a personal experience to share with you.
About 3 days ago I was at a local small store. Across the street is a large modern church. As I was getting in my car to leave I noticed a line of people waiting at the back door of the church. I asked one of the store clerks that was out in the parking lot, what was going on. He said it was a food line. I looked at the line and looked back at him and said "you're kidding, right". Why I said that was because at least 70% of the people in the line were obese, not just overweight but obese. Those people would be better off waiting in a line to get pills for weight loss. The clerk told me I should have been here yesterday when some of people drove up in Corvettes and Cadillacs.
What I don't understand is if that sort of thing is happening, the greedy getting free food, why doesn't the church give out food a different way. They could find people living at homeless shelters and take the food to them. I am sure there is a better way to get food to the truly needy people rather than that group I saw standing in line.
3 comments:
Wow. I bookmarked your blog because of my interest in frugality. I thought you would be providing a good example.
To read your malicious comments about obese people being in line for free food gave me the information that I needed in order to decide that I won't need to return to this blog.
You realize that although those people are overweight, they actually still get hungry and need to eat, right? To look at poverty as a 'built-in weight reduction plan' is elitist and wrong.
You were expecting that only thin people would humble themselves to the point of STANDING IN A LINE IN FRONT OF THE WORLD IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FREE FOOD?
Did it occur to you that these people may have children to feed? Did it occur to you that it's difficult to make good food choices if you are uneducated, poor, jobless, and have only enough money to buy the fat-filled, unhealthy white bread 'junk' food that's out there because it's the cheapest?
You do know that about 75% of the American population is obese, right?
I just can't believe your judgmental attitude. You know NOTHING about these people that you're slandering on your blog. You should be ashamed of yourself. Talk about kicking people when they're down.
Let's see if you're at least an honest enough person to post this comment.
It would be sad to see you stop reading the blog, Clementine. The reason I say that is because you made some very relevant points in your comment.
You did mention right up front that you had an interest in frugality. Being frugal means doing with less. Frugal people not only spend less, they consume less. Obese people consume more than they need, thus becoming wasteful of our resources both in the food department and energy consumption (using fuel to produce more food). You'll want to take a look at this chart http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:World_map_of_Energy_consumption_2001-2003.svg for the amount of calories consumed by people per country.
Although your opinion is different than mine it does bring about discussion and that is what needs to happen. It is not just me that is making observations about obese (I mean 350 lb plus people) people begging for food but also major newspaper articles and few message boards that are having some flaming comments about obesity and food stamps.
Just do a search of the internet for such discussions and you'll see what I mean.
Third world countries are shaking the heads and pointing at the USA for consuming more than a fair share of the world's resources and letting them starve. I have to say they make a good point.
Also, where did you get the idea that 75% of the USA is obese? Obese is classified when your BMI is greater than 34. Most people have a BMI less than 31 which is just overweight.
Did you read the part of my post about the people arriving in Corvettes? If they need food that bad, sell the gas guzzler.
I too have a problem with obese people abusing the "system". I have an older frail mother who likes to go to the local Walmart once every 2 weeks. I drive her there and we usually get one of those riding carts for her to use to travel the store in. The last 4 times we were there we had to wait while some, yes I will put my own nasty words here..FAT PIG, stopped using one of their riding carts. These people are not frail, disabled or on oxygen, they are just fat and lazy. These same people manage to walk to their cars without any help, unlike my mother whom I assist.
Yes I have a problem with obese people taking advantage of free food, riding carts for the disabled and other giveaway services.
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