Starving On Every Street Rhetorical Analysis
Starving on Every Street Imagine having only $122 dollars to live off of for every two weeks, with a family of four or five to feed, and at least one of those family members is a small child. If the family does not get the proper nutrients, then all are at risk of health problems such as diabetes, or malnourishment and failure to thrive. Problems in school are also associated with food insecurity because students are too hungry to focus, or may have learning delays. What gets sacrificed first to afford food; the gas, the electricity, maybe the water bill? What if there are no good public schools in the area? Does the food budget get cut to send the children to a good private school in hopes that they do not have to worry about poverty when
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Society must look at other obstacles including cost. Tracie McMillan is the author of The American Way of Eating who also wrote the article “The New Face of Hunger” in which she points out how the government subsidizes processed food and crops that are not as healthy, but does not subsidize the healthy food needed. McMillan explains that, “In 2012 [the government] spent roughly $11 billion to subsidize and insure commodity crops like corn and soy, with Iowa among the states receiving the highest subsidies. The government spends much less to bolster the production of the fruits and vegetables its own nutrition guidelines say should make up half the food on our plates. In 2011 [the government] spent only $1.6 billion to subsidize and insure "specialty crops" -- the bureaucratic term for fruits and vegetables” (McMillan para 26). That lack of subsidy on speciality crops causes the prices to be higher to cover transportation costs; resulting in members of society not being able to afford fresh produce. It is unethical for the government to ask for healthier options be served in places like schools when in turn the prices of wholesome food are still too high for many budgets to afford. In short, no one should be denied the right to eat healthy regardless of economic background. Everyone should have equal opportunities to receive healthy food and live a healthy
Society must look at other obstacles including cost. Tracie McMillan is the author of The American Way of Eating who also wrote the article “The New Face of Hunger” in which she points out how the government subsidizes processed food and crops that are not as healthy, but does not subsidize the healthy food needed. McMillan explains that, “In 2012 [the government] spent roughly $11 billion to subsidize and insure commodity crops like corn and soy, with Iowa among the states receiving the highest subsidies. The government spends much less to bolster the production of the fruits and vegetables its own nutrition guidelines say should make up half the food on our plates. In 2011 [the government] spent only $1.6 billion to subsidize and insure "specialty crops" -- the bureaucratic term for fruits and vegetables” (McMillan para 26). That lack of subsidy on speciality crops causes the prices to be higher to cover transportation costs; resulting in members of society not being able to afford fresh produce. It is unethical for the government to ask for healthier options be served in places like schools when in turn the prices of wholesome food are still too high for many budgets to afford. In short, no one should be denied the right to eat healthy regardless of economic background. Everyone should have equal opportunities to receive healthy food and live a healthy