STARVING TO DEATH IN A SUPERMARKET
(an example of ‘in-equitability)
By George Wright

Let’s say we meet a homeless person – no, a homeless family. And let’s say they move about town trying to find anything to help them get through the day. They are living in a car, but it malfunctioned long ago and besides where would the money for gas come from?

family

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On one of their walks to burn off some of the children’s energy, of the children notices the neighborhood chain supermarket and actually sees produce – large tables overflowing with all kinds of fruit and vegetables.

supermarket

She runs over there so quickly that mom, being so tired from the way she has to live, was unable catch him. In the store the little girl goes, followed by her brother and mom.

We who are fortunate to have scratched a living from the system, are so used to casually go about our shopping never stopping to think about all that is available for us to choose. But to that little girl and her mom and brother, it must seem now, unbelievable.
That family might have some means to keep from “starving to death in that supermarket.”

But that’s about it. Probably subsidized and sub-standard housing; they may have food stamps or a type of debit card now for a limited amount of groceries which provides for the cheapest and therefore most unhealthy food.

They might have access to woefully inadequate heath care for the children, but none for the adults.
My question is: if we have excess amounts of things like food, potential room for decent housing and medical centers all over the place – why do we say, by our actions and attitudes, to these people; “You are not worthy of anything more than what we give you?”

empty-bowl

If we accept conditions like this for any of our neighbors no matter their circumstances, what then have we become? And are we the person we want others to see?